Mentor Clinician Program
Goes National
Now in its 10th year, the Mentor Clinician Program is bringing its unique model of mentorship and humanistic teaching to medical schools across the country. See how this program is transforming how tomorrow’s physicians learn, grow and connect with their patients.
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Lead With Compassion:
A Workshop for Health Care Changemakers
Registration is now open for Lead With Compassion — a virtual leadership workshop for health care professionals and medical educators who want to lead with clarity, care, and courage in 2026. Discount available for UC San Diego faculty. Sign up now, limited spots are available!
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Rebuilding Connection
with Compassion
We're tackling clinician burnout through the Sanford Compassionate Communication Fellowship—using storytelling, theater, and empathy to rebuild connection in health care. See our latest feature in UC San Diego Today.
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Free Virtual Workshops:
Spring 2026 Series
Hosted by the Center for Compassionate Communication, this skills-building program is designed to help clinicians and health leaders drive compassionate change in the clinic, lab, classroom, and beyond.
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Catalyzed by the vision and generosity of T. Denny Sanford, the Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion at UC San Diego explores the neurobiology of compassion, informs medical education, and directly addresses the epidemic of physician burnout.
Our Centers
The Sanford Institute has established six centers that span across various disciplines, focusing on specific domains within empathy and compassion.
Feb. 13: Info Session for 2026-27 Sanford Fellowship Call for Applications
Join the Center for Research on Empathy and Compassion next Friday, February 13, at 12 p.m. (PST), via Zoom, to learn about a brand-new call for applications for the esteemed Sanford Fellowship Program: Designing Empathy in Healthcare. Through this fellowship — designed for pre- and post-doctoral researchers — the Center seeks to support trainees in moving beyond the study of empathy as an abstract construct toward the development of empathy as a sustainable, actionable practice and one that shapes how healthcare is taught, delivered, and experienced.
Free On-Demand Workshop
How can you show you care even when you deeply disagree? What if conflict wasn't something to avoid, but rather an opportunity to connect more deeply to get closer to the truth? Hosted by the Center for Compassionate Communication, watch "Can Conflict be Compassionate?" — a webinar that explores ways to thoughtfully prepare for conflict-heavy conversations and apply a coaching mindset to balance acceptance with advocacy.
Upcoming Events
From virtual workshops to national convenings, the Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion's events create space for learning, dialogue, and connection at the forefront of empathy and compassion in health care and medical education. Explore what’s next and be part of our ever-growing movement toward a more compassionate future.
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