How to Get Into UCR Medical School from the Cracking Med School Admissions team

How to Get Into UCR Medical School: Physician Expert Advice

The University of California, Riverside (UCR) School of Medicine offers a unique opportunity for aspiring physicians to train in a mission-driven environment focused on addressing healthcare disparities, particularly in underserved communities. Located in the diverse Inland Empire region, UCR provides students with extensive clinical exposure to a wide range of patient populations, preparing them to make a meaningful impact in their future careers. The school emphasizes small class sizes, close faculty mentorship, and community engagement, creating a supportive and personalized educational experience. For those exploring how to get into UCR medical school, its focus on recruiting students with a passion for service and a commitment to addressing healthcare challenges makes it an excellent choice for those eager to make a difference. Read more to gain more insights into how to get into UCR Medical School!

Note that there is also a special UCR School of Medicine PRIME (Program in Medical Education) track. Read more below!

Each year, the Cracking Med School Admissions team gets people accepted to UCR. We can help you get accepted! Contact us today.

Why Choose University of California Riverside (UCR)?
  • Primary care focused
  • Serve many immigrants, particularly Latinos
  • Southern California
  • Prepares you for STEP exams

Applications

How to get into UCR medical school tip – know the UCR School of Medicine Mission and make sure your essays relate to its mission, which is to serve the people of Southern California, particularly the Inland Empire.

The University of California, Riverside School of Medicine (UCR SOM) secondary application includes in-depth essay prompts that require careful thought and strong personal storytelling. To stand out, emphasize your commitment to UCR’s mission of improving healthcare access in underserved and Inland Empire communities through service, leadership, and a dedication to primary care. If you’re wondering how to get into UCR School of Medicine, researching its programs, community-based initiatives, and unique mission will help you craft compelling, tailored responses. Given the depth of the essays, allocate sufficient time to ensure your answers are well-structured, thoughtful, and demonstrate your fit for UCR’s vision of healthcare equity.

How to Get Into UCR Medical School from the Cracking Med School Admissions team

UCR Medical School Secondary Application Essay Prompts:

  1. The mission of the UCR School of Medicine is to improve the health of the people of California and, especially, to serve Inland Southern California by training a diverse workforce of physicians and by developing innovative research and healthcare delivery programs that will improve the health of the medically underserved in the region and become models to be emulated throughout the state and nation. What experiences, skills, and abilities will you bring to the class to fulfill this mission? (250 words max)
  2. The values of the UCR SOM are integrity, innovation, inclusion, excellence, accountability and respect. Please choose one of the values and tell us how you have personally experienced it or have seen it emulated in a clinical setting. (250 words max)
  3. In what type of healthcare setting do you see yourself practicing medicine? (250 words max)
  4. Tell us about a personal challenge you have faced in your life thus far and how you demonstrated resilience and grit to overcome it.  [Please do not write about studying for or taking the MCAT.] (250 words max)
  5. If there is anything you would like the committee to consider about your candidacy that is not explained elsewhere in your application, please use this space to tell us. (250 words max)

Does UCR Medical School Take Letters of Interest?

Generally, UCR Medical School does not accept letters of interests. Our Cracking Med School Admissions team has heard from the admissions committee members that they frown upon update letters and letters of interests.

However, rules change each year and you should re-confirm with the UCR Admissions website if it is accepting letters of interests this year!

Get Help On Your UCR Secondary Application!

How to get into Cornell Medical School – we have an ENTIRE page dedicated to the UCR Medical School secondary application essay tips. Study them. Apply them. And that’s how you’ll stand out!

Contact Dr. Rachel Rizal and Dr. Rishi Mediratta if you have any questions about the University of California Riverside Medical School, how to get into UCR Medical School, or how to submit awesome UCR Medical School secondaries.

Need Help With Your UCR Medical School Secondary Essays?

Get the Cracking Med School Admissions team’s expertise through our secondary essay editing packages. If you have questions, email us at info@crackingmedadmissions.com or contact us.

UCR Medical School
Interview Format

To ace your traditional interview, you need to know how to answer common medical school interview questions. It’s important to practice, practice, practice.

Cracking Med Resources for Interviews:

Contact us if you want to schedule a mock interview with our Cracking Med School Admissions team! Take a look at our interview packages.

