Program Overview

The UCSD Medical Scholars Program is the premier opportunity designed for high school seniors who are California residents considering a career in medicine. The combined, eight-year Bachelor/M.D. program accepts up to twelve highly qualified high school seniors each year, and grants them provisional acceptance into the UCSD School of Medicine. Not only does this integrated program offer students the opportunity to pursue a degree in medicine, but also the flexibility to explore other disciplines and interest.

At the undergraduate level, Medical Scholars may choose any major. They are required only to complete the medical school admissions requirements listed below, and to maintain an overall 3.5 GPA. The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is not required. It is this accommodating nature of the program that leaves students free to explore their options outside the traditional pre-med track, and to participate in extracurricular activities, such as student life programs, philanthropic work, or undergraduate research. When the time comes to matriculate into the School of Medicine, Medical Scholars are free to apply out of the program to other medical schools if they so choose.

The UCSD Medical Scholars Program is distinguished by the strength of both the participating undergraduate and graduate institutions. Nationally ranked, and supported by an acclaimed faculty, including 16 Nobel laureates, UCSD is hailed as one of the foremost research universities in the world. Throughout their studies, students are exposed to a wide array of educational and research opportunities at both the undergraduate and medical school level. Upon graduation, students are competitive and successful in rigorous medical school and residency programs.

An intrinsic, yet often overlooked, aspect of the Medical Scholars Program is the integrated support system of the Medical Scholar community. As first year undergraduates, Medical Scholars are each assigned a medical student and faculty mentor to follow them throughout their academic careers. These successful, well-informed individuals provide advice, encouragement, and sometimes research opportunities to new students and help incorporate them into the community. Furthermore, the inception of the Medical Scholars Student Organization in 2006, as well as the comfortable intimacy of each small class, has helped undergraduates form a tight-knit group that holds social events, seeks philanthropic and research opportunities, and acts as a general support group for Medical Scholars while at UCSD.

A full list of application requirements can be viewed here.