So who actually gets into the UC medical schools?

[aedie]

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It seems the general consensus is very few people get into UC med schools.

What can I do to increase my chances of getting into the UC system, aside from the generic high gpa/mcat responses? I'm an incoming freshmen this year, and going to school here in California.

I'm a Palm Desert native, if that matters.

 

[Raryn]

It seems the general consensus is very few people get into UC med schools.

What can I do to increase my chances of getting into the UC system, aside from the generic high gpa/mcat responses? I'm an incoming freshmen this year, and going to school here in California.

I'm a Palm Desert native, if that matters.

Varies from school to school. For example, UCSF is a huge proportion non-trads with a wide variety of experiences between college and med school.

 

[Kangal]

.

 

[alpinism]

1. attend a UC
2. get a 3.8+ GPA
3. score a 33+ MCAT
4. have diverse and extensive ECs

ECs nearly all schools like to see: clinical experience, community service, research, athletics, leadership, and entrepreneurism.

The above would ideally be long term (years) and in-depth (hundreds of hours).

 

[EMDO2018]

I feel for ya man, if there is any state that needs more med schools its California.

 

[jeghaber]

For those of you looking into UC schools as an OOSer, unless you have strong ties to a specific school/city, I believe the only UCSF and UCLA are the only schools that accept enough OOS applicants to make it worthwhile. From what I recall, the other UC schools (not counting the private ones) have a rather heavy IS-bias.

 

[VanEman]

I feel for ya man, if there is any state that needs more med schools its California.

Apparently, the only states that do worse than California in the med school seats/population ratio are states that have no medical school at all, which are mostly sates with tiny populations. Really atrocious. California needs to step up to address the need for medical professionals the way that the state of Texas has. We're supposed to be a progressive state!

 

[gyngyn]

Apparently, the only states that do worse than California in the med school seats/population ratio are states that have no medical school at all, which are mostly sates with tiny populations. Really atrocious. California needs to step up to address the need for medical professionals the way that the state of Texas has. We're supposed to be a progressive state!

Another way to look at this is that CA is letting other states foot the bill for educating its doctors. The state in which they attend school appears to have little effect on manpower numbers, since they all want to come home. Sadly, maldistribution of manpower is unaffected because, like their luckier kin who stayed in CA for medical school, they still don't want to work in the central part of the state.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Apparently, the only states that do worse than California in the med school seats/population ratio are states that have no medical school at all, which are mostly sates with tiny populations. Really atrocious. California needs to step up to address the need for medical professionals the way that the state of Texas has. We're supposed to be a progressive state!

Yup, Texas seems to do an excellent job when it comes to taking care of its in-state applicants. And I realize that California is ginormous, but Texas is not exactly Oklahoma in terms of size and population.

 

[justAstudent]

Increasing the number of seats for medical schools does more harm than good though without an increase in residency spots.

 

[VanEman]

Another way to look at this is that CA is letting other states foot the bill for educating its doctors. The state in which they attend school appears to have little effect on manpower numbers, since they all want to come home. Sadly, maldistribution of manpower is unaffected because, like their luckier kin who stayed in CA for medical school, they still don't want to work in the central part of the state.

There's a lot to be said about "footing the bill." Out of state tuition at a Texas medical school is less than in-state tuition for a California resident at at UC, but the chances are small of getting in because Texas law mandates extremely high in-state matriculation. And most other states are charging OOS tuition of $50-60k. So most California students are paying a pretty high price for being in such a backward state (medically speaking!)

 

[gyngyn]

There's a lot to be said about "footing the bill." Out of state tuition at a Texas medical school is less than in-state tuition for a California resident at at UC, but the chances are small of getting in because Texas law mandates extremely high in-state matriculation. And most other states are charging OOS tuition of $50-60k. So most California students are paying a pretty high price for being in such a backward state (medically speaking!)

Yes, indeed. TX strategy keeps students IS. CA achieves the same effect without paying for it.

 

[Temerit]

Washington and Oregon are also weak when it comes to this.

 

[gyngyn]

it's also very upsetting that ohsu is so out of state friendly, especially when the state only has one MD school. they should introduce a combined bs/md program for in-state students to give some benefits to them.

OR applicants still have it better than CA. Last year 20.6% of their IS students got a seat in OR. For CA it was only 15.6%. Admittedly there are worse states (e.g. WA at 13.5%). They include CO, UT, MD and RI.

 

[kthxbai]

OR applicants still have it better than CA. Last year 20.6% of their IS students got a seat in OR. For CA it was only 15.6%. Admittedly there are worse states (including WA at 13.5%). They include CO, UT, MD and RI.

Really, MD is that bad for pre-meds?

Ah well, this is pretty bad, as UMD is my top (IS) choice.

