Traditional Interviews
for US Medical & Dental Schools
A traditional interview is a conversation with one interviewer or a small panel rather than a circuit of MMI stations. In our school profiles, 188 of 227 US MD and DO programs and 75 of 78 dental programs record one.
- MD & DO programs
- 188 of 227
- Dental programs
- 75 of 78
- Format
- One-on-one or a small panel
- Length
- Typically 30–60 min
- Length
- Set by each school
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What is a traditional interview?
In US admissions, a traditional interview is a conversation that explores you and your application in depth: one interviewer, or a small panel questioning you together, rather than a circuit of timed stations. What sets it apart is the follow-up. Your answer becomes the next question, so a rehearsed opening only gets you started.
The AAMC describes the one-on-one version as an admissions committee member, faculty member or local clinician meeting you individually to explore your application further, and typical live interviews as lasting 30 to 60 minutes. In our school profiles, 188 of the 227 US MD and DO programs record a traditional or panel interview: see the list.
Dental schools interview the same way: one-on-one or small-panel conversations with faculty, admissions committee members and current dental students. In our school profiles, 75 of the 78 US DDS and DMD programs record a traditional or panel interview: see the list.
What happens on interview day
Every school sets its own day, but the same building blocks recur. Your invitation says which ones you will meet.
Who interviews you
Faculty, physicians, admissions committee members and current students. Ohio State pairs a faculty interview with one led by a medical student or resident, and Baylor's interviewers are faculty or student members of its Admissions Interviewing Subcommittee.
Faculty, admissions committee members and current dental students. UCSF's School of Dentistry pairs a one-on-one faculty interview with a one-on-one student interview, and members of its Admissions Committee evaluate both.
One-on-one or a panel
Most conversations are one-on-one, often two in a day. Rocky Vista University's DO program uses a two-person virtual panel, and the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine's interviews are led by two faculty members.
Expect a one-on-one conversation or a small panel. ADEA's advice is to read your invitation to learn which type you face: group, one-on-one or virtual.
Extras around the conversation
Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine adds a 20-minute group exercise to its two 30-minute interviews, and the AAMC notes that some schools use recorded, asynchronous interviews. In our profiles, 12 MD and DO programs also run MMI stations.
UCSF adds a 30-minute writing exercise to its student interview. In our profiles, 6 dental programs also run MMI stations.
How you are scored
Each school designs its own evaluation; typically every interviewer writes up the conversation for the admissions committee, alongside the rest of your file. The AAMC describes holistic review as balanced consideration of experiences, attributes and academic metrics in light of a school's mission.
Each school designs its own evaluation, and the interview is weighed alongside the rest of your file. UCSF publishes its four interview areas: see what they assess.
Open-file vs closed-file interviews
How much of your application the interviewer has seen changes how much context you need to give.
Open file
The interviewer has read some or all of your application. Know every entry well enough to expand on it, and expect “tell me more about…”. Any gap between what you wrote and what you say stands out.
Closed file
The interviewer knows little beyond your name, so everything they learn, you tell them. Prepare a self-contained story of who you are and why medicine.
The interviewer knows little beyond your name. UCSF's School of Dentistry says its interviewers do not have access to your written application, so prepare a self-contained story of who you are and why dentistry.
Partially blinded
Some schools share your experiences and essays but not your numbers. The University of New Mexico says its interviewers do not see MCAT scores, GPA or academic history before the interview; Rocky Vista's DO interviewers see the personal statement, supplemental application and letters but not grades or MCAT scores.
Some schools share your experiences and essays but not your grades or test scores. Unless the school says otherwise, assume the person opposite cannot see your numbers and let your experiences carry the conversation.
Traditional interview vs MMI
Both test the same qualities. What changes is how many people you meet and how far each answer can be pushed.
| What differs | Traditional interview | MMI |
|---|---|---|
| Interviewers | One person or a small panel per conversation | A new interviewer at each station |
| Follow-ups | Build on your last answer | Each station starts fresh |
| A weak answer | Heard by the person writing up the whole conversation | Stays in its station |
| Your application | Often open or partly open file | Mostly scenarios, not your file |
| Best preparation | A story bank and school research | Timed practice across station types |
What interviewers are looking for
The AAMC notes that interviewers often assess applicants on its Premed Competencies for Entering Medical Students: 17 competencies, of which the 11 professional ones map most directly onto a conversation. Use the current names, including the two the AAMC renamed in 2026: Self-Awareness and Understanding Others (formerly Cultural Humility and Cultural Awareness).
- Commitment to Learning and GrowthFeedback you sought out, accepted and acted on.
- Empathy and CompassionNoticing what a patient or family felt, and responding.
