Today, we have grown accustomed to fees increasing on an annual basis, to perpetual meetings with UC officials, and to student groups protesting against the outrageous cost of public education, a commodity that was once free to all Californians.

The Synapse issue that came out 25 years captured an exciting time in UCSF history. The front page was crowded with a number of memorable stories, with front-page stories “Doogie Howser Appointed to Faculty”, by Jean Yuss, “Trump Buys UCSF”, by Lo Sell Hi, and “UC cardiologist to fight Mike Tyson,” by Lowell Comb.

Four decades ago, the Synapse front page captured the discontent that would lead to this cap, which was just one of several measures in the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act of 1975. “Legislature Stymied: Malpractice Crisis Threatens Hospital Jobs,” declared the headline of an article by Jacquelyn Brown. An accompanying article by Peter Bissell was headlined “Bay Area Doctor Protests Soaring Malpractice Rates.”

A half century ago, more than 95 percent of doctors were men and more than 95 percent of nurses were women. A couple of articles in the Synapse echoed this particularly stark gender gap with evidence of a particularly gendered idea of nursing.

Today, emergency medicine (EM) seems a solidly entrenched and respectable medical specialty. Compared to many specialties, however, it is a latecomer. The first emergency rooms were staffed in an ad hoc fashion by internal medicine and surgery residents. The first dedicated training program in EM was begun at the University of Cincinnati in 1970, and board certification in EM was first offered in 1979.

A half century ago, UCSF played host to a several cultural events and exhibits, including an art exhibit featuring a Bay Area native and a collection of controversial films.