 

[gyngyn]

Really, MD is that bad for pre-meds?

Ah well, this is pretty bad, as UMD is my top (IS) choice.

Yup. Only 146 out of 1079 IS applicants (13.5%) got to stay in MD.

 

[lobo.solo]

Cali is pretty bad, be prepare to leave the state for med school. What you can do is to get high stats and try to do unique ECs; you want to stand out. If you get interviews, prepare well and be nice.

 

[compstomper]

Gods amongst men.

 

[slopes23]

I interviewed at UC Davis, didn't accept the offer because I didn't apply MD/PhD there, but it was mostly people who did their undergrad at UC's and a nice portion of kids from Stanford. Every UC was represented though. Met kid from Davis, a ton from Berkley, a few from Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara, and a ton from UCLA. At my 20 student interview. There were 14 asian kids. 2 Hispanic kids, 1 black kid, and 3 white kids. of the 3 white kid, 2 were persian, and one had the phenotypes of a "jew" - big nose and curly hair, Idk if he was a practicing jew though.

Comment about a "Jew" is offensive, uncalled for, and not necessary as it adds some very antisemitic undertones to your response.

Explain to me how this adds any value to your post, other than trying to add in snide remarks about what you feel are stereotypes. Not to mention, what if he was a "practicing" Jew? Would that be a problem for you? If not, then why does it matter/why did you include it?

How this thread has gone on for relatively so long, received so many responses, and no one even called you out for it is baffling and disappointing.

 

[What's Up Doc]

Comment about a "jew" is offensive, uncalled for, and not necessary as it adds some very antisemetic overtones to your response.

Explain to me how this adds any value to your post, other than trying to add in snide remarks about what you feel are stereotypes. Not to mention, what if he was a "practicing" Jew? Would that be a problem for you? If not, then why does it matter/why did you include it?

How this thread has gone on for relatively so long, received so many responses, and no one even called you out for it is baffling and disappointing honestly.

Wowowowow you're so annoying, he was explaining the diversity of the applicant pool. Relax. No one's called him out because there's absolutely no need to. Is it also offensive that he mentioned that there were 14 asian kids? Don't you think he probably inferred that they were asian due to some physical characteristics - phenotypes - associated with most or all asians? Why aren't you also upset about that? Actually, the fact that you find it offensive that he implied that a larger than average percentage of jews have larger noses than most people and curly hair points to the idea that you think there's something negative about a group of people having those characteristics; your comment was probably more offensive than his.

I will say, however, that the comment about whether or not he was "practicing" was unnecessary/irrelevant. Again, not offensive, unless you think there's something wrong with "practicing" jews, but still irrelevant.

 

[ciestar]

OR applicants still have it better than CA. Last year 20.6% of their IS students got a seat in OR. For CA it was only 15.6%. Admittedly there are worse states (including WA at 13.5%). They include CO, UT, MD and RI.

PA seems awfully OOS friendly, what are the numbers like for us?

 

[slopes23]

Wowowowow you're so annoying, he was explaining the diversity of the applicant pool. Relax. No one's called him out because there's absolutely no need to. Is it also offensive that he mentioned that there were 14 asian kids? Don't you think he probably inferred that they were asian due to some physical characteristics - phenotypes - associated with most or all asians? Why aren't you also upset about that? Actually, the fact that you find it offensive that he implied that a larger than average percentage of jews have larger noses than most people and curly hair points to the idea that you think there's something negative about a group of people having those characteristics; your comment was probably more offensive than his.

It's distinctly different. Identifying people based on their geographical region vs. religion. It would have been less offensive and more tolerable had he just saying out of the 3 white kids one I believe was Jewish. He never went into the phenotypical assessments he made to ascertain the geographical areas from which everyone else descended. Furthermore, explain to me why it was necessary to say "but I don't know if he was a practicing Jew," as if it made any difference if he was or was not.

How you cannot recognize the disparity there is truly remarkable. Moreover, don't try and play the reverse psychology game by saying my comment was probably more offensive than his. There is nothing offensive about standing up for people and calling out those who try and demean/degrade others based on their religion. There was clearly special treatment in his detailed description on the one person he thought was a Jew.

Like I said earlier, but this is directed specifically at you this time, the fact that you read his post and find nothing wrong with it is truly baffling and disappointing.

 

[ihatepremed]

Transfer to UCR. Being a Palm Desert native, your chances of being accepted to UCR SOM skyrockets...


Also, you would qualify for the Coachella Valley full scholarship.

 

[gyngyn]

PA seems awfully OOS friendly, what are the numbers like for us?

You guys are golden. 542/1667 for an almost Texas-worthy 32.5 IS matriculation rate!

 

[WillburCobb]

And people say the northern Midwest is such an awful place to live...

