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so do we think the scripps TY is actually hard / not chill now ugh
exactly, that TY has always been a grind with lots of wards/ICU/etc and has always started orientation in early June but people still go cuz san diego
Feb 21
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UC San Diego Med Ctr-CA
UCSDSan Diego, CA
← All programs192 posts
- NRMP
- 1049080A0
- ACGME
- 0800521018
Applicant sentiment — from 131 anonymous posts, 2017–2027
4.5 / 10
What anonymous posters said
Several posts describe UCSD as strongly research-focused, with some commenters saying clinical training and faculty warmth take a back seat to research output. A number of posts mention a perceived preference for applicants from highly ranked or Ivy League institutions. Multiple posts highlight San Diego's location as a major draw, while some note the program is highly competitive to get an interview and question its diversity of clinical offerings.
AI-generated summary of opinions expressed in anonymous, unverified posts. It describes what posters wrote, not verified facts about this program. Based on these 131 posts · Updated Aug 2026 · Contest or respond to this entry · Takedown & right of reply
Match termssan diegosan diego dermuc san diegoucsd
Fame & Shame
2025–2026 Derm
2 entries✅1. great benefits that cover egg freezing
❌1. Chair is obsessed with medical school brand name, loves talking about how many Harvards he gets in a year
By match cycle
Related programs
Also discussed alongside
Page 2 of 13
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Do most programs have moonlighting? Specifically UW (Seattle) and Northwestwern
what about UCSD and Michigan??
Feb 21
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you can look this up on ResidencyExplorer as well as other useful metrics like average # hours worked, etc.
Feb 21
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didn't know RE had moon information! Thank you!!
Feb 21
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pretty sure no moonlighting at UCSD
Feb 21
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didn't know RE had moon information! Thank you!!
Mar 7
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pretty sure no moonlighting at UCSD
Mar 7
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Can less of you rank my number 1 as number 1? Thank you!!< sure which is it<yes < perfect! Arkansas, UCSF, and UCSD! Thank you again!
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Anyone know programs that have good fertility coverage in their insurance :D?
Whered u interview is the real question for this
Feb 21
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UCSF has 30k!
Feb 21
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Penn, Columbia >Mayo has tons of support, UCSD also has robust fertility benefits (I think 20-30k)
Feb 21
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are fertility benefits mainly egg freezing or do they are include IVF?
Feb 21
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i think both
Feb 21
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a handful of programs ive interviewed at have had this. so nice to see!
Feb 21
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Is there a way to see the fertility specific coverage in a plan or did the programs specifically highlight it as a benefit? would love to know which programs have coverage!
Feb 21
1
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With respect to the cell below, can you help me rank the best programs for cosmetics: NW, UW, UCSD, UM, Vanderbilt
Definitely not UW. I feel like programs with most cosmetic exposure (and demand) are in larger cities than Madison WI. I'd guess UCSD probably has a decent amount
Feb 21
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UW is in Seattle
Feb 21
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I hear NW has a lot of cosmetics but i didnt apply there
Feb 21
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lol there are 2 UWs
Feb 21
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definitely not UMich, in the interview they specifically cited their lack of cosmetics
Feb 21
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NW or Mich probs
Feb 21
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for exposure to cosmetics?
Feb 21
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UW madison or UW washington? washington literally said during interviews not to go there if you want to do cosmetics, they're very strong in the med-derm arena tho
Feb 21
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Vanderbilt interview day said they have increasing cosmetic exposure and the ability to do 3-4 weeks working with someone who does alot of cosmetics.
Feb 21
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NW also mentioned strong cosmetics
Feb 21
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UW is in Seattle
Mar 7
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I hear NW has a lot of cosmetics but i didnt apply there
Mar 7
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lol there are 2 UWs
Mar 7
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definitely not UMich, in the interview they specifically cited their lack of cosmetics
Mar 7
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NW or Mich probs
Mar 7
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for exposure to cosmetics?
Mar 7
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UW madison or UW washington? washington literally said during interviews not to go there if you want to do cosmetics, they're very strong in the med-derm arena tho
Mar 7
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NW also mentioned strong cosmetics
Mar 7
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for those that interviewed at UCSD, did they mention their policy on thank you notes?
Had interview last week. They said to not do it.
Feb 21
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If I were to match at a research heavy (basic mostly) program when I am personally not interested in doing research beyond the bare minimum requirements, do you guys feel faculty/PD would hold it against me?
yes
Feb 21
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yes was talking to someone who matched at a research heavy prgram as a phd but they're not interested in doing more research and they feel PRESSURE
Feb 21
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I feel we may have talked to the same person!
Feb 21
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what even are research heavy rpograms? i feel like every program I have interviewed at has said they don't care if residents do research
Feb 21
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some programs have a research requirement to graduate
Feb 21
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which ones
Feb 21
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u hate to see it but uconn is one, its only 3 pubs tho
Feb 21
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UCSD is notorious for being research heavy and placing a huge emphasis on it
Feb 21
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def there are some programs the highly academic ones that do care that residents do research
Feb 21
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which
Feb 21
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most of the ones highly ranked by research funding care about it look at the doximity list ucsf, northwesterm, case, etc im too lazy to look up actual research reqs but case has one, UCSD has one idk
Feb 21
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Can you just do a case report or find an eager med student and publish something simple for most of these requirements?
