November 2025

FEATURE 

Today, we are thrilled to announce the official launch of Seq2CareSD, an immersive new program, facilitated by the Center for Empathy and Technology, that prepares medical students to thoughtfully integrate precision health tools into clinical practice.

Through a unique combination of experiential learning, hands-on genomics exploration, and a strong emphasis on empathy, ethics, and equity, this program blends synchronous and asynchronous coursework and culminates in a 2.5-day in-person workshop at UC San Diego in the summer of 2026.

What medical students can expect from Seq2CareSD:

• Experiential learning with most costs covered: Participants will receive 3 nights of accommodations and meals at UC San Diego during the in-person workshop in July 2026, plus a travel stipend to help offset costs.

• Easily accommodation to busy medical school schedules: Prior to the in-person workshop in July, students have approximately 3-months to complete the self-paced, asynchronous modules.

• Exploration of genetic profile: Participants will have the opportunity to opt in to voluntary, clinical-grade personal genetic testing, fully covered by the program.

• Enhanced resume/CV: All participants will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the program.

• Expanded network: Participants will have the unique opportunity to connect with a national cohort of medical students and engage with leading experts in genetics, genomics, and precision health.

• An emphasis on empathy, ethics, and equity: Through our unique programmatic lens, participants build clinical skills that support thoughtful, actionable implementation of precision health in patient care.

The program welcomes all applicants currently enrolled in an MD-granting program at an accredited or provisionally-accredited US-based institution. The application period is now open and will close at 11:59 pm PST on December 12, 2025. Any questions, email Seq2Care-SD@health.ucsd.edu.

Share this opportunity to a medical student that should apply!

COMMUNICATION

Hearing Myself Think is an interactive workshop that provides perspective, healing, and community building. Run by poet Thomas Dooley, participants will understand the value of analogy and reflection to help communicate across differences. We will engage as a cohort in writing and discussion, so we urge you to find a quiet and private space for the session. This is a moving experience that we hope will provide you with both insight and wellness. 

TECHNOLOGY

As large language models and other conversational AI systems increasingly serve as unguided or self-directed tools for wellness and emotional support, this speaker series will examine both their promise and their risks. Speakers include: California State Senator Steve Padilla, who authored the first-in-the-nation AI chatbot safeguard, Laura Adams, Senior Advisor for the National Academy of Medicine, and more. RSVP now – limited seats available!

EDUCATION

Join us for an engaging session with our partner, Compassion Institute, to learn about the science and practice of compassion cultivation. Experts  will guide participants in experiential learning to practice cultivating compassion for self and others. Participants will learn how to easily incorporate these essential compassion cultivation skills into their clinical practice and teaching environments.

NEWS

Pictured (from left to right): Sheena Posey Norris, NASEM; Dr. Gentry Patrick, UC San Diego; Dr. Frances Jensen, Professor and Chairman of Neurology at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Walter Koroshetz, Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; and, Dr. William Mobley, UC San Diego

This month, the Sanford Institute and National Academies’ Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders co-hosted the Unraveling the Neuroscience of Empathy & Compassion Networking Social for Neuroscience 2025, the annual Society for Neuroscience convening. The event brought together experts across neuroscience, medicine, education, and related fields in real-time to engage on how emerging discoveries in this area of research are shaping treatments for brain disorders and other real-world applications. It was a follow up to the National Academies' two-day virtual workshop on the same topic.

Of particular note at this event were our four esteemed speakers of the evening, namely: Dr. Walter Koroshetz, Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; Dr. Frances Jensen, Professor and Chairman of Neurology at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Gentry Patrick, Professor of Neurobiology Section of the Division of Biological Sciences at UC San Diego; and, Dr. William Mobley, Founding Director of the Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion and Associate Dean of Neurosciences at UC San Diego. Their visionary leadership helps move this critical work forward and shine a light on what's possible for the future of empathy and compassion. 

Across nonprofits, academic institutions, research labs, and more, we saw new relationships take root and existing collaborations deepen. Attendees shared bold ideas about where the science of empathy and compassion could (and should) go next, making one thing abundantly clear: the future of empathy and compassion research is bright. And if you ask us, it will be shaped by cross-sector partnerships just like the ones sparked at this social. 

If you are interested in helping define the future of empathy and compassion, we invite you to join our Empathy & Compassion Neuroscience Interest Group — a collaborative space for connection, knowledge sharing, and opportunities that emerged from this networking social. (Note: Participation in the networking social is not required to join this interest group. All voices are welcome.) 

NEWS

— On December 1, join the Center for Empathy and Compassion Training in Medical Education for "In the Hands of Poets: toxicology, ceremony & can I get a safe word?" — an interactive narrative medicine workshop. In this workshop, attendees will examine what it means to practice compassionate care in a nation built on wounding. Limited seats available. Save your spot now.

— The Lead With Compassion Workshop is coming to UC San Diego next April 2026! This arts- and humanities-based leadership training is designed for health care professionals and medical educators who want to discover empathic and compassionate principles that can enhance their clinical practice, medical teaching, and leadership performance in health care. Special registration rate available for UC San Diego faculty. Register now.

— The Center for Empathy and Social Justice in Human Health recently supported the 2025 ENDURE Symposium, where more than 100 students from eight programs came together to learn from one another, celebrate their achievements, and prepare for the future. The event featured keynote remarks from Dr. Michelle Jones-London, former Associate Director of NINDS.

FREE RESOURCES

This free, on-demand webinar, led by the Center for Compassionate Communication and Elizabeth Bass of the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, teaches you how to use your expertise and credentials to provide accurate information, correct errors (or lies), and advocate for policies you support via opinion pieces and letters to the editor.