About Us

Our History

In 1992, Dr. Sidney Starkman established the UCLA Student Stroke Program—a collaborative effort designed to improve timely detection of stroke. Serving as the “eyes” and “ears” of the UCLA Brain Attack Team, undergraduate students work alongside physicians to monitor and scribe stroke codes.

Since its founding, more than 200 students have participated in Stroke Force, many of whom have gone on to careers in medicine, public health, and related fields. Today, under the leadership of Dr. Jeffrey Saver and Dr. May Nour, the program continues to play a vital role in stroke care both within the hospital and in the broader community.

Clinical Research

Stroke care is an ever-evolving field, with new insights, treatments, and technologies continually emerging. SSF plays a vital role in this progress by participating in eight clinical trials that evaluate new stroke therapies.

Stroke Force members volunteer at Ronald Reagan Medical Center every weekend, year-round. In the event of a 'code stroke', members respond alongside hospital neurologists and gather patient information to determine if they qualify for one of our clinical trials.

Community Outreach

Being able to recognize a stroke can save a person's life.

Community outreach is core to our organization and vital to decreasing stroke impact. Underserved communities often face a lack of information concerning stroke knowledge; through health fairs and presentations, we focus on underserved communities across the Los Angeles region and share information about how to prevent, identify, and deal with strokes.

Other Requirements

NEUROROUNDS

Members have the opportunity to shadow the UCLA Neurology team rounds, gaining insight on resident discussions and patient cases.

GENERAL MEETINGS

In our biweekly meetings we conduct journal clubs, debrief outreach events, practice public speaking, and stay educated on relevant stroke-related medical concerns.

MEMBER PROJECTS

Every quarter, members create individual projects focused on spreading our outreach efforts. Past projects included magazine articles, research papers, and more.