A
DOCTOR
For 50 years , UC San Diego School of Medicine has trained a different kind of doctor in a different kind of way . This is what that difference looks like .
By Heather Buschman , PhD ’ 08
IN 1968 , BILL JESSEE , MD ’ 72 , RECEIVED acceptance letters from two medical schools : UCLA , a well-established and respected institution in a thriving metropolitan city , and UC San Diego , which consisted of one partially constructed building on a former Marine Corps base and a newly acquired County Hospital miles away from campus . But that wasn ’ t the only difference between the schools .
Jessee decided to take a chance on the new medical school , despite its lack of history or reputation . He and 45 others comprised the charter class that fall . “ It was a risk ,” Jessee admits , but one he thought worthwhile . It was an opportunity to take part in a completely new type of medical education — one where he even got to help develop the curriculum .
“ The letter from UCLA was just a mimeograph — the precursor to the photocopy ,” Jessee says . “ From UC San Diego , I received a personal letter from Hal Simon , the associate dean for student affairs . I knew then that UC San Diego would give me the kind of personal attention I wouldn ’ t have found elsewhere .”
“ It was a selling point that if you want to do something new , there ’ s no precedent to say you can ’ t ,” Jessee said . “ We had a lot of flexibility to pursue whatever interested us .”
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