M.D. Program

Which Community Health Scholars Program is Right for You?

All Programs

Each CHS program is unique in its own way, but there are some key components they all share.

Each program has a:

  • Program-specific orientation before medical school begins. Students arrive in Sacramento mid-June (ACE-PC) to early July (Rural, REACH, TEACH, and Tribal Health) for an orientation to their program with their cohort and to meet faculty leadership.
  • Interprofessional Education, Mentorship, and Leadership Opportunities in Years 1 & 2.
  • Program-specific summer experience. Each CHS program has a unique summer experience that allows immersion in the communities that each program aims to serve.
  • Clinical Curriculum. The third year is where the CHS programs really set them apart from the traditional curriculum. Each program offers students unique clinical training opportunities that will prepare them to be providers in rural, valley, or urban health care settings.

 To learn more about each program and find which is the best fit for you, please click through the tabs below.

ACE-PC Logo

Ideal candidates:

  • Are committed to working in Primary Care (Adult Internal Medicine or Family Medicine)
  • Have experience working in a primary care setting

The Accelerated Competency-based Education in Primary Care (ACE-PC) program is a partnership between the UC Davis School of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente - Northern California, and the American Medical Association. Students who are confident that they want to pursue a career in adult Internal Medicine - Primary Care or Family Medicine have the opportunity to complete their undergraduate medical education in three years, instead of four, and are ranked highly and positioned to Match into a primary care residency upon acceptance into the program.

For more information, visit ACE-PC.

Rural PRIME Logo

Ideal candidates:

  • Are passionate about working in rural California
  • Have the desire to become a physician leader in a rural community

At UC Davis, the Rural Program in Medical Education (Rural-PRIME) focuses on meeting the needs of rural communities through unique activities that include specialized coursework, early clinical experiences and mentoring by rural physicians.  Rural-PRIME is training the next generation of rural physicians – practitioners who are skilled leaders, lifelong learners and adaptors of technologies that enhance rural practice and the quality of patient care. The program is perfect for students who are sure they want to practice in Rural California.

For more information, visit Rural-PRIME.

REACH logo

Ideal candidates:

  • Are committed to working in central California after graduation/residency
  • Grew up or have considerable experience in communities in central California

The Reimagining Education to Advance central California Health (REACH) is perfect for students who are committed to returning to central California to practice medicine and serve their communities. Students will complete key rotations of their clinical training at partner sites in northern, central California.

For more information, visit REACH

TEACH logo

Ideal candidates:

  • Are passionate about working in an underserved community
  • Are committed to working in an urban setting
  • Are interested in practicing in a primary care specialty (internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics)

The Transforming Education and Community Health for Medical Students (TEACH-MS) program is ideal for applicants who have a strong desire to work in urban, underserved primary care (internal medicine, family medicine, or pediatrics). Students have unique clinical experiences in community health centers in the greater Sacramento area and mentorship from physicians doing community-based health care.

For more information, visit TEACH-MS.

Ideal candidates:

  • Are knowledgeable about tribal urban and/or rural underserved areas 
  • Are committed to committed to ensuring high quality medical care to improve health for populations, communities, and individuals in with connections to indigenous culture

The UC Davis Tribal Health PRIME Program is designed to provide students with the appropriate knowledge and skills to practice medicine in California’s urban and rural tribal communities.

For more information, visit Tribal Health PRIME.