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If you are prepared, the interview gives you the perfect opportunity to standout and shine by sharing with people what you are passionate about.

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University of California Riverside (UCR) Acceptance Rate

Applied
7221
Interviewed
800
Accepted
0
Admit Rate
0

University of California Riverside (UCR) Admissions Statistics:

  • University of California Riverside (UCR) GPA: 3.7
  • University of California Riverside (UCR) MCAT: 509

How did University of California Riverside (UCR) Med Students Do on Their USMLE Step Exams?

  • Average University of California Riverside (UCR) USMLE Step 1 Percentage Passing Rate: 85%
  • Average University of California Riverside (UCR) USMLE Step 2 Score: 242

Source: US News

Your medical school application Coaches, Mentors, & Cheerleaders

We Personally Advise Every Student We Work With

Dr. Rachel Rizal

Rachel Rizal, M.D.

Changing the trajectory of people's lives

Undergraduate
Princeton University

Medical School
Stanford School of Medicine

Residency
Harvard, Emergency Medicine

Awards & Scholarships
Fulbright Scholar
USA Today Academic First Team
Tylenol Scholarship

Rishi Mediratta, MD, MSc, MA

Rishi Mediratta, M.D., M.Sc., M.A.

Advising students to attend their dream schools

Undergraduate
Johns Hopkins University

Medical School
Stanford School of Medicine

Residency
Stanford, Pediatrics

Awards & Scholarships
Marshall Scholar
Tylenol Scholarship
Global Health Scholar

Each year, the Cracking Med School Admissions team
helps students get accepted to top medical schools.
We can help you get accepted!

Contact us today.

The Insider's View On UCR's
Pre-Clinical Years

How to Get Into UCR Medical School Tip – Know the Curriculum:

UCR Curriculum: Overview 

At UCR the curriculum consists of several required four-year threads in topics like clinical reasoning, health systems science, interprofessional education, palliative care, pediatrics, public health and social medicine, and health equity/social justice/anti-racism. 

Check out UCR’s Curriculum!

Pre-Clinical Years:

During the pre-clinical years, UCR is Pass/Fail.

As a first year UCR medical student, you complete the 5 following blocks including:

  • Foundations of Medicine 1
  • Cardiovascular, Renal, and Respiratory Medicine 1
  • Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, and Reproductive Health 1
  • Musculoskeletal Medicine
  • Clinical Neurosciences 1
  • Clinical Medicine
  • Ultrasound Education

These blocks consist of embedded longitudinal threads, longitudinal ambulatory care experience (LACE), the doctoring, clinical skills, and care-based learning.

As a second year UCR medical student you complete 4 blocks including:

  • Foundations of Medicine 2
  • Cardiovascular, Renal, and Respiratory Medicine 2
  • Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, and Reproductive Health 2
  • Clinical Neurosciences 2
  • Integrative Assessment

Additionally, students will work on advanced clinical skills and the ultrasound student instructor.

How to get into UCR Medical School – Know Unique Characteristics:

Unique highlights:

  • Offers 4-year Designed Emphasis Programs with additional requirements to explore areas such as Community Health, Healthcare Leadership, Medical and Health humanities, Medical Spanish, and Point of Care Ultrasound
  • Longitudinal Ambulatory Care Experience (LACE) allows students to gain clinical and research experiences with community-based primary care physician based in Inland Southern California
  • UCR offers the PRIME track allowing for students to be trained to meet the needs of African, Black, and Caribbean communities

UCR PRIME Program:

The UCR School of Medicine PRIME (Program in Medical Education) track is a specialized program designed to train physicians committed to addressing healthcare disparities in underserved communities, with a specific focus on African, Black, and Caribbean (ABC) populations in Inland Southern California. This program equips students with the skills and knowledge needed to address the unique health challenges faced by these communities, incorporating public health education, cultural competency, and leadership training into the standard medical curriculum.

