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Open dataset · 305 programs · MD, DO & dental · Updated October 2026

US medical school interview formats, measured

Most US programs still interview one-on-one or by panel: 72% of MD programs, 89% of DO programs and 88% of dental programs record only a traditional or panel interview. Here is the format each of the 305 programs in our school profiles records — counted, linked to its interview guide, and free to cite.

72%

of US MD programs record only a traditional or panel interview (117 of 163)

#md-traditional-share

26%

of US MD programs record MMI stations, alone or alongside a traditional or panel interview (42 of 163)

#md-mmi-share

89%

of US DO programs record only a traditional or panel interview (57 of 64)

#do-traditional-share

12%

of US dental programs (DDS and DMD) record MMI stations, alone or in a hybrid (9 of 78)

#dental-mmi-share

Shares are of every program of that type in our school profiles, including any whose format is not yet recorded. Each program sits in exactly one format group, so the groups add up to the program count; the MMI figures above combine the MMI-only and hybrid groups. How to read these numbers.

The breakdown

Format share by program type

MD, DO and dental (DDS and DMD) programs, each counted once: 163 + 64 + 78 = 305 programs, as recorded in our school profiles.

US MD programs

163 programs
Traditional or panel only117 · 72%
MMI only34 · 21%
MMI + traditional or panel8 · 5%
Assessment day2 · 1%
No live interview2 · 1%
Any MMI (alone or hybrid)
42 · 26%
Any traditional or panel
127 · 78%

US DO programs

64 programs
Traditional or panel only57 · 89%
MMI only3 · 5%
MMI + traditional or panel4 · 6%
Any MMI (alone or hybrid)
7 · 11%
Any traditional or panel
61 · 95%

US dental programs

78 programs
Traditional or panel only69 · 88%
MMI only3 · 4%
MMI + traditional or panel6 · 8%
Any MMI (alone or hybrid)
9 · 12%
Any traditional or panel
75 · 96%

“Any MMI” and “any traditional or panel” overlap, because a hybrid program counts in both. Across MD and DO programs together, 49 of 227 record an MMI and 188 record a traditional or panel interview.

By region

MMI use by US Census region

The MMI is most common in the West: 13 of its 43 MD and DO programs record MMI stations (30%), against 18–22% in the other Census regions. Among dental programs, the West also leads, with 5 of 16 programs (31%).

Medical (MD & DO)

49 of 227 record an MMI
Northeast10 of 46 · 22%
Midwest8 of 45 · 18%
South18 of 89 · 20%
West13 of 43 · 30%
Puerto Rico0 of 4 · 0%

Dental (DDS & DMD)

9 of 78 record an MMI
Northeast0 of 15 · 0%
Midwest2 of 17 · 12%
South2 of 27 · 7%
West5 of 16 · 31%
Puerto Rico0 of 3 · 0%

Every format group, by region

The exact counts behind the bars. Each row adds up to its program count, and each “All regions” row to the totals above.

US MD, DO and dental programs by US Census region and interview-format group, as recorded in our school profiles
RegionTraditional / panelMMI onlyHybridAssessment dayNo live interviewNot recordedProgramsAny MMI
Medical (MD & DO)
Northeast36910004610 · 22%
Midwest3653010458 · 18%
South701711008918 · 20%
West28671104313 · 30%
Puerto Rico40000040 · 0%
All regions174371222022749 · 22%
Dental (DDS & DMD)
Northeast1500000150 · 0%
Midwest1520000172 · 12%
South2511000272 · 7%
West1105000165 · 31%
Puerto Rico30000030 · 0%
All regions6936000789 · 12%

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

Regions are the US Census Bureau’s four (Northeast, Midwest, South and West), which cover the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Puerto Rico sits outside them, so its programs (4 MD and DO, 3 dental) are shown on their own row. By state, California and Texas each have the most MD and DO programs recording an MMI (6), and Utah the most dental programs recording one (2).

School by school

Every program, by format

Open a program type to see which schools sit in each format group. Every name links to that school’s interview guide.

US MD programs163 programs

Traditional or panel only (117)

School list in the traditional interview guide

MMI only (34)

School list in the MMI guide
US DO programs64 programs

Traditional or panel only (57)

School list in the traditional interview guide
US dental programs78 programs

Traditional or panel only (69)

School list in the traditional interview guide

A “Panel” tag marks a program whose profile records a panel interview. Group counts match the bars above.

Before the interview

The screening layer: Casper and PREview

Some US programs add a situational judgment test (SJT) to the application. 46 of the 305 programs in our school profiles require one: Casper from Acuity Insights, the AAMC PREview, or either.

