UCI Medical School Ranking

Last Updated on December 14, 2022

Nestled in one of the most beautiful, vibrant regions in Southern California, the University of California, Irvine is ranked the 14th best public university in the United States and the best comprehensive university under 50 years old in the world. Since its founding in 1965, the university has continued to gain prestige for its superior academic programs and contributions to cutting-edge research. Its world-renowned reputation has also attracted faculty members from the top of their fields, including three Nobel Prize winners. Increasingly a first-choice campus for many students, UC Irvine prides itself as a center for quality education that fosters students’ passion and enthusiasm for knowledge. The city of Irvine, ranked as one of the safest cities in the nation, is located within the heartland of The O.C. (Orange County), a dynamic and fast growing environment close to the Pacific Ocean, many theme park attractions, and spectacular beach resorts. The O.C., serving as the fifth most popular county in the United States and between Los Angeles and San Diego, is located near many world famous beaches (including: Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, and Newport Beach), a dynamic business and tech-savvy community, and beautiful mountain ranges.

Ranked as one of the top 50 U.S. medical schools for research by U.S. News & World Report, the UCI School of Medicine is dedicated to advancing medical knowledge and clinical practice through scholarly research, physician education and high-quality care.

The medical school nurtures the development of medical students, resident physicians and scholars in the clinical and basic sciences and supports the dissemination of research advances for the benefit of society.

School of Medicine Facts

• Each year, the school educates more than 400 medical students and trains more than 700 residents and fellows at UCI Medical Center and affiliated institutions.
  
• The school’s 1011 full- and part-time faculty and 850 volunteer faculty members are involved in teaching, providing medical care and conducting research into the health challenges facing the 21st century.
  
• The school has 24 departments, ranging from basic science research to clinical medical and surgical specialties. It has research, clinical and teaching relationships with the VA Long Beach Healthcare System and Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.
  
• In addition to a medical degree, the school offers the following dual-degree programs:
  • A combined MD/PhD medical scientist training program
  • A combined MD/MPH in public health
  • A combined MD/MBA program
  • A master’s degree in Biomedical and Translational Science MS-BATS 
  • A master’s degree in genetic counseling
    
• The school also offers the following mission-based programs:
  • Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community (PRIME-LC), a combined MD/master’s program
  • Leadership Education to Advance Diversity–African, Black and Caribbean (LEAD-ABC)
  • Health Education to Advance Leaders in Integrative Medicine (HEAL-IM)

UCI Medical Center

UCI Medical Center is the principal clinical facility for UCI Health and the UCI School of Medicine’s teaching and research programs. For 18 consecutive years, the medical center has been rated among the nation’s best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, and among the top 50 U.S. medical centers for gynecology and urology. It is the only Orange County hospital to be listed consistently among the nation’s best.

In early 2009, UCI Health opened UC Irvine Douglas Hospital, a modern facility for conducting the latest medical research and training future and practicing physicians. The seven-story hospital has spacious, mostly private rooms and 15 state-of-the-art operating rooms. In addition, the hospital provides an environment for translational research — allowing more opportunities for researchers and clinicians to collaborate on patient care.

The medical center is also home to the UC Irvine Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Orange County, and one of only 71 such high-level centers in the nation.

The School of Medicine’s close research, clinical and teaching relationship with the medical center has helped position our clinical enterprise as a regional and national leader in translational medicine. UCI Health uses the latest clinical research, including studies pioneered by our researchers, to provide patients with the most advanced therapies and treatments.

Progression of Applications: 2018

Profile of First-year Class

Entering Class 2018: Undergraduate Schools

Medical Schools In California: Ultimate Guide to Getting In (2021-2022)

Attending one of California’s sixteen medical schools is something many medical school applicants dream of. However, getting into a California medical school is extremely difficult and only the most prepared applicants are accepted. At MedEdits, we have been helping students successfully get into California medical schools for more than 15 years.

Why is medical school in California so appealing? For in state California residents, tuition is much lower at state funded schools. Even for out of state students, California medical schools have lower tuition than most private medical schools. All of the medical schools in California have great reputations that help medical students earn top residencies. In fact, some of the best medical schools in the country are in California. Finally, the beautiful state of California is a desirable place to live!

In this article discover the California medical schools and what you should do to improve your chances of getting accepted.

Rankings: List of the Best Medical Schools in California

When you first start your journey to medical school, it is important to understand the medical school rankings, medical school categories (pubic, private, MD-granting, and DO-granting. Below we will break down this information and will then review the most pertinent medical school-specific data such as average MCAT, GPA, and percent of out of state students interviewed and accepted.

Stanford, University of California San Francisco, and University of California Los Angeles are all ranked in the top ten for research by US News and World Report.

