University of California Davis School of Medicine: How to Get Accepted

Mission Statement

“To provide excellent learner-centered education to a diverse body of medical students and graduate students; cultivating in them the passion to improve lives and transform the health of the communities they will serve as physicians, scientists and health care leaders.”

As you can presume from their mission statement, UC Davis School of Medicine values community, diversity, and superior learning as part of their medical programs. They see physicians as leaders of the community and innovators of the future, due to enrollment from underrepresented medical groups and ground-breaking research coming out of their campuses. The UC Davis platform is based in equity and inclusion in addition to placing heavy importance on a holistic admissions process. Their responsibility is to faithfully train the next generation of doctors to serve the underserved populations of Northern California and beyond.

Interested in applying to one of the six UC Med Schools? Watch this video:

Admissions Statistics

Overall Acceptance Rate: 1.78% of applicants

In-State Acceptance Rate: 2.66% of applicants

Out-of-State Acceptance Rate: 0.21% of applicants

Average GPA of Incoming Students: 3.59

Average MCAT Score of Incoming Students: 508

At UC Davis, admittance to their medical school can be very competitive and difficult, so it may be worth looking into what you can do to stand out against the crowd. While no specific preference is given to those who earned graduate degrees or completed special master’s programs, it can be an advantage to complete some form of training after your undergraduate degree. In a recent year, 13% of matriculants held a graduate degree. What may be surprising is that 40.9% of matriculants completed some form of postbaccalaureate program, whether it was considered formal or informal. In addition to academic, extracurricular or curricular training may, as indicated by the data below:

Accepted Medical School Applicants' Experience Profile:

Eligibility

This institution is one of the only University of California guild of medical schools that does accept Canadian and international applicants, albeit they still tend to prefer in-state applicants overall. Therefore, while it is one of the Canadian-friendly US medical schools, applicants from outside of the state are still at a disadvantage. If you are from out-of-state, UC Davis prefers that you have ties to California in some way that you can mention in your personal statement or other documents. You do not necessarily have had to complete any education in Canada or the US, but if you did complete your undergraduate degree in California, this would be important to mention. UC Davis does not consider immigration status related to policies such as DACA when evaluating applicants for any pathway programs or medical school admissions.

UC Davis School of Medicine is one of the medical schools that accept international students. The individuals who need a visa to be able to study at UC Davis will have to complete a Financial Statement to verify that they have enough financial support to study at the university. Non-residents of the US are ineligible for financial aid, so they need to obtain the necessary funding beforehand.

Selection Factors

MCAT and GPA

UC Davis School of Medicine does not declare any minimum MCAT or GPA scores for their applicants. Nevertheless, your scores must still be high to be realistically considered for admission. Normally, your undergraduate GPA will be what they pay most attention to when viewing your file. However, the minimum score for the admissions committee to consider graduate coursework or post-baccalaureate is 3.7. Many students use these programs to further their training or raise their GPA before officially applying to medical school. If you want to learn how to get into medical school with a low GPA, looking into these programs can be helpful for getting accepted into schools such as UC Davis. For instance, this institution will count your grad school GPA if it is higher than your undergraduate GPA.

As for MCAT, the highest score from the four years prior to your application will be considered, although all your lifetime scores will be visible. In other words, you can retake the MCAT to get a higher score, but every attempt you complete will be listed in your file. Based on this information, UC Davis is pretty generous with its requirements for the MCAT. The latest possible deadline to complete it is during the month of September of the application year.

Coursework and Undergrad

UC Davis School of Medicine requires 3 years (90 credits) at an accredited college or university that is verified by the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). They do not officially require a bachelor’s degree, but 100% of their current students did complete one before matriculation. Online classes are accepted, and labs are not required, though they are preferred. Any prerequisite courses should be completed within 5 years prior to applying and must be completed by the spring of the year in which you intend to enroll.