- Ethical Responsibility to Self and OthersEthics scenarios, and honesty when it costs you.
- Interpersonal SkillsReading a situation and adjusting, such as calming a tense exchange.
- Oral CommunicationThe interview itself: clear answers to the question asked.
- Reliability and DependabilityLong-term commitments, and how you handled a dropped ball.
- Resilience and AdaptabilitySetbacks and changed plans, and what you did next.
- Self-AwarenessYour assumptions, and how your background shapes your path.
- Service OrientationSustained service, and why you kept showing up.
- Teamwork and CollaborationTeam conflict, a teammate not pulling their weight, leading and following.
- Understanding OthersHow backgrounds shape behavior, and respect for difference.
The thinking and reasoning and science competencies show up mostly in your coursework, MCAT and written application. Names from the AAMC competency list; the notes are ours.
There is no dental equivalent of the AAMC list, but schools that publish their criteria name familiar qualities. UCSF's School of Dentistry says each interviewer assesses four areas:
- Motivation
- Self-awareness
- Problem-solving and critical thinking
- Collaboration, teamwork, and leadership
Twelve questions to expect
Original practice questions on the themes US interviewers return to, each with what a strong answer does.
“Tell me about yourself.”
A 60 to 90 second story, not a résumé: where you come from, the experience that made medicine real, what you do now and where you are headed. In a closed-file interview it frames everything that follows.
A 60 to 90 second story, not a résumé: where you come from, the experience that made dentistry real, what you do now and where you are headed. In a closed-file interview it frames everything that follows.
“Why be a physician rather than a nurse, a PA or a public health professional?”
“Why dentistry rather than medicine?”
Show what physicians do that those roles do not, such as diagnostic responsibility and leading a care team, through moments you saw firsthand, without dismissing the other professions.
Point to what you have watched dentists do: hands-on procedures, long relationships with patients, prevention. Ground it in your shadowing, and never present dentistry as a fallback from medicine.
“Why our school?”
“Why do you want to train at our dental school?”
The AAMC tells applicants to be ready for this one. Name two or three specifics, such as the curriculum, the patients or a program, linked to your own record, then say what you would contribute.
ADEA advises learning the school's mission and reviewing its website thoroughly. Link two or three specifics, such as its clinics or the communities it serves, to what you have done.
“Walk me through the clinical experience that taught you the most.”
“What did shadowing teach you that you could not have learned from reading?”
Depth over breadth: one setting, one or two moments and what changed in how you think about patients. Reflection matters more than hours.
Pick one moment, such as how a dentist settled a nervous patient, say what you noticed and what it taught you about the daily work.
“Why osteopathic medicine? Or: why did you apply to both MD and DO programs?”
Show you understand the whole-person philosophy and what osteopathic training adds, ideally through a DO you have shadowed. Never present DO as a fallback.
“Tell me about something you have done that shows your manual dexterity.”
Any skill that took fine motor control and patience counts: an instrument, art, model building, lab work. Explain how you practiced and improved, not just that you are good at it.
“Tell me about a time you failed.”
Choose a real failure, own it without excuses and spend most of the answer on what you learned and changed.
“Describe a time you received difficult feedback.”
Show that you listened without getting defensive and changed something concrete: the AAMC's Commitment to Learning and Growth in action.
Show that you listened without getting defensive and changed something concrete. Self-awareness is one of the four areas UCSF's dental interviewers assess.
“Describe a teammate who wasn't pulling their weight.”
Start with a private, curious conversation before escalating, and protect the team's goal without humiliating anyone. Say what you did: 'I', not 'we'.
Start with a private, curious conversation before escalating, and protect the team's goal without humiliating anyone. Dental care is team care, from assistants to hygienists.
“A patient with decision-making capacity refuses a treatment you believe would help. What do you do?”
“A patient asks for a cosmetic treatment you think is not in their interest. How do you respond?”
Explore their reasons, correct any misinformation, offer alternatives and respect an informed choice. Name the tension between autonomy and beneficence.
Explore why they want it, explain the risks and alternatives, and make sure consent is informed. The patient's welfare comes before the sale.
“How does being uninsured affect the care a patient receives?”
“Many adults on Medicaid have little or no dental coverage. Why, and what could help?”
Trace delayed care, skipped medications and medical debt, then what physicians can do: safety-net referrals, cost-aware prescribing, advocacy. Stay balanced.
States decide which dental benefits adult Medicaid enrollees get, with no federal minimum, while children's dental care is covered. Explain what that means for patients, and stay balanced.
“What role should artificial intelligence play in diagnosis?”
“What is the biggest barrier to oral health in your community?”
Weigh real promise against real risks (biased data, privacy, accountability), and land on AI as a support for clinical judgment.
