The main site is at the Parnassus Heights campus, which is home to the UCSF Medical Center and the Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute.

"[5] Initially, the three Affiliated Colleges were located at different sites around San Francisco, but near the end of the 19th century, interest in bringing them together grew.

The school's first female student, Lucy Wanzer, graduated in 1876, after having to appeal to the UC Board of Regents to gain admission in 1873.

A pivotal moment in UCSF history was the deal between Vice-Chancellor Bruce Spaulding and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown for the development of the Mission Bay campus in 1999.

Renowned scientist J. Michael Bishop, recipient of both the Lasker Award and Nobel Prize in Medicine (together with UCSF professor Harold Varmus), became the eighth Chancellor in 1998.

He oversaw one of UCSF's major transition and growth periods, including the expanding Mission Bay development and philanthropic support recruitment.

During his tenure, he unveiled the first comprehensive, campus-wide, strategic plan to promote diversity and foster a supportive work environment.

There have been six Nobel Prize winners over the past six decades, and among its 2018 faculty members are:[13] The Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, founded in 1999, is a research center studying obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive science at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine and the San Francisco General Hospital.

Its focus includes research, clinical care, policy development, and training on issues affecting sexual health.