Information for Students Entering Fall 2025
White Coat Ceremony
The White Coat ceremony is an annual tradition that marks the beginning of the medical education journey for future physicians. It's a time for family, friends and supporters to come together in support and celebration of this new path.
Pre-Op Outdoor Experience MSI Incoming Students
Start your new life here at UC San Diego off with an awesome camping trip with your fellow medical students.
Student Affairs / Orientation
The Office of Admissions will now pass you along to our Office of Student Affairs (OSA). In early July, the OSA will be in touch with each of you regarding health clearance, personal information, and Orientation week. Please keep your contact information current with us, and check your e-mail often.
Financial Aid
After we receive your signed intent to matriculate form, the Admissions Status Check page will allow you to download our Financial Aid Application. You can access the School of Medicine Financial Aid website to view a brochure, sample budgets, and other useful information.
Entrance Health Requirements
It is a requirement of the School of Medicine that all incoming students fulfill health requirements prior to entering the university. In addition to the general health requirements, students must sign the School of Medicine Admission Health Requirements form and bring to a health care provider for completion.
To see the requirements, please visit the Student Health Services' Health Requirements for Students website.
Housing Information For University-Owned Apartments
UC San Diego-owned apartments and housing are a popular and generally less expensive option for UC San Diego students who want to live close to campus. Because of this, there is almost always a waiting list to get into these apartments. It is recommended that you put yourself on the waiting list as soon as you have received an acceptance offer from UC San Diego.
UC San Diego Housing Information
The School of Medicine does have a limited number of apartments reserved for our students, but can not guarantee to have enough room for all. Please email the Admissions Office somadmit@health.ucsd.edu with questions about these reserved apartments.
Grad Housing Tour
Technology Information
Questions Asked by Your Classmates
How many tickets do we get for White Coat Ceremony?Currently tickets are not being issued but we are asking students to follow 10 people per student, if you want to request more fill out the 2025 White Coat Ceremony Additional Guests Form - no guarantees on extra space.
Additional White Coat Links
Are there any restrictions on the color of scrubs I can wear?
There are no restrictions for scrub color. The most common colors are green and blue.
I wanted to reach out and ask when we might receive our weekly schedules for Fall 2025.
UGME will be reaching out to students directly via email once the Fall 2025 schedule is finalized. In the meantime, please note that first-year medical students are required to attend in-person days on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and also the first day of each block.
I am seeking some clarification regarding the neurology set we will need to purchase as incoming M1 medical students. On Canvas, the description is listed as: Reflex hammer, tuning fork, vision cards, & assorted other tools. Would you be able to clarify what the other required tools are? Or do you have recommended links for where we can purchase them?
The "Equipment Purchases" section of the "Required Tasks" has been updated with the latest information and additional links from the Practice of Medicine (POM) course instructors and UGME. Please check that section of the "Required Tasks" for more information and direct access links.
I see it is preferred for students to wear Scrubs on the Wednesday (Anatomy Day) of Orientation Week. Are Scrubs provided by the school, or are students expected to procure Scrubs separately? If it is the latter, then are there any parameters/requirements regarding what type(s) of Scrubs we should get?
While scrubs are preferred, they are not required. If you would like to wear scrubs instead of athletic attire, they will need to be procured by each student as they are not provided by the SOM. Scrubs are available at many retailers and price points. Please be aware that the odor from the chemicals in the Anatomy Lab can linger in whichever clothes or scrubs you choose to wear that day.
I am interested in participating in the (optional) School of Medicine PreOrientation Outdoor Camping Experience. However, given that I am an incoming special program student with programming before Orientation Week, would this conflict with the camping activity?
Please check with the staff of your special program (PRIME, PRIME-TIDE, GHAC, MSTP, etc) to confirm the dates of their programming. The dates of the PreOrientation Camping trip are TBD.
Several students emailed OSA with immunization questions, from extensions to due dates.
Fulfillment of the standard immunization requirements was July 10th, 2025, and fulfillment of the ADDITIONAL immunization requirements for incoming medical students is August 13th, 2025. Immunization requirements - open School of Medicine at the bottom for specific forms All questions regarding immunizations must be submitted to “Ask-a-Nurse” via your “MyStudentChart”. Please be patient as the office is processing a high volume of questions around deadlines. Please do NOT email the Office of Student Affairs with immunization questions. Immunization requirements and deadlines are handled only by the Student Health Department, and OSA is not authorized to provide approval for any extensions.