UCSF School of Medicine (MD) Medical School - 2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format
The University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine is consistently ranked among the top medical schools in the United States for research, and it is unique as a major research university entirely focused on health sciences. UCSF's location in San Francisco provides unparalleled access to a diverse, medically complex patient population and to the Bay Area biotech ecosystem. The school has particular strengths in HIV/AIDS research, cancer biology, neuroscience, and health policy.
Entry Requirements
What you need to apply to UCSF School of Medicine (MD).
Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. California residents receive moderate preference (public university). Strong research background, community service, and clinical experience expected. AMCAS application; secondary required.
MCAT median
517 (range 512–522)
GPA median
3.88 overall / 3.85 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
3.5%
Class size
150
In-state preference
Moderate — some OOS consideration
In-state matriculants
77%
CASPer
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Research, diversity, commitment to underserved populations, and health equity.
Notes
MCAT/GPA approximate from UCSF class profile. In-state preference reflects UC public mission.
Specialities offered
HIV/AIDS Research, Neuroscience, Cancer Biology, Health Policy, Global Health
Interview Format
How UCSF School of Medicine (MD) interviews applicants.
Format
MMI (10 stations, conducted via Zoom)
Interview window
October–February
Decision date
March 30
What makes UCSF School of Medicine (MD) different
UCSF is the only major US research university solely dedicated to health sciences — every department, from basic science to clinical research, is health-focused. The school has an exceptional record in HIV research, biomedical innovation, and diversity in medical education. San Francisco's ethnically diverse patient population provides unusually broad clinical training.
Tutor insight
UCSF values diversity, commitment to underserved communities, and health equity alongside research achievement — make sure these themes run throughout your application, not just in one essay. In the MMI, demonstrate systems-level thinking about healthcare challenges; UCSF interviewers are attuned to candidates who think beyond individual patient care to population health. As a public UC school, in-state California applicants have a meaningful advantage — out-of-state applicants need a particularly strong application to compete.
PrometheusQuestion Bank
595 medicine questions inside
Interview questions matched to UCSF School of Medicine (MD)
Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for UCSF School of Medicine (MD)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.
Medium·Panel · MMIQ1
Holistic Review: First-Generation College Student
You are the first person in your family to attend college and are now applying to medical school. Your parents worked hourly-wage jobs and could not provide the financial support, networking advantages, or pre-medical advising that many peers received. You navigated the application process largely on your own and sought out opportunities -- research, clinical exposure, volunteering -- without guidance. What strengths has this background given you, and what challenges has it imposed that you believe medical school should understand?
Likely follow-up · How has your socioeconomic background shaped your understanding of the patients you want to serve?
3 expert tips in Prometheus
Hard·MMIQ2
US Healthcare Ethics: The Coverage Gap and Uncompensated Care
A 42-year-old uninsured construction worker presents to a community health clinic with poorly controlled hypertension and early-stage chronic kidney disease. He lives in a state that has not expanded Medicaid under the ACA, earns too little to qualify for marketplace subsidies, and too much to qualify for his state's existing Medicaid programme — placing him squarely in the coverage gap. He cannot afford the follow-up nephrology referral or the blood-pressure medications you have recommended. As the future physician in this scenario, how do you approach his immediate care, and how do you think about the systemic forces that created his situation?
Likely follow-up · What resources — local, state, or federal — might exist to help a patient in the coverage gap access medications and specialist care?
UCSF School of Medicine (MD) - Frequently asked questions
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. California residents receive moderate preference (public university). Strong research background, community service, and clinical experience expected. AMCAS application; secondary required.
MMI (10 stations, conducted via Zoom)
UCSF School of Medicine (MD) typically interviews in October–February.
Decisions are released March 30.
UCSF is the only major US research university solely dedicated to health sciences — every department, from basic science to clinical research, is health-focused. The school has an exceptional record in HIV research, biomedical innovation, and diversity in medical education. San Francisco's ethnically diverse patient population provides unusually broad clinical training.
