Accelerated Medical Education Programs
3-Year Accelerated Pathways
How to Apply
Explore UC Davis School of Medicine’s application and admissions criteria for our three-year accelerated pathways.
Accelerated Primary Care Pathway
- Accelerated Competency-based Education in Primary Care (ACE-PC)
- Rural Accelerated Competency-based Education in Primary Care and Psychiatry (Rural ACE-PC)
Accelerated Psychiatry Pathway
- Accelerated Competency-based Education in Psychiatry (ACE-Psych)
- Rural Accelerated Competency-based Education in Psychiatry (Rural ACE-Psych)
Step 1: Primary Application
Apply to UC Davis School of Medicine through the traditional process using the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) by October 1.
Step 2: Secondary Application (By Invitation Only)
Applicants who are invited to complete the UC Davis School of Medicine secondary application indicate their interest in an accelerated pathway in primary care or psychiatry.
Step 3: Initial Review and Interview
Applicants follow the traditional M.D. program process:
- Holistic review of applicants
- Multiple mini-interview process
Step 4: Program Review and Interview
Once accepted to the traditional M.D. program, selected applicants are further reviewed for:
- Fit with the program
- Commitment to primary care or psychiatry pathway
- Academic readiness
Qualified applicants will be invited to a program-specific interview (January–April) with:
- Program team members
- Program leadership and faculty
- Partner residency program representatives
- Current accelerated pathway students
Admissions Criteria
Following are the admissions criteria for our three-year accelerated M.D. program pathways.
ACE-PC and Rural ACE-PC
Career Focus
Primary Care – Family Medicine or Internal Medicine
Criteria To Be Considered
- Clinical experience in a primary care setting
- Community health or leadership experience
- First-generation college graduate (optional)
- Fluency in a second language in addition to English (optional)
- ACE-PC — Connection to Northern California (optional)
- Rural ACE-PC — Strong ties to Northern California (Shasta, Nevada or Humboldt counties)
ACE-Psych and Rural ACE-Psych
Career Focus
Psychiatry
Criteria To Be Considered
- Experience in a clinical setting, behavioral health experience a plus
- Community health or leadership experience
- First-generation college graduate (optional)
- Fluency in a second language in addition to English (optional)
- ACE-Psych — Connection to Northern California (optional)
- Rural ACE-Psych — Strong ties to Northern California (Shasta, Nevada or Humboldt counties)