Our Crowdfunding Groups
The Patient Advocacy Student Group is the UC Berkeley sister organization of the Patient Support Corps (PSC). The PSC is a service learning program in which UC Berkeley pre-health students serve as unpaid patient navigators while earning academic credit. A formal affiliation agreement between UCSF and UC Berkeley addressed parties' concerns about training, risk management, insurance, security, privacy and confidentiality, academic content, and academic credit. Since 2012, the Patient Support Corps has trained and deployed 137 undergraduates earning academic credit through UC Berkeley's Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP).
Our student interns support UCSF patients in various capacities such as the COVID-19 Hotline, Population Health Outreach, Coaching Calls, Supportive Care Needs, Patient Scribes, and Prehab Pals. Our interns are able to interact directly with patients and healthcare providers to improve the accessibility to healthcare. Our student interns do great work that is largely possible because of previous financial donations. Funds raised would help cover the associated technology and travel costs needed in order for our student group to be able to support UCSF patients.
The U.S. Healthcare System, especially at a major hospital, is challenging to navigate. The Patient Advocacy Student Group at UC Berkeley is here to help. Our program recruits and trains UC Berkeley undergraduates to be healthcare navigators, scribes, and health coaches for UCSF Medical Center and its patients, especially populations that face additional barriers to an accessible healthcare experience.
Our program is important because we not only provide cost-free support to patients in-need through a variety of departments and programs, but also cultivate future healthcare professionals and develop their competencies in health navigation, patient care, and digital healthcare management systems.
Patient Advocacy Student Group organization photo.
UC Berkeley undergrads are badged as UCSF interns and integrated into the healthcare system as affiliate employees. This is one of the only universities in the U.S. that affords this opportunity to their undergraduates. Students really take advantage of this amazing experience and enjoy interacting with patients. Here are some testimonials:
“This apprenticeship has been the highlight of my time at Berkeley. It has given me a chance to help patients in difficult medical situations, and as a pre-health undergraduate, this is important to me.”
“It is a great opportunity to get clinical experience and work with like-minded people who care about creating a change in health care.”
“We have a great deal of autonomy when working with patients, and it is also a rewarding experience because the patients really do appreciate the service that we give them.”
If you want to support the needs of UCSF patients and enrich the experience and competency of UC Berkeley pre-health students as they make their journey towards a professional career in healthcare, please make a donation! Most of our student teams are currently working remotely, and our program must be able to provide students with the necessary technologies needed to participate in the program (laptops, ethernet cords, WiFi accommodations, headsets, and more). Additionally, funds will be allocated to necessary transport to clinic sites at the UCSF campus. Your donations will be used to help us to pay for these items, so our incoming cohort of students will be able to participate in the program and help patients in need!
A screenshot from a UC Berkeley article recognizing our students' commendation from Dr. Talmadge King, Dean of the UCSF School of Medicine for the organization's participation on the UCSF COVID-19 Hotline (2020-2021).
UC Berkeley Article - PSC/PASG
Budget Breakdown:
Required Technology Equipment/Supplies: $300
Clearances: $1300
Other Supplies/Events: $400
If you have any further questions about our program, please contact our Project Leaders at the emails below. We are more than happy to answer any questions!
Project Leader Contact Information:
Isabelle Thapar: isabellethapar@berkeley.edu
Saffanat Sumra: saffy24@berkeley.edu
Isha Pema: ipema@berkeley.edu
Zain Shabbir: zain.a.shabbir@berkeley.edu
Aji Nanda: ajiteshnanda@berkeley.edu
Sana Desai: sana.desai@berkeley.edu
For a donation of $25 or more, you will get an exclusive shoutout on our Instagram page, @pasg.ucb and our website!
For a donation of $50 or more, you will receive a handwritten thank you note from our entire organization! Thank you for your generous donation!
For a donation of $100 or more, we will create a personalized thank you video for you!
Receive donor recognition in our organization newsletter!
For a donation of $250 or more, you will be able to attend a Professional Development workshop!
