Everything you need to know to navigate UCLA premed, including UCLA premed requirements and extracurriculars, the best premed major, and the UCLA premed acceptance rate

A classroom of UCLA premed students studying at their desks — Learn how to get into medical school as a UCLA premed

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: UCLA premed requirements

Part 3: UCLA premed extracurriculars

Part 4: Getting into medical school from UCLA

----

Part 1: Introduction

It’s easy to feel like everyone is a premed at UCLA. And that’s no accident. UCLA routinely produces over 1,000 medical school applicants each year, the most of any school in the U.S.

There are good reasons for this abundance of aspiring physicians. UCLA boasts top-notch academics and research opportunities, hundreds of premed organizations and programs, and a hospital system ranked #1 in California and #3 in the nation, making it one of the best premed schools in California.

And while 1,000+ medical school applicants annually is a lot, remember that these applicants are seniors or even alumni. In contrast, it’s safe to say that the number of premeds in any given class of UCLA freshmen is significantly higher. This begs a couple questions: Why? What happens during those four years that winnows out so many premeds?

There are a few common factors. With tons of premeds on campus, it can be easy to feel lost among the stiff competition and large class sizes. You might also feel overwhelmed by the prospects of fulfilling your premed requirements, picking your major, participating in the right extracurriculars, taking the MCAT, and everything else that goes into the grueling process of getting into medical school.

On top of this, it’s hard to earn good grades in the required premed science courses, so many students just don’t perform well enough to have a decent shot of earning a medical school acceptance. An unfortunate reality of UCLA premed life is that many simply don’t make it through to the end.

We’ve created this guide to help ensure that you’re one of the premeds that does make it. Below, we’ll discuss everything you need to navigate, from course selection to shadowing and research opportunities to on-campus resources. We’ve also dug up relevant admissions statistics so you can understand how UCLA premeds tend to fare as they apply to medical school and how you can put your best foot forward as a medical school applicant from UCLA.

----

Part 2: UCLA premed requirements

First thing’s first: what classes do you need to take as a UCLA premed?

UCLA provides a recommended course of study for pre-health students, highlighting specific courses that fulfill each category, as well as relevant prerequisites. While academic requirements can differ slightly between various medical schools, the following should be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of just about any school.

UCLA Premed Requirements
Medical school requirement	Required courses	Optional courses
Biology: One year with lab	Life Sciences 7A, 7B, and 7C + 23L	Life Sciences 107
General chemistry: One year with lab	One of the following: Chemistry 14A, 14B, and 14BL Chemistry 20A, 20B, and 20L	Chemistry 30AL
Organic chemistry: One year with lab	One of the following: Chemistry 14C, 14CL, and 14D Chemistry 30A, 30BL, and 30B	Chemistry 30C
Biochemistry: One course	Chemistry 153A	Chemistry 153L
Math: One year	One of the following: Math 3A, 3B, and 3C Math 31A, 31B, and 32A Life Sciences 30A, 30B, and 40 or Statistics 13	Statistics 10 and 12 Program in Computing 10A Biostatistics 100A and 110A Biomathematics 110, 160, and 170A
Physics: One year with lab	One of the following: Physics 5A, 5B, and 5C Physics 6A, 6B, and 6C Physics 1A, 1B, and 1C Plus: Physics 4AL and 4BL*
College-level English/writing: One year	3 English, Comparative Literature, or “W” courses
Courses helpful for MCAT prep:		Psychology 10 Sociology 1

*Must be taken concurrently with the 2nd and 3rd quarters of a physics series.

Sample UCLA premed two-year course plan

There are a variety of ways to tackle your premed requirements. You’ll notice that certain requirements above, like biology and biochemistry, are fulfilled through a specific series of courses that all premeds take. Other requirements, like math, chemistry, and physics, have multiple course sequences from which you can choose. All are acceptable for medical school admissions, but your options will vary depending on your major.

For example, say you major in chemistry. You’d be required to take the Math 31 series, along with the Chemistry 20 and 30 series and the Physics 1 series. On the other hand, if you major in biology, you could take those same courses, but you also might opt for the versions specifically designed for life sciences majors: the Life Sciences 30 series to take care of math, plus the Chemistry 14 and Physics 5 series.

