Residency Application Information

All applications to UCSF Pathology training program are accepted only through the Association of American Medical Colleges’ (AAMC) Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).

To begin the application process, applicants should review the ERAS web site and follow these steps: 

• Go to the “Students & Residents” tab
• Select “Applying to Residency”
• Then Select “Register for MyERAS”

*Please note that the departments of Pathology and Department of Laboratory Medicine require

• 3 letters of recommendation (LOR)
• A Dean’s letter
• Copies of all USMLE exam results. These should be handled using the ERAS application system.

The deadline for receipt of applications from ERAS is December 1, 2024.

UCSF GME policy states that "An applicant for graduate medical education at UCSF must have:

• A medical degree prior to residency/fellowship program start date from one of the follow:
  • Medical schools in the United States and Canada accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME); [...] or
  • Medical schools outside of the United States or Canada recognized by the California Medical Board: Medical Schools Recognized by the Medical Board of California
• A passing score on USMLE Step 1
• A passing score on USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK)"

Application information, including ERAS information, for international graduates can be found at www.ecfmg.org. For information regarding the Anatomic Pathology or Clinical Pathology Training Program, please contact Brittney Augerlavoie. 

Applicants interested in applying to the Physician-Scientist Program (PSP) should review the information on the UCSF Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Physican-Scientist Pathway webpage. 

National Resident Matching Program Rules

Please see the NRMP website for the most current rules and regulations (http://www.nrmp.org/).

The purpose of the National Resident Matching Program is to allow both applicants and programs to make selection decisions on a uniform schedule and without pressure.

Any attempt by programs to obtain a commitment from applicants to accept a position before the match occurs is a violation. Any attempt by applicants to obtain a commitment from a program to offer a position before the match occurs is a violation. Any attempt to solicit information on how a program or applicant will be ranked is a violation.

It is not a violation for either an applicant or a program to express strong interest in a program or applicant. It is not even a violation for an applicant or program to tell how the program or applicant will be ranked. However, none of these expressions of interest on the part of either an applicant or a program can be considered a commitment to enter a program or to guarantee a position.

California Medical License Information

There are two main licenses to practice as a physician/surgeon in the state of California, the Postgraduate Training License (PTL) and the Physician’s and Surgeon’s License.

A Postgraduate Training License (PTL) is issued to residents who are enrolled in a California ACGME-accredited postgraduate training program. All U.S., Canadian, and international residents enrolled in an ACGME-accredited postgraduate training program in California are required to obtain a Postgraduate Training License (PTL) within 180 days from their enrollment date. The resident may engage in the practice of medicine only in connection with their duties as a resident in the approved training program, including its affiliated sites, or under those conditions as are approved in writing by the director of their program. A Postgraduate Training License is issued to an individual who has graduated from an approved medical school, passed all required examinations, has not received either a minimum of 12-months credit (for U.S. or Canadian medical school graduates) or 24-months credit (for international medical school graduates) of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited postgraduate training if completed in the United States and its territories, or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) and/or The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)-accredited postgraduate training if completed in Canada, and is enrolled in a Board-approved California residency program.”  For more information on how to apply for your PTL, please visit here.

Transition from a Postgraduate Training License to a Physician's and Surgeon's License: You can complete the transition application process if you currently hold a Postgraduate Training License (PTL) and are transitioning to a Physician’s and Surgeon’s (P&S) license, learn more here.

A Physician’s and Surgeon’s License is issued to individuals who graduate from approved medical schools and complete the required period of Board-approved postgraduate training allowing them to practice medicine in California. All allopathic physicians must receive a license from the Board prior to practicing medicine in California. Osteopathic physicians and surgeons are licensed and regulated by the Osteopathic Medical Board of California.  Learn more about License Types here.