Medical School and Health Professional Programs
Thinking about medical school—or exploring a future in dentistry, optometry, public health, or another health profession? You’re in the right place.
At UC Santa Cruz, students from all majors successfully pursue a wide range of health careers. Whether you’re just starting to explore your options or getting ready to apply, this page is your hub for planning, preparation, and next steps.
Explore programs
As you plan for applying to health professional programs, it’s essential to explore the different career paths and determine which one aligns best with your goals. Each program has its own set of prerequisite courses and entrance exam requirements, so having a clear direction will help you stay on track and make informed decisions.
Prerequisite courses
You can pursue a career in the health professions with any undergraduate major. However, most health professional programs require specific prerequisite courses, which may fall outside of your major requirements.
It’s completely acceptable to take gap years after graduation to complete any remaining prerequisites at a local community college. These courses will still count as part of your undergraduate academic record.
Because each health professional program has its own admissions requirements, it’s essential to research the specific prerequisite coursework for the schools and programs you’re interested in. Start by reviewing their admissions websites for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
Use the resources below as a general starting point:
Gaining clinical experience and building core competencies
Clinical experience helps you gain a deeper understanding of the healthcare field—and determine if it’s the right path for you. It also allows you to begin developing the core competencies that health professional programs seek in applicants. These include skills like communication, ethical responsibility, teamwork, and cultural awareness.
Learn more: AAMC Core Competencies for Entering Medical Students
Networking & Shadowing
One of the easiest ways to begin is by talking with people you already know—friends, family, peers, professors, and alumni. Ask if they can help you connect with healthcare professionals for informational interviews or shadowing opportunities.
Once you’ve identified a potential contact or clinic, be ready to introduce yourself with a short, clear elevator pitch that includes:
- Your name, school, and year
- Why you’re interested in volunteering with that specific clinic, office, or lab
- Your healthcare career goals
- Ways you can contribute or support their work
- Your availability (make sure it doesn’t interfere with academics)
Hands-on Clinical Experience
To participate in direct patient care, you’ll usually need training or licensure relevant to the setting. These experiences can include becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), EMT, medical scribe, or other allied health roles. Visit the Allied Health Professions and Technologists & Technicians pages for ideas and next steps.
Preparing for application and timelines
Over 70% of applicants who are accepted into medical school and other health professional programs have at least one or more gap/experience years.
Application timeline
Most health professional programs require you to apply more than a year before your intended start date. For example, if you plan to start your program in August, you would typically apply between May and July.
Health professional programs often use rolling admissions, meaning they begin reviewing applications as they are submitted—well before the final deadline. Applying early in the cycle increases your chances of admission and access to interview spots.
When to apply
Apply when you’re confident you’re a strong and competitive candidate—ideally, you only want to apply once. Many successful applicants use their gap years to:
- Clarify and reaffirm their commitment to a specific healthcare path
- Complete required prerequisite courses not covered by their major
- Gain meaningful hands-on experience in healthcare settings
- Strengthen academic performance by balancing course load and GPAs
Am I Ready to Apply for Medical School or Other Health Professional Program?
Pre-Health Preparation Worksheets
Use our worksheets and guides to help you prepare for your medical or other health professional school application.
Alumni statistics
Curious where UCSC grads go after graduation? Explore our UCSC Health Professional Programs Admission Statistics to see which schools alumni are accepted into, what trends emerge, and how UCSC prepares future healthcare professionals.
Meet with a pre-health coach
Get personalized guidance on your journey to a career in medicine or other health professions. Whether you’re just exploring or preparing to apply, we’re here to support you every step of the way.
