Jessica (Jesse) Ristau, MD

Dr. Jessica Ristau, who goes by Jesse, is a specialist in general internal medicine and provides specialty care in addiction medicine. She uses a whole-person approach guided by findings from the latest medical research to provide health care, and aims to empower patients to meet their health goals. She cares for patients with substance use disorders, including opioid, stimulant and alcohol use disorders, with a particular focus on buprenorphine therapy as part of care for opioid addiction. She practices trauma-informed care, an approach of being mindful that people's past experiences often impact their responses to receiving medical care. She integrates addiction medicine with general internal medicine, both as a doctor and as a teacher. She is also working to expand access to care for patients with substance use disorders, and provides educational support in addiction medicine for UCSF faculty and trainees. In addition to caring for patients, Ristau works as a consultant for the Substance Use Warmline of the National Clinician Consultation Center.

Ristau earned her medical degree at Boston University School of Medicine. At UCSF, she completed a residency in internal medicine, followed by a fellowship in addiction medicine based at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center and in partnership with the San Francisco Department of Public Health.