UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) Medical School - 2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format
UC San Diego School of Medicine, founded in 1968, is a leading public research medical school located on the UCSD campus in La Jolla, California. The school benefits from proximity to world-class biotech and pharmaceutical companies clustered in the Torrey Pines Mesa corridor. UCSD is among the top NIH-funded medical schools nationally and has particular strengths in neuroscience, global health, and clinical research.
Entry Requirements
What you need to apply to UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD).
Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. California residents receive moderate preference as a UC public school. Research background, community service, and clinical exposure expected. Secondary application required.
MCAT median
514 (range 513–523)
GPA median
3.84 overall / 3.82 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
3.8%
Class size
134
In-state preference
Moderate — some OOS consideration
In-state matriculants
74%
CASPer
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Research, diversity, global health, and public service in a UC public mission.
Notes
MCAT/GPA approximate from UCSD Med class profile. In-state preference reflects UC public mandate.
Specialities offered
Neuroscience, Global Health, Oncology, Biotech Research, Primary Care
Interview Format
How UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) interviews applicants.
Format
MMI (multiple stations)
Interview window
October–February
Decision date
March 30
What makes UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) different
UCSD's proximity to the Sorrento Valley and Torrey Pines biotech cluster provides unparalleled access to biotech and pharma career pathways. The school's neuroscience programme is world-class, benefiting from the adjacent Salk Institute and Scripps Research. San Diego's location on the US-Mexico border creates distinctive global and cross-border health training opportunities.
Tutor insight
UCSD's MMI reflects the school's interest in collaborative, community-oriented physicians — prepare scenarios involving team communication, ethical healthcare access issues, and global health themes. As a public UC school, California residents have a meaningful statistical advantage; however, out-of-state applicants with strong research credentials in neuroscience, global health, or biomedical science are regularly admitted. UCSD's connection to the San Diego biotech ecosystem is a genuine career differentiator — express enthusiasm for this if relevant to your career plans.
PrometheusQuestion Bank
595 medicine questions inside
Interview questions matched to UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD)
Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.
Hard·MMI · PanelQ1
Holistic Review: Post-SCOTUS 2023 and Race-Conscious Admissions
In 2023, the US Supreme Court ruled in SFFA v. Harvard and SFFA v. UNC that race-conscious admissions programmes at universities were unconstitutional. The Court noted, however, that applicants may still discuss how race affected their lives, including through discrimination. How should medical schools approach diversity in admissions in this new legal landscape, and why does physician workforce diversity matter for patient outcomes?
Likely follow-up · What is the difference between using race as a category in admissions decisions versus considering an applicant's lived experience of race as a biographical fact?
3 expert tips in Prometheus
Medium·MMI · PanelQ2
AAMC Core Competency: Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others
The AAMC identifies Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others as a core competency, which includes maintaining personal integrity, managing one's own wellbeing, and upholding the welfare of patients and colleagues. A fellow pre-medical student — a close friend — confides that he has been using a prescription stimulant without a prescription to manage the demands of organic chemistry and MCAT preparation. He asks you not to tell anyone. How do you respond?
Likely follow-up · How does unprescribed stimulant use among pre-medical students connect to the broader culture of performance pressure in medical training?
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UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) - Frequently asked questions
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. California residents receive moderate preference as a UC public school. Research background, community service, and clinical exposure expected. Secondary application required.
MMI (multiple stations)
UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) typically interviews in October–February.
Decisions are released March 30.
UCSD's proximity to the Sorrento Valley and Torrey Pines biotech cluster provides unparalleled access to biotech and pharma career pathways. The school's neuroscience programme is world-class, benefiting from the adjacent Salk Institute and Scripps Research. San Diego's location on the US-Mexico border creates distinctive global and cross-border health training opportunities.
