The Spark

In this episode, host Rachel Huynh (MS3) speaks with Dr. Angela Suen, Dr. Brian Graham, and Dr. Michael Lee, UCSF physicians who also care for patients at San Francisco's Chinese Hospital. They discuss the historic mission of Chinese Hospital, its legacy as "The People's Hospital," and the importance of its collaboration with UCSF in expanding equitable and culturally centered care.   The physicia...

In this final episode of our AI in dermatology mini-series, Chloe sits down with Dr. Sarah Coates to learn more about global dermatology and the potential of AI to improve access to care in low-tech friendly settings. Dr. Coates shares her experience developing an AI tool to diagnose Kaposi's sarcoma–a type of skin cancer that disproportionately affects people living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa...

In this episode, Chloe, Dr. Jenna Lester, and Dr. Fatuma Rinderknecht discuss the importance of addressing health disparities in dermatology. They explore the Skin of Color program at UCSF, their personal journeys into dermatology, and delve into the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in dermatology — highlighting biases in AI models and the need for diverse and representative data sets to impro...

In this episode, Chloe and Dr. Maria Wei discuss the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into dermatology, particularly in skin cancer diagnosis and patient care. They explore the various applications of AI, the importance of precision medicine, and patient attitudes towards AI in clinical settings. The conversation highlights the challenges of robust data in AI training, the balance betwe...

In this episode, Chloe speaks with Dr. Jack Resneck, Jr. about his journey from self-proclaimed "policy nerd" to dermatologist, former President of the American Medical Association, and prominent figure in national and global health policy. He discusses the importance of physician storytelling in advocating for patients, the lessons learned from past technological revolutions in healthcare, and th...

What lessons can we learn from each other? At the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Kathmandu, Nepal, ophthalmologists from around the world convene to improve their surgical skills – and share lessons learned in patient care, community outreach, and global health.   In this third and final "Nepal Episode," Chloe discusses the importance of patient education with Srijana Adhikari, MD, Head of...

What are the similarities and differences in surgical training in Nepal versus the US? Chloe explores this question at the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Kathmandu, where expert physicians share their own training experiences from home and abroad.   In this second of three "Nepal Episodes," Chloe interviews Anu Manandhar, MBBS, MD, Head of the Tilganga Uveitis Department, about her trainin...

When it comes to surgery, is "technologically advanced" always superior? Last summer, Chloe Sales (MS3) had the opportunity to explore this question in Kathmandu, Nepal, at the world-renowned Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology – whose doctors pioneered the use of a low-cost, low-tech procedure that's saved the vision of countless patients.    In the first of three "Nepal Episodes," Chloe chats wi...

In the last episode of our season, Paul and Chloe sit down with UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood, MBBS, to discuss the stages of his career, what's inspired him to stay at UCSF for over three decades, how keeping an open mind has led him to interesting places, and the importance of an inquisitive spirit as you take on new roles. Music by Podington Bear, licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0.

In the penultimate episode of the season, Paul chats with Dr. Talmadge E. King, Jr., Dean of the School of Medicine & Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs at UCSF, about how clinicians and specialties choose each other, the intentionality of truly collaborative environments, and how his career has steered him towards leadership.

Chloe chats with (then incoming) Associate Dean for Continuing Medical Education, Lorriana Leard, MD, about the value of physician coaching (for both coach and medical student), how AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard may change how students learn and physicians work, balancing personal and professional life goals, and what she's most looking forward to in her new role.

Chloe chats with Valerie Gribben, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, about embracing the unknown throughout training, adopting a growth mindset, and the power of storytelling in medicine. Music by Podington Bear, licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0.

Paul chats with Dr. Peter Ureste, Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Ureste has roles across campus that allow him to mentor the next generation of medical professionals, and he explains the journey that led him to that. Paul and Chloe also discuss what they look for in a mentor/mentee relationship.

"You will not always know enough, but you will always be enough." These are the words of wisdom that Dr. Khayam-Bashi shares with each new class, encouraging them to tap into useful emotions when caring for patients. Paul and Chloe talk about the perspective this lesson has given them in their medical education.

Dr. Justin Sewell, Professor of Medicine, joins Paul and Chloe to discuss getting into med school on the first try (or not), maintaining boundaries between professional and personal lives, and the dream of living in the moment even as you look to the future. 

Chloe and Paul are joined by Dr. Andy Josephson, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurology. They discuss the importance of mentorship, how teaching is a skill that can be taught and learned, and the ways medical school offers opportunities to try new things, even for those on a straightforward path.

In the first episode of the season we meet our new hosts, Chloe Sales (MS2) and Paul Brandfonbrener (MS1). Chloe talks to Anna Chang, MD, a professor in the Department of Medicine's Division of Geriatrics. Dr. Chang also directs the School of Medicine's Bridges Curriculum Clinical Microsystems Clerkship, the integrated clinical skills and health systems curriculum for all first- and second-year me...

Welcome our new hosts, Chloe Sales (MS2) and Paul Brandfonbrener (MS1), as they present guests with the question: Where do you find joy, meaning, or purpose in your work?

In this episode, Mihir Joshi interviews Dr. Lee Jones, then-Associate Dean for Students at the UCSF School of Medicine. Dr Jones will join Georgetown University's School of Medicine as the Dean of Medical Education later this summer.   *Please excuse any background noises as our interviewers & interviewees are speaking remotely via video chat.  Music by Podington Bear. Licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0....

(Recorded in Fall 2020) This episode is part 2 of 2 in our "Tale of Two Reopenings" miniseries. Dan Cummins first speaks with Drs. Alan Shindel, MD and Tami Rowen, MD, each faculty with UCSF, about what is has been like to be parents of young children and busy physicians during COVID-19, educational and broader inequalities underscored by the virus, and the prospect of returning to in-person schoo...

This episode is part 1 of 2 in our "Tale of Two Reopenings" mini-series. Dan Cummins speaks with Xavier 'Abe' Cortez, a third-year medical student reflecting on his experiences returning to the clinical wards after being removed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Then, Mihir Joshi speaks with Fiona Miller, a second-year medical student and mother of three, speaking on the process of stopping and starti...

For much of medicine's history as a profession, it was a crime for women to be doctors. While women gained the right to study and practice medicine in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, by 1965 less than 10% of medical school graduates were women. That changed dramatically in the 1970s with the Equal Rights Amendment and Title IX. Today, more women than men are enrolled in medical school but...

Host Tessnim Ahmad (MS4) discusses the health and health-system impacts of climate change with Dr. Katherine Gundling, Clinical Professor Emerita and former practice chief for the Allergy/Immunology faculty practice; Dr. Seema Gandhi, Associate Clinical Professor in the department of anesthesia; and MS3s Colin Baylen and Nuzhat Islam, who helped found the Human Health and Climate Change student gr...

Burnout is part of the American vernacular. It refers to the emotional exhaustion brought on by chronic work-related stress, and can manifest as cynicism and feeling like your work lacks meaning. The term was coined in the 1970s by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger. He volunteered in a free clinic for patients with drug addiction and he used "burnout" to describe the exhaustion suffered by worker...

Burnout is part of the American vernacular. It refers to the emotional exhaustion brought on by chronic work-related stress, and can manifest as cynicism and feeling like your work lacks meaning. The term was coined in the 1970s by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger. He volunteered in a free clinic for patients with drug addiction and he used "burnout" to describe the exhaustion suffered by worker...