Tools for Success

Empowering medical students with the robust support they need to do their best work.

Medical student using tablet in classroom

Find the support you need to strive for excellence in your day-to-day life as an MD student at the David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) at UCLA.

DGIT
IT services and room reservations.
Gryphon
Student portal for all your curricular needs.
Handbook
Policies, procedures, and guidelines.
MyCourses
Student portal for your courses.
Forms
Document request and academic forms.

Academic and Career Development

The Center for Accessible Education (CAE) offers accommodations and support services to meet the unique educational needs of regularly enrolled medical students with documented permanent and temporary disabilities. Students seeking reasonable accommodations or support services from The Center for Accessible Education are required to register with the office as early as possible so that you can work closely with the DGSOM Disability Director and tap into the knowledge and support available to navigate your medical school experience. 

Applying for Accommodations 

  • Students requesting accommodations must register with the UCLA Center for Accessible Education (CAE). 

  • If you are interested in applying for CAE accommodations, please follow the instructions for new students on the CAE website found on the Graduate and Professional Program
  • If approved for accommodations, the CAE will communicate the granting of an accommodation with the Student Affairs and Curricular Affairs Offices at the David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) at UCLA. The School of Medicine may require additional assessment or evaluation in consultation with the CAE in order to confirm if the student is able to meet the technical standards.

Accommodations for DGSOM Students Registered with the CAE

  • For questions about how accommodations are being implemented in the remote environment, please refer to the Letter for Med Students on the CAE website.

  • For information about exam and classroom accommodations, visit the DGSOM FAQ on the CAE website.

USMLE Test Accommodations 

  • Please follow the instructions for the USMLE Test Accommodations outlined on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) website regarding requesting accommodations for USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK, Step 2 CS, or Step 3 exams.

  • If you received exam accommodations in medical school, you can request that your CAE Disability Specialist fill out the Certification of Prior Test Accommodations form. Please email your CAE Disability Specialist directly.

Director of Disability Services for DGSOM

Grace Clifford, CAE Disability Specialist will work closely with you to identify reasonable accommodations during your time at DGSOM. 

Contact Information

Grace Clifford
Director for DGSOM Disability Services
EmailGClifford@mednet.ucla.edu
Call or text: 424-402-9864

Schedule an Appointment 

Societies at DGSOM 

The four societies were established in 2015 for the purpose of fostering longitudinal advising at DGSOM. Each society is led by an Assistant Dean for Student Affairs who has primary responsibility for mentoring one-fourth of each class. 

Learn More

Specialty Advisors for Career Exploration 


The Specialty ACE program was launched in 2021 to enhance career development opportunities for medical students at all levels. The Specialty ACEs are experienced faculty advisors enthusiastic about mentoring students in their specialty.

Learn More

The Academic Support Office assists students in developing the most effective learning and study strategies.

The Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library serves DGSOM medical students. The collections are broad in scope and designed to support the teaching, research, and patient-care-related needs. The collection includes more than 683,778 print volumes and provides access to thousands of electronic resources including journals, databases, and other materials. 

Biomedical Library

The Career Development Team is committed to promoting the exploration of career options and the development of professional skill sets for our medical students. Resources and opportunities include:

Career Development

The UCLA Graduate Writing Center offers writing in medicine workshops, thesis writing support, and appointments.

Graduate Writing Center

Community and Culture

The student clubs, interest groups, organizations, and activities at DGSOM are all designed to help you develop your medical and community interests while cultivating your creativity and collaborative spirit.

The Cultural North Star provides a shared framework to help us achieve our ambitious goal of healing humanity.

Cultural North Star

UCLA's Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) leads and advances strategies for enhancing equity, diversity and inclusion; protecting civil rights; and upholding dignity for all in our community.

EDI

At UCLA Health, we believe a diverse and inclusive health care workforce and environment results in better care, service, and health outcomes for our patients.

HEDI

The core values of JEDI are inseparable from our institutional goals of excellence in all tenets of healthcare, research, education, and community engagement.

On the JEDI page you will find:

  • DGSOM Statement on Diversity Inclusion

  • DGSOM Anit-racism roadmap

  • Reporting and support resources

JEDI

Quickly find the faculty or staff member you need or connect with a fellow medical student. Search through our secure student directory, utilize the class composite builder, or access our secure paging system. The UCLA directory provides the most comprehensive list of contact information if you know who you need to contact by name or department.

Housing and Transportation

HOusing Options 

Weyburn Terrace

Weyburn Terrace at UCLA was built around you and was designed to meet the numerous demands and rigors of graduate school. Centrally located, you can easily stroll from Westwood Village to the hospital, the medical school or north campus. Pro-tip: the Bruin Bus stops out front and will take you directly to most things on campus.

Weyburn Terrace Apartments

The Boulevard

Slightly farther off campus, but not by much. From the central pool and spa area, to the indoor club lounge, and business center, gathering with your friends and colleagues has never been easier. You’ll also find ground level retail, including a Target, along with nearby restaurants and an on-site fitness center. Pro-tip: the Big Blue Bus stops out front and will take you directly to campus.

Boulevard Apartments

Housing Application

The UCLA Housing Application for graduate and family housing opens in the Spring of each year for the following academic year. Access the application and updated information via the UCLA Housing website. 