Prerequisites and Recommended Courses

UC Davis does require some requires the following basic prerequisites for medical school, which consist of the following:

• Biological Sciences, 1 Year (8 units)
• General Chemistry, 1 Year (8 units)
• Organic Chemistry, 1 Year (8 units, Biochemistry or other chemistry also acceptable)
• Physics, 1 Year (8 units)

UC Davis also recommends other course topics, such as College English, Statistics, Genetics, Human Physiology, Humanities, and Social Sciences. The school does accept any Advanced Placement (AP) Credit scores toward course prerequisites, but it would need to appear on the undergraduate transcript in addition to the course it would be credited towards. Their website will include any extra information about which prerequisites are necessary.

AAMC PREview

As of recently, UC Davis now requires the AAMC Professional Readiness Exam (AAMC PREview). This is a situational judgment test that assesses core pre-professional competencies necessary for a career in medicine. It is an admission requirement that is currently growing in popularity and is now being used for many schools across the US to further their holistic admissions process, including this one. Note that there will be a $100 to take the AAMC PREview Exam and release the score to the schools that you apply to. If you qualify for the Fee Assistance Program, this cost could be waived.

Primary and Secondary Applications

UC Davis School of Medicine is one of the many schools in the United States that use AMCAS as way to organize and submit their application documents. The primary application of AMCAS includes:

• Official transcripts and coursework
• MCAT scores
• Personal and financial information
• AMCAS personal statement
• AMCAS Work and Activities
• AMCAS Most Meaningful Experiences

UC Davis mentions that they like to see what they consider to be core student physician competencies, which include professionalism, communication skills, patient care, life-long learning, system-based practice and knowledge. Try to illustrate these qualities in the experiences and activities you choose for your AMCAS application documents. This primary application is sent to all the schools you apply to through AMCAS. The admissions committee will be looking for a healthy mix of relevant experiences, attributes, and metrics, examples of which are listed on their admissions criteria page.

If you move on to the next part of the process, you will be prompted to submit a secondary application. The secondary application consists of:

• Supplementary activities and essays including possible interest in the UC Davis Community Health Scholars Program and/or ARC-MD.
• Letters of recommendation
• Complete prerequisite information
• Non-refundable application fee ($120)

The secondary application determines whether or not you will be contacted for an interview. UC Davis School of Medicine uses rolling admissions and interview invitations are sent on this basis from July until February or March.

Personal Statement

The medical school personal statement is your chance to tell your story in your own words. It is a way for the admissions committee to get to know you beyond your test scores and transcripts.

The Health Profession Advising at UC Davis advises that you see the personal statement as a good piece of writing with a theme. Focus on defining moments in your life that led to your career in medicine. These instances should be connected by a common thread and show how these relate to the goals you want to achieve as a health care professional. If you need to, rewrite your paragraphs once you have a theme to make your document feel seamless and improve its quality. It is not a list of experiences or a way to criticize medicine today. If you want to address any qualms or concerns about the medical field, clearly dictate how you will be a part of the solution.

Secondary Essays

As part of your secondary application invitation at UC Davis, you will need to answer the medical school secondary essay prompts listed below. Keep your responses concise and try not to repeat yourself often. Most of your answers for any prompts relevant to you should be within 500 characters long (not words). The secondary essays will be due along with the rest of your secondary application. The deadline is 30 days after your initial invitation.

List of secondary essay prompts for UC Davis School of Medicine:

1. Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee (This could include explanation of metric trends, institutional actions, legal violations, etc.) Please enter N/A if no concerns to report.
2. Do you have a connection to Northern or Central California? [yes/no] Please explain.

Sample answer: My mother moved back to Northern California soon after my parents’ divorce when I was 10 years old. She originally attended UC Davis for her undergraduate degree. As I grew up, I mainly stayed with my father near Los Angeles. However, in the summers, I lived with my mom in a much quieter area north of Sacramento. I have always had an affinity for the sense of community here and practicing family medicine for the underserved populations in this area would be my ultimate goal.

