Leslie Suen, MD, MAS

Assistant Professor in Residence

Dr. Leslie Suen (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine at San Francisco General Hospital. She is also affiliate faculty at the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, the UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations, the UCSF Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, and the UCSF Partnerships for Research in Implementation Science for Equity (PRISE) Center. Dr. Suen works as a primary care and addiction medicine physician and health services researcher. Her research focuses on using implementation science to improve health systems, policies, and outcomes for people with substance use disorders.

Education
2022 - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training, UCSF
2022 - National Clinician Scholars Program (NCSP) VA Scholar, UCSF
2020 - Stimulating Access to Research in Residency Program (StARR), UCSF
2019 - UC Primary Care General Internal Medicine Residency (UCPC), UCSF
M.D., 2016 - Medicine, UCSF
Websites
Publications

  1. Suen LW, Coffin PO, Boulton KE, Carr DH, Davis CS. Prescribing Psychostimulants for the Treatment of Stimulant Use Disorder: Navigating the Federal Legal Landscape. Journal of addiction medicine 2025. PMID: 39846466


  2. Martin M, Baisey T, Skinner S, Ly L, Slown K, Harter K, Nguyen OK, Steiger S, Suen LW. Early Results of Implementing Rapid Methadone Titration for Hospitalized Patients: A Case Series. Journal of general internal medicine 2025. PMID: 39804553


  3. Suen LW, Chiang AY, Jones BLH, Soran CS, Geier M, Snyder HR, Neuhaus J, Myers JJ, Knight KR, Bazazi AR, Coffin PO. Outpatient Low-Dose Initiation of Buprenorphine for People Using Fentanyl. JAMA network open 2025. PMID: 39853975


  4. Incze MA, Simon C, Suen LW. Methadone's Moment. Volume 332 of Issue 23. JAMA 2024. PMID: 39418049


  5. Steiger S, McCuistian C, Suen LW, Shapiro B, Tompkins DA, Bazazi AR. Induction to Methadone 80 mg in the First Week of Treatment of Patients Who Use Fentanyl: A Case Series From an Outpatient Opioid Treatment Program. Journal of addiction medicine 2024. PMID: 39150067


  6. Suen LW, Incze M, Simon C, Englander H, Bratberg J, Groves Scott G, Winograd R. Methadone's Resurgence in Bridging the Treatment Gap in the Overdose Crisis: Position Statement of AMERSA, Inc (Association for Multidisciplinary Education, Research, Substance Use, and Addiction). Volume 45 of Issue 3. Substance use & addiction journal 2024. PMID: 38804606


  7. Jones BLH, Geier M, Neuhaus J, Coffin PO, Snyder HR, Soran CS, Knight KR, Suen LW. Withdrawal during outpatient low dose buprenorphine initiation in people who use fentanyl: a retrospective cohort study. Harm reduction journal 2024. PMID: 38594721


  8. Wenger LD, Morris T, Knight KR, Megerian CE, Davidson PJ, Suen LW, Majano V, Lambdin BH, Kral AH. Radical hospitality: Innovative programming to build community and meet the needs of people who use drugs at a government-sanctioned overdose prevention site in San Francisco, California. The International journal on drug policy 2024. PMID: 38492432


  9. Duhart Clarke SE, Victor G, Lynch P, Suen LW, Ray B. Cannabis donation as a harm reduction strategy: a case study. Volume 21 of Issue 1. Harm reduction journal 2024. PMID: 38449029


  10. Fraimow-Wong L, Martín M, Thomas L, Giuliano R, Nguyen OK, Knight K, Suen LW. Patient and Staff Perspectives on the Impacts and Challenges of Hospital-Based Harm Reduction. JAMA network open 2024. PMID: 38386317


  11. Haley DF, Agoos ER, Yarbrough CR, Suen LW, Beletsky L. Missed Opportunities: Substance Use Hotline Operator Uncertainty of State Buprenorphine Prescribing via Telemedicine. Volume 18 of Issue 1. Journal of addiction medicine 2023. PMID: 38126704


  12. Coffin PO, Suen LW. Methamphetamine Toxicities and Clinical Management. Volume 2 of Issue 12. NEJM Evidence 2023. PMID: 38320504