Pick a barrier you can explain from what you have seen, such as cost, distance or fear of the dentist, and suggest something realistic a dentist could do about it.
“A friend admits to taking a roommate's prescription stimulants before exams. What do you do?”
Talk to your friend first, focus on their health and the risks, point them to support and know when others must be involved.
More practice: US medical interview questionsUS dental interview questions, each with an examiner rubric.
How to structure your answers
Interviewers follow up, so a clear structure matters more than a polished script. Two shapes cover most questions.
STAR for questions about your experience
- Situation: set the scene in a sentence or two.
- Task: what you were responsible for.
- Action: what you did. This is the longest part, and it is 'I', not 'we'.
- Result: what happened, what you learned and what you would do differently.
The AAMC recommends STAR for behavioral questions and, for “what would you do” questions, explaining the actions you would take, why, and the result you would expect.
Worked example
“Tell me about a time a team you were part of disagreed.”
- Situation
- Four of us ran a free blood-pressure screening table at a campus health fair. A week before, two of the team wanted to cancel because so few people had signed up.
- Task
- I handled outreach, so the decision rested partly on my part of the plan.
- Action
- I asked each person what was worrying them, then proposed a three-day sign-up target before we decided. I moved our flyers to the dining hall and the gym, and checked in with the two who wanted to cancel each day.
- Result
- We passed the target and went ahead. Next time I would agree a go or no-go point at the start, so nobody feels overruled.
Ethics questions: five steps
- Clarify the facts: say what you would need to know first, such as the patient’s capacity, wishes and understanding.
- Name who is affected: the patient first, then family, colleagues and the wider community.
- Weigh the principles: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice, and where they pull apart.
- Commit to a plan: give a proportionate answer and the reason for it.
- Know when to escalate: say when you would ask for help, and from whom.
Free PDF
Get the free US interview guide (PDF)
Our printable US interview guide: traditional and panel interviews, the MMI, Casper and AAMC PREview.
- Open file versus closed file, and why it changes your answers
- Worked model answers, including weak versions and why they fail
- A question bank mapped to the AAMC competencies
- Thank-you notes, update letters and waitlists
Get instant access to your free guide
Enter your email and your The Ultimate Medical School Interview Guide (US) downloads straight away. We also email you a link so you can download it again on any device.
Which US schools use traditional interviews?
In our school profiles, 188 of the 227 US MD and DO programs record a traditional or panel interview, and 12 of them also run MMI stations (marked Hybrid). Each name links to that school's interview guide.
In our school profiles, 75 of the 78 US DDS and DMD programs record a traditional or panel interview, and 6 of them also run MMI stations (marked Hybrid). Each name links to that school's interview guide.
| School | State | Degree | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine | AL | DO | Traditional Single open-file interview with basic science or clinical faculty, administrators and/or community physicians, in person or on Zoom |
| Albany Medical College | NY | MD | Traditional Traditional panel interview (faculty and/or student, ~30–45 min sessions) |
| Albert Einstein College of Medicine | NY | MD | Traditional Traditional panel interview (faculty and/or student, ~30–45 min sessions) |
| Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine | AR | DO | Traditional Traditional interview with one faculty member and one community member |
| ASU Shufeldt School of Medicine | AZ | MD | Traditional Three traditional interviews during a virtual applicant visit day |
| ATSU-KCOM | MO | DO | Traditional Three half-hour individual interviews (a basic science faculty member, a clinician and an Admissions team member) on an in-person interview day |
| ATSU-SOMA | AZ | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview |
| Baylor College of Medicine | TX | MD | Traditional Two live virtual interviews of 25–30 minutes, each with a faculty or student member of the Admissions Interviewing Subcommittee |
| Belmont Frist College of Medicine | TN | MD | Traditional Virtual interview day: a 30-minute traditional open-file interview plus a structured interview on personal attributes |
| Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University | NC | MD | Traditional Two one-on-one interviews on a virtual (Webex) interview day, plus an admissions overview and a panel discussion with current students |
| Brown Alpert Medical School | RI | MD | Traditional Two half-hour virtual one-on-one interviews with voting members of the MD Admissions Committee (students, faculty or administrative staff) |
| BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine | MA | MD | Traditional Traditional conversational interview; faculty or student interviewer |
| Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine — Florida | FL | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview |
| Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine — New Mexico | NM | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview |
| California Health Sciences University COM | CA | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview |
| Campbell University CUSOM | NC | DO | Traditional Virtual Applicant Day with interactive dialogue sessions in place of a traditional one-on-one interview |
| Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine | OH | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| Charles R. Drew University College of Medicine | CA | MD | Traditional Virtual interview sessions with CDU faculty |
| CNU College of Medicine | CA | MD | Traditional Virtual two-part structured interview: Case-question segment plus Dialogue segment |
| Columbia University VP&S | NY | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| Cooper Medical School of Rowan University | NJ | MD | Traditional Traditional interview: a relaxed conversation with your interviewers about your application and experiences |