Key features of the UCR PRIME track include:

  1. Targeted Community Focus: PRIME students work closely with African, Black, and Caribbean communities in the Inland Empire, gaining hands-on experience addressing social determinants of health and improving health equity.
  2. Specialized Curriculum: The program integrates education in public health, advocacy, and policy, preparing students to lead initiatives that address systemic health disparities.
  3. Dual Degree Option: Students have the opportunity to pursue a Master of Public Health (MPH) or another advanced degree, enhancing their expertise in public health and leadership.
  4. Supportive Cohort Model: PRIME students form a close-knit cohort, united by a shared mission to serve ABC and other underserved populations.

The UCR PRIME track aligns with the university’s mission to improve health outcomes in the Inland Empire and serves as a critical pipeline for addressing the healthcare needs of African, Black, and Caribbean communities, preparing students to make a lasting impact through culturally sensitive and community-centered care.

Thomas Haider Early Assurance Program-Special UCR Undergraduate to UCR Medical School Pipeline:

UCR offers 24 UCR undergraduate students the opportunity to be admitted to the UCR School of Medicine after completing their undergraduate career at UCR. 

Learn more about the Thomas Haider Early Assurance Program here!

Special Dual Degree Programs:

  • MD/PhD
  • MD/MPP

What students are saying about UCR Medical School

The Insider's View on University of California Riverside - UCR's
clinical years

UCR Clinical Curriculum:

The clinical rotations at UCR School of Medicine provide excellent training for practicing medicine by offering hands-on experience in diverse and underserved communities within the Inland Empire region. Rotations emphasize community-focused care, ensuring students are well-prepared to address healthcare disparities and provide compassionate, patient-centered care. With mentorship from dedicated faculty and physicians, as well as access to cutting-edge facilities, UCR’s clinical training equips students with the skills and confidence needed to excel in their medical careers. It’s important to know what makes UCR’s clinical curriculum and rotations unique in order to know how to get into UCR medical school!

During the clinical years at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) School of Medicine, the grading system transitions from pass/fail to a tiered system. Students are typically assessed using categories such as Honors, High Pass, Pass, and Fail for their clinical rotations.

UCR third year medical students engage in core clerkships and a two-week transition to clerkship course. Students take the following required core clerkships:

  • Medicine
  • Surgery
  • Family Medicine
  • Pediatrics
  • Obstetrics-Gynecology
  • Psychiatry
  • Neurology
  • Emergency Medicine

The fourth year consists of 11 blocks with the following required courses: 

  • Sub-Internship 1
  • Radiology
  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Transition to Medicine

Common clinical rotation sites:

  • Riverside Community Hospital
  • Riverside University Health System Medical Center
  • Kaiser Permanente
  • Eisenhower Medical Center
  • Pacific Grove Hospital
  • Patton State Hospital
  • St. Bernardine Medical Center
  • Corona Regional Medical Center

What students are saying about clinical rotations at University of California Riverside (UCR)

Housing & Social

Social Life:

  • The social life at UCR School of Medicine is defined by its supportive, close-knit community, where students form strong bonds through shared experiences and collaboration. The school’s small class sizes foster a sense of camaraderie, while various student organizations, cultural events, and wellness activities provide opportunities to connect outside the classroom.
  • Located in Riverside, students enjoy a mix of outdoor activities, such as hiking and visiting local parks, and exploring the vibrant downtown area, known for its historic charm, restaurants, and entertainment. This balance of academic rigor and social engagement creates a well-rounded and fulfilling experience for UCR medical students.

Housing:

  • Housing for UCR School of Medicine students is diverse and affordable, with many choosing to live in Riverside or nearby neighborhoods for convenience and accessibility to campus. Many students opt for housing close to the UCR campus, such as GrandMarc at University Village or Highlander at North Campus, which provide modern amenities and a short commute.
  • For those seeking quieter or more spacious options, nearby cities like Moreno Valley and Corona offer additional choices within a reasonable drive. The variety of housing options ensures that students can find accommodations that fit their needs and budget.

financing

UCR provides merit-based scholarship and need-based aid based on FAFSA and Admissions. Many students apply for need-based aid, and most take out loans.

  • Tuition Medical School Tuition and Fees: ~$44,924 for residents and ~57,169 for non-residents
  • Other (housing, living expenses): ~$73,555 for on-campus housing and ~84,205 for off-campus housing

Source: https://somsa.ucr.edu/general-information-financial-aid

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