Indiana University School of Medicine (MD) Medicine InterviewFormat, Questions & Prep Tips

Why did you choose the [Indianapolis/Fort Wayne/Evansville/etc.] campus, and what do you know about the healthcare needs of that community?

Campus-specific research is essential. Know the clinical affiliates, the dominant health challenges (e.g., cardiovascular disease, rural access, opioid crisis) in that part of Indiana, and why the training environment fits your goals.

Walk me through what led you to apply to medicine. Was there a defining moment?

Narrative authenticity. IUSM interviewers see thousands of applications — a genuine, specific story is more compelling than a polished but generic answer.

Indiana has some of the highest rates of opioid overdose deaths in the Midwest. As a physician in Indiana, how would you approach a patient you suspect is misusing prescription opioids?

Indiana-specific context; shows you have researched the state's health landscape. Cover: non-judgmental communication, PDMP use, MOUD (medication-assisted treatment), safe prescribing practices, and social determinants.

Tell me about a time you were part of a team that experienced significant conflict. How was it resolved, and what did you learn?

STAR structure. Interpersonal competency. Show that you can navigate conflict constructively rather than avoiding it, and that the resolution served the team's shared goal.

IUSM has nine regional campuses. How do you think about the tradeoffs between training at a large urban academic center versus a regional community campus?

Shows genuine engagement with IUSM's model. There is no wrong answer — the school values students who have thought carefully about what each environment offers and are committed to their chosen campus.

You are a resident and a patient's family member approaches you privately, asking you to withhold a terminal diagnosis from the patient because "they cannot handle it." What do you do?

Patient autonomy vs. family wishes. Cover truth-telling obligations, cultural context, the patient's stated preferences, and how you would involve the attending and social work team.

IUSM has significant cardiovascular and genomic medicine research programs. Do you have research interests, and how might you pursue them during medical school?

Shows school-specific preparation. Mention IBRI, the MSTP program if applicable, and any prior research experience that connects to IUSM's strengths.

What do you believe is the biggest health challenge facing Indiana specifically, and what role could a physician play in addressing it?

Indiana health stats: high rates of cardiovascular disease, opioid overdose, obesity, infant mortality, and rural access gaps. Pick one and show depth of analysis.

Describe a situation where you had to give critical feedback to a peer or colleague. How did you approach it, and what happened?

Intrapersonal competency. Demonstrates self-awareness and ability to maintain professional relationships while still serving team quality standards.

A patient from a conservative religious background refuses a blood transfusion that you believe is medically necessary. They are competent and fully informed. What do you do?

Patient autonomy, informed refusal, duty to document, consulting ethics committee, ensuring the patient has heard the clinical risk. Indiana's religiously diverse population means this scenario is clinically relevant.

Role-play: You are a student in an Indiana clinic. The actor is a patient you suspect is misusing prescription opioids; they came in requesting an early refill and become defensive when you raise your concern. Begin the conversation.

Stay non-judgemental and curious, avoid accusation, and frame the conversation around safety and support (PDMP findings, MOUD options, pain management). Indiana's high overdose burden makes compassionate, evidence-based handling of this scenario directly relevant.

An interviewer shows you that Indiana ranks among the worst Midwestern states on several metrics at once — infant mortality, cardiovascular disease, and opioid overdose deaths. How do you make sense of clustered poor outcomes like these, and what role can physicians play?

Look for common upstream drivers (poverty, access, rural maldistribution, social determinants) rather than treating each metric in isolation. Connect to physician roles in prevention, advocacy, and IUSM's statewide workforce mission.

You are at a regional IUSM campus and a patient is frustrated that they were referred to Indianapolis for a procedure they hoped to have locally. How do you explain the referral while respecting their preference to stay close to home?

Acknowledge the inconvenience honestly, explain the clinical rationale clearly, and explore what support exists for travel and follow-up. IUSM's distributed model makes local-versus-tertiary care conversations routine.

IUSM uses a standardized curriculum delivered across nine regional campuses plus Indianapolis. Describe how you learn best and why the campus you chose suits both your learning style and your goals.

Show genuine engagement with the regional-campus model and self-awareness about your learning preferences. Connect your chosen campus's clinical character to how you study and what you want to become.

A patient's adult child privately asks you to withhold a new cancer diagnosis from their elderly parent, saying it is the family's cultural way and the parent 'could not cope.' How do you respond?

Balance truth-telling and patient autonomy against cultural and family context. Explore what the patient themselves wants to know, involve the attending and care team, and avoid simply overriding the family — Indiana's diverse population makes this nuanced.