  13. Davis J, Bepo L, Suen LW, McLaughlin MM, Adamo M, Abbs E, Lemke G, Azari S. Implementing Heart Plus: Design and Early Results of a Novel Co-Management Clinic for Patients with Stimulant-Associated Cardiomyopathy. Journal of cardiac failure 2023. PMID: 37984791


  14. Ravi A, Vittinghoff E, Wu AHB, Suen LW, Coffin PO, Hsue P, Lynch KL, Win S, Kazi DS, Riley ED. Cocaine Use is Associated With Increased LVMI in Unstably Housed Women With Polysubstance Use. Substance abuse 2023. PMID: 37830512


  15. Suen LW, Steiger S, Shapiro B, Castellanos S, Joshi N, Lambdin BH, Knight KR. "Get in and get out, get on with life": Patient and provider perspectives on methadone van implementation for opioid use disorder treatment. The International journal on drug policy 2023. PMID: 37778132


  16. Davidson PJ, Wenger LD, Morris T, Majano V, Browne EN, Lambdin BH, Suen LW, Kral AH. Impact of a high-volume overdose prevention site on social and drug disorder in surrounding areas in San Francisco. Volume 252. Drug and alcohol dependence 2023. PMID: 37748424


  17. Suen LW, Wenger LD, Morris T, Majano V, Davidson PJ, Browne EN, Ray B, Megerian CE, Lambdin BH, Kral AH. Evaluating oxygen monitoring and administration during overdose responses at a sanctioned overdose prevention site in San Francisco, California: A mixed-methods study. Volume 121. The International journal on drug policy 2023. PMID: 37652815


  18. Chen A, Ayub MH, Mishuris RG, Rodriguez JA, Gwynn K, Lo MC, Noronha C, Henry TL, Jones D, Lee WW, Varma M, Cuevas E, Onumah C, Gupta R, Goodson J, Lu AD, Syed Q, Suen LW, Heiman E, Salhi BA, Khoong EC, Schmidt S. Telehealth Policy, Practice, and Education: a Position Statement of the Society of General Internal Medicine. Journal of general internal medicine 2023. PMID: 37095331


  19. Noel M, Abbs E, Suen L, Samuel L, Dobbins S, Geier M, Soran CS. The Howard Street Method: A Community Pharmacy-led Low Dose Overlap Buprenorphine Initiation Protocol for Individuals Using Fentanyl. Journal of addiction medicine 2023. PMID: 37579105


  20. Leyde S, Abbs E, Suen LW, Martin M, Mitchell A, Davis J, Azari S. A Mixed-methods Evaluation of an Addiction/Cardiology Pilot Clinic With Contingency Management for Patients With Stimulant-associated Cardiomyopathy. Journal of addiction medicine 2022. PMID: 36729467


  21. Leyde S, Abbs E, Suen LW, Martin M, Mitchell A, Davis J, Azari S. A Mixed-methods Evaluation of an Addiction/Cardiology Pilot Clinic With Contingency Management for Patients With Stimulant-associated Cardiomyopathy. Journal of addiction medicine 2022. PMID: 37267175


  22. Samuel L, Caygill-Walsh R, Suen LW, Mohebbi S, Geier M. Triple Threat: Response to the Crises of COVID-19, Homelessness, and Opioid Use Disorder With a Novel Approach to Buprenorphine Delivery: A Case Series. Volume 16 of Issue 6. Journal of addiction medicine 2022. PMID: 35245914


  23. Smith-Bernardin SM, Suen LW, Barr-Walker J, Cuervo IA, Handley MA. Scoping review of managed alcohol programs. Harm reduction journal 2022. PMID: 35879719


  24. Suen LW. A Seat at the Table. Volume 97 of Issue 7. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2022. PMID: 34732648


  25. Wyatt JP, Suen LW, Coe WH, Adams ZM, Gandhi M, Batchelor HM, Castellanos S, Joshi N, Satterwhite S, Pérez-Rodríguez R, Rodríguez-Guerra E, Albizu-Garcia CE, Knight KR, Jordan A. Federal and State Regulatory Changes to Methadone Take-Home Doses: Impact of Sociostructural Factors. American journal of public health 2022. PMID: 35349318


