registered nurse

administrative assistant

senior research associate

physician

research associate

UCLA Health

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine:
Management was completely inept at managing employees and handling employee affairs. Management was overly aggressive and, at the same time, non-interactive, unapproachable, uncommunicative, and unable to take the initiative to investigate and confirm whether there was any substance to perceived problems, often because Management itself would create those misperceptions. Thus, Management simply acted negatively and believed negatively about almost everyone while believing Management to be the "savior" of the organization. Management had nothing nice to say about anyone, including other departments like HR, or other units within the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Management would tout its abilities and achievements to Upper Management while actually being a disaster and not having much experience with handling administrative matters. Management also had a very real problem with the School of Medicine and there was a nonsensical and idiotic rivalry with or hatred for SOM employees and programs (even though, ultimately, they are all part of UCLA, hence the idiocy of it all). This distaste for SOM extended toward even high-ranking SOM employees also within management. Management disparaged and spoke remarkably unprofessionally of SOM Management, saying that SOM Management was not qualified and lucky to be hired. Management verbally prided itself on being scary. Management verbally announced it didn't care about quality applicants but needed positions filled. Management blatantly lied. A specific example is when Management claimed there was no research within the building. In fact, there are numerous SOM employees working in a subsection entitled, Research & Development. To what purpose or effect this lie was supposed to have, is unable to be ascertained. And to think this lie would never be exposed is completely insane. This is indicative of the poorest management skill and/or training, gross unprofessionalism, disastrous lack of humanitarianism, revolting arrogance, and a nearly complete loss of connection with reality. Former employee feels most for the children (i.e. young adults, interns, students, and postdocs) that come to UCLA Health to learn, grow, and start a career. Former employee was blessed with great mentors and human beings when entering the workforce for the first time. The young people there will not get a great example and may mistakenly believe that the world or every organization is like this. This is sadly Mean Girls being brought to life within an organization that currently enjoys the reputation of being Top 3 in the Nation and Best in the West. UCLA Health is physically fragmented and divided with some units being nearly completely cutoff from the organization and left to develop a Lord of the Flies culture. HR is whittled down to almost nothing but Recruitment and has no neutrality or strength to assert itself. Leadership within the management hierarchy has no vision into cutoff units and therefore no ability or mechanisms to improve or prevent gross misconduct by members of its own management. Leadership is too distant and too far upward to be felt or relied upon in times of need by grassroots employees. Executive Leadership needs to take the time to come down from its high level perch and police its own, ensuring that respectable, moral, and positive mentorship is constantly being applied and that synergy and harmony is enforced within and between units. Executive Leadership needs to promote within management that no decision or action should be taken without moral, sound judgement and good cause. And, of course, to terminate Management that insists on bad-mouthing and lying, even when it is only done behind Leadership's back and to subordinates of Management.

UCLA Health does NOT have an exceptional work-life balance, unless you consider working 55-60 hours per week (with no overtime in exempt positions) exceptional.  You do not get a lot of time off (even the vacation that I accrued, I could not use b/c the job was so demanding). I never took a sick day, so they were all lost when I quit. And personally, I don't think that 3 weeks off a year is good. I had to take vacation time off to take a certification exam, which they would not reimburse me for the costs of the certification.  They want you to have the knowledge, they just don't want to pay for it.  

And the pay is not great. Before you take a job at UCLA or anywhere in LA, remember that the cost of living is unsustainable and the commute is horrific.  And the raises per year were a minimum.  Basically, even if you do an exceptional job, you will not get the top raises (that is reserved for management who screw others out of raises).  Seriously, the more that my manager keep me down (on the pay scale) and others too, the more she got paid/bonuses.  I did receive a "STAR" award while I was there, so they thought that I did a good job, but no matter what you do, it is never enough. I worked on a multi-million dollar study, and they only paid me about 65-70% of what my position was budgeted for.  If they would have spend the rest on support staff, it would have been okay, but they just stashed the money.  

Management is horrible, useless, etc. I reported to someone that I seen maybe twice a year, and hardly had any contact with throughout the year, but she did my evaluation.  UCLA doesn't want research staff to report to a Principal Investigator, but that is who you actually report to (even if it's not official).  The PI was a micro-manager.

Most people in my department were miserable.  There was a lot of staff turnover (the good people left b/c they had options). Some went to other UCLA departments.  I am sure that I could have gotten another job at UCLA Health, but the cost of living in LA is so high, that I just moved.

How happy YOU are with your job will really depend on the department that you're working for, but overall UCLA is not all that.  I now have a job that pays me 25% more than UCLA, and I get over twice as much time off.  

Some people refer to the retirement benefits as "golden handcuffs," but if you go to another state government (CALPers) position, you get credit for your time at UCLA. 

I knew as soon as I took the job that it was going to be bad because they were putting such pressure on me to start asap, so if your gut is telling you to not take a job there, then listen.