Because California medical schools are so desirable, they receive huge numbers of applications each year making California medical school acceptance rates very low.

Here are the U.S. News and World Report rankings for medical schools in California:

1. Stanford (#4)
2. University of California – San Francisco (#6 – tie)
3. University of California – Los Angeles (#6 – tie)
4. University of California – San Diego (#21)
5. University of Southern California (Keck) (#31)
6. University of California – Davis (#40)
7. University of California – Irvine (#44)
8. University of California – Riverside (#91)
9. Touro University of California (#94-122)
10. Western University of Health Sciences (#94-122)
11. California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (NR)
12. California Northstate University (NR)
13. California University of Science and Medicine (NR)
14. Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine (NR)
15. Loma Linda University (NR)
16. Charles Drew/UCLA (NR)

Practice Type

California Osteopathic Medical Schools

• California Health Sciences University
• Touro University of California
• Western University of Health Sciences

California Allopathic Medical Schools

• California Northstate University
• California University of Science and Medicine
• Charles R. Drew/UCLA
• Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine
• Loma Linda University
• Stanford
• University of California – Davis
• University of California – Irvine
• University of California – Los Angeles
• University of California – San Diego
• University of California – San Francisco
• University of California – Riverside
• University of Southern California (Keck)

School Type

California Public Medical Schools

• University of California – Davis
• University of California – Irvine
• University of California – Los Angeles
• University of California – San Diego
• University of California – San Francisco
• University of California – Riverside

California Private Medical Schools

• Charles R. Drew/UCLA
• California Health Sciences University
• California Northstate University
• California University of Science and Medicine
• Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine
• Keck School of Medicine of Southern California
• Loma Linda University School of Medicine
• Stanford University School of Medicine
• Touro University of California
• Western University of Health Sciences

By Region

Northern California Medical School

• California Health Sciences University (Clovis, CA)
• University of California – Davis (Davis, CA)
• University of California – San Francisco (San Francisco, CA)
• California Northstate University (Elk Grove, CA)
• Stanford University School of Medicine (Stanford, CA)
• Touro University of California (Vallejo, CA)

Southern California Medical Schools

• California University of Science and Medicine (San Bernardino, CA)
• Charles R. Drew/UCLA (Los Angeles, CA)
• University of California – Irvine (Irvine, CA)
• University of California – Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
• University of California – Riverside (Riverside, CA)
• University of California – San Diego (San Diego, CA)
• Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine (Pasadena, CA)
• Keck School of Medicine of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
• Loma Linda University School of Medicine (Loma Linda, CA)
• Western University of Health Sciences (Pomona, CA)

How to be a Competitive for California Medical Schools

To determine your competitiveness for a California medical school you must first review the average MCATs and GPAs for accepted students as well as the California medical school acceptance rates. For out of state students, it is important to pay attention to how many out of state students are interviewed and what percentage of out of state students matriculate each year.

So, how difficult is it to get accepted to a California medical school? Let’s review the data. Below are the average MCAT scores and college GPAs, interview rates for in state and out of state applicants, percent of entering class that is in state, and tuition for all medical schools in California.

Information & Data For Each California Medical School

California Health Sciences University

Touro University of California

Western University of Health Sciences

California Northstate University

California University of Science and Medicine

Charles R. Drew/UCLA

Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine

Loma Linda University

Stanford

University of California – Davis

University of California – Irvine

University of California – Los Angeles

University of California – San Diego

University of California – San Francisco

University of Southern California (Keck)

University of California – Riverside

California Medical School Acceptance: Increase Your Chances

So, what can you do to increase your chances of getting accepted to a California medical school?

1) Be realistic about your competitiveness and do what you need to improve your chances. When deciding when to apply to medical, you should consider how your average GPA and MCAT compares to the school’s average GPA and MCAT for accepted students. If your GPA and/or MCAT are lower than the California medical schools you would like to attend, consider boosting your GPA or MCAT to make yourself more competitive. You must also consider your state residency; many California medical schools admit the majority of students from within the state.

2) When you complete secondary essays, do so thoughtfully and considerately. The majority of UC medical schools screen applications so only a certain percentage of applicants receive secondary applications. Therefore, it is important to make sure your secondary essays distinguish you and highlight what you will bring to the medical school community.

3) Don’t try to spin your documents, secondary essays, or interview responses to “fit” a certain medical school. All medical schools are looking for diverse medical school entering classes. No medical school, for example, wants a class full of students who have NIH funded research or a an entire class of students who have been community service leaders. Always be true to yourself, your ideals, and your interests. If you have the stats to be a competitive applicant for a California medical school, what is most important is to address every secondary essay, every interview question and every MMI scenario authentically and honestly. Trying to “tell them what you think they want to hear” can actually undermine how you are perceived and decrease your chances of success.