2027 Sanford Institute Forum on Empathy and Compassion - Feb. 10 - 12, 2027
About this Event
Experience three inspiring days with leaders advancing empathy and compassion as drivers of better care, learning, and culture.
Attendees will:
- Explore emerging empathy and compassion research that translates into real, measurable impact
- Reimagine the future of medical education to prepare the next generation of compassionate clinicians
- Build more sustainable care environments that support healthcare workforce well-being
Day 1
🕑: 08:00 AM - 06:00 PM
Day 1 - Wednesday, February 10, 2027 (Subject to Change)
🕑: 08:00 AM - 09:00 AM
Registration: Check-in and continental breakfast
🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:15 AM
Opening Remarks
🕑: 09:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Neurobiology & Mechanisms of Empathy and Compassion
Info: This session will explore the biological, psychological, and behavioral mechanisms that support empathy, compassion, caregiving, and social connection. Drawing on neural circuitry, psychophysiology, social cognition, and animal models, the discussion will identify what is known, where major gaps remain, and which mechanisms or biomarkers may be most useful for future intervention research.
🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM
Burnout, Mentorship, and Training Ecosystems
Info: This panel will examine how healthcare and educational environments shape well-being, empathy, compassion, professional development, and performance. The discussion will move beyond burnout as an individual problem and focus on mentorship, belonging, organizational culture, and practical ways to redesign training ecosystems to better support students, trainees, faculty, and clinicians.
🕑: 12:15 PM - 01:00 PM
Lunch & Seed Grant Spotlight
🕑: 01:00 PM - 02:30 PM
Measurement, Belonging, and Outcomes
Info: This session will focus on how empathy, compassion, belonging, burnout, and related outcomes are defined and measured across research, education, healthcare, and digital settings. Participants will consider the strengths and limitations of self-report, behavioral, physiological, and digital measures, with the goal of identifying a practical framework for future studies and collaborations.
🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:45 PM
AI, Technology, and the Future of Empathy
Info: This session will explore how AI and digital technologies may affect empathy, compassion, and human connection in healthcare, education, and everyday life. The panel will consider both the opportunities and risks of these tools, including how they should be evaluated, ethically implemented, and used to support rather than replace human connection.
🕑: 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
From Mechanisms to Culture Change & Scalable Interventions
Info: In this session, we will synthesize themes from the day and focus on how insights from mechanisms, measurement, training environments, and technology can be translated into real-world interventions. Participants will discuss which interventions are ready for testing, what barriers may limit implementation and scale, and what priorities should guide the field over the next several years.
🕑: 05:00 PM
Reception
Day 2
🕑: 08:30 AM - 05:00 PM
Day 2 - Thursday, February 11, 2027 (Subject to Change)
🕑: 08:30 AM - 09:00 AM
Registration: Check-in and continental breakfast
🕑: 09:10 AM - 09:30 AM
Opening Remarks
🕑: 09:30 PM - 10:30 PM
Keynote Presentation
🕑: 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Using Neuroscience to Enhance how we Develop Curricula and Interventions
Info: This session will focus on how neuroscience can guide the development and testing of new curricula and interventions, and present theoretical (and empirical) advantages of this approach.
🕑: 01:15 PM - 02:45 PM
Accelerating Learning and Training with Neuroscientific Approaches
Info: This session will focus on the translational application of neuroscience techniques to learning and skills training. Panelists will provide concrete examples of how imaging and brain stimulation can enhance our understanding of how to move from novice to expert and how to supercharge the skill-building process.
🕑: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Group Work Session
Info: Guided group brainstorming session for attendees to consider how the concepts learned on day 2 could be used to develop new ways of training empathy and compassion across the pipeline of medical education (from pre-med to practicing clinicians).
🕑: 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Closing Session
Day 3
🕑: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Day 3 - Friday, February 12, 2027 (Subject to Change)
🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:30 AM
Registration: Check-in and continental breakfast
🕑: 08:30 AM - 09:30 AM
Keynote Presentation: The Power of Empathy & Compassion in Medical Practice
🕑: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Poster Session
🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Breakout Workshops
🕑: 01:00 PM - 02:00 AM
Compassionate Communication to Promote Culture Change in Health Care
Info: Dr. Gary Buckholz will briefly introduce UC San Diego’s train-the-trainer program, the Sanford Compassionate Communication Academy Fellowship and describe the program’s outcomes. Graduates of this program become Affiliate Faculty for the Center for Compassionate Communication and teach the compassionate communication curriculum within their realms of influence. Dr. Evonne Kaplan-Liss will then facilitate a conversation with an interdisciplinary panel of four Affiliate Faculty members who have made significant strides in promoting positive culture change at UC San Diego. Participants in this plenary session will hear how challenges were overcome, have the opportunity to ask questions, and share pearls of wisdom from their own institutions.
🕑: 02:10 PM - 03:20 PM
Speed Rounds: Implementation of Compassionate Communication Projects
Info: Several Affiliate Faculty members will give brief presentations sharing details of specific projects implemented at UC San Diego. These brief presentations will focus on lessons learned and future opportunities that participants can benefit from. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentations.
🕑: 03:30 PM - 04:45 PM
Workshops
Info: Navigating Moral Distress in Healthcare Leadership & Education; From Overwhelmed to Empowered: Thriving in a Challenging Scientific Climate
🕑: 04:45 PM - 05:00 PM
Closing Remarks
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 330.00 to USD 1058.24
