Word on the Wards (WoW) is an interdisciplinary program that was created by students in 2014. The program is designed to help patients who are hospitalized at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. UCSF students from all five professional programs serve as health coaches for patients and provide education on health-related issues. The aim of the program is to address issues of low health literacy and social isolation that patients face, while empowering them to take charge of their own health. Through this program, students gain valuable experience in health coaching, working with patients from underserved backgrounds, and interacting with fellow health professional students and physicians. WoW is highly rewarding for students and patients alike.

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This site is dedicated to sharing students' experiences during their time with WoW.  We recognized how impactful some of the patient encounters were, especially as we are all early trainees.  We heard from many students how much they valued the ability to process and share their perspectives with other students and faculty.  We thought it was a missed opportunity not to capture their meaningful moments during Word on the Wards in more concrete ways.  We have collected these stories so that we can share the student's insights and perspectives with the UCSF healthcare community, and the public.

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