DGSOM’s Priority Allocation

DGSOM’s departmental priority allocation from UCLA Housing is only used for incoming medical students. Students who complete their SIR/SLR and their housing application by the priority deadline in mid-May will be included in the priority allocation. This allocation will give priority to an annual housing offer, which for Single Graduate Housing can be extended for up to two additional years (three years total). Please visit UCLA Housing’s Timeline and Housing offers/contracts for the most complete and up-to-date information. 

Please note that, while the School of Medicine makes every effort to secure housing for its incoming students, there is no guarantee for housing allotment. Increasing your options (location, room type, etc.) will increase your chances of getting a spot in UCLA Graduate Student Housing. 

Unfortunately, current continuing medical students are not eligible for our departmental priority allocation.

Below are the general guidelines for requesting and purchasing Bruin ePermit parking for UCLA medical students.

All students will receive updated information every quarter that will include updated pricing for each academic year. Weyburn Terrace Residents should apply for parking with housing

Parking Requests for UCLA Medical Students

All requests must be submitted at least one week in advance and no earlier than 3 weeks in advance of the date when parking is needed.

1. Apply for Parking:

  • Fill out the Parking Application Survey to request a parking allotment. 
  • For consecutive short-term permits, you only need to fill out the survey once (just include the last day needed). For nonconsecutive permits, you will need to fill out the Parking Application Survey each time you need parking.

2. Processing by the DGSOM SAO:

  • You will receive an email when your application has been processed by the SAO, and your allotment assigned.

3. Purchase Your Permit:

  • Log in to the Bruin ePermit website using your AD or UCLA Logon, click to view your permits, and click to purchase a permit. 
  • If a permit is not purchased within the first week of your request, your allotment will be removed.

Parking Rates and Fees

Fees are updated annually. view the UCLA campus parking website for details.

UCLA Parking Rates and Fees

Parking Lot Locations

Subject to availability:

  • UCLA medical students can currently request either Lot 2 or Lot 8
  • Lot 18 is currently unavailable

Carpool Permit Requests

  • All students must be medical students AND must meet UCLA Student Carpool requirements.
  • All carpool members must complete the Parking Application Survey.
  • Carpool permits are only available for quarterly permits (summer, fall, winter, or spring). 
  • After receiving an allotment all carpool members must log in to ePermit and select the special permit and the carpool permit type (two or three people)
  • Make sure your addresses are up-to-date in MyUCLA to avoid requests being denied by Transportation Services.

 

Room Reservations

Follow the DGIT Room Reservation Instructions and Geffen Hall Building Access Policy before reserving a room.

DGIT Room Reservation Instructions

Geffen Hall Building Access Policy (PDF)

There are currently three conference rooms and three seminar rooms that are available for general reservations in Geffen Hall.  

Note: Please email Mary Ann Triest, mtriest@mednet.ucla.edu if you are a DGSOM student and would like to reserve the Geffen Hall (GH) Student Lounge, GH Case Style Room 148 or 150, GH 130, or GH B36. 

Mary Ann can only approve requests from DGSOM students. If you are not a medical student and don't have access to request the larger rooms in Geffen Hall through Ad Astra, please contact Geffen Hall Building Manager, Lia Bygrave Ramer, LRamer@mednet.ucla.edu.

Reserve Rooms 

The following locations are available for medical students to study 24/7, when not occupied:

  • Geffen Hall - Case Style Rooms 148 and 150, and the Garry Shandling Learning Studio (B36)

  • Geffen Hall - 25 PBL Classrooms on Levels B, A and 1
  • 1P-151 CHS - Dept. of Pathology
  • 13-070 CHS - Medical and Dental Student Study Lounge, AKA The Fish Bowl
  • Graduate Reading Room in the Biomedical Library

Reserve Space

Health, Wellness, and Safety

The Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center (The Ashe Center) is devoted to providing quality, accessible, state-of-the-art healthcare and education to support the unique development of UCLA students.

Ashe Center

The Behavioral Wellness Center (BWC) is committed to ensuring that you remain mentally healthy while completing your medical program. The Center serves medical students and is conveniently located on the first floor of CHS and provides confidential counseling services.

BWC

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is a multidisciplinary student mental health center for the UCLA campus. CAPS offers confidential counseling for all medical students. Short and long-term care is offered by psychiatric residents, community psychiatrists, and psychologists, at either no or reduced cost. 

CAPS

CARE is a safe place for UCLA students who are victims or survivors of sexual assault, dating, domestic violence, stalking, and sexual harassment to get support, consultation, and counseling. 

CARE

UCLA has a robust system of support and reporting resources for those in need of guidance, counseling, or resolution services. Here you'll find the different options available to you, which range from confidential counseling and anonymous reporting to mental health support and emergency services.

Reporting and Support Resources

You do not need to struggle with a difficult situation alone. The UCLA Consultation and Response Team is available to assist students in distress or in crisis. A referral to the CR Team would be warranted in situations where there are multiple concerns that may require a coordinated response from multiple campus departments such as Counseling and Psychological Services and UCLA Police Department. 

Consultation and Response Team

Title IX prohibits sex or gender discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. The Title IX Office receives reports of gender discrimination, including allegations of sexual harassment and sexual violence.

Title IX Office

The Well-Being Office is committed to supporting the physical, mental and emotional well-being of our students and the DGSOM community at large. 

Here you’ll find: 

  • Well-being initiatives for nutrition, mental health, and fitness
  • Activities, workshops, and support groups for dealing with stress, anxiety, and other topics as needed.

Well-Being