Given the state’s high-ranking programs, discounted in-state tuition at public colleges, idyllic conditions, cultural diversity, and so on, getting into a medical school in California is a very common goal among premed students. Unfortunately, due to schools’ competitive stats, the large state population, and the vast amount of applicants each college gets, California medical school admissions are often exceedingly challenging. California medical schools have cheaper fees than other private medical schools, even for out-of-state students. Many of California’s medical schools have excellent reputations, which aid medical students in obtaining top residencies. In fact, California is home to some of the best medical schools in the world.
There are several reasons to study in California, including world-class colleges with a friendly attitude toward foreign students, a sun-drenched environment, world-famous beaches, vibrant towns, a high standard of living, a dynamic cultural offering, and an undisputed place at the forefront of modern technology, to name a few. In an attempt to bring you the best medical schools in California, we have listed some of the interesting facts about California medical schools and give you a glimpse of the opportunities that these medical schools provide you with. Further below you can read about the details of these schools that can help you in your academic journey. Wishing you luck and success in your future!
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford is almost unbeatable in terms of reputation and resources, as the top medical school in California and consistently one of the best-ranked in the nation. Stanford trains its medical students to be outstanding providers of health care as well as visionary thinkers and scholars as a premier academic institution. This is reflected in the Discovery Curriculum, which gives students the freedom to pursue their studies in a variety of ways while focusing on scholarship. As a result, in order to be a successful candidate for Stanford, you would have a strong interest in both medical care and research. Exceptionally outstanding candidates also find Stanford’s admissions processes to be highly competitive.
Founded In: 1908
Tuition: $61,328
ACT/SAT/MCAT: 519
Acceptance Rate: 2.3%
GPA: 3.89
Rank: 1
Contact: 650-723-4000
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at Columbia University for students
- Knight Hennessy Scholars: Educational Fund
- Medical Scholars Research Program: Educational Fund
Apply for Admission
UCSF School of Medicine
UCSF, like Stanford and UCLA, is consistently ranked as one of California’s and the nation’s best and most prestigious medical colleges. UCSF, on the other hand, is the only medical school in the country to be ranked in the top six for both science and primary care. With its highly decorated faculty, outstanding clinical reputation, and varied patient base, this is unsurprising. UCSF also stresses public service and environmental welfare in addition to these abilities. The Bridges Curriculum at UCSF combines both focuses in order to address the needs of 21st-century health care. To be competitive, you must be an exceptional candidate to take on UCSF’s extremely difficult admission process.
Founded In: 1864
Tuition: $36,021 In-state, $48,266 Out-of-state
ACT/SAT/MCAT: 518
Acceptance Rate: 3.5%-4%
GPA: 3.85
Rank: 2
Contact: 415-476-2342
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at Columbia University for students
- Regents Scholarship: Educational Fund
- Professional School Scholarships and Other Campus Scholarships: Educational Fund
- Jayne M. Perkins Foundation Scholarship: Award of $10,000
- TYLENOL Future Care Scholarships: Award of $5,000
- Deloras Jones RN Scholarship Program: Award of $1,000 to $3,000
Apply for Admission
UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
UCLA’s Geffen School of Medicine is consistently ranked among the best medical schools in California and the United States, and it excels at training students for clinical practice and study. UCLA also places a strong emphasis on lifelong learning, a “firm dedication to the humanistic, social, legal, and cultural facets of medicine,” and community service, as shown by their many services that train students to work in underserved areas. UCLA is one of the most difficult medical schools to get into in the world, owing to its many strengths.
Founded In: 1951
Tuition: $37,947 In-state, $50,192 Out-of-state
ACT/SAT/MCAT: 517
Acceptance Rate: 3.9%
GPA: 3.85
Rank: 3
Contact: 310-825-6373
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at Columbia University for students
- Leaders of Tomorrow Scholars Program: Award pf $5,000
- The Dean’s Leadership in Health and Science Scholarship: Educational Fund
Apply for Admission
UC San Diego School of Medicine
The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine is frequently synonymous with the term “innovation”—they were the first to incorporate research into medical school curricula, and they’ve initiated a variety of life-saving surgeries. Furthermore, the university is regarded as a scientific research all-around powerhouse in general. UCSD is known for its academic rigour, and its graduates consistently deliver an outstanding residency match list each year. These are some of the reasons why UCSD is regularly rated highly and is difficult to gain admission to.
Founded In: 1968
Tuition: $37,090 In-state, $49,335 Out-of-state
ACT/SAT/MCAT: 517
Acceptance Rate: 3.8%
GPA: 3.85
Rank: 4
Contact: 858-534-0830
Financial Aid: Available
Apply for Admission
USC Keck School of Medicine
The Keck School of Medicine at USC is known for its cutting-edge research and unrivalled clinical training. Students at USC can obtain valuable experience at a number of public and private hospitals, including LAC+USC Medical Center, one of the country’s largest teaching hospitals. As a result, USC students have the ability to engage with a wide range of patients, especially those from underserved populations. USC is noted for its fun environment and strong work-life balance, in part because the first two years of the program are pass/fail, removing rivalry between students. Admission to USC is extremely competitive for all of these reasons.
