whats the deal with the 3 ucla programs you can apply to?

[mrh125]

i dont understand this and im applying to all of them. are you allowed to apply to all of them? what's the difference between geffen and drew? I know rural prime is distinct, but can someone explain the other two? I've done digging but it seems weird that ucla has 3 different programs.

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[byaaaaaaah23]

Geffen is the normal MD track, equivalent to what you are getting when you apply to most other schools.
PRIME is a special program for rural medicine and requires a 5th year of research or getting another degree.
Drew is a joint program with the Charles Drew University in Compton and focuses on underserved communities.

Most people just apply to Geffen. You should only apply to the other programs if you actually have an interest in rural or underserved communities since they are small programs that have very specific focuses.

 

[mrh125]

Geffen is the normal MD track, equivalent to what you are getting when you apply to most other schools.
PRIME is a special program for rural medicine and requires a 5th year of research or getting another degree.
Drew is a joint program with the Charles Drew University in Compton and focuses on underserved communities.

Most people just apply to Geffen. You should only apply to the other programs if you actually have an interest in rural or underserved communities since they are small programs that have very specific focuses.

Thanks . It's good that the other programs are for rural and underserved. I'm interested in both.

 

[livca]

All the UC medical schools have a PRIME (Program in Medical Education) program whose goal is to develop doctors for underserved communities. Each PRIME program has a different focus, they include: rural, inner city, health equity, San Joaquin Valley, latino community; I think UCLA PRIME really focuses in in the leadership component in developing physician-leaders for underserved.

CDU/UCLA (24 students?) is partnership between the two institutions, whose goal is also to develop physicians for underserved communities. This is a great programs as you have the resources of 2 schools, more financial aid?, more administrative personal to support you. UCLA PRIME (18 students) is a 5 year program requires a student to earn a Masters degree (I'm not sure if its still funded), CDU/UCLA is a 4 year program and I believe students are required to develop a research thesis. I believe Clinical rotations for both these programs tend to be in underserved areas (as compared to regular UCLA SOM where rotations not required to be in underserved sites)

You apply to the 3 programs separately as they each have their own admissions committee.