During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was proud to see our students, faculty and staff come together to support public health.

We made the most of our position as a global leader in continuing and professional education by partnering with the California Department of Public Health, UC San Francisco and the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health to train nearly 9,000 Californians as part of an innovative contact tracing and case investigation program that helped the state monitor and respond to the virus’ spread.

Since then, we have worked to maintain and develop courses and programs that meet the needs of an evolving health care landscape. The stories you’ll find in this issue of UCLAx Magazine illustrate our work at the forefront of health care training and education, and reflect our commitment to expanding access to professional development in medical careers for people from diverse backgrounds.

You’ll read about Adisa Cartwright, who as a leader of our joint medical assistant training program with UCLA Health helps her students find rewarding careers in health care; how students at UCSC Silicon Valley Extension are helping to fill a statewide shortage of primary care physicians thanks to an online continuing education partnership with UCLA Extension; and how additional programs in a wide variety of fields – from substance use disorder counseling to infection prevention – equip students with tools to secure living-wage jobs in health care and provide services to their communities.

We share these stories because we know there is nothing more important than the health and well-being of our communities, families, friends and loved ones.

Happy – and healthy – reading.

Eric A. Bullard, Ph.D.
Dean, Division of Continuing Education
and UCLA Extension