So, when planning out your courses, you’ll want to think about:

Requirements for your major, which may or may not overlap with premed courses
General Education requirements
Courses for your cluster, if you decide to enroll in one (more on that later)
Prerequisites for certain premed courses, which can be found in the pre-health recommendations sheet linked above and in course descriptions
When you want to take the MCAT (e.g. if you’re taking a gap year, you might take the MCAT later in your college career and thus will have more time to get through necessary courses)
The relative ease and difficulty of each course (we’ll discuss this in detail shortly)

UCLA provides handy four-year sample course plans for common majors. In addition, here’s one way that you might distribute your premed requirements during your first two years, assuming you’re going straight through to med school and want to take the MCAT by the fall of your junior year:

Sample UCLA Premed Two-Year Course Plan
Quarter	Courses
Freshman Fall	Chemistry 14A Math 3A English/writing course
Freshman Winter	Chemistry 14B Math 3B English/writing course
Freshman Spring	Chemistry 14C Math 3C Psychology 10
Sophomore Fall	Life Science 7A Chemistry 14BL Physics 5A English/writing course
Sophomore Winter	Life Science 7B Chemistry 14CL Physics 5B Sociology 1
Sophomore Spring	Life Science 7C Life Science 23L Chemistry 14D Physics 5C
Sophomore–Junior Summer	Chemistry 153A

How to maintain a high GPA as a UCLA premed

We don’t have to tell you that UCLA is known for its rigorous academics, a fact that can make it challenging to maintain a high GPA, especially in the sciences. Many STEM classes at UCLA are graded on a curve, making it more difficult to earn As, whereas courses in other disciplines tend to be evaluated using a straight scale. Many of these tough science courses are known as “weeders,” because students who don’t do well in them are effectively weeded out of the premed track.

On top of this, many students receive low or middling grades freshman year due to the challenges of adjusting to college and not yet having good study habits in place.

Given how much weight your GPA holds when applying to medical school, it’s no surprise that a low GPA (sub-3.5, in most cases) is one of the most common reasons why many UCLA premeds eventually give up on becoming a doctor.

To avoid that fate, here is some guidance to help you keep your GPA afloat:

Expect to study hard! Even if you didn’t need to put in a ton of effort to excel in high school, that won’t be the case as a UCLA premed.
Go to office hours and TA sessions. It’s important to seek out help from your instructors if you don’t understand the course material. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that you’ll fall behind.
Join a premed study group. If you can’t find one to join, create one.
Plan in advance which courses you’ll take which semester, making sure that the most challenging classes are spaced out. UCLA’s Reddit community and Bruinwalk (similar to Rate My Professor) are good resources to research specific courses and professors. You can also talk to older premeds about what to expect from different classes.
Consider taking classes over the summer to spread out your work load.
Don’t take an unnecessarily challenging course load. Being a premed is hard enough, so attempt to find balance outside of your required courses. Don’t get us wrong—we are certainly in favor of pushing yourself academically. That said, medical school adcoms will be much more concerned with the strength of your GPA and whether you’ve met their prerequisites than with exactly which courses you took to meet them and how difficult those classes were.
Choose clusters carefully. We’ll discuss this more in just a moment.
Make use of test banks. UCLA’s Student Activities Center has a bank of midterms and finals given in certain courses. You can print out these resources to use as study material for exams.

(Suggested reading: How to Study as a Premed)

Is UCLA good for premed? From navigating prerequisites and extracurriculars to UCLA's quarter system and wide range of majors to choose from, Dr. Shemmassian explains the key factors to consider when determining if becoming a UCLA premed is the best fit for your medical school aspirations.

What’s the best premed major at UCLA?

Generally speaking, there’s no universal best major for premeds. Contrary to what you might think, majoring in biochemistry over art history has little statistical advantage when it comes to getting into medical school.

That said, there are certain majors that are much more common for premeds than others. Unsurprisingly, the biological sciences take the cake nationally when it comes to the largest numbers of medical school applicants and matriculants.

At UCLA, psychobiology is known as the most popular premed major for two primary reasons: its pre-major course requirements closely align with the premed classes you’ll need to take anyway, and many people think it’s the science major in which it’s easiest to maintain a good GPA.

Other common majors for UCLA premeds include the following, some of which are notoriously tough:

Biochemistry
Biology
Ecology, behavior, and evolution
Human biology and society
Microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics
Neuroscience
Physiological science

However, there are also UCLA premeds who major in anthropology, sociology, English, history, and plenty of other non-science disciplines.