Special Program Prompts:

Recommendation Letters

For UC Davis, the types of medical school recommendation letters that are accepted are committee letters, letter packets, and individual letters. Any letters accepted by AMCAS are able to be submitted for this school. You are required to submit a minimum of 3 reference letters and a maximum of 6.

There are no particular guidelines on preferred letter writers besides the recommendation that at least one of your letters should come from a physician or clinician. Other letters can come from professors, academic advisors, and volunteer or extracurricular supervisors. Ideally, these individuals know you well and can attest to your candidacy for medical school.

As for the qualities these letters should emphasize, they are meant to highlight how you represent the attributes listed in the UC Davis admissions criteria. Some of these qualities include:

• Intellectual curiosity
• Critical thinking skills including problem solving
• Self-assessment and improvement skills
• Altruism and compassion
• Appreciation for diverse perspectives
• Honesty and integrity
• Ability to work in inter-professional teams

Interview Format

After the secondary application and letters of recommendation have been received, interview invitations are sent depending on your entire application, including your experiences, attributes, and metrics.

The UC Davis School of Medicine uses the multiple mini-interview (MMI) format to gain a deeper understanding of the applicant’s candidacy for a career in medicine. This can be a mixture of stations that include standard interview questions as well as responding to scenarios. Their interview process is blinded (closed-file), meaning that the interviewers do not have access to the academic aspects of your AMCAS application, such as your GPA, MCAT score, and transcripts.

Interviews are mainly held on Fridays. They begin in August and end in March/April. The interview day consists of an orientation, the MMI itself, and an optional student-run clinics tour. However, these may not apply when the interviews are held online.

Questions throughout the interview are meant to delve into your previous experiences that led to medical school as well as how you will act when faced with various ethical dilemmas. Here are a few sample medical school interview questions you may receive on interview day:

• What was one of your biggest challenges on your path to medicine?
• Was there ever a time in which you overcame adversity?
• Why did you choose to apply to this school?
• Tell me about a time you had to resolve a conflict.

Acceptance and Waitlist Information

If you are wondering when do you hear back from medical schools interviews, UC Davis states that students start hearing back from mid-October onward until July on a rolling basis. Decisions are sent about 30–45 days after your interview. All decisions are final, and no feedback will be provided.

The number of offers from the medical school waitlist varies from year to year, but is typically between 100–150 students. These individuals are usually informed of waitlist status with final decision starting May 1 through July 15.

UC Davis School of Medicine does not accept any updates or additional letters of recommendation when considering applicants. However, changes to citizenship status or receiving a nationally recognized award can be considered by the admissions committee on a case-by-case basis.

How many times can you reapply if you are rejected (some schools have a limit on this)

Application Timeline

As a general tip, it is always best to get your applications in early. For instance, for secondary application invitations, you have 30 days to send it in. Submitting it as early as possible shows the admissions committee that you are prepared and gives you more of a chance to get an earlier interview invitation and acceptance letter.

The ”Plan to Enroll” and “Commit to Enroll” options are related to the AAMC Choose Your Medical School Tool, where applicants can make final decisions about whether to fully accept the offer from UC Davis. Selecting “Commit to Enroll” is the ultimate confirmation and will rescind their application from any other waitlists.

Tuition and Debt

• In-state tuition: $42,648
• Out-of-state tuition: $54,893
• Health Insurance costs (both in and out-of-state): $4,020
• Other costs (both in and out-of-state): $28,392
• Total cost of attendance (in-state): $75,060
• Total cost of attendance (out-of-state): $87,305
• Average Indebtedness of grads: $160,214

Funding Opportunities

General funding opportunities and medical school scholarships are available to those who apply. If eligible, you can receive need-based campus grants, federal loans, or Limited Title VII funds for the most disadvantaged students. Individual scholarship opportunities are announced throughout the academic year. All accepted and matriculated applicants are considered for university-awarded, merit and need-based scholarships. Research endowment funding is available for those applying with a mentor for both short and long-term projects.