Founded In: 1885
Tuition: $65,439
ACT/SAT/MCAT: 517
Acceptance Rate: 2.3%
GPA: 3.81
Rank: 5
Contact: 323-442-1100
Financial Aid: Available
Apply for Admission
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UC Davis School of Medicine
The School of Medicine at UC Davis has a high research reputation and a much better reputation in primary care, consistently ranked among the top 10 medical schools in the world (it’s actually tied for #7). Furthermore, UC Davis places a strong emphasis on serving the underserved and offers a variety of paths for students involved in urban, valley, or rural medicine. The highly competitive admissions process at UC Davis accepts very few out-of-state students and heavily favours applicants from Northern and Central California, especially those from rural areas or planning to practice primary care in a rural setting.
Founded In: 1966
Tuition: $41,231 In-state, $53,476 Out-of-state
ACT/SAT/MCAT: 512
Acceptance Rate: 1.8%
GPA: 3.7
Rank: 6
Contact: 916-734-4800
Financial Aid: Available
Apply for Admission
UC Irvine School of Medicine
The mission statement of UC Irvine’s School of Medicine is “Powered by discovery and innovation, UCI Health will advance individual and population health.” As one would imagine, UCI is a strong academic institution that is especially well-known for its cancer and neuroscience research. They also deliver the iMed program, which brings technology into the medical school curriculum in groundbreaking ways. UCI also places a strong emphasis on neighbourhood outreach, with the aim of reaching out to underserved communities in Southern California. UCI admissions are highly competitive.
Founded In: 1896
Tuition: $36,525 In-state, $48,770 Out-of-state
ACT/SAT/MCAT: 517
Acceptance Rate: 4%
GPA: 3.83
Rank: 7
Contact: 949-824-6119
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at UC Irvine for students
- AMW Medical Education Scholarship: Educational Fund
- Buckfire and Buckfire, P.C. Medical Diversity Scholarship: Educational Fund
- CAMS Scholarship: Educational Fund
- Health Career Scholarship: Educational Fund
Apply for Admission
UC Riverside School of Medicine
UC Riverside has a strong mission: to educate a diverse population of physicians and to expand research and healthcare delivery services in order to improve the health of medically underserved Californians, including those in the Inland Empire. Students begin seeing patients under mentor supervision in their first year at UCR, and the program stresses ambulatory primary care. Because of UCR’s geographic orientation, out-of-state applicants have a tough time getting in; candidates from the Inland Empire who are committed to practising there have the best opportunities.
Founded In: 2008
Tuition: $37,612 In-state, $49,857 Out-of-state
ACT/SAT/MCAT: 510
Acceptance Rate: N/A
GPA: 3.72
Rank: 8
Contact: 951-827-4568
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at UC Riverside for students
- Dean’s Mission Scholarship: Award of $20,000 to $40,000
- Dean’s Mission Award: Educational Award
- Founder’s Scholarship Award: Educational Fund
- IEHP Dean’s Mission Award: Educational Fund
- Professional Fee Offset Grant: Educational Fund
Apply for Admission
Touro University of California College of Osteopathic Medicine
Touro University California is a Bay Area osteopathic medical school. About the fact that faith isn’t a big part of Touro’s program or society, it’s a Jewish-run medical school of ideals including service, social justice, and intellectual pursuit. Touro’s curriculum focuses on primary care which provides a Global Health Program that takes students around the world for a month to obtain practical experience in different countries. Touro is renowned for cultivating a close-knit culture, and its coveted location makes it one of the country’s most successful DO schools.
Founded In: 1997
Tuition: $56,860
ACT/SAT/MCAT: 508
Acceptance Rate: N/A
GPA: 3.51
Rank: 9
Contact: 707-638-5982
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine for students
- AMA Foundation Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship: Educational Fund
- AMA Foundation Minority Scholars Award: Educational Fund
- Burnett Osteopathic Student Researcher Award: Educational Fund
- Karen J. Nichols, DO LEAD Scholar Award: Educational Fund
Apply for Admission
Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
The osteopathic medical school, Western University of Health Sciences has branches in both Southern California and Oregon. Its mission is to “produce, in a humanistic tradition, health care providers and biomedical expertise that will improve and expand the quality of life in our communities.” It was established to resolve a lack of primary care doctors in the western United States. Western’s Interprofessional Education curriculum, in which DO students focus on case studies with students from other healthcare systems, is one of the school’s defining characteristics.
Founded In: 1977
Tuition: $57,827 In-state, $55,200 Out-of-state
ACT/SAT/MCAT: 510
Acceptance Rate: 5.2%
GPA: 3.68
Rank: 10
Contact: 909-623-6116
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at Western University of Health Sciences for students
- President’s Society Award (CHS-HS): Award of $500
- Primary Care Award: Award of $1,000
- Ralphs Pharmacy Scholarship: Award of $2,500
- Richard A. Bond Endowed Scholarship: Award of $2,500
