Melissa H. Coleman

Dr. Melissa H. Coleman is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. She serves as Associate Program Director of the Thoracic Surgery Residency Program and Associate Program Director of Curriculum for the General Surgery Residency Program. Additionally, she directs the UCSF School of Medicine Clinical Immersive Experiences (CIEx) program and practices in the Thoracic Surgery & Oncology Program at UCSF.

Her educational background includes an AB in Biology from Harvard University (2002), an MD from Weill Cornell Medical College (2007), General Surgery Residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital (2014), Surgical Critical Care Fellowship (2015), Clinical Nutrition Fellowship (2016), and Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship at UCSF (2019).

Dr. Coleman's research spans thoracic oncology, surgical education, and critical care medicine. Her work on malignant pleural mesothelioma has explored gender differences in survival outcomes, while her more recent research focuses on innovative approaches to surgical education including the use of large language models for informed consent documentation. She has developed the UCSF Thoracic Surgery Fellowship curriculum and pursues research on learning strategies in graduate medical education.

Her publication record demonstrates expertise across thoracic surgery, oncology, and medical education. Recent work includes clinical trials in lung cancer treatment, innovations in surgical education technology, and critical care management for respiratory failure. Her research trajectory shows a progression from molecular oncology to clinical applications and educational methodology.

• UCSF Exceptional Physician Award (2019)
• John A. Watson Faculty Scholar, Dean's Diversity Fund Award (2021)
• UCSF Thoracic Residency Program Teaching Award (2020)
• Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators Excellence in Teaching Award (2021)

As Associate Program Director for both Thoracic Surgery and General Surgery Residency Programs, Dr. Coleman oversees curriculum development and resident education. Her John A. Watson Faculty Scholar grant from the UCSF Dean's Diversity Fund supports her educational research. She directs the CIEx program which provides immersive clinical experiences for medical students and has developed specialized curricula for thoracic surgery fellows.

Dr. Coleman is affiliated with the UCSF Helen Diller Comprehensive Cancer Center and the UCSF Thoracic Surgery & Oncology Program, where she practices general thoracic surgery with focus areas in thoracic oncology, robotic thoracic surgery, and surgical management of hyperhidrosis. Her clinical work integrates with her research in surgical education and critical care medicine.