Best of CASE District VII Award
 

Institution: University of California, Office of the President

Title of entry: Educating Legislative Audiences About the Power of UC PRIME

About this entry: The University of California Programs in Medical Education (UC PRIME) prepare the next generation of physicians to serve California’s underserved communities through specialized medical school curricula and immersive community-based training. Because UC PRIME relies on annual state funding, the University must educate legislators and staff on an ongoing basis about the programs’ purpose, progress and impact.

Traditional vehicles such as reports, fact sheets and testimony remain essential. However, these approaches do not fully capture the human impact of 10 distinct UC PRIME programs operating across the state.

To support ongoing conversations with legislators and staff about investments in UC PRIME, UC Health Communications developed a compelling video narrative to bring UC PRIME’s impact to life. Rather than describing each program individually, the video centers on four core themes and features first-person reflections from students, alumni and program leaders.

The team produced a flagship video and two social media shorts, designed for use across legislative meetings, digital channels, and campus communications. Following the video’s release on December 1, demand has been strong. Event organizers have begun showing the video at group meetings, and health campuses are planning to use the assets in newsletters and on social platforms during the 2026 state legislative session. This will create a coordinated “surround sound” effort. The result is a durable, human-centered storytelling tool that strengthens awareness, deepens understanding, and keeps legislators educated about the value of investments in UC PRIME.