UC Davis School of Medicine (MD) Medical School - 2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format
UC Davis School of Medicine, founded in 1966, is a public research medical school located at the UC Davis Health campus in Sacramento, California. The school has a strong mission centred on primary care, rural medicine, and serving the diverse agricultural communities of the Central Valley and Northern California. UC Davis offers distinctive pipeline programmes for underrepresented students and is consistently ranked highly for primary care training.
Entry Requirements
What you need to apply to UC Davis School of Medicine (MD).
Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. California residents receive preference as a UC public school. Demonstrated commitment to primary care, rural, or underserved medicine is valued. Research and community service expected. Applications submitted via AMCAS; secondary application required.
MCAT median
509 (range 505–519)
GPA median
3.74 overall / 3.50 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
3.6%
Class size
133
In-state preference
Moderate — some OOS consideration
In-state matriculants
97%
CASPer
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Primary care commitment, rural and underserved community service, diversity, and UC public mission.
Notes
Estimates from public AAMC FACTS / AACOMAS / ADEA AADSAS / class-profile; verify current cycle.
Specialities offered
Primary Care, Rural Medicine, Health Equity, Internal Medicine, Geriatrics
Interview Format
How UC Davis School of Medicine (MD) interviews applicants.
Format
MMI (8–10 stations, conducted in person at the Sacramento campus)
Interview window
October–February
Decision date
March 30 (AAMC standard)
What to expect at a UC Davis School of Medicine (MD) interview
UC Davis conducts an 8–10 station MMI at its Sacramento medical campus, with each station running approximately 6–8 minutes. Stations probe ethical reasoning, communication, teamwork, and motivation for primary care and rural medicine — themes central to the UC Davis mission. Applicants should expect at least one station focused on health disparities or underserved community care, reflecting the school's rural and agricultural-community focus. The day also includes a brief campus tour and a group information session.
What makes UC Davis School of Medicine (MD) different
UC Davis operates the PRIME-LC (Latino community) and PRIME-Rural programmes, providing dedicated training tracks for physicians committed to underserved and rural communities. The school's Sacramento location places students at a major Level I trauma centre serving a large and diverse Central Valley population. A joint MD/MPH degree is available.
Tutor insight
UC Davis MMI stations often feature scenarios rooted in rural access, agricultural worker health, and health inequity — prepare concrete examples showing why you are committed to primary care or community medicine, not just academic medicine. As a UC public school, California residents have a meaningful advantage; out-of-state applicants should make a compelling case for commitment to underserved populations. The PRIME programmes are highly selective, so if you apply to one, articulate a clear and evidence-based commitment — not just interest — in the relevant community.
PrometheusQuestion Bank
595 medicine questions inside
Interview questions matched to UC Davis School of Medicine (MD)
Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for UC Davis School of Medicine (MD)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.
Medium·MMIQ1
AAMC Core Competency: Human Behaviour and Motivational Interviewing
A patient who has been smoking a pack a day for twenty years tells you, 'I know I should quit. My doctor tells me every time. But I'm just not ready yet.' You are a first-year medical student observing. What does motivational interviewing tell you about how to respond to this patient, and how is that different from what most clinicians actually do?
Likely follow-up · What are the four core principles of motivational interviewing, and how do they apply to smoking cessation?
3 expert tips in Prometheus
Hard·MMI · PanelQ2
US Healthcare Ethics: Dobbs Decision and Physician Obligations
Following the Supreme Court's 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, abortion is now regulated at the state level. Some states have enacted near-total bans with limited medical exceptions; others have codified broad access. You are a medical student on OB-GYN rotation in a state with a near-total ban. Your attending physician identifies a 14-week pregnancy with a confirmed lethal fetal anomaly. The patient wants to terminate. The attending says the law's exception requires documentation of 'medical necessity' reviewed by a hospital committee, which may take two weeks. How do you think about your obligations in this situation?
Likely follow-up · What are the professional medical organisations' positions on physician obligations when law and clinical best practice conflict?
UC Davis School of Medicine (MD) - Frequently asked questions
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. California residents receive preference as a UC public school. Demonstrated commitment to primary care, rural, or underserved medicine is valued. Research and community service expected. Applications submitted via AMCAS; secondary application required.
MMI (8–10 stations, conducted in person at the Sacramento campus). UC Davis conducts an 8–10 station MMI at its Sacramento medical campus, with each station running approximately 6–8 minutes. Stations probe ethical reasoning, communication, teamwork, and motivation for primary care and rural medicine — themes central to the UC Davis mission. Applicants should expect at least one station focused on health disparities or underserved community care, reflecting the school's rural and agricultural-community focus. The day also includes a brief campus tour and a group information session.
UC Davis School of Medicine (MD) typically interviews in October–February.
Decisions are released March 30 (AAMC standard).
UC Davis operates the PRIME-LC (Latino community) and PRIME-Rural programmes, providing dedicated training tracks for physicians committed to underserved and rural communities. The school's Sacramento location places students at a major Level I trauma centre serving a large and diverse Central Valley population. A joint MD/MPH degree is available.