| Creighton University School of Medicine | NE | MD | Traditional Two 30-minute virtual open-file interviews, one of them with a Creighton medical student |
| CU Anschutz Medical Campus | CO | MD | Traditional + Assessment day Mixed-format virtual interview day: observed group exercise plus an individual interview |
| CUNY School of Medicine | NY | MD | Traditional Traditional panel interview — faculty and student interviewers in separate sessions |
| D’Youville University COM | NY | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview |
| David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA | CA | MD | Traditional Virtual one-on-one interviews with DGSOM faculty members, the core format for 2026–27; interviews are specific to the track you are invited for |
| Des Moines University COM | IA | DO | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interview |
| Duquesne University Nasuti COM | PA | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview |
| Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University | VA | MD | Traditional ~30-minute one-on-one virtual Zoom interviews (September–March); the former MMI has been discontinued |
| Emory University School of Medicine | GA | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| ETSU Quillen College of Medicine | TN | MD | Traditional Traditional individual or panel interviews with faculty and community physicians |
| FAU Schmidt College of Medicine | FL | MD | Traditional Traditional interview (faculty, community physician, and/or student interviewers) |
| FIU Wertheim College of Medicine | FL | MD | Traditional Traditional interview (faculty and/or student interviewers) |
| FSU College of Medicine | FL | MD | Traditional Traditional interview (faculty and/or student interviewers) |
| Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth | NH | MD | Traditional Virtual interview day: a 20-minute group exercise, then two 30-minute interviews with Admissions Committee members |
| Georgetown University School of Medicine | DC | MD | Traditional Traditional interview (faculty, physician, and/or student interviewers) |
| GWU School of Medicine | DC | MD | Traditional One blind interview of about 25 minutes with a faculty member, held virtually |
| Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine | NJ | MD | Traditional Virtual, open-file interview: about 30 minutes with an Admissions Committee member who has reviewed your application |
| Harvard Medical School | MA | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| Howard University College of Medicine | DC | MD | Traditional Traditional interview (faculty, physician, and/or student interviewers) |
| Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | NY | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine | ID | DO | Traditional One 30-minute open-file virtual interview (Webex) with two ICOM faculty members |
| Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine at The Chicago School | IL | DO | Traditional Virtual interview with IllinoisCOM faculty, administration and staff |
| Indiana University School of Medicine | IN | MD | Traditional Online Zoom interview of about 45 minutes on Wednesdays, plus information and financial aid sessions |
| Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB | NY | MD | Traditional Two separate standard interviews with members of the Admissions Interview Subcommittee, who do not see your academic metrics |
| John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa | HI | MD | Traditional Three interviews: two assigned interviews (faculty, physicians, JABSOM alumni, medical-community members or fourth-year students) and a final interview with the Director of Admissions |
| Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine | MD | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| Kaiser Permanente Tyson School of Medicine | CA | MD | Traditional + MMIHybrid Virtual hybrid: an MMI plus a traditional one-on-one interview with a faculty member |
| KansasCOM | KS | DO | Traditional Two one-on-one 20-minute Zoom interviews with two different faculty or staff members (limited in-person option by invitation) |
| KCU-Joplin COM | MO | DO | Traditional Traditional interview with faculty and students |
| KCU-KC COM | MO | DO | Traditional Traditional interview with faculty and students |
| Keck School of Medicine of USC | CA | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV | NV | MD | Traditional Asynchronous recorded interview plus a 45-minute one-on-one standardized virtual interview (explicitly not MMI) |
| KYCOM — Pikeville | KY | DO | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine | PA | DO | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interview |
| LECOM at Jacksonville University | FL | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview |
| LECOM Bradenton | FL | DO | Traditional Traditional interview with faculty and students |
| LECOM Elmira | NY | DO | Traditional Traditional interview with faculty and students |
| LECOM Seton Hill | PA | DO | Traditional Traditional panel or individual interview with faculty |
| Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University | PA | MD | Traditional Three interviews: a primary interview with a faculty member on the Admissions Committee, a secondary (blind) interview and a community interview |
| Liberty University COM | VA | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty and/or panel interview |
| LMU-DCOM | TN | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview |
| LMU-DCOM Florida | FL | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview |
| LMU-DCOM Knoxville | TN | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview |
| Loma Linda University School of Medicine | CA | MD | Traditional Traditional interview with faculty members |
| Long School of Medicine UT Health San Antonio | TX | MD | Traditional Two one-on-one virtual interviews — one faculty member, one current medical student — via Zoom |
| Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine | IL | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interviews with faculty and students |
| LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine | LA | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one and panel interviews with faculty and students in New Orleans |
| LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine | LA | MD | Traditional Two semi-blind one-on-one virtual interviews of about 30 minutes each with Admissions Committee members |
| Marian University COM | IN | DO | Traditional Blended format: a live virtual group session (the COMversation, up to six applicants) plus a recorded Kira video assessment of up to 45 minutes |
| Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine | WV | MD | Traditional Live virtual (Zoom) interview of about 40 minutes with two interviewers who alternate questions, plus a required virtual student session |
| Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine | MN | MD | Traditional Two one-on-one 30-minute virtual interviews, plus a welcome session, a virtual campus tour, time with students and a Q&A |
| McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston | TX | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or small panel interviews with faculty |
| Medical College of Wisconsin | WI | MD | Traditional Virtual interviews on Zoom for all three campuses (interview structure not described) |
| Meharry Medical College | TN | MD | Traditional Virtual: a 30–45-minute traditional faculty interview, 10-minute breakout interviews on a situational prompt from faculty, and a 30-minute student group interview |
| Mercer University School of Medicine | GA | MD | Traditional A 30–45-minute virtual (Zoom) interview with two interviewers, plus an hour with Year II student ambassadors |
| Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine | MD | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview |
| Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine | NC | MD | Traditional Traditional panel interview — faculty and student one-on-one sessions |
| Midwestern University AZCOM | AZ | DO | Panel Panel interview: applicants join other interviewees to meet members of an interview panel (basic scientists, administrators, admissions staff, students and clinicians) |
| Midwestern University CCOM | IL | DO | Panel Panel interview: applicants join several other interviewees to meet members of an interview panel (basic scientists, current students, administrators and clinicians); virtual and on-campus options |
| Morehouse School of Medicine | GA | MD | Traditional Two faculty interviews, held in person on campus in Atlanta (no virtual option this cycle) |
| MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine | MI | DO | Traditional Traditional interview |
| MUSC College of Medicine | SC | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interviews with faculty and admissions committee members |
| Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine | UT | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview |
| Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) College of Medicine | OH | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interviews with faculty and/or community physicians |
| Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine | IL | MD | Traditional Three individual virtual interviews: two with full-time faculty and one with a senior medical student |
| NSU-COM | FL | DO | Traditional Traditional interview |
| NYITCOM | NY | DO | Traditional Traditional interview (virtual or in-person) |
| Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine | MI | MD | Traditional Virtual interview day: three separate short interviews with a student, staff member, faculty member or alumnus, plus one one-on-one traditional interview with a faculty member; all semi-blinded |
| The Ohio State University College of Medicine | OH | MD | Traditional Two virtual one-on-one interviews — one with faculty, one with a current medical student or resident |
| Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine | OH | DO | Traditional Traditional interview |
| Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine | OR | MD | Traditional + MMIHybrid Virtual hybrid: an MMI circuit of 8-minute interviews plus a separately scheduled, longer one-on-one interview with an admissions committee member |
| Orlando COM | FL | DO | Traditional Half-day interview with a one-on-one interview and a group interview; mostly in person, virtual by request |
| OSU-COM | OK | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview |
| Paul L. Foster School of Medicine TTUHSC El Paso | TX | MD | Traditional Traditional panel interviews with faculty and community physicians |
| PCOM Georgia | GA | DO | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interview with faculty |
| PCOM South Georgia | GA | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview with a rural health focus |
| Penn State College of Medicine | PA | MD | Traditional Virtual interview day: two faculty members, staff members and/or alumni interview each applicant at the same time |
| Perelman School of Medicine, UPenn | PA | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interview (typically 2 faculty/student interviews on interview day) |
| Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine | PA | DO | Panel Panel interview of about 30 minutes with at least two members of the Faculty Committee on Admissions; virtual or on campus |
| PNWU-COM | WA | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty interview with a community-health focus |
| Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine | PR | MD | Traditional Traditional individual interviews with faculty and admissions committee members |
| Pritzker School of Medicine, UChicago | IL | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one; conversational and intellectually probing |
| Quinnipiac Netter School of Medicine | CT | MD | Traditional Two interviews with students, faculty or administration |
| Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University | NY | MD | Traditional + MMIHybrid Hybrid MMI plus traditional panel — MMI stations followed by a panel interview |
| Roseman University College of Medicine | NV | MD | Traditional Kira timed video and written assessment, then a virtual interview with faculty and the college leadership team |
| Rowan-Virtua SOM | NJ | DO | Panel Virtual (WebEx) board panel interview of about 30–45 minutes with Admissions Committee members (faculty, staff, and third- and fourth-year students) |
| Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center | IL | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interviews with faculty and students |
| Rutgers New Jersey Medical School | NJ | MD | Traditional Interviews with medical school faculty and administrators, generally lasting about an hour |
| RVU Colorado | CO | DO | Panel Virtual interview of about 30 minutes with a two-person panel from the RVUCOM team; interviewers are blinded to grades and MCAT |
| RVU Montana | MT | DO | Panel Virtual interview of about 30 minutes with a two-person panel from the RVU-MCOM team; interviewers are blinded to grades and MCAT |
| RVU Utah | UT | DO | Panel Virtual interview of about 30 minutes with a two-person panel from the RVUCOM team; interviewers are blinded to grades and MCAT |
| Saint Louis University School of Medicine | MO | MD | Traditional Virtual interview via the AMP application software |
| San Juan Bautista School of Medicine | PR | MD | Traditional Traditional individual faculty interviews |
| SHSU COM | TX | DO | Traditional Traditional faculty and student interview |
| Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University | PA | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interviews with faculty and students |
| Southern Illinois University School of Medicine | IL | MD | Traditional Two virtual (WebEx) interviews with faculty members, one of them an Admissions Committee member who has your full file |
| Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah | UT | MD | Traditional In person in Salt Lake City: two 30-minute one-on-one traditional interviews plus one small-group assessment |
| Stanford University School of Medicine | CA | MD | Traditional + MMIHybrid Hybrid: MMI scenario stations plus traditional one-on-one interview(s) |
| SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine | NY | MD | Traditional About an hour with a single faculty interviewer, plus a 30-minute peer conversation with a current medical student; virtual |
| SUNY Upstate Medical University Norton College of Medicine | NY | MD | Traditional Traditional panel interview — faculty and student sessions in separate one-on-one format |
| Texas A&M Vashisht College of Medicine | TX | MD | Traditional Two individual 30-minute virtual interviews on Zoom |
| Touro CA COM | CA | DO | Panel Panel-format interview (late September through April or early May) |
| Touro NV COM | NV | DO | Traditional + Panel + MMIHybrid Mixed: MMI, traditional and group interviews |
| TouroCOM Montana | MT | DO | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| TouroCOM New York | NY | DO | Traditional Informational presentation plus a formal interview with several faculty members (full file access); remote in 2025–26 |
| TTUHSC School of Medicine Lubbock | TX | MD | Traditional Virtual one-on-one interviews of 20 minutes in Zoom breakout rooms (a second faculty member may sit in) |
| Tufts University School of Medicine | MA | MD | Traditional Two individual interviews with Admissions Committee members, conducted virtually over Zoom as part of a full interview day (speakers, presentations, student meet, virtual tour) |
| Tulane University School of Medicine | LA | MD | Traditional Virtual, blind and informal interviews with a faculty member or administrator and a current student, plus a standardized-patient exercise |
| UAB Heersink School of Medicine | AL | MD | Traditional + MMIHybrid Virtual hybrid on Kira Talent: one traditional one-on-one interview with an admissions committee member plus a nine-station MMI |
| UAMS College of Medicine | AR | MD | Traditional Multiple back-to-back, application-blind one-on-one interviews; in person in Little Rock or Fayetteville, with a virtual option |
| UC Irvine School of Medicine | CA | MD | Traditional Two virtual one-on-one interviews (faculty and current student) plus an asynchronous Kira Talent video assessment |
| UCC Bayamon School of Medicine | PR | MD | Traditional Traditional individual or panel interviews with faculty and admissions committee |
| UConn School of Medicine | CT | MD | Traditional Traditional panel interview (faculty, physician, and/or student interviewers) |
| UCSF School of Medicine | CA | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine | TX | DO | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interviews with faculty |
| UMKC School of Medicine | MO | MD | Traditional Traditional interview (faculty, physician, and student interviewers) |
| UNCO COM | CO | DO | Traditional + MMIHybrid Asynchronous MMI on Kira Talent; based on the results, some applicants are invited to a live virtual one-on-one interview |
| UNE COM | ME | DO | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interview with faculty and a student |
| University of Central Florida College of Medicine | FL | MD | Traditional Two one-on-one virtual interviews hosted on Zoom |
| University of Cincinnati College of Medicine | OH | MD | Traditional Two one-on-one Microsoft Teams interviews (one faculty member, one current student), after an asynchronous Kira video interview |
| University of Florida College of Medicine | FL | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| University of Illinois College of Medicine | IL | MD | Traditional + MMIHybrid Virtual hybrid on Zoom: MMI stations plus a one-on-one faculty interview (2025–26 cycle) |
| University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine | IA | MD | Traditional One 25-minute interview with two faculty members (a structured part, then unstructured follow-up questions), virtual or in person |
| University of Kansas School of Medicine | KS | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interviews with faculty and current students |
| University of Kentucky College of Medicine | KY | MD | Traditional In-person interviews at the applicant's first-choice campus |
| University of Louisville School of Medicine | KY | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one and panel interviews with faculty and students |
| University of Maryland School of Medicine | MD | MD | Traditional Virtual interview days on Mondays and Wednesdays; the published schedule lists one possible 45-minute interview, plus a student lunch and a tour |
