Medical Schools In California: How To Get Admitted5 min read

The state of California is the most populous in the U.S. and the third-largest in area. It offers incredible weather, a diverse population, and is recognized as a global trendsetter in modern culture. Medical schools in California are ranked as some of the best in the country.

3 of the top 10 medical schools in the U.S located in California are reported by the U.S. News and World Report. These characteristics and more attract a lot of applicants to California and its medical schools.

Getting accepted into one of California’s medical school is tough. You’ll need to study hard and well in order to ace the MCAT as well as meet the requirements.

Listed below are the medical schools in California with the 2020 research rank by the U.S. News and World Report.

Medical Schools in California

UCLA Medical School

This is one of the best medical schools in California.

• Location: Los Angeles, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: #6
• Status: Public
• Average GPA: 3.85
• Average MCAT: 517
• Tuition: $36,374 (in-state), $48,619 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance rate: 2.1%

UC San Diego School of Medicine

• Location: San Diego, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: #21
• Status: Public
• Average GPA: 3.81
• Average MCAT: 515
• Tuition: $34,977 (in-state), $47,222 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance rate: 3.9%

UC San Francisco School of Medicine

• Location: San Francisco, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: #6
• Status: Public
• Average GPA: 3.85
• Average MCAT: 517
• Tuition: $35,649 (in-state), $47,894 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance rate: 3.4%

Medical Schools in California

UC Davis School of Medicine

• Location: Sacramento, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: #40
• Status: Public
• Average GPA: 3.72
• Average MCAT: 509
• Tuition: $38,340 (in-state), $50,585 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance rate: 3.5%

UC Irvine School of Medicine

• Location: Irvine, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: #44
• Status: Public
• Average GPA: 3.81
• Average MCAT: 514
• Tuition: $34,527 (in-state), $46,772 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance rate: 4.3%

UC Riverside School of Medicine

• Location: Riverside, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: #91
• Status: Public
• Average GPA: 3.74
• Average MCAT: 508
• Tuition: $35,430 (all)
• Acceptance rate: 4.3%

Medical Schools in California

University of Southern California (Keck) School of Medicine

• Location: Los Angeles, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: #31
• Status: Private
• Average GPA: 3.73
• Average MCAT: 516
• Tuition: $64,538
• Acceptance rate: 4.8%

Stanford University School of Medicine

• Location: Stanford, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: #4
• Status: Private
• Average GPA: 3.83
• Average MCAT: 519
• Tuition: $60,234
• Acceptance rate: 2.3%

Western University of Health Sciences

• Location: Pomona, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: #94-122
• Status: Private
• Average GPA: 3.53
• Average MCAT: 506
• Tuition: $59,600
• Acceptance rate: 6.9%

California Northstate University College of Medicine

• Location: Elk Grove, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: Not ranked
• Status: Private
• Average GPA: 3.67
• Average MCAT: 512
• Tuition: $60,000

Medical Schools in California

California University of Science and Medicine

• Location: San Bernardino, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: Unranked
• Status: Private
• Average GPA: 3.65
• Average MCAT: 512
• Tuition: $56,650

Loma Linda University School of Medicine

• Location: Loma Linda, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: Unranked
• Status: Private
• Average GPA: 3.83
• Average MCAT: 508
• Tuition: $46,000

Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Location: Vallejo, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: #94-122
• Status: Private
• Average GPA: 3.52
• Average MCAT: 507
• Tuition: $56,860

California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Location: Clovis, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: Unranked
• Status: Private
• Average GPA: N/A
• Average MCAT: N/A
• Tuition: N/A

 Kasier Permanente School of Medicine

• Location: Pasadena, CA
• U.S. News and World Report Rank: Unranked
• Status: Private
• Average GPA: N/A
• Average MCAT: N/A
• Tuition: N/A

Medical Schools in California:COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Each of the medical schools in California has its unique requirement and prerequisites; “prereqs” as it is commonly called. Here is the list of prerequisites for some medical schools in California.

University of California, Davis, School of Medicine

Course Requirements

• 1 year of Biological sciences with Lab
• 2 semesters of General Chemistry
• 2 semesters of Organic Chemistry
• 1 year of General Physics

Recommended

• Behavioral Sciences
• Biochemistry
• College English
• College Mathematics
• Human Physiology 
• Genetics

University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine

CourseRequirements

• 1.5 years of Biology (must include at least 1 upper-division course)
• 2 years of Chemistry (1 year of General Chemistry and 1 year of Organic Chemistry)
• 1 year of General Physics
• Biochemistry
• Calculus

Recommended

• Genetics
• Humanities
• Social Sciences
• Cell Biology
• English
• Spanish
• Behavioral Sciences
• Developmental Psychology
• Immunology
• Microbiology
• Neuroscience

University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine

CourseRequirements

• 2 semesters of Biology
• 4 semesters of Chemistry (must include 2 semesters each of General and Organic Chemistry)
• 2 semesters of General Physics
• 2 semesters of College-level Mathematics

Medical Schools in California

University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine

CourseRequirements

• 1 year of General Biology with Lab
• 2 years of Chemistry (to include 1 year each of Organic and General Chemistry)
• 2 semesters of General Physics
• English (including one semester of English composition)
• 1 year of General Physics
• College-level Mathematics (including statistics)
• College-level English

Recommended

• Biological Sciences
• Spanish
• Humanities

University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine

Course Requirements

• 2 semesters of General Biology
• 2 semesters of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry each
• 2 semesters of General Physics

Recommended

• College-level Mathematics
• Upper-level Biological Sciences
• Humanities
• English (including English Composition)

University of California, Riverside, School of Medicine

Course Requirements

• 8 semesters of Mathematics
• 8 semesters of Physics
• 16 semesters of Chemistry (including General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Biochemistry)
• 8 semesters of Biology

Recommended

• Humanities
• Spanish
• English

Stanford University School of Medicine

Course Requirements

There are no specific requirements, but the following are recommended for applicants:

• General Biology
• Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Statistics
• Behavioral Sciences
• Calculus
• Spanish
• General Physics

Keck School of Medicine of The University of Southern California

There are no specific requirements, but the following are recommended:

• General Biology or Zoology
• English
• Mathematics
• Inorganic and Organic Chemistry
• Spanish

Medical Schools in California

Loma Linda University School of Medicine

Course Requirements

• 2 semesters of General Biology
• 2 years of Chemistry (1 year each in Organic and Inorganic Chemistry each)
• 2 semesters of General Physics
• 1 semester of Biochemistry
• College-level English
• Religion

Recommended

• Statistics
• Behavioral Sciences

California Northstate University College of Medicine

Course requirements

• 2 semesters of Biology
• 2 semesters of Physics
• 1 semester of Biochemistry
• 4 semesters of Chemistry (2 semesters each of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry)
• 2 semesters of college-level English

Recommended

• Anatomy
• Microbiology
• Spanish (or any other foreign language)
• Immunology
• Behavioral Sciences

Final tips: Medical Schools in California

Getting into a medical school is not easy even the acceptance rate is low but it’s possible to get admitted. All you have to do is to get a good MCAT score and other requirements. An important test to have in mind is a CASPer Test.

CASPer Test stands for Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics. It is an admissions test used by medical schools to assess students not just by academic strengths but considering non-academic attributes like leadership, professionalism and many more. So, do well to equip yourself before applying for medicals schools in California.

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