 

[What's Up Doc]

It's distinctly different. Identifying people based on their geographical region vs. religion. It would have been less offensive and more tolerable had he just saying out of the 3 white kids one I believe was Jewish. He never went into the phenotypical assessments he made to ascertain the geographical areas from which everyone else descended. Furthermore, explain to me why it was necessary to say "but I don't know if he was a practicing Jew," as if it made any difference if he was or was not.

Jewish=Israeli origins=geographical region. Shush.

And read my full post before responding.. if you took a few seconds to look below the picture, I actually said that the "practicing" part was unnecessary and irrelevant.

 

[Ismet]

Let's stay on topic, folks.

 

[What's Up Doc]

Let's stay on topic, folks.

Sorry 🤔

 

[FutureOncologist]

The only schools that I can think of that are completely OOS-resistant are UMMC and FSU (takes what, 2 people OOS per year?)

 

[slopes23]

Jewish=Israeli origins=geographical region. Shush.

And read my full post before responding.. if you took a few seconds to look below the picture, I actually said that the "practicing" part was unnecessary and irrelevant.

You do know that most Jews in the US are not from Israel right? There is no way you actually believe your logic.

Furthermore, don't try to tell me to read your full post. I did. I remember the first time I ever used the edit function too, it shows on your post that you edited it. Which is why the part where you address the practicing issue is not in my original quote. So there was nothing further to read.

Your ignorance and immaturity are bursting at the seams. You are in the wrong, accept it, drop it.

 

[WillburCobb]

The only schools that I can think of that are completely OOS-resistant are UMMC and FSU (takes what, 2 people OOS per year?)

https://www.aamc.org/download/321442/data/2013factstable1.pdf
There are many more than just those. Plus the OOS matriculants at a number of schools are primarily made up of students that qualify for programs designed to serve certain medically underserved and minority populations.

 

[aedie]

Transfer to UCR. Being a Palm Desert native, your chances of being accepted to UCR SOM skyrockets...


Also, you would qualify for the Coachella Valley full scholarship.

UCR seems like a great school. I should add that I'm going to my local CC for two years, then transferring to a 4 year university.

I volunteer at a free clinic in an under served part of town, also will hopefully be able to shadow an ophthalmologist once the fall semester starts.

Will doing about half of my prerequisites at the CC then transferring to UCR look bad?

 

[Asklepios89]

Transferring from a CC is totally fine if you do great at the CC and then really great at the 4 year university.

Surprised no one has said this:
Learn Spanish.

A lot of your patient population will be hispanic and many may not speak english. It shows that you care about communicating effectively with your patients, and is evidence for your interest in underserved communities.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Learn Spanish.

A lot of your patient population will be hispanic and many may not speak english. It shows that you care about communicating effectively with your patients, and is evidence for your interest in underserved communities.

I couldn't agree more.

Someone once told me that speaking (and understanding) Spanish is an "unofficial pre-req" for UCSD. But regardless of whether or not that's true, fluency in Spanish will give you a substantial boost.

 

[aedie]

Transferring from a CC is totally fine if you do great at the CC and then really great at the 4 year university.

Surprised no one has said this:
Learn Spanish.

A lot of your patient population will be hispanic and many may not speak english. It shows that you care about communicating effectively with your patients, and is evidence for your interest in underserved communities.

Actually Spanish is my first language, I'm a first generation Mexican-American

yay

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Actually Spanish is my first language, I'm a first generation Mexican-American

yay

👍
Then you have a head start.

 

[Asklepios89]

Actually Spanish is my first language, I'm a first generation Mexican-American

yay

Very nice!

You could learn another language if you get bored ;D
American sign language is surprisingly fun to learn. It's next on my list.

 

[orangetea]

I interviewed at UC Davis, didn't accept the offer because I didn't apply MD/PhD there, but it was mostly people who did their undergrad at UC's and a nice portion of kids from Stanford. Every UC was represented though. Met kid from Davis, a ton from Berkley, a few from Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara, and a ton from UCLA. At my 20 student interview. There were 14 asian kids. 2 Hispanic kids, 1 black kid, and 3 white kids. of the 3 white kid, 2 were persian, and one had the phenotypes of a "jew" - big nose and curly hair, Idk if he was a practicing jew though.

 

[DoctorSynthesis]

You do know that most Jews in the US are not from Israel right? There is no way you actually believe your logic.

Furthermore, don't try to tell me to read your full post. I did. I remember the first time I ever used the edit function too, it shows on your post that you edited it. Which is why the part where you address the practicing issue is not in my original quote. So there was nothing further to read.

Your ignorance and immaturity are bursting at the seams. You are in the wrong, accept it, drop it.

