Post-baccalaureate Program

To be eligible for the Postbaccalaureate Program, candidates must:

• Be a California resident
• Be considered disadvantaged*
• Possess an undergraduate degree from an accredited U.S. college or university
• Have a minimum cumulative and science GPA of 2.8
• Have completed the following requirements for medical school:
  
  • Biology: 1 year (including a minimum of one upper-division course)
  • Chemistry: 1 year general chemistry & 1 year organic chemistry
  • Physics: 1 year
• If a re-applicant, must have a minimum composite MCAT score of 492
• Have a demonstrated record of service to the underserved
• Have not previously matriculated at a medical school
• Submit an application with all supporting documents by the final deadline

*A disadvantaged individual is one who, from an early age, resided in a low-income community or experienced enduring family, societal or other hardships that significantly compromised their educational opportunities.

The Postbaccalaureate program is a one-year premedical academic enhancement program that includes:

• Full-time enrollment in two upper-division biology courses (8 units) in summer session I and II
• Full-time enrollment (12 units) in fall and winter quarters
• Concurrent enrollment in a 10-week MCAT critical reasoning skills enrichment course along with full-time undergraduate coursework in the fall quarter
• Full-time enrollment in MCAT preparation course in the spring quarter

Over the course of the program, students will complete a total of 40 quarter units. Depending on the academic background of the student, course enrollments will vary. Students will receive one-on-one academic counseling to formulate the classes that will best meet their academic needs and discuss the areas they can further develop in their application to medical school.

During the academic year, students enroll in upper-division science courses. It is expected that students will maintain a 3.5 GPA or higher in these courses. This is an opportunity for students to:

• Implement new learning skills and study habits
• Receive one-on-one academic counseling and guidance throughout the program and application process
• Demonstrate the academic mastery that is required in medical school
• Use various campus resources, including the Writing Center, the Learning & Academic Resource Center (LARC), the Career Center and the Counseling Center 

Students are also enrolled in an MCAT critical reasoning preparation course throughout fall quarter. If needed, students may also participate in research and/or enhance their clinical exposure for academic credit. The program hosts seminars, workshops, motivational gatherings, and professional discussions focusing on health care in underserved populations. Some additional highlights are:

• Mentoring opportunities
• Medical student interaction
• Community and professional development opportunities

MCAT preparation consists of two phases.

PHASE I (Fall): The first phase takes place during fall quarter and consists of concurrent enrollment in a 10-week MCAT critical reasoning skills enrichment course along with full-time undergraduate coursework in the fall quarter. The intention of this phase is to allow students the opportunity to gain an advance start in enhancing their verbal reasoning skills prior to the intensive MCAT preparation phase in the spring.

PHASE II (Spring): The second phase takes place during the spring quarter and after completion of all program coursework, therefore, students can focus solely on preparing for the MCAT exam. Students complete a diagnostic and several full-length practice MCAT exams while enrolled in a full-time, intensive preparation course. During the preparation period, students will have access to several online and hard-copy instructional resources. The objective is to provide students with the tools needed to perform to their full potential on the MCAT exam.

During this phase, students meet regularly with the program advisor to determine their readiness for application/re-application to medical school. The MCAT exam date and subsequent application to medical school will be determined based on each individual student’s progress in the program and in their MCAT preparation.

Students are responsible for all costs including living expenses, undergraduate tuition/registration fees and any additional educational costs over the course of the program. Since only a portion of the costs can be defrayed by student loans, participants are encouraged to apply early for financial aid. Depending on institutional funding in a given year, some of the costs may be covered by the program.

Applicants should submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for both the current academic year and the previous academic year. Submitting the FAFSA is the first step to applying for financial aid. It does not cost anything to apply for financial aid. Please visit www.fafsa.gov to complete the form. UC Irvine's school code is 001314.

If you have any questions about the FAFSA or the financial aid process, representatives from the School of Medicine Financial Aid Office are available to help you. For specific questions, you may contact the Financial Aid Office at cmfao@uci.edu or 949-824-6476.

How to Apply:

The UC Irvine Postbaccalaureate Program, along with other UC medical school programs, are part of a consortium. The consortium uses a joint online application and a centralized service for all application materials. This allows applicants to apply to various programs on different UC campuses. Applications are considered separately and deadlines for completed applications vary for each program.

Application instructions are available on the UC Postbaccalaureate Consortium’s website: https://health.ucdavis.edu/postbacc-consortium/ 

In addition to submitting a complete online UC Postbaccalaureate Consortium application, you must submit all supporting materials, which include letters of recommendation, college transcripts and, if you are reapplying, a copy of your processed AMCAS application.

Official transcripts for all college level work, including summer course work, are required for your application to be considered complete. Transcripts must be sent directly from your institution to the UC Postbaccalaureate Consortium via email at pbcentraladmin@ucdavis.edu , via Interfolio, or mail to:

UC Postbaccalaureate Consortium
UC Davis School of Medicine
4610 X Street, Suite 4101
Sacramento, CA 95817

Application instructions are available on the UC Postbaccalaureate Consortium’s website: https://health.ucdavis.edu/postbacc-consortium/

• The application is now available until the deadline on March 23, 2023

Have additional questions?

First, please view a list of our most frequently asked questions here. For additional questions not addressed here, please contact us via email at pbsom@uci.edu.