University of California San Francisco Program

Neurology Analyst Verified · Oct 3, 2026

University of California San Francisco Program

University of California San Francisco Program is a residency program specializing in Neurology, located in San Francisco, California, directed by Vanja Douglas, MD and coordinated by Vicky Tateo. The program accepts applications through October 31, 2027 and holds an accreditation status of Continued. International Medical Graduates interested in this program may contact the program coordinator directly at [email protected] or (415) 514-1575. IMGPrep analysts have verified and compiled this program’s IMG acceptance rate, USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 score requirements, Visa Sponsorship Policy, graduation year cutoff, and ECFMG certificate requirements — available to IMGPrep subscribers.

Program Identity & Fit

UCSF is a flagship academic neurology program anchored by a top NIH-funded research department, training residents across three distinct clinical environments: the tertiary/quaternary Moffitt/Long Hospital, the public safety-net Level I trauma center Zuckerberg San Francisco General, and Benioff Children's Hospital. The program is structured around a Flexible Residency option offering up to six months for lab research, global health, health equity, medical education, or master clinician tracks, reflecting an institutional expectation that residents will pursue a defined academic or subspecialty niche. Graduate outcomes overwhelmingly show subspecialty fellowship placement (vascular, neurocritical care, epilepsy, movement disorders, MS, neuro-ophthalmology), with many staying on as UCSF faculty, confirming an academic-neurologist pipeline rather than general community practice. The department's scale (300+ faculty, Weill Institute for Neurosciences) and dual adult/child neurology integration signal a preference for residents with demonstrated research trajectory and subspecialty focus over generalist community-oriented applicants.

Who it fits

An applicant with a research-documented trajectory (often MD/PhD or dedicated research years) aiming for competitive subspecialty fellowship and academic faculty practice at a top-tier neuroscience center, comfortable training across both quaternary referral and safety-net county hospital settings.

Research intensity

Central - the department is habitually a top NIH-funded recipient nationally, houses the Weill Institute for Neurosciences and Sandler Neurosciences Center, and offers protected flexible research time integrated into residency structure.

Career orientation

Academic Medicine

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