UC Riverside School of Medicine (MD) Medical School - 2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format
UC Riverside School of Medicine, founded in 2013, is the newest UC medical school and was specifically designed to address the severe physician shortage in the Inland Empire region of Southern California. UCR Med has an explicit social mission centred on primary care, health equity, and serving the diverse, predominantly Latino and underserved communities of Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The school is closely integrated with UCR's broader research enterprise and operates a distinctive BA/MD direct-entry programme for high school graduates.
Entry Requirements
What you need to apply to UC Riverside School of Medicine (MD).
Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required (or high school + college completion for BA/MD track). California residents receive strong preference. Demonstrated commitment to primary care and underserved community medicine is central. Applications via AMCAS for standard MD; BA/MD is a separate track.
MCAT median
509 (range 508–518)
GPA median
3.70 overall / 3.67 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
4.2%
Class size
75
In-state preference
Strong — primarily in-state
In-state matriculants
97%
CASPer
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Primary care mission, underserved community commitment, Inland Empire ties, and UC public mandate.
Notes
Estimates from public AAMC FACTS / AACOMAS / ADEA AADSAS / class-profile; verify current cycle.
Specialities offered
Primary Care, Health Equity, Underserved Community Medicine, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine
Interview Format
How UC Riverside School of Medicine (MD) interviews applicants.
Format
MMI (multiple stations, in person at Riverside)
Interview window
October–March
Decision date
March 30 (AAMC standard)
What to expect at a UC Riverside School of Medicine (MD) interview
UC Riverside conducts an MMI format interview on the Riverside campus, with stations running approximately 6–8 minutes each. The MMI emphasises communication, ethical reasoning, and commitment to serving the Inland Empire — one of the most medically underserved regions of California. At least one station typically explores community health challenges in inland Southern California. The interview day includes a campus tour, informational session, and an opportunity to meet current students in the BA/MD programme.
What makes UC Riverside School of Medicine (MD) different
UCR Med was purpose-built to serve the Inland Empire, a region of ~4.6 million people with one of California's lowest physician-to-population ratios. The BA/MD programme recruits directly from California high schools and targets students from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds who are committed to remaining in the region. Most UCR graduates practise in primary care or in the Inland Empire — the school's retention rate in the region is among the highest in California.
Tutor insight
UCR Med is best suited to applicants with a genuine and well-documented commitment to primary care and/or serving the Inland Empire or similarly underserved regions. If your goal is academic medicine or competitive specialties at a major academic medical centre, UCR may not be the optimal fit. California residency is extremely important here — far more so than at UCLA or UCSF. Prepare to articulate why the Inland Empire matters to you personally, and use specific community engagement experiences to support that narrative.
PrometheusQuestion Bank
595 medicine questions inside
Interview questions matched to UC Riverside School of Medicine (MD)
Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for UC Riverside 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?
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UC Riverside School of Medicine (MD) - Frequently asked questions
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required (or high school + college completion for BA/MD track). California residents receive strong preference. Demonstrated commitment to primary care and underserved community medicine is central. Applications via AMCAS for standard MD; BA/MD is a separate track.
MMI (multiple stations, in person at Riverside). UC Riverside conducts an MMI format interview on the Riverside campus, with stations running approximately 6–8 minutes each. The MMI emphasises communication, ethical reasoning, and commitment to serving the Inland Empire — one of the most medically underserved regions of California. At least one station typically explores community health challenges in inland Southern California. The interview day includes a campus tour, informational session, and an opportunity to meet current students in the BA/MD programme.
UC Riverside School of Medicine (MD) typically interviews in October–March.
Decisions are released March 30 (AAMC standard).
UCR Med was purpose-built to serve the Inland Empire, a region of ~4.6 million people with one of California's lowest physician-to-population ratios. The BA/MD programme recruits directly from California high schools and targets students from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds who are committed to remaining in the region. Most UCR graduates practise in primary care or in the Inland Empire — the school's retention rate in the region is among the highest in California.
