Complex Family Planning Fellowship

Director: Jennifer Kerns, MD, MS, MPH

Clinical training

Clinical training encompasses all methods of uterine evacuation with emphasis on second-trimester D&E. An important benefit of the program is the variety of practice settings in which fellows encounter many kinds of patients and clinical challenges. These settings include (1) an in-hospital outpatient abortion clinic located within a public and trauma hospital (San Francisco General Hospital), (2) a private practice-based abortion clinic (Mt Zion Hospital, part of UCSF Health), and (3) Planned Parenthood San Francisco. Complex contraception and Early Pregnancy Assessment clinics are located at both the SFGH and Mt Zion campuses and fellows are integral providers for these clinical services. Similar to the residents, fellows rotate between sites to gain skills in a variety of settings. Fellows are afforded opportunities for graduated independence in their practice.

Education

At UCSF, fellows learn Complex Family Planning through formal and informal pathways. We have a weekly hour-long conference where CFP fellows are protected to participate in didactics, journal clubs, M&Ms, and works-in-progress presentations. Didactic talks from faculty and complex family planning experts are intentionally mapped to the ACGME competencies. We also participate in quarterly California-wide journal clubs, joint journal clubs with other divisions and departments, including MFM, REI, radiation oncology, and heme/onc, and monthly contraceptive journal clubs. Fellows have time for self-directed learning as well, including opportunities for clinical research coursework. Lastly, fellows are invited to participate in all of the department’s learning opportunities including Grand Rounds, didactics, and M&M conferences.

Research opportunities

With 20 Complex Family Planning sub specialists and research faculty at Advancing Standards in Reproductive Health and the Bixby Center as our colleagues, fellows are invited to collaborate on a research project of their choosing. We deeply value working with fellows to find a project that inspires them and are well-equipped to provide mentorship in all types of research, including qualitative research, clinical trials, retrospective cohort studies, and survey studies. 

Advocacy opportunities

Fellows are exposed to many faculty in Ob/Gyn at UCSF who have advocacy expertise and regularly participate in advocacy opportunities, including lobbying, policy, and media. Most of our fellows have applied and been accepted to an advocacy training program through the Bixby Center; fellows have also often participated in the Leadership Training Academy through Physicians for Reproductive Health.

Mentorship

Fellows are mentored by the PD and APD as well as other CFP faculty. Fellows meet with the PD and APD separately and at least monthly. They are also directed to specific mentors within CFP for additional career mentoring.

Application Submissions

Applications can be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS). More information about CFP fellowship can be found here:  https://societyfp.org/fellowship/

Application Deadline:

May 4, 2026

Prerequisites

Applicants must complete a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at an ACGME-accredited institution in the United States. Unfortunately, we cannot accept applications from applicants who have completed a residency in another specialty or in a country besides the United States.

Recruitment and Selection Process

The Fellowship program selects and appoints trainees in accordance with the University of California and GME policy, and in compliance with all Federal and State laws. We select eligible applicants on the basis of aptitude, preparedness, academic credentials and career goals.

It is the policy of UCSF and its affiliated hospitals that programs do not discriminate against qualified applicants based upon gender, ethnicity, race, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, marital status, or veteran status.

UCSF does not use race, gender, sex or other protected categories or proxies for protected categories in the selection process.

Complex Family Planning Fellowship Program Director
Jennifer Kerns, MD, MPH
[email protected]

Complex Family Planning Program Coordinator 
Tienna Perez-Close 
[email protected]  
San Francisco General Hospital
1001 Potrero Ave, Ward 6D 
San Francisco, CA 94110

National Office 
Society of Family Planning 
Fellowship in Complex Family Planning 
PO Box 18342 Denver, CO 80218 
866-584-6758 
Email: [email protected] 
https://societyfp.org/fellowship/