  26. Suen LW, Coe WH, Wyatt JP, Adams ZM, Gandhi M, Batchelor HM, Castellanos S, Joshi N, Satterwhite S, Pérez-Rodríguez R, Rodríguez-Guerra E, Albizu-Garcia CE, Knight KR, Jordan A. Structural Adaptations to Methadone Maintenance Treatment and Take-Home Dosing for Opioid Use Disorder in the Era of COVID-19. American journal of public health 2022. PMID: 35349324


  27. Suen LW, Lee TG, Silva M, Walton P, Coffin PO, Geier M, Soran CS. Rapid Overlap Initiation Protocol Using Low Dose Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in an Outpatient Setting: A Case Series. TO REMOVE 2022. PMID: 35149614


  28. Suen LW, Davy-Mendez T, LeSaint KT, Riley ED, Coffin PO. Emergency department visits and trends related to cocaine, psychostimulants, and opioids in the United States, 2008-2018. TO REMOVE 2022. PMID: 35120449


  29. Suen LW, Davidson PJ, Browne EN, Lambdin BH, Wenger LD, Kral AH. Effect of an Unsanctioned Safe Consumption Site in the United States on Syringe Sharing, Rushed Injections, and Isolated Injection Drug Use: A Longitudinal Cohort Analysis. Volume 89 of Issue 2. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) 2022. PMID: 34723925


  30. Suen LW, Lunn MR, Sevelius JM, Flentje A, Capriotti MR, Lubensky ME, Hunt C, Weber S, Bahati M, Rescate A, Dastur Z, Obedin-Maliver J. Do Ask, Tell, and Show: Contextual Factors Affecting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Disclosure for Sexual and Gender Minority People. TO REMOVE 2022. PMID: 35073205


  31. Suen LW, Rafferty H, Le T, Chung K, Straus E, Chen E, Vijayaraghavan M. Factors associated with smoking cessation attempts in a public, safety-net primary care system. Preventive medicine reports 2022. PMID: 35145838


  32. Lambdin BH, Davidson PJ, Browne EN, Suen LW, Wenger LD, Kral AH. Reduced Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalisation with Use of an Unsanctioned Safe Consumption Site for Injection Drug Use in the United States. Volume 37 of Issue 15. Journal of general internal medicine 2022. PMID: 35020166


  35. Chung K, Rafferty H, Suen LW, Vijayaraghavan M. System-Level Quality Improvement Initiatives for Tobacco Use in a Safety-Net Health System During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of primary care & community health 2022. PMID: 35748431


  36. Suen LW, McMahan VM, Rowe C, Bhardwaj S, Knight K, Kushel MB, Santos GM, Coffin P. Factors Associated with Pain Treatment Satisfaction Among Patients with Chronic Non-Cancer Pain and Substance Use. TO REMOVE 2021. PMID: 34772764


  37. Kral AH, Lambdin BH, Wenger LD, Browne EN, Suen LW, Davidson PJ. Improved syringe disposal practices associated with unsanctioned safe consumption site use: A cohort study of people who inject drugs in the United States. Volume 229 of Issue Pt A. Drug and alcohol dependence 2021. PMID: 34654588


  38. Davy-Mendez T, Vittinghoff E, Dilworth SE, Suen LW, Braun C, Coffin PO, Satre DD, Riley ED. Non-fatal stimulant overdose among homeless and unstably housed women in San Francisco, California. TO REMOVE 2021. PMID: 34600248


  39. Suen LW, Makam AN, Snyder HR, Repplinger D, Kushel MB, Martin M, Nguyen OK. National Prevalence of Alcohol and Other Substance Use Disorders Among Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations: NHAMCS 2014-2018. Journal of general internal medicine 2021. PMID: 34518978


  40. Suen LW, Lunn MR, Katuzny K, Finn S, Duncan L, Sevelius J, Flentje A, Capriotti MR, Lubensky ME, Hunt C, Weber S, Bibbins-Domingo K, Obedin-Maliver J. What Sexual and Gender Minority People Want Researchers to Know About Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Questions: A Qualitative Study. Archives of sexual behavior 2020. PMID: 32875381


  41. Suen LW, Leyde S, Min K, Volow A, Rabow M, Sudore RL. Thinking Outside the Visit: Primary Care Patient Perspectives on Helpful Advance Care Planning Methods. Journal of general internal medicine 2019. PMID: 31654349