The JMP seeks applicants who are motivated and prepared to investigate biological, behavioral, or policy-related aspects of health and health care systems leading to completion of a Master of Science thesis.
The JMP welcomes applicants from all backgrounds. The faculty is committed to increasing the number of physicians in the profession from populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession.
For more information email admissions.som@ucsf.edu.
How to Apply
To apply the UCB-UCSF Joint Medical Program (JMP), applicants start by:
- applying to UCSF via AMCAS
- receiving and accepting an invitation for a UCSF secondary application
- following the instructions on the UCSF secondary application by checking the JMP box to indicate interest in the JMP
- submitting additional JMP-specific application materials as instructed
- submitting a UC Berkeley Application for Admission by February 15
After checking the JMP box, applicants will be prompted to provide additional JMP-specific materials, including two short essay questions. Only applicants who have checked the JMP box on their UCSF secondary application will be considered for JMP admission.
The AMCAS application deadline is October 15 every year. You can find out more about the application form as well as instructions for completing and submitting it on the AMCAS Web site. Applications are available in May and can be submitted to AMCAS on or after May 30. Your application and official transcripts must be submitted to AMCAS no later than October 15 of the year preceding your expected entry. We encourage you to submit your application as early as possible in order to facilitate processing and evaluation. Please note that we cannot consider deadline extensions for any reason.
After UCSF receives your application from AMCAS and performs a preliminary review, selected candidates will be invited to complete a secondary application. Typically, you will be notified about submitting a secondary application approximately 3-10 weeks after receipt of your verified AMCAS data. During the secondary application process you can select the UC Berkeley – UCSF Joint Medical Program in addition to other programs offered by UCSF.
The AMCAS application, secondary application, and letters of recommendation will be used to identify applicants who will be invited for interviews. Interview decisions are made on a rolling basis.
Applicants who would like to be considered for the Health and Medical Sciences Block Grant Award or Graduate Opportunity Program Fellowship must submit a completed application by this deadline.
To review Prerequisite Course Requirements and to submit your application, go to the UCSF Medical Education website.
Selection Process
Applicants are selected for interview at the JMP from the pool of those who have checked the JMP box on their UCSF secondary application. Interviews are arranged by JMP staff. At the time of interview invitation, applicants will be sent an application to the Graduate Division of the University of California at Berkeley. Interviews for the Joint Medical Program are separate from those for the traditional UCSF program and the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP).
The JMP Admissions Panel is composed of faculty members and student representatives from both the UCSF and Berkeley campuses. The results of the interviews and deliberations of the JMP Admissions Panel are separate from those of the School of Medicine, and applicants offered admission to both the Joint Medical Program and the School of Medicine at UCSF are required to choose between them.
Admission to UC Berkeley and UCSF
JMP applicants are admitted as both medical and graduate students, and therefore must apply and be admitted to both UCSF School of Medicine and the UC Berkeley Graduate Division. Admissions details for the MD, including prerequisite courses, are outlined on the UCSF Medical Education website.
Requirements for admission to the UC Berkeley Graduate Division are:
- a bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution
- a minimum GPA of 3.0
- MCAT – Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) in lieu of the GRE — The JMP is a regional campus of UCSF. As such, for the 2021 Admissions Cycle, the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine will accept applications without an MCAT score due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All candidates will be screened and interview decisions will be offered without utilization of an MCAT score.
In addition to the academic requirements listed on the UCSF website, the JMP recommends upper-division courses in the biological, behavioral, and social sciences and an introductory course in statistics.
Admission to PRIME-US at the JMP
Each JMP class of 16 students accepts four students who participate in PRIME-US at the JMP. JMP applicants interested in PRIME-US should check the PRIME box as well as the JMP box on the UCSF secondary application. Interviews for PRIME-US at the JMP take place on the JMP interview day. Selection for PRIME-US at the JMP occurs after acceptance to the JMP. Prospective students interested in PRIME-US at the JMP should make sure to complete both the PRIME-US application and the JMP application in the UCSF secondary application.