The Stanford School of Medicine name and logo carry world-class brand equity. It is the responsibility of everyone at the Stanford School of Medicine to use these brand elements in a consistent manner to maintain a clear, unified brand identity.

The logo consists of both our name and shield. Do not use the shield separately.  

The elements within the shield have significance and meaning. Based on heraldic design, the armorial symbol combines the staff of Aesculapius with an entwined golden snake, forming the caduceus, a symbol of the medical profession. The triple redwood frond with its terminal catkins symbolizes Palo Alto, which means “high tree.” The triple frond also represents the functions of the ever-growing university: the generation, classification, and transmission of knowledge, and the tripartite character of a university community—faculty, students, employees, and alumni. Below the redwood frond is an abstract image of a design that is repeated throughout the masonry at the School of Medicine. The design is derived from an American Indian symbol of eternal life. 

No words should be removed from the primary logo format or approved variations, nor should any design element be added.  

Any variation from the primary or approved logo formats must be approved by the Brand Team. Contact sombranding@stanford.edu.  

The Stanford wordmark (red text) is the distinguishing element of the mark, therefore the Stanford School of Medicine logo always needs to include “Stanford.”   

The Stanford School of Medicine adheres to the trademark name use guidelines set forth by Stanford University. All uses of Stanford's name are governed by Stanford's Trademark Use and Licensing Guidelines. The link contains more information about trademark name and logo use, including how it applies for external collaborators, business partners, and more.

If the logo will appear outside of Stanford, a draft copy showing how the logo will be used needs to be submitted to sombranding@stanford.edu for review and approval. 

Clear space gives the logo room to breathe and ensures that it won’t be obscured by neighboring elements or typography.  

Always leave the required amount of clear space around the logo. The minimum clear space is equal to “f”, which represents the letter height of the logotype.