Residency Match Rates

UC Davis does not seem to publish specific match rates for its medical graduates, but as it is a top medical school in the country, it is very likely that students coming out of this institution will have the proper training for a variety of residency programs.

The school recently reported that a record 66% of their graduates matched in primary care specialties. These would include specialty training programs in family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics. While their graduates have recently gone in 20 different specialties, most decided on the programs which are not considered the most competitive residencies.

Recent data indicates that these fields take up the majority of graduate specializations. About a quarter of their graduates chose to follow their studies with an internal medicine residency. Family medicine and pediatrics are the next specialties in line with 18% and 17%, respectively. As for non-primary care specialties, graduates from UC Davis have also pursued emergency medicine, psychiatry, general surgery, and anesthesiology, among other disciplines.

It is also important to reiterate that UC Davis prefers students who will continue to practice in California after their degree, although they may become capable physicians in other parts of the world such as Canada and the UK if they desire. If this is your plan, you would need to review the World Directory of Medical Schools to verify whether or not your degree will be recognized in other countries. A degree from UC Davis is acceptable to all medical organizations in Canada. That being said, UC Davis graduates usually remain in the US. In fact, 76% of the recent graduating class opted to stay in California specifically.

Review of Available Programs

1. MD Program

The MD Program at UC Davis is created in a new I-EXPLORE format, which stands for Integrated Explorative Patient and Learner Oriented Education. The goal of this model, developed by a curriculum design team, is to provide a competency-based education to medical students. Further goals of the medical school curriculum and the I-EXPLORE format are listed on their curriculum page.

The MD Program is divided into three phases:

1. The Pre-Clerkship Phase: This initial section is meant to prioritize content integration, customization of experience, USMLE Step 1 preparation, and promotion of student well-being.
2. The Clerkship Phase: Includes the clerkship intersession course, six required clerkships, and a selective block.
3. The Post-Clerkship Phase: Ensures that students understand various specialties and the role of the acting intern. The final year offers electives that result in early exposure to clinical specialties.

Medical Course and Clerkship Breakdown

Note: This list only represents the courses and clerkships that a typical UC Davis MD student undergoes. It does not count any short-term I-RESTORE requirements or intersessions which happen on select weeks across the first 3 years. USMLE exams and study breaks are also not accounted for in this schedule.

2. Accelerated Competency-Based Education in Primary Care (ACE-PC) Program

One of the UC Davis Community Health Scholars (CHS) Programs, ACE-PC students can complete their MD degree in 3 years rather than 4. It is a partnership with Kaiser Permanente Northern California that allows students to enter a primary care internship a year earlier. The ideal candidates are those who are committed to working in fields such as adult internal medicine or undertaking a family medicine residency. This program accepts about 6 to 8 students out of the total 120 or 130 entering class. According to the school, 60% of students in this program are from underrepresented backgrounds in the medical profession and 80% self-identify as disadvantaged in their application.

3. Rural Program in Medical Education (Rural-PRIME)

This CHS program is meant to produce physicians and leaders who are committed to working with underserved communities. It may be too early to think about an urban vs rural residency, but you may also already have an interest in serving rural populations. There is a large disparity with the number of doctors in rural areas when compared to the people that live in them. The Rural-PRIME program combats the lack of access to health care that rural populations face due to this shortage.

While using innovative technologies in more remote clinics, the curriculum will increase student exposure to rural practice, provide mentorship and teaching from rural physicians, as well as equip students with the tools for life-learning. Students in this program will also be trained on the use of telemedicine and simulation equipment that UC Davis is internationally recognized for. This equipment is a catalyst for access to specialty care in rural California.

