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US Medicine · 2027 Entry

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (MD) Medical School2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

Location Chicago, IL, United StatesEstablished 1859Interviews September–JanuaryDecisions March 30

Photo: Boris Kasimov from Toronto, Canada · CC BY 2.0

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Overview

About Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (MD)

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is located in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, adjacent to Northwestern Memorial Hospital (consistently ranked top 10 nationally). The school offers an innovative integrated curriculum, strong research programs in oncology and neuroscience, and a commitment to training humanistic physicians. Its Chicago location provides access to a large, diverse metropolitan patient population.

What makes it different

Feinberg's Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship in Year 3 allows students to follow patients across specialties over the entire third year — a model shown to improve clinical reasoning and patient continuity of care skills. The school's Chicago location and affiliation with Northwestern Memorial provides access to a flagship academic medical center while being embedded in a major US city.

Course & teaching

Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. Curriculum integrates clinical skills and basic science from Year 1 through the "Foundations of Medicine" phase. Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships in Year 3. Scholarly Concentration required (research, education, quality improvement, or health equity tracks available).

Research strengths

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (MD) has notable research strength in Cancer immunotherapy, Neurology and neuroscience, Health equity, Cardiovascular disease, Medical education.

Interview

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (MD) interviews via Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student).

Intake

Approximately 140 students per year.

At a glance

Founded in 1859, based in Chicago, IL. Programmes offered: Oncology, Neuroscience, Cardiology, Health Equity, Medical Education.

Entry requirements

What you need to apply to Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (MD)

Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Strong academic record and evidence of clinical, research, and service activities required. BS-MD Honors Program available for Northwestern undergraduates.
MCAT median
520 (range 515–525)
GPA median
3.93 overall / 3.87 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
3.2%
Class size
140
In-state preference
None
CASPer
Not required
AAMC PREview
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Humanism in medicine, scholarly potential, research, and community engagement.
Notes
MCAT/GPA approximate from Feinberg admissions data.
Specialities offered
Oncology, Neuroscience, Cardiology, Health Equity, Medical Education
Interview

How Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (MD) interviews applicants

Format
Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student)
Interview window
September–January
Decision date
March 30
Tutor insight
Northwestern's MMI reflects the school's humanism-in-medicine emphasis — expect scenarios about patient communication, ethics, and physician wellness alongside standard clinical reasoning questions. Demonstrate genuine empathy and self-awareness rather than pure intellectual firepower in your MMI responses. The Scholarly Concentration is central to Feinberg's identity; identifying a specific area of scholarly focus in your secondary essays will significantly strengthen your application. If you apply as a Northwestern undergraduate, the Honors Program BS-MD pathway is an exceptional opportunity.
Practice

Practise for your Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (MD) interview

PrometheusQuestion Bank621 medicine questions inside

Interview questions matched to Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (MD)

Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (MD)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.

MediumPanel · MMIQ1

Service Orientation: Longitudinal Community Health Work

You spent three years as a weekly volunteer at a free clinic serving uninsured and underinsured patients in an urban neighbourhood. Over time you noticed that the same patients returned repeatedly for the same chronic conditions — hypertension, diabetes, asthma — that never seemed to improve. What did you observe about the structural barriers these patients faced, and how did that experience influence your vision of what a physician's role should be?

Likely follow-up · How do social determinants of health — housing, food security, employment — interact with chronic disease management in underserved populations?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
MediumPanelQ2

Rural primary-care shortage and HPSAs

Large parts of rural America are designated Health Professional Shortage Areas, and the US faces a projected shortage of primary care physicians. Why is it so hard to recruit and retain physicians in rural and underserved communities, and what could realistically change that?

Likely follow-up · How do programs like the National Health Service Corps or J-1 visa waivers attempt to address this, and what are their limitations?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
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FAQ

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (MD) — frequently asked questions

Apply to Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (MD) with confidence

We've helped students turn their MCAT, personal statement and interview prep into offers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (MD) and other US medicine schools.