Program Overview

Introduction to the UCSF/UC Berkeley Joint Medical Program

The UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program (JMP) is a five-year graduate/medical degree program. The pre-clerkship years are spent at UC Berkeley, engaging in a leading-edge integrated problem-based-learning medical curriculum while simultaneously earning a master's degree (MS) in the Health and Medical Sciences at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health. After 2.5 years at UC Berkeley, students move across the bay to UCSF to finish their medical education and receive their medical doctorate (MD).

Program Description

The goal of the JMP’s curriculum is to train physician “changemakers” who approach medicine with a broad trans-disciplinary understanding of the social and structural determinants of health, health systems, community health, and health equity. This curriculum will not only support research but also provide students with a critical perspective of the context in which they will practice medicine.

Admission Requirements

To apply to the UCB-UCSF Joint Medical Program (JMP), applicants start by:

1. Applying to UCSF via AMCAS
2. Receiving and accepting an invitation for a UCSF secondary application
3. Following the instructions on the UCSF secondary application by checking the JMP box to indicate interest in the JMP
4. Submitting additional JMP-specific application materials as instructed

After checking the JMP box, applicants will be prompted to provide additional JMP-specific materials, including three short essay questions. Only applicants who have checked the JMP box on their UCSF secondary application will be considered for JMP admission.

Degree Requirements

JMP Course Requirement Overview

The following outline describes the course requirements for the JMP curriculum with a minimum of 29 credit units taken for the master’s in addition to the medical curriculum.

Core Courses

The first set of course requirements listed below are the courses taken at UC Berkeley during the first 2.5 years of the program.

• Course List Code | Title | Units
  • HMS MS curriculum, minimum 29 units | Units
  • PH 200 | This foundational course in Public Health is required for all students in their first semester at the JMP | 1
  • HMEDSCI 261 series: Master’s Seminar | There are five master’s seminars: 261A (4 units, first semester), 261B (2 units, second semester), 261C (3 units, third semester), 261D (3 units, fourth semester), and 261E (3 units, fifth semester). | 15
  • HMEDSCI 296 and 297 | HMS 296 (4 units total) gives students credit for their work with their mentors. HMS 297 (4 units total) is the same, but it refers to summer work (credit given in the following Fall semester). | 8
  • PBHLTH 250A, 250B, or W250 | Epidemiology Course, 3 units minimum | 3
  • PB HLTH 224E | Health Care Quality | 3
  • PB HLTH 215 | Anti-Racist and Racial Justice Praxis | 3
  • Research Methods | One Research Methods course in the methods each student will use for their scholarly work; 2-4 units | 3
  • Content Course | One content course elective in the student's chosen area of scholarship; 2-4 units | 3
  • Total Required Minimum Units | 29

JMP Medical Curriculum

The following describes the course requirements for the medical component of the JMP curriculum:

• Course List Code | Title | Units
  • HMEDSCI 200 | (10 credits X 5 semesters) | 50
  • HMEDSCI 216/220 | (4 credits X 5 semesters) | 20
  • Total Units | 70

After 2.5 years at UC Berkeley, students transition to the UCSF campus to complete their Foundations 2 and Career Launch coursework.

Program Leadership

• Jyothi Marbin, MD, Director
• Leanna W. Lewis, EdD, MSW, LCSW, Associate Director

Degree Offered

• MS (UC Berkeley) / MD (UC San Francisco)