4. Reimagining Education to Advance Central California Health (REACH) Program

A program dedicated to serving the population of central California, REACH improves the delivery of health care in that particular region of the state. It accepts up to 8 students a year who either grew up, currently reside in, or have considerable prior experience with central California communities. The goal of this CHS program is to strengthen the desire of new physicians to central California, which is one of the most underserved communities in the state.

In addition, the REACH program promotes health care in these regions and plans to reduce the disparities and inequalities present in this region. As a result, the university and its students will form relationships with hospitals, clinics, and physicians in this region. Prospective medical students interested in this area of California are encouraged to apply regardless of eventual choice of specialty.

5. Transforming Education and Community Health for Medical Students (TEACH-MS) Program

This option is a 4-year tailored for primary care specialists interested in urban areas and is the final CHS program option for UC Davis medical students. The ideal candidate will show interest in urban family medicine, internal medicine, or pediatrics. Students in this program will have unique clinical experiences within the greater Sacramento area with mentorship with physicians currently working in community-based health care. Accepting 6 to 8 students every year, the TEACH-MS program means to improve access to culturally respectful and equitable health services for underserved communities around the city, as opposed to the rural program stream.

6. Postbaccalaureate Program

UC Davis also has a postbac program that helps educationally and socio-economically disadvantaged students gain further knowledge and prepare for applying to medical school. It is a 1-year long program with 3 major components: MCAT preparation, the academic year, and the medical school application. Part of the academic program is 36 units of Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Math.

To be eligible, you must be a resident of California, be considered an educationally and/or socio-economically student who wishes to practice in a medically underserved community. The applicant also must be completing or have already completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the US, along with the basic prerequisites for medical school (listed above) and a minimum 2.7 GPA for both undergraduate and science courses.

To apply, you must submit the online application, all official college transcripts, three essays related to the program and three letters of recommendation. One letter should be from a science faculty member, one should be from a community service experience, and the other is from another professional that you have worked with and can attest to your candidacy. This type of program can make all the difference for prospective medical students. With the additional preparation, 85% of graduates gain admission to medical school.

Dual-Degree Programs

7. MD/PhD Program

This integrated training MD/PhD program at UC Davis combines both medical education and graduate education, leading to a double degree at its completion. It is important to note that MD/PhD applicants will not be automatically considered for the regular MD program and are considered for the MD/PhD stream only. Keep this in mind when applying.

Students can choose to pursue their PhD in any field among the graduate programs offered by the Office of Graduate Studies. First, they must enter medical school and complete 2 years. After taking the USMLE Step 1, students will transition to the PhD program of their choice. Once all graduate degree requirements are complete, including thesis submission, the student enters the clinical stage of medical school. At this point, they are essentially completing years 3 and 4 of the MD program.

Accepted applicants are fully funded throughout the 4 years of medical school, which includes the tuition, fees and an annual stipend. The PhD is funded through various resources, such as mentor funding, grants, scholarships, and teaching assistantships. For MD/PhD students, there are multiple laboratories and research centers available that can improve their experience as they complete this 8-year program. The labs from any of the science, engineering, or agricultural domains will be useful for students in this program. UC Davis also provides institutes such as the Comprehensive Cancer Center, Center for Neuroscience, the Genomics Center, and the MIND Institute that can assist dual-degree students with their research projects.

This MD/PhD program accepts applicants who have demonstrated academic excellence and a significant amount of research experience. They will need to participate in the standard MD MMI interview as well as an MD/PhD-specific interview. In the fall of their second year, students will officially apply to graduate studies. These individuals are encouraged to explore and identify a Graduate Group and Mentor during their first 2 years in medical school.

8. MD/MPH Program

UC Davis also offers a 5-year option for students who want to pursue both a medical degree and a Master of Public Health degree. The MD/MPH focuses on disease prevention and community health by including instruction in epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, health services and administration, and social and behavioral science. The goal of this joint program is meant to prepare students for a range of professional roles in public health and medicine.