| University of Miami Miller School of Medicine | FL | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| University of Michigan Medical School | MI | MD | Traditional + MMIHybrid Virtual hybrid: two 30-minute interviews with Admissions Committee members plus six 6-minute short-form interviews at interaction stations |
| University of Minnesota Medical School | MN | MD | Traditional Virtual (Zoom): one 30-minute mission-specific interview, plus a welcome presentation and a conversation with Admissions Ambassadors |
| University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine | MO | MD | Traditional Traditional interview (faculty and student interviewers) |
| University of Nebraska College of Medicine | NE | MD | Traditional Virtual (Zoom) interview day; interviewers do not see your academic credentials until after the interview |
| University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine | NV | MD | Panel In-person panel interview; interviewers include physicians, community partners, faculty, staff and medical students |
| University of New Mexico School of Medicine | NM | MD | Traditional Two Zoom interviews with two different admissions committee members, 30 minutes to an hour each; interviewers do not see MCAT, GPA or academic history |
| University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences | ND | MD | Traditional One virtual interview of about 45–60 minutes with a three-member team (a basic scientist, a clinician and a medical student) |
| University of Oklahoma College of Medicine | OK | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interviews with faculty and students |
| University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine | PA | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine | PR | MD | Traditional Traditional individual faculty interviews; panel format for some applicants |
| University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry | NY | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine | TX | MD | Traditional + Assessment day Mandatory in-person group interview at the Edinburg campus, followed by two 30-minute individual Zoom interviews |
| University of Texas Southwestern Medical School | TX | MD | Traditional Virtual interviews for the 2026–27 cycle (interview structure not described) |
| University of Virginia School of Medicine | VA | MD | Traditional Two 30-minute virtual interviews with Admissions Committee members |
| University of Washington School of Medicine | WA | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interviews (in-person or virtual) |
| University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health | WI | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| USA Whiddon College of Medicine | AL | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interview with faculty members |
| USC Floyd School of Medicine | SC | MD | Traditional Traditional individual or panel interviews with faculty and admissions committee |
| USC Greenville School of Medicine | SC | MD | Traditional One 50-minute virtual (Webex) interview with two members of the Admissions Evaluation Committee |
| USD Sanford School of Medicine | SD | MD | Traditional One-on-one interviews with each of two admissions committee members (open file) and one student (closed file) |
| USU Hébert School of Medicine | MD | MD | Traditional Two 30-minute virtual interviews, each with a clinical faculty member and/or a current medical student |
| UTHSC College of Medicine | TN | MD | Traditional Virtual interview day: two one-on-one interviews with Committee on Admissions members, plus presentations and a virtual campus tour |
| Vanderbilt University School of Medicine | TN | MD | Traditional One long virtual (Zoom) interview with a faculty member plus one asynchronous interview |
| VCOM Auburn | AL | DO | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interview with faculty |
| VCOM Carolinas | SC | DO | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interview with faculty |
| VCOM Louisiana | LA | DO | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interview with faculty |
| VCOM Virginia | VA | DO | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interview with faculty |
| Wake Forest University School of Medicine | NC | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| Washington University School of Medicine | MO | MD | Traditional Two live Zoom interviews with Committee on Admissions faculty on the interview date |
| Wayne State University School of Medicine | MI | MD | Traditional + MMIHybrid Virtual hybrid: a faculty interview, a medical-student interview and up to five MMI stations (1 minute to read, 5 to respond) |
| WCUCOM | MS | DO | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| Weill Cornell Medicine | NY | MD | Traditional Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student) |
| West Virginia University School of Medicine | WV | MD | Panel One 25-minute virtual interview conducted by two members of the Committee on Admissions |
| Western University COMP | CA | DO | Traditional + MMIHybrid Online or on-campus interview day plus a separate, required 30-minute MMI |
| WesternU Heatherington COM | OR | DO | Panel + MMIHybrid Online only (Zoom): a 30-minute panel interview with two or three interviewers plus two MMIs |
| Wright State Boonshoft School of Medicine | OH | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interviews with faculty and students |
| WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine | WA | MD | Traditional Virtual 'Mixed Structured Interview': two 10-minute structured live interviews plus four recorded 3-minute responses to scenario or behavioral prompts, rated afterwards |
| WVSOM | WV | DO | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| Yale School of Medicine | CT | MD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interviews; conversational, student- and faculty-led |
| School | State | Degree | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health | AZ | DMD | Panel + MMIHybrid Interview day with a group exercise, an individual panel interview and an MMI of three timed stations with a standardized patient (2025–26) |
| ATSU Missouri School of Dentistry and Oral Health | MO | DMD | Traditional Two separate 30-minute one-on-one interviews, one with a faculty member and one with an Admissions staff member (in-person or virtual interview days) |
| BU Goldman School of Dental Medicine | MA | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interview |
