Cindy Lai

Cindy Lai, MD is a Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. She serves as Director of Medical Student Clinical Education (Clerkship Director) and oversees the Parnassus campus site. Dr. Lai holds the endowed position of UCSF's Gold-Headed Cane Education Chair in Internal Medicine. Her clinical practice includes general internal medicine at UCSF Health, where she precepts residents and students.

Dr. Lai completed her internal medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and a clinician-educator fellowship at UCSF. She is an Associate Editor for the Journal of General Internal Medicine and co-edited the First Aid for the Internal Medicine Boards textbook. Recognized for teaching excellence, she is a member of the Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators.

Her research focuses on medical education innovation, equity in clinical training, and curriculum development. Notable areas include clerkship grading equity, virtual residency recruitment strategies, and interprofessional education initiatives. Her work addresses systemic biases in medical education and promotes inclusive clinical learning environments.

Dr. Lai has led national surveys on internal medicine clerkship practices, residency interview standards, and student-run clinic impacts. She advocates for health systems science integration in medical training and has developed curricula on patient advocacy and geriatric care. Her publications span 25+ years, emphasizing medical education policy and student-clinician development.