David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Name	David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Established	1951
Type	Private medical school within public university
Parent	University of California, Los Angeles
Dean	Karin M. Muraszko
City	Los Angeles
State	California
Country	United States
Campus	Westwood

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is the medical school of the University of California, Los Angeles located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. The school was renamed in 2001 following a major philanthropic gift from David Geffen, and it has close operational ties with the UCLA Health System, the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and the UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica. It is a focal point for education, clinical care, and biomedical research connected to institutions such as the National Institutes of Health, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the Association of American Medical Colleges.

History

The school's origins trace to the post‑World War II expansion of the University of California system and the founding of the School of Medicine, UCLA in 1951, a period shared with expansions at University of California, San Francisco and University of Southern California medical programs. Early faculty recruited included clinicians and scientists from institutions like Massachusetts General Hospital, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Mayo Clinic, influencing curricular models similar to those at Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. The 1960s and 1970s saw growth aligned with federal initiatives from the National Institutes of Health and linkage with regional hospitals such as Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. In 2001 a transformational donation from David Geffen renamed the school, paralleling gifts to institutions like Yale School of Medicine and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, while continuing collaborations with entities including the Galen Center and the California Institute of Technology.

Academics and Programs

The school offers the MD program alongside joint degrees such as MD/PhD with the California Institute of Technology, MD/MPH with UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, and MD/MBA with the UCLA Anderson School of Management, integrating curricula comparable to those at Stanford School of Medicine and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Core courses emphasize clinical rotations at sites like the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and didactic training draws on resources from the UCLA School of Nursing, UCLA School of Dentistry, and the UCLA School of Public Affairs. Graduate and residency programs span specialties affiliated with organizations such as the American Board of Medical Specialties and professional societies like the American Medical Association and the Association of American Physicians.

Research and Institutes

Research at the school is organized through institutes and centers including the UCLA AIDS Institute, the Brain Research Institute, and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, with substantial funding from the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Investigations address translational medicine, genomics, and neurosciences in collaboration with partners such as Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigators, faculty with prior appointments at Salk Institute, and multidisciplinary teams connected to the Broad Institute model. Specialized centers include programs in stem cell research aligned with the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine and precision medicine initiatives resembling projects at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.

Clinical Affiliations and Hospitals

Clinical training and patient care occur across affiliated hospitals including the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, and community partners like Olive View–UCLA Medical Center and Harbor–UCLA Medical Center. Tertiary and quaternary referrals link the school with regional centers such as Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and specialty programs comparable to those at Mayo Clinic campuses. The school participates in multicenter trials with consortia including the Cooperative Oncology Group and collaborators in networks like the Clinical and Translational Science Award consortium funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.

Admissions and Student Life

Admissions processes follow metrics used across U.S. medical schools and bodies such as the American Association of Medical Colleges with applicants submitting through American Medical College Application Service. Student life is integrated with campus organizations like UCLA Medical Student Association, student chapters of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, and interest groups paralleling those at Columbia University and University of Pennsylvania. Trainee wellness and diversity initiatives reflect standards promoted by the LGBTQ+ community organizations, partnerships with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, and campus services provided by the UCLA Student Health Center. Clinical electives extend to global health collaborations with institutions in regions served by World Health Organization programs and NGOs such as Médecins Sans Frontières.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Faculty and alumni have included Nobel-associated researchers, leaders from institutions like National Institutes of Health, and clinicians who have held positions at Harvard Medical School, Stanford University School of Medicine, and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Notable figures among past and present affiliates include awardees of honors like the Lasker Award, members of the National Academy of Sciences, and investigators who transitioned to leadership at centers such as the Salk Institute and the Broad Institute. Alumni have assumed public roles in health administration with agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and political appointments in state offices tied to California governance.

Category:Medical schools in California Category:University of California, Los Angeles