UC Davis Medical School Boosts Primary Care Pipeline

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The UC Davis School of Medicine has developed a successful model to help address the nationwide shortage of primary care doctors. At this year's Match Day, half of the school's graduating class of 2026 matched into primary care residency programs, demonstrating the effectiveness of UC Davis' efforts to build a pipeline of future family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatric physicians.

Why it matters

Primary care physician shortages are a major challenge across the United States, with many communities lacking adequate access to family doctors, internists, and pediatricians. UC Davis' focus on primary care training aims to improve healthcare access and outcomes, especially in underserved areas.

The details

The UC Davis School of Medicine has implemented several initiatives to steer more of its graduates into primary care fields. This includes early exposure to primary care through clinical rotations, mentorship programs, and financial incentives for students who commit to careers in family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics.

• UC Davis School of Medicine held its 2026 Match Day last month.
• Half of the school's 2026 graduating class matched into primary care residencies.

What’s next

UC Davis plans to continue expanding its primary care training programs to produce even more family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatric physicians to serve communities across California and the nation.