California HEAL Social Medicine Fellowship
The Division of Hospital Medicine, in partnership with the UCSF HEAL Initiative, offers a one-year California Social Medicine Fellowship.
The California HEAL Social Medicine Fellowship is a one-year fellowship that connects, trains, and mentors early-career physicians to make meaningful improvements in the healthcare of underserved communities in Fresno, Los Angeles, and/or the Inland Empire. Social Medicine Fellows spend 30% protected time leading local community health projects and the remaining 70% of their time in direct clinical work at a federally qualified center. To equip physicians to sustainably make long-term improvements in the health of underserved Californians, fellows receive: one-on-one mentorship from local physicians with experience in caring for local underserved communities, structured leadership and advocacy training, and connections to a peer network of healthcare workers grounded in shared commitment and collaboration. We are accepting applicants for our cohort that runs July 2027- June 2028 with placement options in Fresno, Los Angeles, and the Inland Empire, California.
Program Components
- 30% protected time for local community health projects 70% direct clinical work
- Placement options in Los Angeles, Fresno, and the Inland Empire
- Mentorship from physicians experienced in underserved care
- Leadership, advocacy, and structural competency training
- Potential to stay on full-time at the FQHC after a 1-year program
- Connected to California HEAL Community Fellows who are healthcare workers (community health workers, health educators, social workers, etc.) already embedded in communities, developing a peer network grounded in shared commitment and collaboration
HEAL is currently recruiting internal medicine, family medicine, and medicine - pediatric, and pediatric physicians who will have completed residency by July 2027 for our 2027-28 Social Medicine HEAL Fellows positions. The placement sites include the Inland Empire, Los Angeles, and Fresno. Visit their website to learn more about the program.
UCSF does not use race, gender, sex, or other protected categories or proxies for protected categories in the selection process.
About the UCSF HEAL Initiative
The UCSF HEAL Initiative is a global health organization partnering with healthcare institutions and local governments in resource-denied areas to connect, train, and support local healthcare professionals to strengthen near-term care delivery and lay the foundation for enduring, systemic improvements in healthcare worker resilience and patient outcomes. HEAL has local programs similar to the California Social Medicine Fellowship in Malawi, Navajo Nation, and Mexico.