I truly hope that others love their jobs at UCLA Health, but just be cautious. And if you don't like the people you work for there, at least, move to another department.

Intensive and challenging place to work.
Intelligent, innovative , opinionated and task oriented personnel.
Caring and God loving nurses, surgeons and staff.
Effective communication strategies by staff.
    A typical day starts very early at 6:30 am on regular schedule days. You will find your room assignment, surgeon, circulating and scrub nurses, and the surgical procedure being done on a patient, also the estimated closing time.
   You will go to your assigned room and relieve either the scrub or the circulating nurse. You introduce yourself quietly with the team who is already there. Counting of instruments, needles and all countable stuff are done. You check with the anesthesiologist of the status of your patient and what are the necessary needs at that time to make the patient safe, comfortable and attended. Another RN will come later or before you to relieve the previous RNs and you do the exchanging of information regarding the status of patient, the surgical case,and the surgeons involve in the case, the equipment and supplies and the status of report done to family members in the waiting room. You record all necessary information in your computer.
   You stay until the procedure is done or you will be relieved by somebody in 3 hours if it is a long case. You have lunch for 30 min then go back to your assigned room or another room according to the census for that day. You usually stay on the same case until it is done. Your days ends after 10 to 12 hours. If your on call you can stay for 24 hours maximum.
   I learned to deal with different types of personalities, time management and prioritizing. The best is learning new procedures and techniques, equipment and instruments and brain storming all these new information to the rest of the staff. The hardest is when you have VIP patients and surgeons who demand innovative and new equipment that you have not seen yet. But the management was so supportive in continuing education for all nurses and staff before introducing new techniques, instruments or equipments.
   The most enjoyable part is when you save a life that is almost destroyed or lifeless, and informing the family members that their loved one is going to be alright.

I had my worst job experience by accepting a job offer to work as a registered nurse at UCLA Ronad Reagan Med-Surg floor. By the time I accepted the offer to work as an RN full time, I had to quit my secure full time RN job at another hospital and I turned down another very secure job offer from another hospital. My approach was - I am pursuing a career development and where else if not at UCLA RR, a Magnet hospital you get the best chances to develop professionally. I soon learned my lesson that I was wronged. I started with my orientation on the floor and passed all the skills and qualifications requirements from the extensive list that UCLA mandates you to pass, collected all the required signatures from my preceptors. Then I was on my own on the floor. Here is where you all of a sudden become to realize at what kind of environment you are in. The staff is not supportive and not friendly. You have to pass your six months probation. After one month of work, all of a sudden out of blue you will be called by the UM, who would notify you that it appeared to some staff member that you weren't doing certain tasks as they supposed to be done. No staff member will directly inform you about those "mistakes". Because you are in your 6 months probation, you are powerless, you are voiceless and unheard. You will end up either resigning or being fired. UCLA feels that because they are a Magnet hospital, they can easily hire and fire nurses. In the end I didn't feel that anyone cares about you, about you leaving and turning down your other jobs, to became an RN at UCLA and no one cares about what happens to you if you resign or get fired from UCLA. So if you are considering to apply to a Med Surg floor as an RN at UCLA my advise  to you is have a second thought, especially if you have to resign your current job

Working at UCLA can be an incredibly rewarding experience, and being part of such a prestigious organization feels like a privilege. There’s a wealth of knowledge to gain, especially under strong management that supports growth. A typical day involves diligently addressing tasks, assisting colleagues, and ensuring everything is on track.

However, management can be challenging here. Communication about expectations or issues is often lacking, and sometimes, feedback only surfaces when there’s already a formal notice. The culture in this department, unfortunately, tends to be quite competitive and, at times, undermining, with some team members not offering constructive support. This can create a sense of false assurance that might hold you back from realizing areas for improvement.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of this role was the opportunity to collaborate closely with other departments. These interactions fostered valuable networking connections and inspired me to continually enhance my skills. A supportive manager could make a significant difference by guiding and encouraging professional growth. Sadly, despite my eagerness to advance, I found myself feeling stagnant due to a lack of movement within the department. I also sympathize with other team members whose career progress was similarly impacted by the current IT Acquisitions and Logistics management structure.

I experienced numerous management changes in my time at ucla health so I'm going to try to give a fair assessment. To sum it up- when things were great I had hard-working, collaborative coworkers and an amazing boss (at the same time) and when things were horrible, I had lazy, cliquey, jealous coworkers paired with an equally jealous, incompetent manager.  If you're lucky to find a manager who is fair, listens, is willing to intervene when needed, has your back and is not afraid to step in and defend you or step in and manage- trust that your job will be a good one despite any troubles. UCLA Health does have these types of managers who take their job seriously and really help foster a teamwork environment that make UCLA Health amazing (when admin staff is happy, doctors are happy-not the other way around). Unfortunately, I also experienced horrible management who refused to step in when a coworker would regularly verbally assault everyone during team huddles. There are also managers who choose to promote based on personality and hire their friends. Some managers also do not distribute work evenly so if you work hard be prepared to get assigned most of the work while your lazy coworkers get away with doing close to nothing. You cannot make the most out of this type of environment which is why having a manager who is not only kind but knows how to set boundaries (even with physicians or nurses) is important. While this is a great place, the commute is horrendous, you have to pay for parking and while there are some opportunities for advancement it's not enough. 

