The mission of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is advancing health worldwide™. To fulfill this mission, UCSF outlined these six goals in its first-ever strategic plan:

UCSF introduced its advancing health worldwide™ mission statement in 2007.

  • Develop the world’s future leaders in health care delivery, research and education. UCSF is currently at the forefront of health sciences education, and is well positioned to meet the growing demand for health professionals and scientists. The development of the next generation of leaders in health care delivery, research and education is vitally important to the economic and social well-being of California and the world.
  • Be a world leader in scientific discovery and its translation into exemplary health. The pace of major scientific and technological discovery is remarkably rapid. But meaningful translation of these developments into treatments and disease prevention is lagging. UCSF is uniquely poised to alter this trend by creating new research models that accelerate translation. UCSF boasts an exceptional cadre of distinguished investigators, a diverse portfolio of leading-edge research programs spread across four preeminent health professional schools, a pioneering health care enterprise and an unparalleled spirit of cooperation.
  • Provide high-quality, patient-centered care leading to optimal outcomes and patient satisfaction. This goal commits the clinical enterprise to the core principle that care at UCSF is patient-centered. It also recognizes that UCSF’s students receive their best training in an institution that has systems and staffing that are designed to optimize outcomes and eradicate medical errors. This commitment was reiterated in the UCSF Clinical Enterprise Strategic Plan adopted in the fall of 2008.
  • Educate, train and employ a diverse faculty, staff and student body. Offering a wide range of educational and career opportunities for students, faculty and staff, UCSF seeks candidates whose life experience, work experience or community service has prepared them to contribute to UCSF’s commitment to diversity and excellence. Diversity is a defining feature of California’s past, present and future, and refers to the variety of personal experiences, values and worldviews that arise from differences in culture and circumstance. Such differences include race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, language, abilities/disabilities, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status and geographic region, among others.
  • Provide a supportive and effective work environment to attract and retain the best people and position UCSF for the future. Recruiting and retaining excellent faculty and ensuring that they have an environment that supports their academic and personal needs are essential to maintaining the international stature and reputation, and thus the future, of UCSF. To achieve all of UCSF’s long-term goals, which are ambitious and far-reaching, leadership and participation by faculty of the highest caliber are critical. Likewise, recruiting and retaining excellent staff are equally essential to supporting the academic community to continue the outstanding research, teaching, community service and health care.
  • Serve the local, regional and global communities and eliminate health disparities. Community and public service is integral to the UCSF vision of advancing health worldwide™. Whether focusing on breakthroughs in basic science research, devising innovations in patient care, or training the next generation of leaders in health sciences and health care, UCSF faculty, staff, students and trainees share a common purpose of wanting to make a difference to improve the health of people in the local, regional and global communities. As a public university, UCSF has a particular responsibility to ensure that it contributes to the public good and is an exemplar of civic responsibility. Striving to eliminate health disparities is one important part of this social responsibility.