Feb 21
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ask the residents man we dont know anything... we're in the same boat :/
Feb 21
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Case is not research heavy at all
Feb 21
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agree actually i don't think anyone is certain we're all hearing diff things bc i heard case was reserach heavy so i think person above is so right ask the residents!!> Case is research heavy. Has its own research group for med students and publishes constantly
Feb 21
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the residents at UCSD said even though there is a reseach requirement, you can do the minimum if you're not interested in research
Feb 21
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some programs have a research requirement to graduate
Mar 7
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which ones
Mar 7
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u hate to see it but uconn is one, its only 3 pubs tho
Mar 7
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UCSD is notorious for being research heavy and placing a huge emphasis on it
Mar 7
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def there are some programs the highly academic ones that do care that residents do research
Mar 7
0
most of the ones highly ranked by research funding care about it look at the doximity list ucsf, northwesterm, case, etc im too lazy to look up actual research reqs but case has one, UCSD has one idk
Mar 7
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Can you just do a case report or find an eager med student and publish something simple for most of these requirements?
Mar 7
0
ask the residents man we dont know anything... we're in the same boat :/
Mar 7
0
Case is not research heavy at all
Mar 7
0
agree actually i don't think anyone is certain we're all hearing diff things bc i heard case was reserach heavy so i think person above is so right ask the residents!!> Case is research heavy. Has its own research group for med students and publishes constantly
Mar 7
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the residents at UCSD said even though there is a reseach requirement, you can do the minimum if you're not interested in research
Mar 7
0
0
UCSD post interview thoughts?
they gay
Feb 21
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residents seemed happy but was hard to gauge the attending-resident relationship. Also a lot of qs about research
Feb 21
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Listen, don't let the name and location of UCSD fool you. I did my away there (which is why I believe I got an II). They are incredibly hostile, the residents receive little autonomy by the time the graduate, and they are more interested in pumping out their basic science research than actual patient care. Rank as you want but no I will be ranking them below my state school that actually teaches you how to be a good dermatologist and matches just as good.
Feb 21
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also did an away there and I agree with you.
Feb 21
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not sure what you're talking about. I also did my away there and did NOT get that impression at all. It was not hostile at all... If you didn't like, that's you but I disagree you.
Feb 21
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Are the basic research focus allegations true? I am not interested in research at all but had an overall enjoyable expereince during the interview and SD would be great for family proximity.
Feb 21
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not OP but another rotating med student who has heard this before and can also back this up!! HUGE FOCUS!!
Feb 21
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would you say the poor training allegations are true if you are not interested in research?
Feb 21
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still not OP I agree about research point and the lack of autonomy and "poor training allegations"
Feb 21
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There is a heavy emphasis on basic science but only for the reserach track residents. All the clinical track residents don't do any basic science research
Feb 21
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not OP but another rotating med student who has heard this before and can also back this up!! HUGE FOCUS!!
Mar 7
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would you say the poor training allegations are true if you are not interested in research?
Mar 7
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still not OP I agree about research point and the lack of autonomy and "poor training allegations"
Mar 7
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There is a heavy emphasis on basic science but only for the reserach track residents. All the clinical track residents don't do any basic science research
Mar 7
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0
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if I'm a student from a non T20 med school that didn't do an away but got an interview at UCSD, do I even have a chance, seems like a lot of ppl are ranking it highly only because of location and have heard they really like med school name prestige...
If you have an interview, you have a chance!
Feb 21
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really hope so, it's my top choice!
Feb 21
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if you have an interview, you belong! feel confident! :)
Feb 21
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They tend to really like high ranking institution students, even if their backgrounds arent that impressive compared to people who didnt match there
Feb 21
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really hope so, it's my top choice!
Mar 7
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if you have an interview, you belong! feel confident! :)
Mar 7
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0
2
anyone else just sitting in the waiting room for UCSD...?
yes
Feb 21
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wonderful, glad to know i am not alone here
Feb 21
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anyone been able to get in?
Feb 21
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still waiting
Feb 21
1
wonderful, glad to know i am not alone here
Mar 7
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anyone been able to get in?
Mar 7
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still waiting
Mar 7
0
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Thoughts on UCSD as a program?
> Very strong basic science research, probably one of the most research heavy programs in CA other than UCSF, lacking in SOC
Feb 21
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how is the cultlure? between residents and attendings and residents amongst themselves? seems like they aren't the most cohesive group
Feb 21
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POOP
Feb 21
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how is the cultlure? between residents and attendings and residents amongst themselves? seems like they aren't the most cohesive group
Mar 7
0
0
How many people does UCSD interview?
looks like 18/interview day (18x2=36)
Feb 21
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Those went quick! Thank you :) Would love to call you a co-resident one day!
Feb 21
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why? you dont know them
Feb 21
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I like them better than you...
Feb 21
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Those went quick! Thank you :) Would love to call you a co-resident one day!
Mar 7
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why? you dont know them
Mar 7
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I like them better than you...
Mar 7
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3
UCSD out via thalamus
did you do aways
Feb 21
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no away, silver signal, home state
Feb 21
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no away, silver signal, home state
Mar 7
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Some posts are shown because their comments mention this program.
this was always the case lol, San Diego is beautiful though