The day begins nice and early at 8AM with my first task being checking on my emails. As a Liaison we work extremely close to our doctors. Each Liaison is assigned to 5 doctors, and there are 5 Liaisons. Once I have sorted and responded to all email I  then move to look at my physicians schedules/meeting, sending reminders and assigning the covering physicians to ensure a smooth running clinic. I continue my day with scheduling new patients who are awaiting to be seen, and I follow up with established patients on their care. I meet patients upon request and visit patients during treatment. Requesting medical material from referring facilities is a daily task. For each new patient I request all medical material pertaining to its diagnosis. I build physicians template schedules on the computer and follow up with research coordinators upon correct scheduling. 

Working for UCLA Hem/Oncology has taught me a great deal on the many different diagnosis that patients are faced with daily. these diagnosis are in most cases terminal and as a liaison our close relationship to each patient is expected. As hard as it is to accept each patients faith, it is also very fulfilling to know that your assistance, trust, and friendship throughout this journey is greatly appreciated by both the family and the patients itself. 

UCLA provides an excelled working environment for all staff. Management ensures the well being of each employee by offering a good, professional, exciting and fun working environment.

The high call volume and the nasty attitude of callers leaves me exhausted and often feeling undervalued. I often am depressed cause of this job and question why I am here. A few colleagues make the work even harder to bear as they often trick the call system to get less calls. Leadership does not provide any support in advancing your career here, they are also not open in changing the culture. Other departments treat this department as if we were assistants and literal idiots. There is no communication about changes. This leaves our department scrambling during an outage. Stay away, I'm here only for experience and hopefully can leave. I truly hate it here. I'm also still here cause we work from home and we joined a union. You know that saying if you are good at your job, they reward you with more work? Well this is it. 


Now for the good...
1. Pay
2. Remote
3. Coworkers feel the same way
4. You learn ALOT
5. Almost no oversight you can do w.e you want


Cons
1. No oversight for weak employees
2. Leadership
3. No standard operating procedure, we just wing it
4. 12 days a year of being onsite
5. Not open to ideas on how to improve and decrease calls
6. Callers rate us, you have to beg for 5 stars 
7. You cannot rate callers
8. Callers treat you like if you're the idiot
9. Information desk + a help desk, plus epic desk - we get to do multiple job functions



UCLA offers a lively and engaging work environment where creativity and collaboration thrive. Employees here enjoy a perfect blend of fun and productivity, with a supportive team culture that encourages innovation and personal growth. The office is designed with open, comfortable spaces that foster team interaction, alongside cozy breakout areas for relaxation and socializing.

A standout feature is the company’s commitment to employee well-being and work-life balance. Regular team-building events, monthly game nights, and creative workshops keep the atmosphere vibrant and build strong bonds among coworkers. Flexible schedules and remote work options are also available, catering to diverse lifestyles and helping everyone stay balanced and refreshed.

Leaders at UCLA emphasize recognition and reward for achievements, ensuring that hard work is acknowledged and celebrated. Whether through weekly shout-outs, quarterly awards, or spontaneous celebrations, employees feel appreciated and motivated. The management is approachable, fostering a sense of openness and making everyone feel valued.

Overall, UCLA is a place where passion meets purpose, and where employees genuinely enjoy coming to work. It’s an ideal setting for those who want a fulfilling career while having fun, surrounded by a positive and dynamic team.



Since the day of getting a drug test at occupational health it has been a horrible experience. Far and few workers are nice and friendly in a real way the rest are putting on a show and has a chip on their shoulder. I sounds like they are reading a script with a fake smile. Robotic kind of feel. You are put through the ringer just to get hired and start. If I didn’t have a job already I would be livid how long it took to work. 

The trainings are rushed. The outfits are mediocre. The employees are expected to drop everything for last minute start dates. Again I still had another job and they wanted me to be available for mandatory trainings in the day when I was night shift. No options for a different time, if so you will wait even longer to start. 

The organization is there but are people really happy?  It doesn’t look like it. Every one is there for the money. Money is good but happiness is the goal. I highly do not recommend but again maybe my experience was different since I looked a certain way (if you know what I mean). Hard to connect when it’s a disconnect of the majority of people who perceive you differently. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Registered nurse 8 salaries reported	$72.00 per hour
Administrative assistant 13 salaries reported	$24.08 per hour
Senior research associate 3 salaries reported	$29.33 per hour
Physician 4 salaries reported	$121,064 per year
Research associate 9 salaries reported	$27.84 per hour

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