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US Medicine · 2027 Entry

UC San Diego School of Medicine

2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

UC San Diego School of Medicine is a US MD program in La Jolla, CA that takes 2027-entry applications through AMCAS. Its published class profile lists a median MCAT of 514 (range 513–523), a median GPA of 3.83, a 3.8% acceptance rate and a class of 140. The school holds multiple mini interviews (MMI): October 2026–February 2027. Decisions for 2027 entry: March 30, 2027.

Location
La Jolla, CA, United States
Established
1968
Interviews (2027 entry)
October 2026–February 2027
Decisions (2027 entry)
March 30, 2027
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UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) — Front facade of the Altman Clinical and Translational Research InstituteUC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) — Geisel Library on the UC San Diego campus

Photo: TritonsRising · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped

Photo: Stephen Bay · CC BY 4.0 · Photo: Stephen Bay · CC BY 4.0 · Photo: FeldBum · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Full guide

How to get into UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) medicine

Step-by-step: entry requirements, MCAT prep, personal statement, interview format and the key deadlines.

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Interview guide

Prepare for the UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) interview

Format breakdown, school-specific sample questions, FAQs and prep tips from tutors who interviewed here.

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The program

What the UC San Diego School of Medicine MD program is like

Integrated, 4 years, clinical rotations in La Jolla, Hillcrest and sites around the San Diego region.

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Overview

About UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD)

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.

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 program 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.

UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) course & teaching

Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. UCSD has tracks in biomedical sciences, clinical research, community medicine, and global health. All students complete a scholarly project. Clinical rotations at UCSD Medical Center, Jacobs Medical Center, VA San Diego, and affiliated community sites. Early exposure to global health opportunities through UCSD's international partnerships.

UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) research strengths

UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) is strong in these research areas:

  • Neuroscience and neurodegenerative disease
  • Cancer biology
  • Infectious disease
  • Global health
  • Computational medicine

How the UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) interview runs

Format: Virtual MMI: 8 stations, 2 minutes to read the vignette then 8 minutes discussing it

In UC San Diego's virtual MMI, applicants rotate through 8 stations: 2 minutes to read the vignette, then 8 minutes discussing the situation with the interviewer. MCAT scores are hidden from reviewers during the screening stage. For the 2026-27 cycle UC San Diego accepts MCAT scores from January 2023 through December 2026; 2027 scores will not be considered.

Applications are accepted from US citizens, permanent residents and DACA recipients.

UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) intake

Approximately 134 students per year.

Where UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) is

UC San Diego School of Medicine was founded in 1968 and is based in La Jolla, CA.

Programmes offered:

  • Neuroscience
  • Global Health
  • Oncology
  • Biotech Research
  • Primary Care
Practise

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Entry requirements

What you need to apply to UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD)

UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) at a glance

UC San Diego School of Medicine Medicine — 2027 entry at a glance
MCAT / GPA (medians)514 · 3.83 (MCAT range 513–523)
Acceptance rate3.8%
Class size140
In-state matriculants74%
Interview formatMultiple mini interviews (MMI)
IntakeApproximately 134 students per year
Decisions (2027 entry)March 30, 2027
UC San Diego School of Medicine Medicine admissions profile — 2027 entry
Admission overviewBachelor'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 median514 (range 513–523)
GPA median3.83 overall / 3.82 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate3.8%
Class size140
In-state preferenceModerate — some OOS consideration
In-state matriculants74%
CASPerNot required
AAMC PREviewNot required
Holistic review emphasisResearch, diversity, global health, and public service in a UC public mission.
NotesChecked 2026-09-14 against the school's own published figures (class entering in 2025): mean MCAT 514.4; mean GPA 3.83; class of 140; 74% in-state. Where a figure is marked mean, the school publishes a mean rather than a median. Not confirmed from the school's own pages: science GPA, acceptance rate. In-state preference reflects UC public mandate. Interview format checked 2026-10-07 against https://medschool.ucsd.edu/education/md-combined/admissions/application-process.html.
Specialities offeredNeuroscience, Global Health, Oncology, Biotech Research, Primary Care

MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures are taken from UC San Diego School of Medicine's published admissions data. Class profiles are republished each year — confirm which entering class these numbers describe before you rely on them.

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Interview

How UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) interviews applicants

UC San Diego School of Medicine Medicine interview — 2027 entry
FormatVirtual MMI: 8 stations, 2 minutes to read the vignette then 8 minutes discussing it
Interview window (2027 entry)October 2026–February 2027
Decision date (2027 entry)March 30, 2027
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.
Practice

Practise for your UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) interview

PrometheusQuestion Bank621 medicine questions inside

Interview questions matched to UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD)

Two questions from our US bank that match UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD)’s MMI format. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.

MediumMMI · CASPerQ1

Witnessing a Friend Cheat on an Exam

During a practical examination in your pre-medical science program, you observe a classmate, someone you consider a friend, taking a photograph of the exam questions on their phone. You are the only person who saw this. The exam contributes 30 percent of the course grade. This is the same classmate who helped you prepare for the MCAT last semester.

What do you do?

Likely follow-up · What would you say to the classmate before, or instead of, reporting to the professor?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
HardMMIQ2

Gender-Affirming Care and State Law

Several US states have enacted laws restricting or prohibiting gender-affirming care, including hormone therapy and surgical interventions, for minors and in some cases for adults. You are a physician in one of these states. A 17-year-old patient has been receiving hormone therapy for two years, has parental consent, and is stable and flourishing by all clinical measures.

The law now prohibits continuation of the treatment. How do you navigate your legal obligations, your clinical duty to this patient, and your ethical convictions?

Likely follow-up · What does the evidence say about the mental health outcomes of gender-affirming care for transgender adolescents?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
Open Prometheus for UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD)Free medicine interview question bank for UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) applicants →
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MCAT Strategy

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Interview preparation

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Sources

Where UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD)'s figures come from

Checked against UC San Diego School of Medicine's own website on 14 September 2026: our record for the school was reconciled with what it publishes there. For most US schools that is class size and interview format only, so MCAT, GPA and acceptance-rate figures remain unconfirmed.

UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) — official course page →Entry requirements, interview format and deadlines published by the school itself. The primary source for everything on this page.UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) — published admissions data →The class profile and admissions statistics this record's MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures were taken from.UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) — published admissions data →The class profile and admissions statistics this record's MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures were taken from.
FAQ

UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) — frequently asked questions

UC San Diego School of Medicine (MD) matriculants have a median MCAT of 514. The middle range of matriculants is 513–523. US schools publish medians rather than cut-offs, and committees review holistically — the MCAT is weighed alongside GPA, clinical and research experience, letters of recommendation and secondary essays.

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