I'm Jewish and found ops comments unnecessary. It was perpetuating stereotypes and that's annoying. I'm Jewish and my nose is small and my hair is straight. These stereotypes arent event true.

Thanks slush you're a GGG!

 

[looncat]

I mean, middle eastern people have to apply as white so they technically are "white".

 

[allantois]

The only schools that I can think of that are completely OOS-resistant are UMMC and FSU (takes what, 2 people OOS per year?)

There are still over 3000 OOS students foolish enough to be applying to FSU every year. What are they thinking??

 

[Gene Parmesan]

There are still over 3000 OOS students foolish enough to be applying to FSU every year. What are they thinking??

~48000 people apply to MD programs. I could easily believe 3000 (~6%) of those applicants are ignorant to many important application factors, such as IS vs. OOS school preferences. Schools are probably so happy to take their money for secondaries, knowing full well they'll be rejected instantly. Assuming the FSU secondary is $100, FSU makes $300,000 every summer stealing from these poor souls lol

 

[FutureOncologist]

~48000 people apply to MD programs. I could easily believe 3000 (~6%) of those applicants are ignorant to many important application factors, such as IS vs. OOS school preferences. Schools are probably so happy to take their money for secondaries, knowing full well they'll be rejected instantly. Assuming the FSU secondary is $100, FSU makes $300,000 every summer stealing from these poor souls lol

Yeah I don't see how FSU would have a problem. I applied there, got the secondary and looked at how many OOS get in. Albeit I looked at USNews, but when I saw that in 2012 they only took 3 people out of 2800 OOS applicants I withdrew.

 

[Kangal]

.

 

[CpnClwVie]

~48000 people apply to MD programs. I could easily believe 3000 (~6%) of those applicants are ignorant to many important application factors, such as IS vs. OOS school preferences. Schools are probably so happy to take their money for secondaries, knowing full well they'll be rejected instantly. Assuming the FSU secondary is $100, FSU makes $300,000 every summer stealing from these poor souls lol

The FSU secondary is actually free

 

[DokterMom]

Quit being such babies. Focus on getting in to a US. And quit being so insecure about your religion and race. I am guessing that I am froma far more underserved demographic and race than half of you...the guy had the stereotypical Seinfeld "Jew" look...take off your blinders and understand that that every race has a stereotypical phenotype that is colloquially referenced all the time. I was trying to say that's how the kid looked, but remove any further bigotry by stating that I don't actually know his religion. Frankly, I don't mind being offensive, but that was absolutely not my intention. As for all of you who are sad over that...if you can't handle others bigotry online... You are going to be shocked and awed by your colleagues...I heard a neurosurgery resident call another neurosurgery resident a fa@@ot...is that offensive, sure....but you need to learn to deal. Now go study your little butts off for the MCAT and pray that you break 25.

A simple statement of fact would have been that the applicant appeared to be Jewish. Clarifying that remark by describing a stereotypical look and putting "jew" in quotation marks gave your remarks a further slant. Your attempts to further clarify aren't helping...

 

[Kangal]

.

 

[DokterMom]

How the **** would that be ok? Saying he appeared to be of a certain religion? Thats a huge jump and a dumb thing to assume. The applicant appeared to have the phenotype of a stereotypical, hollywood portrayed jew...I have no god damn idea wtf religion he might be.

And yet you did say what religion he appeared to be.

 

[Kangal]

.

 

[slopes23]

I said he had the looks of someone who is Jewish... because in America, the word jew i ABSOLUTELY coined with a stereotypical phenotype. Quit pretending everything needs to be politically correct. Did it or did it not paint a picture of the kid I was trying to describe...I could have said, a white kid with a big nose, curly hair, and an annoying accent, or I could of said a could some one who looked jewish....I chose the latter. Honestly, I have had a good count for being able to guess when someone has family ancestors that were Jewish... I'm glad you interpreted what you interpreted the way you did, also know that someone like you couldn't hack it in medicine.. racism, sexism, all sort of prejudice go on everyday...if its not oppressing people directly or influencing decision making of someones future, its not worth fretting over. Otherwise every time someone said Fa**ot in the OR, or B*tch, or P***y, or JEW, someone would flip out...I'm an institution that I am sure you know and respect, I promise you we all talk like this, get out!

So now Jews stereotypically have annoying accents huh? You should really learn to just apologize when you are wrong and move on. You keep digging yourself into a deeper hole. Maybe you need to grow up a little bit. Just because other people "in your institution" do or say offensive things, even if you perceive it to be common, does not suddenly make it alright to perpetuate and certainly doesn't make it defensible.

Also, glad to see that you feel people with integrity and respect cannot make it in medicine (as if it was up to you). It says a lot about who you are as a person and the [lack of] great things we can expect you to give back to the profession.

Be the change you want to see. If not, you are just a part of the problem.