UCSF Health: Transitioning into Leadership Program

Discover your leadership potential in healthcare. The Transitioning into Leadership Program helps aspiring leaders build self-awareness, resilience, and inclusive practices while learning to lead change and spark innovation from any role. You’ll gain practical tools, shape your leadership vision, and take the first step toward advancing your career. 

Why Join This Program? 
This 7-week program offers aspiring healthcare leaders the chance to build a foundation in leadership. Through interactive sessions and practical tools, participants will gain self-awareness, resilience, and inclusive leadership skills, along with strategies for leading change and driving innovation. Designed for those without prior formal leadership experience, the program provides a supportive environment to explore your leadership potential, create a personal development plan, and take the first steps toward advancing your career in healthcare. 

What You’ll Gain: 

  • Understand why leadership matters for people and organizations.  
  • Build self-awareness and resilience by recognizing individual strengths, supporting team wellbeing, and developing strategies for personal effectiveness. 
  • Learn to lead change and foster inclusion from your current role by engaging others. 
  • Shape your leadership journey by exploring vision and innovation as part of a leadership development plan. 

Who Should Apply? 

Individuals without formal leadership roles who want to explore leadership, strengthen self-awareness and resilience, and learn how to lead from where they are as they consider next steps in their careers. 

Program Structure 

SessionDateTime (Pacific)Location 
Foundations of Leadership & Self-Awareness

Cohort 7: 01/13/26

Cohort 8: 01/22/26

Cohort 9: 03/03/26

Cohort 10: 04/22/26

8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

UCSF, San Francisco
Workplace Wellbeing

Cohort 7: 01/27/26

Cohort 8: 02/05/26

Cohort 9: 03/17/26

Cohort 10: 05/06/26

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Virtual 
Change, People & Leadership

Cohort 7: 02/10/26

Cohort 8: 02/19/26

Cohort 9: 03/31/26

Cohort 10: 05/20/26

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Virtual 
Fostering Inclusion & Vision, Innovation & Your Career

Cohort 7: 02/24/26

Cohort 8: 03/05/26

Cohort 9: 04/14/26

Cohort 10: 06/03/26

8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

UCSF, San Francisco

In addition to learning sessions, participants will: 

  • Complete assigned pre-work prior to each session. 
  • Understand the value of mentorship and secure a mentor to support your career journey. 
Program Expectations 

Participants are expected to:   

  • Attend all live learning sessions as scheduled (12 hours) 
    • Must attend at least 80% of the scheduled learning session time to be eligible for continuing education credits and a certificate of completion. All missed sessions require make-up work to be eligible for credits and a certificate. 
  • Complete assigned pre-work for each session (~1 hour per session, 4-6 hours total) 
  • Pre-work may include readings, videos, podcasts, and psychometric assessments to help contextualize the content and conversations of the live learning sessions. 
Testimonials 

“This program gave me more confidence in my leadership abilities and helped me see that I don’t need a title to lead and make an impact.” 

“It has opened my eyes to being more receptive to change. I’ve learned to try and embrace being uncomfortable because that’s where the growth comes from.” 

“I felt this program really helped me to figure out who I am what type of leader I achieve to be. It gave very usable information, tips, resources and tools to keep for a lifetime. I already notice that I am using the things learned in this program in my daily professional and personal life.” 

Continuing Education   

UCSF Leadership Institute is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Participants will be awarded 12 Contact Hour(s) for participation in the course. 

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider # CEP 12980, for 12 Contact Hour(s). 

Apply Here

Application Deadline: 11/14/25 

Notified of Acceptance:11/21/25 

Deadline to Confirm Participation: 12/5/25