Medical Schools In California: Ultimate Guide to Getting In (2026-2027)

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 worked with thousands of students and have been helping students successfully get into California medical schools for more than 18 years.

• This page lists all MD and DO schools in California.
• You will learn each school's location, if it is public/private, and average stats for accepted students.
• This page helps you quickly compare all California medical schools so you can start building a realistic school list based on your GPA, MCAT, state residency, and interests
  

How to use this California Medical Schools page

• Start by identifying which schools prioritize in‑state applicants or out of state applicants depending on your situation.
• Note the schools that align with your interests (primary care, research, underserved communities).
• Compare your GPA/MCAT to typical ranges (and link to your GPA/MCAT pages if you have them).
• Use our case example below to see how a real California applicant built a list.

What are the Best Medical Schools in California?

• Stanford
• UCSF
• UCLA
• UCSD

What are the Most Out of State Friendly Medical Schools in California?

• Loma Linda
• Stanford
• USC

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 R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (NR)

Related: Medical School by State

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 University of Medicine and Science
• 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 University of Medicine and Science
• 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

RECOMMENDED READING: How to Write a Great Medical School Personal Statement (with Examples)

RECOMMENDED READING: AMCAS Work and Activities Section (with Examples): The Ultimate Guide

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 (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

Related: How to get into Stanford Medical School

University of California – Davis

University of California – Irvine

University of California – Los Angeles

Related: How to get into UCLA Medical School

University of California – San Diego

University of California – San Francisco

Related: How to get into UCSF Medical School

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.