Culture of Belonging

Cultivating an Inclusive Community. Improving the Health of Everyone We Serve.

UC San Diego School of Medicine is built on values that promote respect, justice, compassion, empathy and inclusion. We celebrate a culture of acceptance and collaboration where all members of our community are valued and respected. We believe that our values benefit not only our learning community, but also improve overall patient care and promote medical and research advancements.

An Education Grounded in Health 

Addressing health inequities serves as a cornerstone for educational opportunities at the School of Medicine. Future health care providers are trained to practice in underserved communities through specific educational programs, such as PRIME and the Atkinson Physician Assistant Education Program.

Pathway Programs

Explore careers in medicine through our pathway programs. Opportunities are available for middle school, high school, community college and undergraduate students.

About Pathway Programs

Diversity in Medicine Lectures

The quarterly Diversity in Medicine Lectureship series to celebrate diverse faculty and their health equity practice, research and advocacy. 

More about Diversity in Medicine

Graduate Medical Education

The Graduate Medical Education department fosters a inclusive environment to enrich the educational experience of all trainees across the institution.

Learn about Inclusive Excellence at GME

Faculty Development

Professional development programs, such as the Health Sciences Center for Excellence, are designed to provide support and enhance careers for junior faculty.

Our Faculty Development Programs

Connecting the Community

UC San Diego School of Medicine builds its community on the strength of its diversity and connectivity. Our programs and community groups are open to people of all backgrounds and experiences.

• Student Interest Groups unite students, trainees and employees with common interests to honor and share experiences with fellow students and colleagues.
• Annual celebrations — such as Dia De Los Muertos, the Native American Blanket Ceremony, Rainbow Pinning Ceremony and more — are opportunities to commemorate and discover a variety of traditions.
• Faculty development programs and University staff affiliate programs promote a work culture of inclusion and belonging.

Addressing Health Disparities through Research

A significant portion of our research is focused on reducing health inequities and promoting inclusion.

• The Research Latino Core of the Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer's Disease Research Center is examining biomarkers of risk and resilience related to cognitive aging among Latinos of diverse heritages.

• A $38 million grant from USAID for an international, multi-institutional project in the Center on Gender Equity and Health (GEH) at UC San Diego School of Medicine and Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science to addresses multiple dimensions of health and well-being working with diverse populations across the globe, with a focus on Africa and South Asia.

• The Faculty Mentor Training Program and its published research serve as a successful model for medical schools seeking to improve faculty diversity and success.

• UC San Diego Health leads pioneering research and treatment in a wide variety of rare diseases, such as hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis and cystinosis, often overlooked by the medical community.