Andy Lai

Professor Andy Lai, MD, MPH, is a faculty member in the Division of Hospital Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, where he joined in 2009. He provides direct patient care for adult hospitalized patients on the medical wards at UCSF's Parnassus and Mount Zion campuses, as well as on the Hospitalist Procedure Service. Additionally, he supervises and teaches resident physicians and medical students, and has held leadership roles in quality improvement initiatives.

• Education
  • 2018: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training, UCSF
  • 2013: Leadership Development, UCSF Institute for Physician Leadership
  • 2009: Internal Medicine Residency (UC-Primary Care), UCSF
  • 2006: MD, Brown Medical School
  • 2005: MPH (Quantitative Methods), Harvard School of Public Health
  • 2001: BA (Human Biology, Urban Studies), Brown University

Andy Lai's research interests lie at the intersection of Hospital Medicine, Quality Improvement, and Medical Education. His work focuses on enhancing clinical confidence through bedside procedures, optimizing patient safety, and improving stewardship practices in hospital settings. He is particularly known for his leadership in the IV Albumin Stewardship project, which was recognized with multiple awards, and for integrating Ultrasound into medical education frameworks.

His professional contributions include serving on the Division's Quality Improvement Committee and Unit-Based Leadership Team, directing the Hospitalist Procedure Service for a decade, and co-directing the Quality Improvement/Patient Safety elective for fourth-year medical students. He has been actively involved in faculty recruitment and mentoring, including as a RAD (Resident Advising and Development) advisor.

Notable scientific awards include:

• Multiple nominations for the Floyd C. Rector Award for Excellence in Teaching (2025, 2024, 2022)
• 2024 Senate Clinical Excellence Award - Nominee
• 2024 Council of Master Clinicians
• 2023 Master Educator-Coach, UCSF Division of Hospital Medicine
• 2019 Exceptional Physician Award and Outstanding Achievement in Challenging the Status Quo for the Albumin Stewardship Team
• 2006 Al Senft Prize for leadership potential in international health

His volunteer clinical work spans projects in India, Kenya, Haiti, and pandemic-era support at New York-Presbyterian hospitals in 2020. He has also contributed to continuing medical education through sessions at the annual UCSF Hospitalist Mini-College CME course.