UCSF Joins National Clinician Scholars Program

The UCSF School of Nursing and the UCSF School of Medicine are joining the National Clinician Scholars Program (NCSP), an interdisciplinary research consortium for physicians and nurses aimed at driving innovation and improvements in health care and health equity.

The NCSP is a two-year postdoctoral fellowship for nurses and physicians. The program will equip future health care leaders with the skills to reduce and eliminate health disparities in their communities, invent new models of clinical care delivery and inform policy.

“We are pleased to partner with the NCSP program, bringing our unique blend of resources to the preparation of scholars dedicated to transforming the delivery of health care,” says UCSF School of Nursing Dean Catherine L. Gilliss. “UCSF is committed to advancing improvements and innovation in health care and health policy to improve the quality of life. Never has there been more opportunity to introduce positive change.”

The UCSF schools of nursing and medicine will work with local agencies and institutions to identify regional health challenges and recruit scholars looking to address health disparities. Research projects undertaken through the program will be embedded in, and informed by, the community, so that scholars will be able to make a meaningful impact, even as they receive their education.

Community-embedded projects make up the core of the two-year training experience. But scholars will also take part in an innovative curriculum to build a robust set of skills in organizational and social change, applied translational research methodology, community engagement, program development and evaluation, team management, communication and leadership in health policy.

Susan Chapman (left) and Margot Kushel “We’re excited to partner with the NCSP to prepare a new generation of scholars who will lead innovative, meaningful change that strengthens health care for all,” says the School of Nursing’s Susan Chapman, who will direct the program with physician Margot Kushel of the School of Medicine. “I can’t wait to see what our first cohort of scholars will accomplish.”

The San Francisco VA Health Care System will join the consortium along with UCSF. Other sites partnering with the NCSP are UCLA, Yale, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Michigan and Duke, and their affiliated Veterans Health Administration medical centers.

Since its inception, the NCSP has accepted 128 scholars. The first cohort finished in June 2018. Applications for all sites will open May 1, 2019.

“As an NCSP partner, we look forward to offering a tailored training to create change agents able to conduct policy-relevant research and become leaders who will improve health and health care,” says UCSF School of Medicine Dean Talmadge E. King Jr. “As a public institution with deep ties to the community, UCSF has invested in developing ongoing partnerships with community-based organizations, community-based health care providers and the public health delivery system. We are honored to partner with the NCSP to provide invaluable opportunities for clinicians to assume leadership roles in academia, health systems, government and community-based organizations.”