University of California health professional schools attract students who want more than a profession. Our students seek a profession grounded in purpose: to make a difference in the world.
At University of California Health (UCH), the education, mentorship and training you receive combines academic and clinical excellence—with a passion to create more accessible and equitable health care for everyone.
University of California Health is the largest health sciences educational program in the United States. Across our 21 health schools, we enroll approximately 15,000 health sciences students, trainees and residents. We use research and data to drive innovations in education and patient care, and we never stop.
If you’re ready to challenge the status quo and bring compassion and empathy to your patients and peers, we invite you to explore our schools and programs. Find where you fit.
Health professionals trained by the University of California since 1999.
Educating Tomorrow’s Health Professionals
Like much of the nation, California is facing shortages in many health professions as providers retire and the state’s population grows, ages and becomes increasingly diverse.
UC invests in its students throughout their education and training. Many want to stay in California—and the majority do. More than 70 percent of our students build their careers in California after graduating from our health professional schools.
Wherever you choose to work, you will have a strong network of UC alumni. And you’ll be recognized as having graduated from one of the most academically challenging schools in the nation.
Leading California, the Nation and the World
The University of California’s global reputation and continual pursuit of basic, clinical and translational research has produced more winners of the Nobel Prize, resulted in more funding from the National Institutes of Health, and has more graduates elected to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine than any other university system.
Our health professional schools—Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Optometry, Pharmacy, Public Health and Veterinary Medicine—are among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report and QS World University Rankings. The experience you receive here will be unlike any other.
All U.S. News & World Report rankings are based on the 2022 update except for veterinary medicine (2019) and pharmacy (2020). *Indicates 2021 QS World University Ranking.
UC Berkeley
#8 Graduate School of Public Health
UC Davis
#1 Veterinary Medicine School
#3 Most Diverse Medical School (tie)
#8 Medical School – Primary Care
#19 Department of Public Health Sciences (tie)
#23 Nursing School – Master’s
#51 Medical School – Research
UC Irvine
#31 Program in Public Health (tie)
#42 Nursing School – Masters
#51 Medical School – Research (tie)
#61 Medical School – Primary Care (tie)
UC Riverside
#11 Most Diverse Medical School (tie)
UC San Diego
#18 Pharmacy School (tie)
#20 Medical School – Research (tie)
#32 Medical School – Primary Care (tie)
UCLA
#10 Graduate School of Public Health
#13 Medical School – Primary Care
#14 Most Diverse Medical School (tie)
#19 Medical School – Research
#19 Nursing School – Masters
#25 Dentistry*
UCSF
#2 Medical School – Primary Care
#2 Pharmacy School
#3 Medical School – Research (tie)
#7 Dentistry*
#11 Nursing School – Masters (tie)
#11 Most Diverse Medical School (tie)
University of California Health Professions
Your educational experience will be shaped by mentorship from world-leading professionals and the power of people working together.
Working within and across disciplines helps fuel our innovation. At UCH, you will be exposed to collaborations across the UC enterprise that unlock advances in patient care—in whichever health profession you choose to enter. You’ll also build the relationships that will last throughout your career.
Find your fit at one of our 21 health professional schools.
Providing Accessible Health Education and Training Across California
All UCH schools emphasize public service and caring for communities that have traditionally faced barriers to care or inadequate public health resources. But that’s not enough. We have opened new UC schools and programs in areas where additional health care is needed. And our UC PRIME model of training equips the next generation of physicians for leadership and advocacy for groups who do not regularly have access to quality care.
Explore how UCH is improving access to care across our state
Supporting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Health Professions
In addition to bringing care to often overlooked communities, our goal is a health care workforce that reflects the diversity of the nation’s most populous state—racially, geographically and socioeconomically. We’re not there yet. But this is part of UC’s journey to improve the health of all Californians and the world. The challenge is daunting, but like so many challenges before—we will rise to meet it.
Explore how we’re supporting diversity in the health professions