University of California-Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine

Introduction

This was the first University of California Medical School in Southern California, enrolling its charter class in 1951. The school is located on the UCLAcampus and is closely connected with the University Medical Center. Both the School of Medicine and Medical Center have expanded along with the growth of Los Angeles into a major metropolitan urban center.

Academics

4-year semitraditional. Stress is on the holistic approach in medicine. First year: Introductory basic sciences and patient contact and experience in history and physical examination as well as an elective program and a preceptorship program. Second year: Study of the process of disease through advanced basic science courses using an organ-system approach; diagnosis and treatment through courses in clinical surgery, clinical neurology, outpatient psychiatry, radiology, and obstetrics. Third year: Clerkships in clinical sciences and work in wards and outpatient clinics. Fourth year: Consists of electives – advanced elective clinical clerkships with primary patient responsibility, and in-depth elective courses that can be centered on major area of clinical interest or a combination of related or diverse disciplines.

Unique Programs

Minority admissions: The school has an active recruitment program and offers a 4-week summer prologue to medicine program for accepted students. Other degree programs: Combined MD-PhD degree programs are offered in a variety of disciplines including medical physics, biomathematics, engineering, and experimental pathology. An MD-MPH program is also offered.

Admissions

Prerequisites are the basic premedical science courses (if possible, including quantitative analysis as part of inorganic chemistry), 1 year of mathematics (including introductory calculus and statistics), and 1 year of English (including composition). Spanish, humanities, and computer skills are highly recommended. Completing courses overlapping those in medical school, such as human anatomy, is not advisable. Taking the spring MCAT is recommended. Applicants are favored who have a broad training and high achievement in their college education. Applicants are initially screened on the basis of their personal essay, letters of recommendation, their GPA, and MCAT scores. Selected applicants will be scheduled to have a personal interview by members of the faculty. About 25 of the students admitted each year are accepted into the Drew/UCLAJoint Medical Program, designed for students with an interest in caring for underserved populations. Transfer and advanced standing: From U.S. medical schools only, into the third-year class.

Students

Letter grading in basic sciences, clinical sciences, and electives.Promotioniscontingentuponsatisfactorycompletion of required work each year. Completion of Steps 1 and 2 of the USMLE is required. Teaching: The School of Medicine is located in the Center for Health Sciences, which is the largest building in California. The University Hospital (517 beds) is the major clinical training center. Many other hospitals, including Harbor General (800 beds), are affiliated with the medical school. Other: The Brain Research Institute is a 10-story wing, connected to the Neuropsychiatric Institute and also houses the Los Angeles County Cardiovascular Research Laboratory. The Reed Neurological Research Center is an 8-story unit devoted to clinical research in neuromuscular disease. Library:The Biomedical Library is an 8-level facility in the northeast corner of the campus. Housing: Living accommodations are available in the university’s residence halls or married students’ housing.

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