30

require Casper

Of 305 programs: 23 MD, 5 DO and 2 dental.

14

require AAMC PREview

PREview is part of MD admissions; DO and dental programs do not use it.

2

accept either test

One test is required, and Casper or PREview both count.

259

require neither

Of 305 programs, as recorded in our school profiles.

Casper and AAMC PREview requirements by US program type, as recorded in our school profiles
Program typeProgramsRequire CasperRequire PREviewAccept eitherRequire neither
MD programs16323 · 14%14 · 9%2 · 1%124 · 76%
DO programs645 · 8%Not usedNot used59 · 92%
Dental programs782 · 3%Not usedNot used76 · 97%
All programs30530 · 10%14 · 5%2 · 1%259 · 85%

Format and screen, side by side: 16 of the 42 MD programs that record an MMI (38%) also require an SJT, compared with 23 of the 121 MD programs that do not (19%).

Both tests are taken as part of the application, not on interview day. Requirements change every cycle, so check each school before you book or skip a test date.

Every school’s Casper & PREview requirementCasper guideAAMC PREview guide

Methodology

How to read these numbers

Every number on this page is computed from the structured interview-format field on each of the 305 US program records in our school profiles, each time the site is built, so a corrected profile updates every count, bar, table and list here. They are the formats as recorded in our school profiles, not an official AAMC, AACOM or ADEA census.

Each program is placed in exactly one group, so the groups add up to the program total:

  • Traditional or panel only (243 of 305 programs): the profile records a one-on-one (traditional) interview, a panel interview, or both, and no MMI stations.
  • MMI only (40 of 305 programs): the profile records multiple mini interview (MMI) stations and no separate traditional or panel interview.
  • MMI + traditional or panel (18 of 305 programs): the profile records MMI stations and a traditional or panel interview, whether the school runs both on one day or varies between them.
  • Assessment day (2 of 305 programs): the profile records an assessment day (for example, an observed group exercise alongside interviews) and no MMI.
  • No live interview (2 of 305 programs): the profile records an asynchronous, recorded video assessment, or no interview at all, in place of a live interview.
  • Format not recorded (0 of 305 programs): the profile does not yet record a structured interview format.

Shares are of all programs of that type, including any whose format is not recorded, and are rounded to whole percentages, so a column can total 99% or 101%. MD, DO and dental programs are counted separately; “medical” on this page means MD and DO together.

Casper and PREview figures come from the admissions record in the same profiles, through the same derivation as our Casper requirements database. A test counts as required only when the record marks it mandatory; recommended or optional tests count as not required.

Check the school before you prepare. Schools change interview formats between cycles, and a profile can lag a change. Treat a format here as where to start, then confirm it on the school’s own admissions site.

Citing this data: published as an open dataset under CC BY 4.0. Cite as “NextGenMedPrep US Interview Format Census” with the date you accessed it, and link to nextgenmedprep.com/us/interviews/interview-formats. For a specific number, link its anchor (for example #md-mmi-share). Spotted a school whose format has changed? Tell us and we will check it against the school’s site.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

A traditional (one-on-one) or panel interview. 117 of the 163 MD programs in our school profiles (72%) and 57 of the 64 DO programs (89%) record only a traditional or panel interview. MMI stations appear at 42 MD programs and 7 DO programs.

Prepare for your format

Now train for the one your schools use

MMI guide (US)

Stations, timing and technique for the US multiple mini interview.

Traditional & panel guide

One-on-one and panel interviews, open and closed file, and how to prepare.

MMI medical schools

The US MD and DO programs that use the MMI, listed in the MMI guide.

Traditional-interview medical schools

The US MD and DO programs that interview one-on-one or by panel, listed in the traditional guide.

MMI dental schools

The US DDS and DMD programs that use MMI stations, in the MMI guide’s dental view.

Traditional-interview dental schools

The US dental programs that interview one-on-one or by panel, in the traditional guide’s dental view.

Casper & PREview requirements

Which programs require a situational judgment test, school by school.

AI mock interviews

Practice your school’s format with an AI interviewer and a rubric-scored debrief.

Know your format

Rehearse the format your school actually uses

Book a mock interview with a current US medical or dental student, run as an MMI circuit, a traditional one-on-one or a panel, with structured feedback afterward.

Book a mock interviewTry the AI interviewer
Compiled by the NextGenMedPrep Admissions Team. Page last updated: ; the counts recompute from our school profiles on every build. · Editorial policy