How medical schools support the next generation of doctors with Uber

A medical student’s schedule is anything but light. Juggling rigorous classes, hands-on clinical rotations and residencies, and intense exam preparation is just part of the daily grind. 

Balancing all that is challenging enough—then there’s the added stress of finding a ride home or a meal at the end of a grueling shift. 

Recognizing these issues, leading medical schools across the United States partner with Uber to provide crucial support to the world’s future clinicians. Our partnerships range from ensuring that students have 24/7 transportation for their clinical shifts to providing access to nutritious, consistent meals, helping them stay well rested and focused on their path to becoming skilled and compassionate healthcare professionals.

Research indicates that transportation concerns are one of the biggest stressors for medical students. And after a lengthy shift at a medical center, the last thing an exhausted doctor-in-training should have to do is get behind the wheel. By offering subsidized late-night rides with Uber, our medical school partners ensure that students have a stress-free way to get home. 

Student doctors who shuffle between medical centers for their rotations also benefit from these programs, eliminating the stress and time wasted on finding parking and navigating unfamiliar areas. 

Institutions like Stanford Medicine and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai get it: their programs with Uber not only help their budding clinicians get around; they also boost overall student well-being.

Stanford Health Care offers Uber rides for its Fatigue Mitigation program. If medical students and fellows are too tired to drive at the end of a shift, they can enjoy subsidized travel with Uber from Stanford Affiliate medical sites to their home, and back later to get their car. The program allows 2 rides per day and empowers graduate medical students to make responsible choices—for their own safety and the safety of others.

Third- and fourth-year students at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai benefit from subsidized Uber rides to and from clerkship clinical sites within the 5 boroughs of New York City. Available from roughly 7pm to 7am year-round, this exceptional program ensures that students on rotation can reach their assignments and return home with ease. 

Through partnerships like these, Uber has facilitated over 81,000 rides for doctors in training. Notably, 32% of those trips occur between 9pm and 6am, offering crucial late-night transportation support to more than 23,000 medical students. 

Nutrition can be one of the biggest hurdles that future clinicians face every day. A 2024 study in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care found that medical students’ dietary decisions are largely driven by convenience. With a packed schedule, faster is better—and if healthy options aren’t readily available or quick to obtain, students are less likely to eat them. 

Though medical schools often have dining halls and cafeterias, these facilities are not always open 24/7. During long or late-night shifts, these dining areas can be closed, leaving preclinical students and doctors-in-training without any meal options. 

To tackle these challenges, top-ranked institutions like the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA partner with Uber Eats to provide accessible, healthy meal options around the clock. 

In addition to its Fatigue Mitigation Transportation program, the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA provides a meals benefit with Uber Eats for its clinical residents. Residents working shifts at 9 affiliated medical centers receive a $25 daily subsidy for meals ordered with Uber Eats, with a monthly cap of $200. The Uber Eats app is available 24/7, and meals are delivered directly to each hospital, ensuring that student doctors can stay on-site, enjoy greater convenience, and choose meals that align with their dietary restrictions and preferences.

Through partnerships, Uber Eats has delivered over 19,000 meals to medical students. More than one-third (36%) of these meals are ordered between 11am and 12pm, allowing student doctors to enjoy a convenient, nutritious midday meal that’ll help them power through the rest of their day.

Bowls! Across our medical school partnerships, medical students tend to order Chipotle Burrito Bowls, Sweetgreen salads, and CAVA Greens + Grains Bowls most frequently. Loaded with fresh veggies, proteins, and energy-sustaining fats like cheese and avocado, it’s no surprise that these meals are a top pick for budding doctors working long shifts.

Leading medical institutions continue to use the Uber platform to make a significant impact on their students’ quality of life. By providing flexible transportation options and accessible meals, these collaborations enhance student well-being, assist in retaining top talent, significantly boost institutional appeal, and allow future doctors to focus on what matters most: their patients.

If you’re interested in partnering with Uber, please visit uber.com/higher-education. 

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