Besides the perfect weather and the stunning landscapes, there are many more reasons to choose California as your university destination. If you want to pursue a career in medicine, California has more options than most states in the U.S. With over 10 medical schools, many of them are among the top 10 medical schools of the U.S. Some of them even accept international students, which is very rare for medical schools. However, living there will give you extra points, as more than half of the students accepted are Californian residents. So, let’s see the 5 best medical schools in California.

California Medical Schools

1. David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (DGSOM)

DGSOM is within the top medical schools in the U.S. Besides granting MD degrees, DGSOM has almost 40 residency and fellowship programs.

As it is usual for medical schools in California, admissions at DGSO are highly competitive. Its acceptance rate is of 4.5%. In 2017, there were 11,417 applicants but only 175 of them matriculated. The average GPA of accepted students is of 3.81, and the average MCAT is of 515, which is higher than the required score by medical schools in other states.

Although this is not a requirement, most accepted students live in California (around 80%). They also accept international students so this can be a perfect option if you live outside The U.S. and have been struggling to find a medical school that accepts international students.

DGSOM campus is next to the UCLA campus and the teaching hospital. They have great research programs and also offer dual degrees. The university also offers many scholarships based on both financial need and merit.

2. UCSF School of Medicine

The medical school of the University of California, San Francisco, or UCSF School of Medicine was the first medical school in California. It is known by its quality education, as it ranked as the 5th best medical school in the U.S. in terms of research training, and as the 1st one in terms of prime care training.

It has a great offer of residency and fellowship programs, as it is partnered with over 60 training sites. Besides MD degrees, they also offer dual degrees, and some of them are affiliated with other universities.

If you want to study here, you must thoroughly prepare your profile as a prospective student. In 2018, there were 7,760 applicants, but only 476 were interviewed, and from those interviewed, only 149 enrolled.

See Also: Cheap Universities in USA

3. Stanford University School of Medicine

Stanford University School of Medicine is probably the best option among private schools. According to the U.S. News & World Report rankings, this medical school ranked as the 3rd best in the U.S. in terms of research. Many of their graduate programs and specialties have consistently ranked within the top 5 best in the U.S. and in the world.

An advantage of applying to private schools is that they accept students regardless of their state of residence or country of origin. They even recommend being fluent in Spanish or an Asian language.

In terms of admission, we have once again a highly competitive medical school. In 2016, there were 7,512 applicants. Only 516 of them were interviewed and 187 enrolled.

Besides MD degrees and dual programs, this medical school in California is also well-known for educating physician assistants (PAs). They are affiliated with another college to educate students enrolled in this program. They also have a wide residency and fellowship program offer, with 185 training programs!

4. University of California San Diego School of Medicine

Ranked within the top 20 best medical schools, the University of California San Diego School of Medicine is another great choice for those pursuing a career in medicine. In the U.S., this medical school has the 18th place in terms of research and 12th in terms of primary care. But worldwide, it has the 20th place in terms of clinical medicine and pharmacy.

With a stunning campus of 54 acres, it has a very active student life with many services for students and almost 40 organizations. It has a few dual programs, and many Masters, Ph.D., and research programs available.

Regarding admissions… Can you guess how they are? Yes, they are highly competitive! Its acceptance rate is of 3.4%, which means it is within the top ten of medical schools with the lowest acceptance rates. In 2015, there were 7,456 applicants and only 253 were accepted. However, the entering class of 2018 only had 134 students.

Discover more: How to Study in USA for Free 

5. Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California

We finish the list with another private school, the Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California. Ranked in the 25th place of medical schools in terms of federal research support, it has a lot to offer to prospective students.

It grants M.D. degrees and offers three combined degree programs. They also offer different master’s, doctoral, and postdoctoral degree programs. They are affiliated with other medical schools in California to offer some of them. Furthermore, they offer physician assistantship education and nurse anesthesia programs.

This medical school is affiliated with many teaching hospitals. Some of them are county hospitals, which means that students will be able to work with patients that suffer from diseases and trauma that is not often seen in the affiliated hospitals of other medical schools. There are also many people in the area that are willing to participate in research programs.

The application process is similar to the process in other medical schools. In 2018, there were 8,099 applicants and only 186 enrolled, and only a few students manage to graduate and become doctors in their respective fields of specialty, making medicine one of the most challenging and competitive subjects in the country.

California is one of the most populated states in the U.S. for its climate, quality of life, and the availability of services state wide. It is also home to some of the best medical schools in the world, namely the UCSF school of medicine. Domestic and international students alike are encouraged to apply for one of these universities, as they offer a life-changing opportunity for quality education and can serve as a great stepping stone towards a brighter future.

We hope that this list of medical schools in California was helpful. If you are interested in studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students!

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hyun is the founder at Global Scholarships. He has received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College as well as $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for his undergraduate degree and has been offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. Read more about his scholarship journey here.

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