UC San Diego School of Medicine Ranks Among the Top Tier of U.S. Medical Schools

These rankings highlight the resilience and productivity of the school’s research community. School of Medicine faculty continue to secure major funding, receiving $654.44M in sponsored research and grants in 2025.

A team of researchers led by Trey Ideker, PhD, professor of medicine, bioengineering and computer science, was awarded $23.6M from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health to create adaptive and personalized cancer treatments. Christina Chambers, PhD, distinguished professor of pediatrics, received $13.2M in National Institutes of Health funding to coordinate a nationwide study examining the impact of environmental exposures during pregnancy and lactation on maternal and child health.

Building on this momentum, faculty continue to drive groundbreaking discoveries—from a study led by Ludmil Alexandrov, PhD, professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, linking gut bacteria to colorectal cancer in young adults, to research by Alysson Muotri, PhD, professor of pediatrics and cellular & molecular medicine, suggesting modern humans evolved genetic protection against lead exposure that may have supported advanced brain and language development. Another study, led by Hemal H. Patel, PhD, professor of anesthesiology at the School of Medicine and research career scientist at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, found that a short, intensive meditation retreat can rapidly shift brain activity and blood biology, with potential benefits for stress resilience and recovery.

This culture of innovation also extends to the next generation of physician-scientists. At the heart of the school’s research enterprise lies the close collaboration between students and their faculty mentors. At the annual Summer Research Symposium, more than 90 medical students presented a range of basic science, translational and clinical research projects completed between their first and second years of medical school. The projects spanned  topics such as oncology, surgery, cardiovascular medicine, mental and behavioral health, infectious diseases, community outreach and artificial intelligence (AI) in health care.

Tier 1 – Best Medical Schools: Primary Care

The San Diego region continues to face primary care shortages. In 2020, the California Health Care Foundation estimated that nearly 688,000 people in San Diego and Imperial Counties lived in an area with a shortage of primary care physicians.

UC San Diego School of Medicine graduates are helping to meet this need. Over the last decade, nearly 40% of graduates entered primary care residency programs (family medicine, internal medicine or pediatrics).

"Medical students choose UC San Diego because of our mission to provide innovative, compassionate and equitable care to the patients, families and communities we serve," said Michelle Daniel, MD, vice dean for medical education. “Our curriculum and community engagement experiences challenge students to think critically about improving access to high-quality care. As a result, more of our graduates are choosing careers in primary care, driven to address some of the most pressing needs of our society, including caring for our most vulnerable neighbors."

The School of Medicine’s COAST curriculum and elective concentrations in areas such as Compassion in Care and Equity and Advocacy encourage students to explore their passions and build fulfilling careers in and out of medicine.

Other curricular offerings, such as the UC San Diego Student-Run Free Clinic Project, community health electives and student interest groups, also provide hands-on experience serving underserved communities across San Diego.

The School of Medicine is also home to two of University of California’s Programs in Medical Education (PRIME) programs. As part of UC’s effort to address barriers to health care for Californians, these five-year combined MD/master’s programs prepare highly motivated, socially conscious medical students to become future clinicians, leaders and changemakers.

Established in 2007, PRIME-Health Equity allows students to explore their interests in community service. In collaboration with faculty, each student selects a population or community at risk for health disparities and works with the group(s) throughout medical school to gain the knowledge and skills to improve health equity and address barriers of access for the group.

The medical school’s newest program,

How the Rankings Were Calculated

Tier 1 is the highest performing classification in the four-tier ranking system used by U.S. News to assess medical schools. Research tiers were calculated based on data related to research activity, student selectivity and faculty resources. Primary care tiers focused on graduates entering primary care fields. Both models consider faculty resources and the academic credentials of entering students. The research list emphasizes research productivity, while the primary care list focuses on graduates entering primary care fields. Learn more about the rankings methodology.