Katherine Brooks

Katherine Brooks, MD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), School of Medicine. She is clinically active as a hospitalist at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG), a vital safety-net institution, and serves as a Clinical Lead in the San Francisco Department of Public Health's Information and Guidance Department. Dr. Brooks holds key medical education leadership roles, including Clinical Skills Mentor in the Joint Medical Program (JMP), Co-Director of the Model SFGH Program, and Co-Director of the Diagnostic Reasoning Course in the School of Medicine.

• MD: Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 2016
• Residency: Brigham and Women's Hospital, 2019
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training: University of California, San Francisco, 2020
• BA: Vassar College, 2008

Dr. Brooks's research and scholarly work are deeply rooted in health equity, with primary interests in racial health disparities, clinician bias in clinical decision-making, and the integration of social determinants of health into medical education. She has developed innovative curricula to help medical students critically examine the intersections of race, racism, and medicine. Her research spans diverse areas including HIV in resource-limited settings, premature mortality among African Americans, access to subspecialty cardiology care, care for incarcerated patients, and the impact of climate change on individual and public health. Her recent publications reflect a strong trend in diagnostic reasoning, the influence of social context and stigmatizing language on clinical errors, and the structural inequities in access to specialized care, particularly for heart failure and HIV treatment.

• Academy of Medical Educators, UCSF, 2024
• Excellence in Teaching Award, Academy of Medical Educators, 2023
• Division Outstanding Educator Award, Division of Hospital Medicine, ZSFG, 2023
• Physician COVID-19 Clinical Service Recognition Award, ZSFG Department of Medicine, 2022
• Outstanding Clinician Award, Division of Hospital Medicine, ZSFG, 2021
• Inductee, Gold Humanism Honor Society, 2015
• Inductee, Alpha Omega Alpha, 2015

Dr. Brooks is a prominent educator and curriculum developer, with a focus on training future physicians to recognize and address bias and inequity in healthcare. Her work has been supported by her institutional roles and recognition through prestigious awards. She collaborates extensively with colleagues at UCSF and beyond on research related to health disparities and medical education. She is affiliated with the Division of Hospital Medicine at ZSFG and contributes to public health initiatives through her role with the SF DPH.