Campus and Faculty

While the main 5,300-acre campus is located in Davis, the UC Davis School of Medicine is located in the heart of Sacramento, the capital of California that is not far away at all. The university also has ties to the Tahoe Environmental Research Center in Incline Village, Nevada and the Bodega Marine Lab in Bodega Bay. Living in Northern California, you will have access to culture and a variety of activities to enjoy. You will be in close proximity to national parks, arts and entertainment centers, lakes, wineries, and more.

The Health Education Building and F. William Blaisdell, M.D., Medical Library will be some of the most relevant locations for medical students at UC Davis. Completed in 2006, cost $46.2 million and takes up 122,700 square-feet. They include a boatload of amenities for medical students to benefit from, such as a state-of-the-art anatomy lab, administrative support areas, a clinical skills center, a suite of faculty offices, and a café, to name a few.

Among the educational buildings, there are also many specialized institutes affiliated with the university in both Sacramento and Davis, such as the MIND Institute, Genome and Biomedical Sciences Facility, and the Center for Neuroscience, all of which are leading innovative research and patient care in their fields.

Affiliated Teaching Hospitals

UC Davis Medical Center

4301 X Street

Sacramento, CA

UC Davis Children’s Hospital

2315 Stockton Blvd

Sacramento, CA

UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center

4501 X Street

Sacramento, CA

Center for Simulation and Education Enhancement

4610 X Street, Suite 3301

Sacramento, CA

UC Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing

2570 48th Street,

Sacramento, CA

UC Davis MIND Institute

2825 50th Street

Sacramento, CA

UC Davis Center for Neuroscience

1544 Newton Ct

Davis, CA

Genome and Biomedical Sciences Facility

451 Health Sciences Drive

Davis, CA

Research Fields

UC Davis is particularly recognized for its research programs and centers as part of their comprehensive health system. These institutions are responsible for scientific discoveries and new technology being used to improve patient care. The School of Medicine has an impressive research portfolio, with about 1,326 active awards and more than $367 million of research funds. The Blue Ridge Institute has ranked UC Davis in the top 20% NIH-funded schools in the nation, with 10 departments ranking within the top 20 in their discipline.

At the School of Medicine, researchers specialize in a range of projects related to neuroscience, environmental health, cancer biology, regenerative medicine, and biomedical technology. A few of the more prominent research centers and programs include the Stem Cell Program, Center for Health and Technology, Center for Precision Medicine, Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Clinical and Translational Science Center, among others.

UC Davis SOM is also home to a plethora of research collaborations with over 500 organizations. Some of the major programs include the California National Primate Research Center, human genetics, genomics, pharmacogenomics and membrane biology. Some of the institutions that have collaborated with UC Davis are the Shriner's Hospital for Children, Veterans Affairs (VA) Health System, USDA Western Human Nutrition Research Center and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories.

Notable Faculty

Dr. Diana L. Farmer, M.D., F.A.C.S. – Chair and Professor of Surgery

Dr. Joshua J. Fenton, M.D., M.P.H. – Vice Chair of Research and Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine

Christine Kreuder Johnson, VMD, MPVM, PhD – Professor of Epidemiology and Ecosystem Health and Director of the EpiCenter for Disease Dynamics

Edwin G. Krebs – founding Chairman and Professor of the Department of Biological Chemistry, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine

Dr. Kevin Mullins, MD. – Assistant Clinical Professor, Sports Medicine, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Dr. Susan Murin, M.D., M.Sc., M.B.A. – Interim Dean, UC Davis School of Medicine

Larry N. Vanderhoef – Professor, College of Biological Sciences, UC Davis chancellor (2004–2009)

Contact Information

University of California, Davis School of Medicine

[email protected]

UC Davis School of Medicine

4610 X Street, Suite 1202

Sacramento, CA 95817-2200 USA

(916) 734-4800

FAQs

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