UC Programs in Medical Education (UC PRIME)

UC Programs in Medical Education (UC PRIME)

California is facing a growing shortage of health providers. The state already has large regions that are Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) and other regions with distinct Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs).

UC Programs in Medical Education (UC PRIME) is a unique medical school program that supplements standard training with additional curriculum tailored to meet the needs of various underserved populations.

Each program has a dedicated area of focus, targeted student recruitment, supplemental criteria for admission, relevant curricular content, and dedicated faculty mentorship. 

PRIME graduates go on to work in underserved communities and with underserved populations. However, it is important to underscore the significant role PRIME plays as a social mobility ladder, encouraging students from these same underserved communities to pursue a medical degree — 74% of PRIME students are from groups under-represented in medicine.

The PRIME programs by campus are:

PRIME-LC (Latino Community) at Irvine, est. 2004

Emphasizes Latino health issues, including increased proficiency in medical Spanish and in Latino culture.

Rural PRIME (Rural California) at Davis, est. 2007

Incorporates an award-winning model program in telemedicine with a commitment to outreach and rural health care.

PRIME-HEq (Health Equity) at San Diego, est. 2007

Builds upon research about health disparities to help students learn and contribute to achieving equity in healthcare delivery. 

PRIME-US (Urban Underserved) at San Francisco and Berkeley, est. 2007

Offers students the opportunity to pursue interests in caring for homeless and other underserved populations in urban communities. 

PRIME-LA (Leadership and Advocacy) at Los Angeles, est. 2008

Trains future physicians to lead and advocate for improved healthcare delivery systems in disadvantaged communities.

San Joaquin Valley PRIME at San Francisco and UCSF-Fresno, est. 2011

Provides specialized training with an emphasis on community-based research and educational experiences to improve the health of populations in the San Joaquin Valley region of California.

PRIME-LEAD-ABC (Leadership Education to Advance Diversity - African, Black and Caribbean) at Irvine, est. 2019  and at Riverside, est. 2022

Examines the intersections of Anti-Black racism, medicine, and health to effectively address health inequities impacting African, Black, and Caribbean communities in Southern California and beyond.

Tribal Health PRIME (Indigenous Community) at Davis, est. 2022

Trains future physicians to identify, understand, and serve the unique health needs of California’s Indigenous, rural, urban and Central Valley communities.

PRIME-TIDE (Transforming Indigenous Doctor Education) at San Diego, est. 2022

Prepares medical students for careers focused on providing healthcare to Native populations.