Admissions Process

The UC Davis School of Medicine admissions cycle starts in July and ends the following July and consists of four major steps:

STEP 1: Complete AMCAS Application & the AAMC PREview Exam

For more information on additional COVID-19 admissions considerations, please visit our updated admissions policies.

May 26 is the first day students may submit applications (M.D., M.D./Ph.D.) to the American Medical College Application Service. October 1 at 11:59 pm EST (8:59 p.m. PST) is our deadline to submit all application materials to AMCAS. Extensions will not be considered. Please add our email address hs-somadmissions@ucdavis.edu in your contact list to avoid admissions communications navigating into the spam folder.

To further enhance our holistic review process, we are requiring MD Program applicants to complete the Association of American Medical Colleges Professional Readiness Exam (AAMC PREview™), to assess the pre-professional competencies that our admissions committee believes are essential for success at our medical school. The AAMC PREview exam will be available March – September 2024. Applicants who do not complete the PREview exam will not be further considered for admissions. MD/PhD applicants and Huwighurruk Scholars are NOT required to take the PREview exam.

For more PREview exam details and FAQ's, please click here.

STEP 2: Secondary Application (by invitation only)

After applying, your application is reviewed and qualified applicants are invited to complete our UC Davis School of Medicine secondary application.

The secondary application consists of:

• Supplementary activities and essays including possible interest in Community Health Scholars programs and/or ARC-MD
• Letters of recommendation (3-6 LORs allowed; at least one from a physician or clinician recommended.)
• Complete prerequisite information
• Non-refundable application fee: $120

Completed secondary applications are forwarded to the admissions committee who perform a holistic review of applications and invite select applicants for an interview. Interview invitations are on a rolling basis – July through February.

Current applicants can log into the application portal for updates and to communicate with the Admissions Office.

STEP 3: Interview Day (by invitation only)

We use the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) to delve more deeply into the applicant’s experiences and gain a deeper understanding of attributes relevant to a medical career. Our MMI is a blinded (closed-file) interview process. Our interviews are primarily held on Fridays starting in mid-August and ending in March/April. Below is more detailed information on your interview visit:

• Applicant Host Program: During your visit, you will have the opportunity to stay cost-free with one of our current medical students. Two weeks prior to your interview day, you will be given instructions on how to sign-up for the Applicant Host Program. Because of the limited number of medical students available, accommodations with student host are made on a “First Come, First Confirmed” basis. Applicant Host Program is completely run by current medical students and the student hosts are not reimbursed for any cost associated with hosting an applicant. Therefore, please do not ask Hosts to provide transportation to and from the airport or bus station.
• Get directions and view the parking map
• Student-Run Clinics tour (optional): During your visit to UC Davis School of Medicine, you will have an opportunity to visit any of our 7 student-run clinics. All tours are conducted on Saturday except for the Shifa tour which is held on Sunday. Reservations to visit a clinic are made on a “First Come, First Confirmed” basis until all slots are filled. A week before your interview, you will receive instructions on how to sign-up for this tour.
• Please note that the information in the section above is only for in-person interviews and does not apply when interviews are held virtually.

STEP 4: Acceptance Decision

Upon completion of your interview, your application is forwarded to the Admissions Committee. Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis starting on October 15 through July 15 the following year. Decisions are made within 30-45 days post-interview after review of your entire application packet. All decisions are final and we have a no feedback policy on applications.

Categories of decision are:

• Acceptance: Starting October 15 through July 15
• Waitlist: Applicant informed of waitlist status with final decision starting May 1 through July 15
• Not Accepted
  • Admission decisions will be based upon the information contained in the application materials at the time of review.
  • UPDATE POLICY - The Admissions Committee does not accept updates from applicants including activities additions/updates, additional letters of recommendation, etc. Note: Substantial changes such as citizenship status or recipient of a nationally recognized award may be review and considered by the admissions committee on a case-by-case basis.