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UC San Francisco-CA

UCSF

San Francisco, CA

NRMP
1062080R0 / 1062080A0
ACGME
0800521019

Applicant sentiment — from 150 anonymous posts, 2016–2027

5.5 / 10

What anonymous posters said

Anonymous posters frequently discussed the interview process, including timing of invite calls, rejections, and Step 2 score requirements before rank lists. Several commenters described the program as highly regarded for clinical training and subspecialty exposure, though opinions on workload and culture varied, with some calling it demanding and others disputing negative characterizations. Multiple posts noted few internal candidates remain for residency and suggested California ties may be helpful in admissions.

AI-generated summary of opinions expressed in anonymous, unverified posts. It describes what posters wrote, not verified facts about this program. Based on these 150 posts · Updated Aug 2026 · Contest or respond to this entry · Takedown & right of reply

Match terms
san franciscosan francisco dermuc san franciscoucsf

Fame & Shame

2026-2027 Derm

3 entries

❌1. Elitist (to no one's surprise), and many faculty give preferential treatment to rotating medical students from more prestigious schools. As much as they emphasize being socially attuned and progressive, at the end of the day, they're just another ivory tower institution masquerading as a social justice warrior.

❌1. You don't actually HAVE to be a former pediatrician to apply for this and be considered. Wish I knew this earlier, I would have applied.

❌2. Interviewer made disparaging comments about where I went to school

2025–2026 Derm

4 entries

❌1. You don't actually HAVE to be a former pediatrician to apply for this and be considered. Wish I knew this earlier, I would have applied.

❌1. Elitist (to no one's surprise), and many faculty give preferential treatment to rotating medical students from more prestigious schools. As much as they emphasize being socially attuned and progressive, at the end of the day, they're just another ivory tower institution masquerading as a social justice warrior.

❌2. Interviewer made disparaging comments about where I went to school

💬1. It does say on their website "preferred but not required;" I wonder if they've taken applicants w/o previous peds residency. > guess we will find out soon > this is the first year of the track and it seemed like everybody was an MS4 during the interview +1

Page 7 of 31

0

which T5 is the worst?

#35672025–2026 DermMar 30

why

Mar 30
0

bc i want to weigh my options before applying

Mar 30
0

you apply based on ties, connections, and location pref. Otherwise, everything else is basically RNG. Godspeed if you're aiming for T5

Mar 30
0

thank you, but connections and RNG aside, and im willing to move anywhere, are they created equal or is one going to give an edge? not trying to be a snob or anything. just want genuine info for life changing career decisions

Mar 30
0

Don't love the way the question was framed about which t5 is the "worst" - they are all great for different reasons (as are non T5 programs). Harvard is great for inpatient and complex med-derm along with network; less ideal for QoL. UCSF is great for clinical volume, location, mentorship; less ideal for QoL, exploring non-clinical interests given the more busy schedule/various sites. Penn is a good balance of clinical training, research, QoL but def leans much more academic and location is not for everyone. NYU is great for clinical volume, procedural derm, network, research; less ideal for those who aren't into NYC and its pace. Stanford is great for research, innovation, kind faculty; less ideal for Mohs, clinical volume/diversity. Just a few thougts, but again. Matching derm anywhere is a huge accomplishment - don't focus too much on the rankings, focus on the personal fit for you.

Mar 30
0

someone who thinks they're better than any of the T5s is about to get a rude awakening lol

Mar 31
0
0

reapplicant here:( how can i see what programs had R spots available this past cycle? also does that change every year?>> Yup changes every year, there was approximately 7 or 8 when I submitted ERAS and maybe 4-6 that came out from start to end of cycle

#33492025–2026 DermMar 17

this year I think was UCSF, case western, midwestern, UTMB, puerto rico, larkin, pcom georgia, temple, mcg, utah - half of those came out halfway through the cycle

Mar 17
0

The ones from the start of the cycle: Lark S Miami (not real, reserved for the unpaid research fellow), Case Western, Midwestern, DCC-Flint, UTMB, PR, PCOM, Georgia. Later ones that came out but from the grapevines they only interviewed people that had already signaled earlier in the cycle and/or were reserved for internal as there wasn't any mention of new reapplicants that hadn't originally signaled getting IIs: UCSF, Temple, MCG, NYMC, Wayne State, Utah

Mar 17
0

The ones from the start of the cycle: Lark S Miami (not real, reserved for the unpaid research fellow), Case Western, Midwestern, Dartmouth, DCC-Flint, UTMB, PR, PCOM, Georgia. Later ones that came out but from the grapevines they only interviewed people that had already signaled earlier in the cycle and/or were reserved for internal as there wasn't any mention of new reapplicants that hadn't originally signaled getting IIs: UCSF, Temple, MCG, NYMC, Wayne State, Utah

Mar 18
0

The ones from the start of the cycle: Larkin S Miami (not real, reserved for the unpaid research fellow), Case Western, Midwestern, Dartmouth, DCC-Flint, UTMB, PR, PCOM, Georgia. Later ones that came out but from the grapevines they only interviewed people that had already signaled earlier in the cycle and/or were reserved for internal as there wasn't any mention of new reapplicants that hadn't originally signaled getting IIs: UCSF, Temple, MCG, NYMC, Wayne State, Utah

Mar 19
0
0

how many people got RTM calls?

#32532025–2026 DermMar 12

How many people got calls from UCSF?

Mar 12
0

nobody

Mar 14
0

what about USC and UCSD??

Mar 14
0

Harvard does not do RTM calls they are very strict about comms with applicants and try to be fair to everyone across the board

Mar 14
0

good to know we love to see it

Mar 14
0
0

anyone heard from UCSF for december? anyone heard from ucsf period?

#25062024-2025 DermMar 16
0

Has anyone heard from UCSF or Stanford?

#24982024-2025 DermMar 16

Rejected from Stanford last week

Mar 16
0
0

wow i didnt know people like UCSD that much. Did anyone rank it over UCSF/Stanford?

#21142024-2025 DermMar 16
0

How does the rank tally make sense and how are there more people who interviewed at UCSF than USC/UCLA?

#21112024-2025 DermMar 16
0

thoughts on UCSF away rotation? Most people I know who interviewed did not do an away rotation

#19882024-2025 DermMar 16
0

Anyone else ranking UCSF/NYU lower due to lack of lay prestige? I feel like most patients think that they're random state schools and am concerned about PP branding < nyu and ucsf both have a lot of prestige to the lay person both insane programs

#19392024-2025 DermMar 16
0

For curiosity: for the people who applied to and interviewed at multiple top programs like UCSF, Yale, etc….how the hell did you know you were good enough for those programs?? Like major props to you but how did you have the courage to use so many precious signals on these insane programs?? I'm sure you're all amazing applicants and congratulations for real but seriously how did you know

#19202024-2025 DermMar 16
0

What are people doing about UCSF vs Stanford for ranking?> i'd still do stanford tbh (man without interviews at either) < Stanford seemed much chiller from my interview day and has more lay person clout

#17902024-2025 DermMar 16
0

thoughts on ucsf

#16982024-2025 DermMar 16
0

How are people ranking UCSD vs USC vs UCLA vs UCSF? < Im ranking UCSF >UCLA

#15422024-2025 DermMar 16
0

Thanks UCSF for the bait ERAS message making me download the PDF to tell me I am rejected XD lol

#13792024-2025 DermMar 16
0

Did anyone get email rejections from U of Chicago or UCSF? I wonder if programs are just too lazy to send out rejections? 😅 < I have not.

#11982024-2025 DermMar 16

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