Professor Grant Hartzog Discusses UCSC’s Human Biology Program

Today, we face a pressing need for health care professionals in the State of California. UCSC has a long tradition of preparing undergraduates for medical and health careers, and our students have been accepted at the eight California medical schools, as well as at Harvard, Yale, and Johns Hopkins.

We are particularly proud of our Human Biology Bachelor of Science degree program – the first of its kind in the UC system. Introduced in 2003, Human Biology has quickly become one of our most popular majors. Professional schools across the country have enthusiastically endorsed the program for its innovative curriculum. Local physicians and hospital administrators are also major supporters.

Innovations like the Human Biology program are part of a larger effort to expand biomedical research and training at UCSC. We plan a 25% increase the size of our biomedical research faculty over the next five years and are constructing a new biomedical laboratory building to house them.

Please take time to browse our Human Biology page, which includes summaries of program features and requirements, as well as personal testimonies of students, health professionals, and faculty members who have participated.

“Today, UCSC alumni play an important role in the health care system of the Monterey Bay. Many UCSC students, for example, have gone on to the Family Practice Residency at Natividad Hospital in Salinas, and now work in our communities.

“We’ve moved from a time when UCSC pre-med students went virtually incognito to a time when Health Sciences is one of the most popular majors on the campus.”

“When I was an undergraduate at UCSC in the early 1970s, there was no pre-med program or other curriculum for students interested in going on to medical school. Things have changed dramatically in recent years. Now, these students can participate in an exciting program that meets their needs. The new Health Sciences Program provides a formal structure to help prepare the next generation of health professionals. In my opinion, this has been one of the most important changes at UCSC.”

“The face of California is changing; I am very excited that the faces of the students at UCSC entering the Health Sciences major more completely reflect the changing faces of Californians in general. What most excites me is that UCSC undergraduates (bolstered by the specific curriculum of the Health Sciences major) are more likely than not to enter primary care residencies after medical school and to carry with them a focus on multi-culturalism and community service, which are part of the heritage of this campus.”

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“I’m both a family medicine doctor and small business owner. My goal for UCSC Health Sciences students is to help them gain not only a sense of the art and science of medicine, but a chance to understand the business and policy issues, as well.

“… we want to expose our students to the fundamentals of medical economics.”

“A shortcoming of today’s typical medical school curriculum is a lack of exposure to the economics of the profession. At my office, we want to expose our students to the fundamentals of medical economics.”

“By taking advantage of my participation with the Santa Cruz County Medical Society Board of Governors, we also try to give students who participate in the Health Sciences program an opportunity to meet professionals who have an impact on health policy issues. For example, during the upcoming year, my students will attend a dinner meeting with William Plested, M.D., who is President of the American Medical Association.”

“Personally, students at the office serve as a fond reminder to me that I once walked in their shoes. My patients also appreciate visiting with our interns. In short, UCSC Health Sciences students are a fantastic addition to the office. Believe it or not, one student was instrumental in our successful recruitment of a new doctor to the practice!”