As of fall 2022, UC is training more than 16,000 health care professionals.
11.1.1 Health sciences students by discipline, fall 2022
Source: UC Information Center Data Warehouse
Accountability Report 2023
Chapter 11:
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA HEALTH
improving health and well-being for all
Health is a crucial concern in all California communities, and we are facing many challenges – from deadly viruses and accelerating climate change to global conflict and migration. Guided by its tripartite mission of teaching, research, and public service, the University of California has a bold vision: to improve the health and well-being of all people living in California now and in the future by better educating and training the inclusive workforce of tomorrow; delivering exceptional care; and discovering life-changing treatments and cures. This expansive aim is appropriate for the University of California, which is home to the country’s largest public academic health system comprising 20 health professional schools, six academic health centers, ten student health centers, and the systemwide Global Health Institute.
UC’s health sciences programs are a vital source of the state’s future dentists, nurses, optometrists, pharmacists, physicians, public health professionals, and veterinarians. The University has one of the most comprehensive health sciences training programs in the nation. Based on historical averages, more than 75 percent of graduates from these programs will remain in California after graduation or residency.
The University’s health training programs are deeply connected with its academic medical centers, which deliver expert care to California communities, especially its most vulnerable. In fiscal year 2022 alone, UC academic medical centers provided nearly $1 billion in care to Medi-Cal enrollees for which it was not reimbursed, a 47 percent increase since 2015. UC’s academic health centers provided an additional $1.9 billion in uncompensated care for people with Medicare coverage in fiscal year 2022.
University of California’s 20 health sciences schools are:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
University of California’s 20 health centers are:
|
|
|
|
|
|
UC-trained health care professionals practice throughout the State.
11.1.2 Location of physicians, nurses, dentists, optometrists, and veterinarians trained by UC since 1999 and currently licensed in California.
Source: UC Information Center Data Warehouse and the CA Department of Consumer Affairs, as of 2021
UC health sciences programs are a significant resource for training new health care professionals to serve across the state.
In the field of medicine, California leads the nation in retention of medical school graduates, and data from the Association of American Medical Colleges show that 77 percent of residents who completed their training in California from 2012 through 2021 are practicing in the State. UC-sponsored residency and affiliated family medicine programs provide nearly half of the residency training positions in the state.
This high rate of retention makes University of California Health one of the principal sources for the training of medical professionals for California.
11.2 health sciences student debt
Inflation-adjusted health science professional degree fees have declined for most programs. Average debt levels are relatively flat or decreasing.
11.2.1 Average total charges for health professional degree students, Universitywide, 2010–11 to 2022–23.
Source: UC Budget Analysis and Planning
11.2 health sciences student debt
11.2.2 Health sciences professional degree student debt at graduation, Universitywide, 2011–12 to 2021–22, selected years
Source: UC Information Center Data Warehouse
The rising cost of graduate education has not been matched by increases in State support. In fact, State support declined significantly during recurring State fiscal crises, which caused the University to increase tuition, campus-based fees, and professional degree supplemental tuition (PDST). This cost-shifting has contributed to students taking on increasing amounts of debt. At least one-third of the revenue raised from professional school fees is used to provide financial aid to current students.
As academic health centers and safety net hospitals, UC locations are destinations for some of the most critically ill patients in the state. A large share of these patients have Medicare or Medi-Cal coverage.
11.3.1 Patient complexity (Case Mix Index), patient days, outpatient visits, and hospital admissions, UC medical centers
University of California Medical Centers 2021–22 annual financial report
These statistics are described in more detail on pages 27–31 of the University of California Medical Centers 2021–22 Annual Financial Report.
11.3.2 Inpatient days by patient type, 2021–22
Inpatient days associated with UCSF include UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland,
a blended component unit of the University of California.
Source: UC Budget for Current Operations
UC’s health professional programs are ranked among the nation’s best, according to U.S. News & World Report, current as of April 2023.
11.4.1 University of California medical schools in U.S. News & World Report rankings of best medical schools
| Category |
UC |
UC |
UC |
UCLA | UC San Diego |
UC Riverside |
UCSF |
| Best Medical Schools - Research |
50 (tie) | 44 (tie) | 18 (tie) | 21 | 96 | 5 (tie) | |
| Best Medical Schools - Primary care |
6 | 67 (tie) | 10 | 30 | unranked | 5 | |
| Best Nursing Schools - Masters |
23 (tie) | 41 (tie) | 14 (tie) | 10 (tie) | |||
| Best Graduate Schools Public Health |
9 (tie) | 22* (tie) | 43* | 9 (tie) | *** | ||
| Best Pharmacy Schools | *** | 18 (tie) | 2 | ||||
| Best Veterinary Medical Schools |
1 |
* Indicates a degree program rather than a school.
** Indicates these graduate schools were ranked in previous years and remain current as of publication date. USN&WR does not rank dental or optometry programs.
***Schools not evaluated. UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science began enrolling students in fall 2020. UCI School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences began enrolling students in fall 2021.
11.4.2 University of California medical schools in U.S. News & World Report rankings of medical schools' diversity
National Rankings of Medical Schools Based on Diversity
- #3 UC Davis School of Medicine
- #5 UC Riverside School of Medicine (tie)
- #9 UCSF School of Medicine (tie)
- #13 David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
US News & World Report includes a diversity ranking for medical schools. Four of the six UC medical schools are among the top thirteen in the nation for diversity in the rankings published in April 2023.
11.4.3 University of California hospitals in U.S. News & World Report rankings of best hospitals
The 2022–23 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospital rankings for UC hospitals are:
Best hospitals, Nationally
- #5 (tie) UCLA Health
- #13 UCSF Health
Best hospital, California
- #2 UCLA Health
- #4 UCSF Health
- #5 UC San Diego
- #6 UC Davis
- #13 UCI
University of California Health (website)
More UCH reports and resources (website)
UC Budget for Current Operations (website) includes:
Medical Centers Annual Financial Report (website) includes:
- Patient complexity (Case Mix Index)
- Patient days, including inpatient days by patient type
- Hospital admissions
- Outpatient visits
University of California Health Community Benefits Report (pdf)
Download data tables for chapter 11 indicators (Excel format)