TEACH-MS
About TEACH-MS
Launched in 2011, the Transforming Education and Community Health for Medical Students (TEACH-MS) is a four-year tailored M.D program at the UC Davis School of Medicine for students with a strong interest in primary care for urban underserved communities. The TEACH-MS program seeks to improve access to effective, culturally respectful and equitable health services for underserved communities by providing rewarding community-based experiences that support interest in primary care among medical students. Students interested in gaining knowledge and expertise in providing primary care for California’s urban underserved communities are encouraged to apply.
The goals of TEACH-MS are to:
- Strengthen the desire for new physicians to practice in urban underserved communities in California
- Reduce health inequities in urban underserved California communities
- Improve the health status of urban underserved California residents
- Form lasting relationships with communities, hospitals, clinics and physicians to enhance health care in the region
Key aspects of the TEACH-MS curriculum include:
- Additional education on topics relevant to urban underserved communities including addiction medicine, harm reduction, advocacy, structural racism, and more
- Visiting community organizations serving urban underserved communities in Sacramento during years 1 and 2
- A 4-week summer course titled “The Summer Institute on Race and Health” in which students do a deep dive discussion on topics of equity and cultural humility, and the intersection with medicine and population health.
- Preferential assignment to clerkship sites serving low-income communities in Sacramento and the surrounding areas
- Access to the COMPADRE network of residency programs serving rural and underserved communities in the Northern CA and Southern OR region. This offers additional elective opportunities throughout all 4 years of medical school.
Find out how to apply here!
All CHS students are required to participate in a week of in-person CHS orientation which is scheduled for 3 weeks prior to the start of UC Davis orientation, typically late June or early July. Following CHS orientation, students may enroll in the Pre-Matriculation program for early introduction to learning skills that will facilitate success in medical school. Details for applying for the Pre-Matriculation program are included at the time of admission to UC Davis Medical School.
You are expected to maintain your primary residence in the Sacramento area. For the OB-GYN clerkship located in French Camp, CA we will provide housing. Additionally, all UC Davis students receive a mileage stipend for travel to sites > 25 miles away.
Yes. TEACH-MS is designed for students interested in primary care specialties of Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, or Pediatrics. However, our graduates are not required to choose any particular specialty.
No. We do not require students to complete a master’s degree during medical school. However, students who wish to pursue one are eligible for additional financial support.
Yes, TEACH-MS students are eligible for additional scholarship funding each year.