Faculty Labs
Summer research internships through partnerships with University of California San Francisco (UCSF)
LimitedModerateStart: Sophomore Year
Pre-Med Planning Guide
Pre-Med at City College of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
As a large public two-year college in San Francisco, CCSF provides accessible and affordable education for aspiring medical students. Its strong Biology & Life Sciences, Health Sciences, and Nursing programs cover essential prerequisites and foundational coursework needed before transferring to a university offering a full pre-med track.
City College of San Francisco offers a solid foundation in the sciences and health-related fields, preparing students well for transfer to four-year institutions with pre-med programs.
Pre-Med Strength
6.8/10
- Research
- Clinical Opportunities
- Advising
- Volunteer Opportunities
- STEM Resources
Why Students Choose City of San Francisco For Pre-Med
University-specific pre-med advantages and pipeline signals.
- Life sciences programs including Biology & Life Sciences
- Access to 4+ hospital systems near San Francisco
- Active pre-health community with 4+ student organizations
- Undergraduate research through summer research internships through partnerships with university of california san francisco (ucsf)
- In-state tuition advantage for CA residents pursuing MD programs
- Personalized planning tools in Pre-Med OS tailored to City of San Francisco students
4-Year Plan
Pre-Med Roadmap
Year-by-year milestones from freshman year through application cycle.
- General Biology
- General Chemistry
- Join Pre-Med Club
- Begin Volunteering
Your Pre-Med Journey
Track each phase in Pre-Med OS.
Successful Pre-Med Student Profile
Competitive targets for students at City College of San Francisco.
Target GPA
3.5+
Target MCAT
505+
Clinical Hours
250+
Volunteer Hours
150+
Research Experience
1–2 years
Research Opportunities
Structured pathways from freshman exploration to competitive publications.
Summer Research Programs
Community college science research programs in collaboration with local biotech firms
MediumCompetitiveStart: Sophomore–Junior Year
NIH / Federal Opportunities
Competitive national programs — strong GPA and prior lab experience recommended.
LimitedCompetitiveStart: Junior Year
Clinical Research
Hospital-affiliated clinical studies and patient-oriented research near campus.
LimitedModerateStart: Junior Year
Clinical Opportunities Near Campus
Hospitals and health systems accessible from San Francisco, CA.
UCSF Medical Center
On campus / < 5 mi
Volunteer
High
Shadowing
High
Research
High
Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital
5–15 mi
Volunteer
Medium
Shadowing
Medium
Research
Medium
Saint Francis Memorial Hospital
15–30 mi
Volunteer
Medium
Shadowing
Medium
Research
Limited
California Pacific Medical Center
15–30 mi
Volunteer
High
Shadowing
High
Research
High
Pre-Health Student Organizations
Build leadership, service, and networking depth for AMCAS.
Pre-Med Society
Membership: MCAT study groups, guest physician panels, application workshops
Leadership: Officer roles in programming and outreach
Networking: Peer mentors and alumni physician connections
Health Sciences Club
Membership: Clinical volunteering coordination and health career exposure
Leadership: Event leads and volunteer site captains
Networking: Connections to hospital volunteer coordinators
Nursing Student Association
Membership: National pre-health honor society recognition
Leadership: Chapter officers and service project leads
Networking: Inter-chapter and national pre-med network
Biology Club
Membership: Sustained community health volunteering
Leadership: Trip leaders and chapter presidents
Networking: Non-clinical service narratives for AMCAS
AI Assessment
Pre-Med Fit at City College of San Francisco
Strengths
- Clinical Opportunities: Hospital and clinic access near campus
- Volunteer Opportunities: Community and clinical service pathways
- Access to multiple hospital systems near San Francisco
Challenges
- Research may require extra initiative compared to R1 peers
- STEM Resources may require extra initiative compared to R1 peers
Recommended Strategy
- Join research or a structured lab by sophomore year
- Begin sustained clinical volunteering freshman or sophomore year
- Complete MCAT prep with a diagnostic by spring junior year
- Build strong physician and science faculty recommendations over 2+ semesters
- Leverage CCSF’s proximity to UCSF and local hospitals to gain clinical and research experience early in your pre-med journey.
How Ready Are You For Medical School?
Estimate your readiness profile while planning at City College of San Francisco.
Enter at least one metric above to see your estimated readiness score.
Track Progress In Pre-Med OSStart Your Pre-Med Journey
Build your personalized plan for City College of San Francisco with GPA tracking, MCAT prep, and medical school match tools.
- GPA Tracking
- MCAT Planner
- Clinical Hours Tracker
- Volunteer Tracker
- Research Portfolio
- Medical School Match
- Application Timeline
- AI Advisor
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