• What to do
• Important Information
  • Course Requirements
  • Undergraduate Majors
  • MCAT
  • Diversity
  • GPA
  • Selection Factors
  • Alternatives to Medical School
    
• FAQs
• Contacts

What to do

1. Visit the AMCAS site to submit your application and create Transcript Request Forms to send to the registrars of all colleges you have attended.
   
2. Make sure you will have completed all course requirements for admission to the UCSF School of Medicine by June of the year of entry.
   
3. Be sure that you have taken the MCAT by September of the year before intended entry into medical school.

Important Information

Course Requirements
We strongly recommend that premedical students pursue a four-year undergraduate curriculum and obtain a baccalaureate degree before entering medical school.

However, we only require completion of three years (135 quarter units or 90 semester units) of acceptable transfer college credit from an accredited institution, including the required college-level courses listed below. Only 105 acceptable quarter units can be transferred from a junior or community college.

Students who enter the School of Medicine without a bachelor's degree may receive a bachelor of science degree in medical sciences after satisfactorily completing the first three terms of the curriculum leading to the doctor of medicine degree.

Courses in vertebrate embryology, genetics, cell physiology, or comparative vertebrate anatomy, with laboratory, will satisfy the biology requirement for admission.

Advanced Placement credit will be accepted for the general chemistry and general physics requirements for admission if the credit is verified on your college transcript.

We also recommend that premedical students take mathematics courses, upper-division biological science courses, humanities courses, and English composition courses.

Undergraduate Majors
We welcome applicants who have pursued a wide range of undergraduate disciplines. Students who elected to major in the humanities and social sciences are also expected to complete the required science courses. This does not mean that we encourage students to pursue a smattering of knowledge in a great many subjects. Rather, we believe that you gain the richest, most satisfying intellectual experience from the in-depth study of a subject that captures your passion.

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
The Medical College Admission Test, required of all applicants, must be taken within three years of the date you plan to enter medical school and, at the latest, by September of the preceding year. We will accept scores from 2006, 2007, and 2008 for applications submitted by October 15, 2008.

The MCAT is administered 22 times per year. We encourage applicants to take the MCAT in the spring rather than the summer. This way, you can take the test again if you feel that your initial test scores do not reflect your ability. For applicants who decide to take the MCAT more than once, the committee looks at the most recent scores.

Commitment to Diversity
The School of Medicine welcomes applicants from all ethnic, economic, and cultural backgrounds without discrimination. The School of Medicine has a long-standing commitment to increasing the number of physicians who are members of minority groups which are underrepresented in the medical profession. As a result, over the last 35 years, UCSF has had one of the highest minority enrollment and graduation rates of U.S. medical schools. In addition, the medical school welcomes applications from socioeconomically disadvantaged persons.

Academic Performance
Academic excellence is one of several ways students may demonstrate a high degree of motivation and capability for the medical profession. At UCSF, academic performance is evaluated in the context of other factors, such as the difficulty of the course of study selected, the number of units attempted, and an individual’s background. Although applicants who have a grade-point average (GPA) below 3.20 generally are not considered favorably for admission, applicants who have nontraditional backgrounds should not be discouraged. In addition, students should not select courses only for the purpose of raising their GPA.

Selection Factors
Selection is based on an appraisal of those intellectual and personal characteristics that the admissions committee regards as desirable for prospective medical students and physicians. Both cognitive (primarily academic) and non-cognitive factors, such as the applicant's statement and extracurricular activities play an important part in the selection process. Based on the evaluation of these factors, a limited number of applicants (500) are selected for interview.

Alternatives to Medical School
There are many alternatives to medical school. We recommend working with your undergraduate institution to explore matches for your grades, abilities and interests.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can you send me an application?

UCSF belongs to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS), so you will need to go to the AAMC web site and fill out the on-line application. Make sure that you indicate University of California, San Francisco when you are selecting schools to which you want your application sent.

Does AMCAS send the entire application to UCSF?

AMCAS sends UCSF the electronic version of your application after reviewing and verifying your official transcripts.

What is the application deadline?

Applications are accepted through AMCAS on or about June 4. All material required by AMCAS (including all official transcripts) must be received by October 15.

What does the Admissions Committee consider in the initial reviews of my application?

The Admissions Committee looks at:

• GPAs
• MCAT scores
• State of legal residency
• Applicant’s personal statement
• The extent and depth of extracurricular activities
• Work experience
• Honors and awards
• Student’s background

See the profile of a successful applicant for additional information.

Does UCSF School of Medicine give preference to California residents?

Yes. The Committee on Admissions gives preference to California residents, who make up about 80 percent of the entering class annually.

I grew up in California, but I'm going to school out of state. Can I still apply as a California resident?

Yes. Applicants may leave the state for educational purposes and still be considered California residents. If you are no longer in college, you must return to California to still be considered a resident of California. If you have a specific question about state residency, please call the Office of Admissions at (415) 476-4044.

I took the MCAT four years ago. Will I be able to use those scores?

The Medical College Admission Test is required of all applicants and must be taken within three years of the date of matriculation. We will accept scores from 2006, 2007, and 2008 for the October 15, 2008 application deadline. For students who have taken the test more than once, the committee looks at the most recent scores. If you apply with scores more than three years old, you are considered to be automatically requesting a waiver. After review of your application, you will be notified if a waiver is not granted.

When should I send letters of recommendation?

We ask that you do not send letters of recommendation until we have requested them. If you are invited to submit a secondary application, you will be asked at that time to send a minimum of three letters of recommendation. Letters sent prior to your invitation to submit a secondary application will be discarded.

When should I send transcripts?

We request transcripts only after applicants are accepted or placed on the waiting list. Therefore, we ask that you do not send transcripts until we have requested them

Who are the members of the Admissions Committee?

The Admissions Committee consists of about 80 members, of whom 35% are medical students and 65% represent a broad cross-section of the clinical and basic science faculty.

I’m not a U.S. Citizen; are the application requirements different for me?

The UCSF School of Medicine accepts applications from foreign students who have completed a minimum of one year of college in an accredited U.S. college. It is very difficult to gain entry, however, without holding a permanent resident visa or US citizenship.

I’m Canadian. Can I apply to UCSF?

Yes. Although we require that foreign applicants complete a minimum of one year of college in the U.S., this requirement is waived if the college study was at an English-speaking institution. It is very difficult to gain entry, however, without holding a permanent resident visa or US citizenship.

I have a medical degree from another country. Do I need to start over and apply to medical school in the U.S.?

The School of Medicine's Office of Graduate Medical Education assists graduates of foreign medical schools with these inquiries.

Does UCSF accept transfer students?

The School of Medicine does not accept transfer students at any level.

Contacts