Community
Health and Social Advocacy
The Area of Concentration (AoC) in Community Health and Social Advocacy
offers medical students the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills,
and attitudes needed to improve the health of communities. This AoC is
designed to provide students with the opportunity to participate actively
in the design and implementation of projects in community health and social
advocacy. Our goal is to provide students with the necessary skills to
partner with communities in order to effect positive social change.
The use of the term “community” is defined broadly for the
purposes of this AoC, and so provides significant flexibility based on
students’ interests. A diverse array of possibilities is available
within this AoC, and this program is designed to accommodate students
with no prior experience in community work as well as those with extensive
backgrounds. Students are encouraged to explore their interests in the
preparatory phase (see below) and to meet with the faculty advisors to
provide guidance as needed. A variety of community partners are available
for both project identification and to serve as mentors/advisors for students
in this AoC. Students with a strong interest in this AoC are encouraged
to consider extending their medical education by an additional year for
more in-depth opportunities and expanding their project reports as the
basis for an MD with thesis.
 
As with all of the AoCs, students in the Community Health and Social Advocacy
AoC are required to fulfill requirements in three areas: (1) Preparation,
(2) Experiential learning, and (3) Legacy.
The preparatory phase is designed to introduce students to this AoC
and to provide a solid foundation for the experiential component. Students
are encouraged to enroll in electives that directly relate to or are
sponsored by this AoC during their first- and second-years. These electives
include, but are not limited to, courses in homeless health care, social
activism, and medical Spanish. In addition, all students who enroll
in this AoC are required to enroll in Community Health 101 (generally
during their fourth year), a two-week course that provides structured
learning about skills necessary for the experiential component of this
AoC.
All students in this AoC will be expected to spend 12-24 weeks during
their fourth year working on a project of their choosing in community
health and/or social advocacy, in partnership with an existing community
group. The potential opportunities for projects are infinite, and each
student should discuss their ideas with one of the faculty advisors.
In addition, students will be required to identify both a community
and an academic mentor who will assist with their progress during this
phase of the program. Voluntary monthly meetings will be offered throughout
the year to provide an opportunity for students at different phases
of the AoC to reflect on their experiences and share ideas.
All students in this AoC are required to create an enduring product
to describe and document their work during the experiential phase. While
the legacy can take the form of a traditional academic manuscript, there
are also opportunities for it to take a different form, e.g. health
education curricula, data from community needs assessments, policy changes
made as a result of advocacy work. In addition, all students will be
required to present the process and outcomes of their projects at a
forum that will include their peers and academic and community mentors.
Students will also be expected to maintain a portfolio documenting their
activities and accomplishments throughout the four years of medical school.
This portfolio should include a listing of coursework completed, documentation
of service-learning activities, a description of their project, and mentor
evaluations.
The application for this and all AoCs will be standardized to conform
to the academic calendar. In general, students should plan to apply to
this AoC by the spring of the third-year of medical school. Earlier applications
are welcome and encouraged, as they afford opportunities for more longitudinal
service and learning experiences. Students should complete an application
detailing their areas of interest, related coursework and/or other experiences
that have already been completed, their proposed study plan, and potential
AoC advisors. Students should contact the faculty advisors (listed below)
or their Advisory College Mentor to review their plans for participation
in this program. The faculty advisors will review all applications and
provide specific feedback, including potential modifications in the proposals.
They are also happy to assist students in identifying appropriate community
partners and community mentors.
The first step in getting involved in the AoC is to log onto iROCKET,
go to the "Areas of Concentration" course, and fill out the
Interest Form the AoC that interests you.
Sharad Jain, MD
Department of Medicine
Sharad.Jain@ucsf.edu
Naomi Wortis, MD
Department of Family and Community Medicine
Naomi.Wortis@ucsf.edu
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