Choosing the right premed major really boils down to two questions:

Does it interest you?
Will you be able to maintain a high GPA?

Should you participate in a cluster as a UCLA premed?

UCLA’s Cluster Program allows freshman to join a group of 200 students who take classes together revolving around a central subject (e.g., “America in the 60s,” “Frontiers in Human Aging”) for a year. Clusters can be great because they allow you to become part of a more intimate community and knock out a bunch of your General Education (GE) requirements, giving you more academic flexibility in later years.

That said, clusters can have their downsides if not chosen carefully. Since you’ll be studying one subject for a year, you’ll want to make sure it’s a topic that genuinely compels you. Participating in a cluster also restricts your ability to choose classes one-by-one. You can technically leave a cluster after the first or second quarter and still get GE credits for the courses you completed, but finishing out the year nets you your Writing II credit plus another “bonus” GE credit, so it’s typically worth it to stay the course.

On top of that, it’s essential that the GEs you fulfill through your cluster do not overlap with the GEs you’ll fulfill through your major; otherwise, you’ll end up taking extra classes in order to meet all the requirements. For example, if you’re in a science major, an ideal cluster would be one based in the humanities.

As a premed, you’ll also want to make sure that your cluster courses won’t interfere with your ability to keep your GPA up and do well in your premed courses. Certain clusters have reputations for being more demanding than others, so do your research. It’s certainly not necessary to participate in a cluster, and there are plenty of premeds on either route.

When should you take the MCAT?

The best time to take the MCAT depends on a number of factors, including which premed classes you’ve taken and when you’re planning on applying to medical school.

If you’re applying to med school straight through—i.e., you’re not planning on a gap year—we generally recommend taking the MCAT for the first time during the fall of your junior year. This allows you to spend the summer prior studying, and it builds in enough time on the other end in case you need to retake the exam.

And, most importantly, it ensures that you’ve mostly completed your required premed coursework, which is invaluable for MCAT prep. Here are the UCLA courses that are essential to take before you take the MCAT:

Life Sciences 7A, 7B, and 7C
Physics 5A, 5B, and 5C
Chemistry 14A, 14B, 14C, and 14D
Chemistry 153A

We cannot stress enough that you shouldn’t attempt the MCAT without the above coursework, especially when it comes to biochemistry (Chemistry 153A). Although the fact that you only need to take one biochem class in college might make it seem less important than some of your other science courses, the reality is actually the opposite: biochemistry is one of the most important subjects to master for the MCAT, as it makes up about 25 percent of the C/P and B/B sections.

In addition, you might consider taking Psychology 10 and Sociology 1. The course content will show up on the MCAT, and the classes themselves aren’t too demanding. That said, plenty of UCLA premeds self-teach the material and still do well on the exam, so don’t stress if you can’t manage to fit them into your schedule.

Looking for MCAT practice questions? Check out our proprietary MCAT Question Bank for 3000+ sample questions and eight practice tests covering every MCAT category.

----

Part 3: UCLA premed extracurriculars

The good news about premed extracurriculars at UCLA is that there are tons of organizations, labs, and activities to get involved with. The downside is that actually getting involved can be very competitive due to the high number of premeds vying for quality extracurricular experiences.

For example, many premed clubs only take a select number of new members each year, and some even have extensive application processes to join, involving transcripts, references, interviews, and more.

This might sound discouraging, but rest assured that there are plenty of less competitive clubs and opportunities on campus and off that will allow you to obtain great extracurricular experiences. You can still throw your hat in the ring for the more exclusive clubs and treat the application process as valuable practice for the med school application process ahead.

Below, we’ve listed some of the most popular programs, activities, and organizations that UCLA premeds get involved with. This list is by no means exhaustive, so be sure to browse this list of student organizations and Bruinwalk for more opportunities. Furthermore, talk to older premeds about activities they recommend.

And while we’ve listed organizations with a medical focus, don’t forget that you can also volunteer elsewhere in the local LA community—think blood banks, homeless shelters, after-school programs, senior care facilities, food pantries, and more.

UCLA premed clinical and community volunteering

Below is a list of UCLA organizations focused on medical volunteering in either a clinical or community context:

You can also enroll in courses from the Center for Prehospital Care and receive academic credit while learning to be an EMT, paramedic, phlebotomist, and more.

