Medical Alumni Association President Strives for Connection and Community 

For Jeffrey Krebs, M.D.’86, the third phase of his life is definitely a charm. As the UC San Diego Medical Alumni Association (MAA) president, he is busy making plans and guiding an engaged and talented board of directors to enhance the esprit de corps among University of California San Diego School of Medicine alumni, current students and administration.  

Krebs explains that phase one consists of the educational years. This is the time we develop the knowledge and skills needed to enter phase two, the working years that define our careers. Phase three is when we reap the rewards and benefits of retirement from working hard. It is a time in which we can use what we know and the skills that we have developed to continue to do good for others. 

“For me this phase three is a time to pursue some of my personal and professional interests unencumbered by rigid work schedules,” said Krebs. “I like keeping my mind and my body active.”

A seven-time Ironman triathlete and a world ranked elite age group marathoner, Krebs has always been physically active and a competitor. In fact, it was his love of cycling that served as part of the impetus for his role with the alumni association. It was a chance interaction on a social media post about the School of Medicine’s Students on Bikes student interest group that reinvigorated his resolve to get more involved with his alma mater. 

Why did you take on the role of president of the MAA?

I was inspired to create a more robust alumni community. As president, I will be able to strengthen what already exists in order to take our alumni association to new levels.

I was in the 15th graduating class at School of Medicine. We were a young school without much history and without a true legacy back then. We had no alumni association. When we graduated, it was basically the end of our relationship with the school unless we stayed for our post-graduate training. Fast forward 30-plus years and we have a large alumni community. I was motivated by many of my colleagues from other medical schools who were involved with, and excited by, their well-established alumni associations. I wanted to create this same pride among our alumni.

What are your initial goals for the MAA during your term as president?

Together with my board members, we created three new committees focusing on alumni engagement, student engagement and fundraising. Together we will:

• Establish a network to re-connect our alumni with our alma mater through social and educational opportunities. 
• Nurture alumni-student interactions. Our current students will be alumni in the near future. Building a connection with the MAA now will make the transition to full member status seem natural for them. There will be many mentorship opportunities that we, as alumni, can offer to our students. 
• Create an environment for giving back. There are many ways in which alumni can give back to our community and to our medical school including volunteering and mentoring, in addition to financial giving. 
• Update and enhance the ways in which we communicate with our members. This includes enhancing our website and providing more information on social events, mentoring, educational and other volunteer opportunities, as well as ways to give financially. We are also planning to develop a newsletter to keep our members informed about what we are doing for them and what is happening at School of Medicine.

How can other alumni be a part of making these goals a reality?

There are many ways that our alumni members can become involved. They can attend the social and educational events that we are planning, mentor our students in any number of ways, make a financial gift to our scholarship funds, pledge a financial gift as part of their estate planning or consider naming opportunities within UC San Diego School of Medicine or the broader UC San Health Sciences. These options all support our goals of engaging alumni in our community. 

Why should other Alumni get involved with the MAA?

Many of us would agree that School of Medicine gave so much to us. We would not be physicians or have the careers that we have without it. Giving back to the school that gave so much to us feels right. Involvement in the MAA is a way to give back and cement our legacies within the institution. The MAA offers many ways for our alumni to do just that. 

My ultimate goal is to ensure strong connections between our alumni and School of Medicine. 

I want to bring that joy of belonging and that excitement of being part of something bigger. One of the things that I felt that I missed out on when I was a student is any connection with past graduates. I want to change that.