The UC Davis School of Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis today further advanced their stature as premier training grounds for students who aspire to become primary care physicians and vital health care providers.
According to the latest release of U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Graduate Schools, the medical school ranks 17th in the country for “most graduates practicing in primary care.” The school was ranked 22nd last year. It’s also ranked in Tier 1 (the top tier) for excellence in primary care training.
The nursing school, meanwhile, ranks among the top master’s-degree physician assistant (PA) programs. PA programs are more commonly found within schools or colleges of health sciences, allied health or medicine. But being hosted by the School of Nursing, the UC Davis program reflects a broader, interprofessional approach to health care education. Many PA graduates move into careers as primary care providers, which helps fill a serious need in California, especially in underserved areas.
Primary care commitment
Students from across California seek admission to the School of Medicine because of its nationally recognized primary care training programs. In fact, nearly two-thirds of its soon-to-graduate students will start their residency training this summer in primary care programs. The vast majority will train in California.
Medical students also are given the opportunity to select from several pathways that specialize in different aspects of patient care within primary care medicine. This includes ACE-PC, Accelerated Competency-based Education in Primary Care, which graduates students in three years instead of four.
In addition to its top 20 ranking for graduates practicing in primary care, UC Davis is also listed in the U.S. News category of “Best Medical Schools: Primary Care.” The category lists 101 schools and ranks them in four tiers. UC Davis was one of 16 schools that placed in the uppermost tier.
“We are honored that UC Davis School of Medicine continues to be recognized as a national leader in training primary care physicians who are passionate about and uniquely prepared to meet the needs of our communities,” said UC Davis School of Medicine Dean Susan Murin.
“We are also pleased to be ranked among the country’s top medical schools for driving innovations in biomedical research, which is essential to advancing new life-saving health care treatments and cures,” she added.
In the U.S. News medical school research category, UC Davis placed in the second of four tiers. According to the UC Davis School of Medicine, it had $400 million in total external research funding in fiscal year 2023-24.
Focus on nursing workforce
The School of Nursing is again recognized for hosting among the best master’s-degree nursing programs.
For the fifth straight year, the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing is among the nation’s 30 best — tied at No. 30 with three other schools. The nursing rankings consider enrollment figures, job placement rates, faculty demographics, research activity and assessment scores from peers and health care professionals.
The school’s PA program landed at No. 35 tied with several other schools. For PA programs, the publication bases the list on peer-assessment scores and ranks them every two years. In 2023, it was No. 40.
“We remain proud of the exceptional academic environment we provide and the valued recognition from our peers. Rankings are one lens — and a changing one at that. What remains unchanged is our unwavering commitment to student success, innovation in teaching and our thriving, inclusive campus community,” said Dean Stephen Cavanagh. “We continue to evolve to meet the needs of California’s workforce.”
The School of Nursing recently added its fifth degree program — Doctor of Nursing Practice – Nurse Anesthesia (DNP-NA). This significant milestone marks the first DNP-NA program within the University of California system and only the sixth of its kind in California. By expanding nurse anesthesia education, the School of Nursing is actively addressing a workforce challenge and strengthening the future of anesthesia care in California. The first class of students begins coursework in June.
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