UCLA premed shadowing

The first thing to know about shadowing as a UCLA premed is that UCLA’s on-campus Ronald Reagan Hospital does not allow undergrads to shadow doctors at their facilities, except as part as certain approved programs (we’ve included many of them in the above list). So, unless you’re accepted into one of those programs, you’ll need to look to other hospitals, clinics, or physicians in private practice to gain shadowing hours.

Here are nearby hospitals at which you can look into shadowing:

As we touched on earlier, it’s also a great idea to reach out to private practices and smaller clinics. Read more in our guide on how to shadow a doctor.

UCLA premed research

Some of the volunteer organizations we listed above, like the CTSI Research Associates Program and Bruin Beans, also incorporate research into their activities. If you’re looking for research-specific extracurriculars, options include:

Another great way to get involved with research is to become a research assistant in a UCLA faculty member’s lab. However, landing in these positions can be quite competitive and will likely require a bit of effort on your part.

There are three main ways to get involved with an on-campus lab:

Search for open positions through the Undergraduate Research Portal.
Ask older premeds, especially seniors who’ll be graduating soon, if they know of any open positions in their labs.
Cold email faculty members who work in your area of interest and ask if they need any assistance. You might need to send out quite a few emails—try five a day until you get a bite.

You might also consider getting involved with research via your academics. One popular pathway for premeds is the Biomedical Research Minor, which requires you to conduct at least four quarters of research and write a thesis. You can also join programs like the Undergraduate Research Fellows Program and the Integrated and Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research Program.

Find more opportunities, plus resources like workshops, on the website for the Undergraduate Research Center.

----

Part 4: Getting into medical school from UCLA

UCLA doesn’t provide premed-specific advising. However, you can book one-on-one advising appointments through UCLA’s Career Center, and you can find workshops and events posted to the UCLA Pre-Health Facebook page. Pre-Health Services also hosts an annual pre-health conference and a graduate and professional school fair—visit their website for a full list of available resources.

Putting together your med school applications as a UCLA premed is the same as it is anywhere—you’ll need a strong personal statement, great secondary essays, your AMCAS Work & Activities section, transcripts, and letters of recommendation.

Regarding that last item, note that UCLA doesn’t provide a committee letter, so you’ll have to ask your teachers and mentors for recommendations individually.

(Suggested reading: The Ideal Medical School Application Timeline)

UCLA premed acceptance rate and admissions statistics

How do premeds from UCLA tend to fare in the medical school admissions process? Let’s review the UCLA premed admissions statistics.

In 2020, 1,149 UCLA premeds applied to medical school and 53 percent were accepted—10 percentage points higher than the national average. Successful applicants from UCLA had an average MCAT score of 513.6 and an average GPA around 3.7.

Where do these students end up? Although UCLA grads matriculate at med schools across the country, many understandably hope to stay close to home—9 of the 10 medical schools most applied to by UCLA grads are located in California.

And while the med schools that accept the highest numbers of UCLA grads—USC, California University of Science and Medicine, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, and UC Davis—reflect this trend, the schools that accept the highest percentages of UCLA premeds tell a slightly different story.

The top five medical schools at which UCLA grads enjoy the best odds still include USC and California University of Science and Medicine, this time joined by Saint Louis University, Western Michigan University, and Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook.

Getting into UCLA Medical School as a UCLA premed

What about UCLA’s own David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM)? Lots of premeds understandably wonder whether their status as a UCLA undergrad will give them a better shot of getting into UCLA’s prestigious medical school.

In 2020, 903 UCLA premeds applied to DGSOM and 33 were accepted—just 3.7 percent. And while the overall acceptance rate at Geffen is lower at 2.8 percent, the difference isn’t huge. In other words, you aren’t significantly more likely to get into Geffen as a UCLA premed than you are as an applicant from another college.

If you do hope to stay in Westwood through medical school, know that the average GPA and MCAT score at DGSOM are high—3.85 and 517—so following the advice in this guide will be even more crucial.

Final thoughts

Getting through premed at UCLA is challenging due to rigorous courses and a competitive extracurricular scene. That said, the opportunities that abound are wide-ranging and top-notch, from academics to research to clinical experience. Plus, as a premed, you’ll be part of a large, welcoming community of fellow premeds all traveling the same path.

Study hard, plan ahead, and keep your GPA up. Before you know it, you’ll be on your way to earning your first medical school acceptance.