About San Diego

Life in San Diego

The UCSD pathology training program is blessed not only with abundant academic opportunities, but also with a truly stunning location. Situated in southern California, San Diego is well known for its beautiful beaches and near-idyllic climate. Average temperatures in January and August are 55 and 73 degrees farenheit respectively, with an average of 265 clear, sunny days per year.

San Diego County is a region of diverse and incomparable natural beauty along the beautiful Pacific Coast. Use the map below to learn more about its neighborhoods (yellow), work-related locations (blue), and places to visit (green).

Bordered on west by the Pacific Ocean, on the north by San Clemente, on the south by Mexico, and on the east by the mountains and desert, the county's 2.8 million residents are at home with the sun, surf, mountains and deserts. At the heart of all of this is the City of San Diego itself-the second largest city in California and the sixth largest city in the United States.

San Diego is a sporting paradise with unlimited choices for leisure activities. Year-round outdoor activities include tennis, golf, volleyball, jogging, hiking, and biking. Ocean swimming and other aquatic sports such as surfing, water skiing, skin diving, sail- and power-boating, and salt- and fresh-water sport fishing are enjoyed most of the year. Mexico is half hour drive to the south, the desert communities of Anza-Borrego and Palm Springs are about two hours to the northeast, and skiing and snowboarding are available just a couple of hours to the north during the winter season.

Along with top-rated eateries, the city also boasts the world famous San Diego Zoo within the expansive, lush grounds of Balboa Park. Other local and international cultural events include theater, art galleries, and museums, various music venues from opera to outdoor concerts at the Coors Amphitheater, to the intimate jazz or flamenco clubs of the Gaslamp Quarter. Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres professional baseball team, opened in the spring of 2004 and fast became a focal point at the edge of the downtown's diverse Gaslamp District, which is "the place to be seen" almost any night of the week. To explore the city online, visit The San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the web site for the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper.

Housing

Recently constructed condominium and apartment developments in La Jolla/UTC are in close proximity to Jacobs Medical Center (JMC), the East Campus Office Building (ECOB), and the VA Medical Center. This is the most popular location for housing among our current residents. Additional locations to consider include Downtown San Diego, Hillcrest or one of several beautiful coastal communities (Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Del Mar, etc.)

The cost of rent in San Diego will vary largely depending on location and size requirements. Common rent for a 1-bedroom apartment ranges between $1800-$2200 monthly.

UCSD's Commuter Student Services and Off-Campus Housing Office maintains a listing of off-campus housing. Once you have been issued a UCSD contract, you can contact the Program Administrator for the ID # that is required to log into their system. You should plan to secure housing at least four to six weeks ahead of your move - 30-45 days prior to move-in is a common timeframe for San Diego rentals to be listed on sites like Zillow.com and Apartments.com.