Preparing for Medical School
The Caltech–UC San Diego Medical Scholars program is an eight-year medical school program. Each year, six newly admitted freshmen at Caltech will also be offered early admission to the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, pending completion of their Caltech degrees as "medical scholars."
Medical Scholars Fact Sheet (PDF)
Preparing for Medical School FAQ (PDF)
Caltech students are well prepared for the medical school application process and have been successfully matriculating to competitive medical schools each year. Between 1992 and 2006, the medical schools most frequently chosen by Caltech students were
- Harvard Medical School
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
- Stanford University School of Medicine
- UC Irvine College of Medicine
- UCLA School of Medicine
- UC San Diego School of Medicine
- UC San Francisco School of Medicine
- University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
- USC Keck School of Medicine
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
- Washington University School of Medicine
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How well does Caltech prepare students for medical school? Through its core curriculum, Caltech provides an excellent education in the basic sciences, social sciences, and humanities for all undergraduate students, regardless of their major. This rigorous training prepares students extremely well for the academic requirements set by medical schools. Caltech also provides numerous opportunities for students to engage in scientific research (both on and off campus), clinical and volunteer activities, sports, performing arts, and leadership experiences.
In addition, each student receives individualized support through unlimited counseling and strategy sessions. Premedical and health professions advising is available in the Career Development Center, and Caltech has an active Premed Association. As a group, premed students attend numerous topic-specific workshops, such as interviewing techniques, writing seminars, and MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) preparation. For the more than 120 students who express interest in medical careers, Caltech is an ideal environment that encourages active collaboration among peers.
How well do Caltech premed students perform on the MCAT? Caltech students are very well prepared for this standardized test, and most students take their MCATs in the summer of their sophomore year. Caltech students consistently score in the top quartile in all four sections of the MCAT, and most students score about the 90th percentile in the physical and biological sciences and the verbal reasoning sections.
Do Caltech students have the opportunity to acquire clinical experience? All Caltech premed students are eligible to participate in the preceptorship program at the Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena. This unique and outstanding program is offered by Dr. William Caton, the chairman of neurosurgery, to Caltech students who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine. Each summer, approximately 20 Caltech premed students enroll in an intensive five-week rotation program during which they have the opportunity to experience various medical fields, such as neurosurgery, emergency medicine, pediatrics, pathology, cardiology, and radiology. Each participant documents over 200 hours of clinical experience each summer through this program.
Caltech also partners with the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles to provide individualized clinical or research opportunities for each premed student who wishes to participate in pediatric care. Each student is matched with a mentor depending on interest. Within a short distance from the Caltech campus, students also have opportunity to engage in medical research at the City of Hope, a leading cancer research and care institute.
On the Caltech campus, the Health Advocate program provides clinical, volunteer, and leadership experiences for participants through a year-long structured and extensive training program, so that students are prepared to provide emergency support to their peers when necessary.
Do Caltech students have opportunity to acquire volunteer experience? Caltech students have plenty of opportunities to engage in volunteer activities through the Caltech Y, which offers various programs that serve the needs of the community. Premed students are able to choose programs that easily fit into their schedule. Students are also encouraged to actively engage in campus life through student organizations and clubs. Because of its small size, Caltech is an ideal environment in which to acquire leadership experiences.
What services are offered to Caltech students interested in applying to medical school?
- Individual counseling and strategy sessions
- Information on clinical and cocurricular activities
- Preparation of the AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) application and secondary applications
- Preparation of personal statement
- Interviewing techniques
- Mock interviews
- Networking opportunities with alumni and medical school representatives
- Dissemination of information and news from medical organizations
- Frequent topic-specific workshops; MD/PhD programs; volunteer and research opportunities
- Library resources: journals, books, reference materials
FOR MORE INFORMATION
E-mail: premedinfo@admissions.caltech.edu
Phone: 626-395-6341
