Pictured from left to right: William Mobley, MD, PhD, Kiley Steinbeck McCombs, and Sabrina Chriqui

FEATURE 

Via UC San Diego Today: UC San Diego School of Medicine recently hosted its 2025 Summer Research Symposium, showcasing the work of more than 100 medical and pharmacy students. The inspiration for research projects varied as students developed their projects based on what they were learning in the classroom, and/or expanded on existing studies based on personal interests or social issues they were passionate about.

Research topics included but were not limited to: using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve patient outcomes, conducting biomedical research to improve athletic performance and wellness, evaluating physiological stress markers of baseball pitching to better understand injuries and how to prevent them, and more. The research findings were enlightening and allowed for substantive discussion and knowledge sharing among UC San Diego peers and faculty members alike.

Photo Credit: Kyle Dykes/UC San Diego Health Sciences

We are thrilled to announce that two of our esteemed Sanford Scholars were awarded prizes at the Summer Research Symposium for excellence in empathy and compassion research and superior communication of the narrative of the project.

Winners were Kiley Steinbeck McCombs, MS2, first place, for her study "Integrating Disability Curriculum into Undergraduate Medical Education to Improve Physical Equity and Empathetic Practice of Medicine"; and Sabrina Chriqui, MS2, second place. for her study "Exploring the Impact of Augmented and Virtual Reality Headsets on the Patient-Physician Connection."

Congratulations, Kiley and Sabrina!

RESOURCES

Eager to communicate your research in a way that connects with students, funders, and media? Join our complimentary 90-minute Zoom workshop, hosted by the Center for Compassionate Communication, and learn how to craft a clear, compelling elevator pitch that communicates the value and impact of your work to any audience.  

In this workshop, you’ll walk away with:
• An understanding of how to structure your message for clarity and impact;
• The ability to communicate your ideas in a way that resonates with your audience;
• The skills to identify and build common ground with various audiences; and,
• A powerful tool you can use again and again to craft your perfect pitch.

Ready to transform how you share your research? Reserve your spot now — for free!

EVENTS

This May, join Sanford Institute Director William Mobley, MD, PhD, Center for Empathy and Social Justice in Human Health Director Gentry Patrick, PhD, and other health care leaders and academics to explore potential implications and utilizations of empathy and compassion for the treatment of brain disorders and other real-world applications.   

MEDIA

Sanford Institute Endowed Professor Monique Smith, PhD, was recently profiled by "Stories of Women in Neuroscience." Listen to her interview to learn about Dr. Smith's surprising scientific discovery as a PhD student, how to model empathy in mice, and the profound impact mentorship can have on trainees. 

MEDICAL EDUCATION

UC San Diego faculty and trainees (inclusive of residents, fellows, and medical students) are invited to submit an abstract in any area of medical education for the upcoming Symposium for Innovation in Medical Education (SIME) poster session on May 16. The SIME abstract submission deadline is this Friday, March 21 at 5 p.m. PST. 

NEWS

— On Monday, March 31 at 7 p.m., Endowed Professor Monique Smith, PhD, will be participating in a post movie screening presentation and Q&A at Digital Gym Cinema on the topic of "The Science of Caring: The Psychology of Empathy Between Animals and Humans." The film screening will be Robert Bresson's classic, Au Hasard Balthazar.

— A new study by Sanford Institute researcher Sidney Zisook, MD, found female physicians in the U.S. had a 53% higher suicide risk compared to female in general population.

— Center for Compassionate Communication is recruiting fellows for the fall 2025 cohort of the UC San Diego Health: Sanford Compassionate Communication Academy Fellowship. This opportunity is open to UC San Diego faculty members across all medical disciplines, with a goal of expanding representation in Dermatology, Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, Pathology, and any surgical sub-specialties.

— UC San Diego launches "Behind Every Breakthrough" to highlight our University's critical research and advocacy, and protect the future of life-saving discoveries.

EVENTS

Save your spot for the Lead With Compassion workshop, a 2.5-day training in San Diego, CA,  that equips health care professionals, medical and nursing educators, and teaching artists with the tools to enhance their facilitation and professional performance in medical settings and beyond. 

Lead With Compassion is for you if you want to:
• Discover empathic and compassionate principles that can enhance your clinical practice, medical teaching, and leadership performance in health care;
• Ignite stronger, more meaningful relationships with your patients, peers, and self; and,
• Transform the way you think, see, and act in today’s ever-changing health care landscape.

Discounts available for UC San Diego faculty and staff—just email nonava@health.ucsd.edu to redeem promo code.