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, this diverse state has more options than most states in the U.S. With over 10 medical schools, many of them are among the best in the United States. Some even accept international students, which is rare for medical schools.
However, living there will give you extra points, as more than half of the students admitted are Californian residents. So, let’s see the five best medical schools in California in this article!
Top Medical Schools in California
1. University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles‘s David Geffen School of Medicine is among the top medical schools in the U.S. In addition to granting M.D. degrees, the school has almost 40 residency and fellowship programs. As is usual for medical schools in California, admissions at DGSOM are highly competitive. Its acceptance rate is less than 3%. In 2017, there were 11,417 applicants, but only 175 enrolled. The average GPA of accepted students is 3.81, and the average MCAT is 515, which is higher than the required score by medical schools in other states.
Although this is not a requirement, most accepted students (around 80%) live in California. The university also accepts international students, so it can be a perfect option if you live outside the U.S.U.S. and have been struggling to find a medical school that accepts overseas learners. The DGSOM campus is next to the UCLA campus and the teaching hospital. It has excellent research programs and offers dual degrees. The university also provides many scholarships based on financial need and merit.
2. University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco, or UCSF School of Medicine, was the first medical school in California. It is known for its quality education, as it ranked as the fifth-best medical school in the U.S. in terms of research training and the first one in terms of primary care training in 2023. It is partnered with over 60 training sites and offers a wide range of residency and fellowship programs. In addition to M.D. degrees, it provides dual degrees, and some of its programs are affiliated with other universities.
If you want to study here, you must thoroughly prepare your profile as a prospective student. In 2018, 7,760 applicants were received, but only 476 were interviewed, and only 149 enrolled.
3. Stanford University
Stanford University‘s School of Medicine is the best option among private schools. According to the U.S. News & World Report rankings, this medical school ranked top 10 in the U.S. in terms of research in 2022-2023. Many of its graduate programs and specialties have consistently ranked within the top five best in the United States and 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. Regarding 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 M.D. degrees and dual programs, this medical school in California is also well-known for educating physician assistants. It is affiliated with another college to educate students enrolled in this program. They also offer a wide range of residency and fellowship programs, with over 150 training programs!
4. University of California, San Diego
Ranked among the top 20 best medical schools, the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine is another excellent choice for those pursuing a career in medicine. In the U.S., this medical school is Tier 1 in research and Tier 2 in primary care. With a stunning 54-acre campus, it has a very active student life, with many services for students and almost 40 organizations. It offers a few dual programs and many Master’s, Ph.D., and research programs.
Can you guess how competitive the admissions process is? Yes, they are highly competitive! Its acceptance rate is less than 5%, which means it is among the top 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.
5. University of Southern California
We finish the list with another private school, the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. It has much to offer prospective students as it was ranked in the top 10 medical schools regarding federal research support in 2022-2023. 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 who suffer from diseases and trauma not often seen in the affiliated hospitals of other medical schools.
The university grants M.D. degrees and offers three combined degree programs. Moreover, it provides master’s, Ph.D., and postdoctoral training 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.
The application process is similar to the process in other medical schools. In 2018, 8,099 applicants and only 186 enrolled, and only a few students graduated and became doctors in their respective fields of specialty, making medicine one of the country’s most challenging and competitive subjects.
California is one of the most populated states in the U.S. for its climate, quality of life, and availability of services statewide. It is also home to some of the best medical schools in the world, namely the UCSF School of Medicine. Domestic and international students 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 this list of the best medical schools in California was helpful. If you are interested in studying in the United States, check out our Study in the USA Page and the Available Programs for International Students in the USA!
