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University of California San Francisco School of Medicine

San Francisco, CA

Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit

Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 6% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview mixed with a low stress level, and felt they did well.
⭐ Overall Impressions

How did the interview impress you?

Most respondents felt positively about their interview.

What was the stress level of the interview?

Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.

How you think you did?

Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.

How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?

Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.

How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?

Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions

What is one of the specific questions they asked you?

The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools revolve around the applicant's personal background, motivations for pursuing medicine, experiences in healthcare or research, challenges faced, career goals, and views on healthcare. While some interviews were structured with specific questions, others were more conversational and flowed based on the applicant's responses. Responses varied widely, with some mentioning MMI format, nondisclosure agreements, and detailed questions about the applicant's background and experiences.

What was the most interesting question?

Students said most interesting question asked at University of California San Francisco School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, from personal experiences to healthcare challenges and ethical dilemmas. While some mentioned specific questions about public health and healthcare disparities, others engaged in free-flowing conversations covering various interests, including travel, performance measurement, and medical ethics.

What was the most difficult question?

Students said most difficult question asked at University of California San Francisco School of Medicine discussed various topics including healthcare disparities, ethical scenarios, euthanasia, and personal motivations for pursuing medicine. Many respondents also mentioned encountering challenging questions during an MMI format interview, which may have involved nondisclosure agreements.
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics

How long was the interview?

Most respondents had an interview of more than 50 minutes.

How many people interviewed you?

Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.

What was the style of the interview?

Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.

What type of interview was it?

Most respondents had a closed file interview.

Was this interview in-person or virtual?

Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.

Where did the interview take place?

Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
📍 On-Site Experience

Who was the tour given by?

Tours were most commonly given by a Student

How did the tour guide seem?

Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.

How do you rank the facilities?

Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.

What is your in-state status?

Most respondents rank the facilities as below average.

What were your total hours spent traveling?

Most respondents spent 0-1 hour traveling to the interview.

What was your primary mode of travel?

Most respondents traveled by airplane to the interview.

About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?

Most respondents spent less than $100.

Where did you stay?

Most respondents stayed either With students at the school or with students at the school.

How would you rate the hotel?

Most respondents rated their hotel as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great

Would you recommend the hotel?

Most respondents would recommend their hotel.

What is your ranking of this school's location?

Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great

What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?

Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great

What are your comments on where you stayed?

No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions

How is the friendliness of the admissions office?

Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.

How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?

Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.

How did you prepare for the interview?

Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by conducting mock interviews, researching the school and its programs, reading through their application materials, and practicing responses to common questions. Many emphasized the importance of being themselves, staying relaxed, and being prepared to talk about their motivations for pursuing medicine and attending the specific institution.

What impressed you positively?

Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the supportive and kind faculty, laid-back and happy students, and the strong sense of community and social justice advocacy at UCSF. They also appreciated the genuine interest in their backgrounds during interviews, the beautiful campus with amazing views, and the well-organized interview day that showcased the school's strengths and opportunities.

What impressed you negatively?

Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the older facilities, lack of campus cohesion, the competitive atmosphere among students, limited financial aid flexibility, and logistical challenges in navigating the multiple campus locations. Suggestions included improving the campus appearance, enhancing the student experience with more engaging activities, and providing clearer communication about the school's strengths and resources.

What did you wish you had known ahead of time?

Applicants commonly expressed they wished they had known ahead of time about the need to prepare well in advance and how to navigate around the different campuses for interviews, as well as the high cost of living in San Francisco. Additionally, applicants mentioned the importance of being relaxed, bringing something to read during downtime, and being prepared for back-to-back interviews in a cold and rainy city.

What are your general comments?

Applicants generally found UCSF to be a great school with welcoming and friendly people. The interview day was described as relaxed and conversational, with opportunities to showcase personal experiences and interests, despite some organizational issues and varying interview experiences.
  • It's a great school with cool people. There are lots of opportunities for research, community work, public health, clinical care, or whatever might interest you.
  • the entire interview is genuinely conversational and meant to get to know you and your motivations. no crazy curveballs or ethics questions. really one of the most laidback and relaxed settings ever
  • Great school overall! But vibes change year to year it seems so I hope that the incoming class is cool
  • I love UCSF! The people here are what make me excited about the school--amazing faculty, amazing students.
  • I found the students to be a very good resource. I particularly enjoyed attending the MS 2 pathology lab. The students were friendly and inclusive. Anecdotally, it seems like Dr. Wofsy's introductory remarks are quite uplifting. Such was not the case with Dr. Ohara. He's honesty was appreciated though I did not understand the point of some comments (like saying our acceptance could depend entirely upon who interviewed us that day / whether they liked us)... I don't think that was helpful at all.

What are your suggestions for the admissions office?

Applicants commonly suggest improving the social aspects of the interview day, such as having more student interactions during lunch and ensuring a welcoming environment. They also recommend increased communication from the admissions office, including more frequent admissions committee meetings and clearer timelines for post-interview decisions.