Calvin Chou

Dr. Calvin Chou is a Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. As a general internist and medical educator, his primary focus is on patient-provider communication and bedside manner instruction. He serves as the Academy Chair for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at UCSF and is a faculty member of the Academy on Communication in Healthcare (ACH), where he teaches participants in the ACH ENRICH national faculty development course. His work bridges clinical practice with medical education, emphasizing the critical role of communication in healthcare quality and patient outcomes.

Dr. Chou's educational background includes:

• B.S. in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University (1985)
• Ph.D. in Microbiology from Columbia University (1992)
• M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (1994)
• Internal Medicine Residency at University of California, San Francisco (1997)
• Faculty in Training Program from the Academy of Communication in Healthcare (2003)
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training from University of California (2017)

Dr. Chou's research focuses on medical education with particular emphasis on patient-provider communication skills. He has dedicated his career to developing and refining teaching methodologies for bedside manner and clinical communication. His work addresses the concerning trend of declining interviewing skills among medical trainees throughout their education. Dr. Chou has developed the VALOR (VA Longitudinal Rotations) Program for UCSF third-year medical students, which incorporates weekly sessions on clinical skill-building and self-reflection. His research demonstrates how effective communication training can motivate patients to take charge of their health and create effective interdisciplinary teams to reduce medical errors.

Dr. Chou's publication record shows a strong focus on remediation in medical education, communication skills assessment, and diversity, equity and inclusion in medical training. His recent work examines how to effectively remediate communication skills deficits, particularly among advanced practice providers with low patient satisfaction scores. He has also explored how the pandemic has impacted clinical communication and how to address microaggressions in healthcare settings. His scholarship consistently connects communication skills teaching with measurable patient outcomes, reflecting his commitment to evidence-based medical education.

Dr. Chou has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing his contributions to medical education:

• Class of 2021 Excellence in Teaching for Clinical Faculty Award, UCSF (2021)
• Federal Employee of the Year as part of the Disaster Response Mental Health Team (2020)
• Choice Critics Award from Medical Education journal (2020)
• Healthcare Communication Teaching Excellence Award from Academy of Communication in Healthcare (2019)
• Lynn Payer Award from Academy of Communication in Healthcare (2018)
• Academy Chair in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at UCSF (2011)
• Class of 2010 Award for Outstanding Teaching at UCSF (2010)
• Fellow of the Academy of Communication in Healthcare (2010)
• Inducted to Alpha Omega Alpha at UCSF (2010)
• Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Inpatient Setting (2008)
• Inducted to Academy of Medical Educators at UCSF (2002)

As an educator, Dr. Chou has mentored numerous medical students and residents in communication skills and clinical reasoning. He has facilitated workshops on communication skills at prominent medical centers including Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Stanford University, and New York University. His grant-funded work has supported the development of communication curricula and faculty development programs. Dr. Chou's leadership in the VALOR Program has created longitudinal learning experiences for medical students that integrate clinical skill-building with personal and professional development.

Dr. Chou is actively involved with the Academy on Communication in Healthcare (ACH), where he serves as faculty for the ENRICH national faculty development course. Through this organization and his work at UCSF, he has built networks of medical educators focused on improving communication skills teaching across healthcare professions. His collaborative approach brings together clinicians, educators, and researchers to develop evidence-based communication training that enhances both educational experiences and patient care outcomes.