| California Northstate University College of Dental Medicine | CA | DMD | Traditional Interview with an interview team that includes at least one Admissions Committee member, scored on a standardized form |
| Case Western Reserve School of Dental Medicine | OH | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interview with faculty |
| Columbia College of Dental Medicine | NY | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| Creighton University School of Dentistry | NE | DDS | Traditional Virtual interview with a member of the admissions committee, plus a mandatory in-person presentation at the School of Dentistry |
| Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University | GA | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine | NC | DMD | Panel Interview with members of the Admissions Committee |
| Harvard School of Dental Medicine | MA | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC | CA | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview at USC Health Sciences campus, Los Angeles |
| Howard University College of Dentistry | DC | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview at Howard University campus, Washington, DC |
| Indiana University School of Dentistry | IN | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| Kansas City University College of Dental Medicine | MO | DMD | Traditional Traditional panel interview with faculty |
| LECOM School of Dental Medicine | FL | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| Lincoln Memorial University College of Dental Medicine | TN | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty and/or panel interview |
| Loma Linda University School of Dentistry | CA | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview at Loma Linda, CA campus |
| LSU Health School of Dentistry | LA | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| Lyon College School of Dental Medicine | AR | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview at the dental school campus in Little Rock, AR |
| Marquette University School of Dentistry | WI | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| Medical University of South Carolina James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine | SC | DMD | Traditional Two 30-minute virtual interviews with faculty members, plus a welcome session, a virtual tour of Charleston and a student Q&A |
| Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry | TN | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine Arizona | AZ | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview at Glendale, AZ campus |
| Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine Illinois | IL | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| Northeast Ohio Medical University Bitonte College of Dentistry | OH | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one and/or panel interview |
| Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine | FL | DMD | Traditional Interview with faculty, on an interview day that may also include a student-led tour, lunch with students and a visit with the Assistant Dean |
| NYU College of Dentistry | NY | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interview |
| Oregon Health and Science University School of Dentistry | OR | DMD | Traditional Interview via teleconference with members of the admissions committee |
| Penn Dental Medicine | PA | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one and/or panel interview |
| PNWU School of Dental Medicine | WA | DMD | Traditional In-person interview day at the Yakima campus (presentations, campus and clinic tours, lunch with students) ending with an interview with the admissions committee |
| Ponce Health Sciences University School of Dental Medicine | PR | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one and/or panel interview (bilingual) |
| Roseman University College of Dental Medicine | UT | DMD | Traditional + MMIHybrid Traditional or MMI-style interview |
| Rutgers School of Dental Medicine | NJ | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interview with faculty |
| Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine | IL | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine | NY | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry | PA | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| Texas A&M College of Dentistry | TX | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| Touro College of Dental Medicine at NYMC | NY | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| TTUHSC El Paso Hunt School of Dental Medicine | TX | DMD | Traditional + MMIHybrid Hybrid: two paired MMI stations, one individual MMI station, a group activity and a 25–30-minute traditional interview (school interview-tips sheet, fall 2024) |
| Tufts University School of Dental Medicine | MA | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview |
| UCLA School of Dentistry | CA | DDS | Traditional Personal interview (the school's pages do not describe the format further) |
| UCSF School of Dentistry | CA | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one interviews — two separate Zoom interviews, one with a faculty member and one with a current student |
| UIC College of Dentistry | IL | DMD | Traditional One virtual, closed-file interview with one or two faculty members |
| UNC Adams School of Dentistry | NC | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty and/or student interview |
| Universidad Ana G. Méndez School of Dental Medicine | PR | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one and/or panel interview (bilingual) |
| University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine | NY | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| University of Alabama School of Dentistry | AL | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine | CO | DDS | Traditional + MMIHybrid MMI and/or traditional interview at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO |
| University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine | CT | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview at UConn Health campus, Farmington, CT |
| University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry | MI | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one and/or panel interview with faculty |
| University of Florida College of Dentistry | FL | DMD | Traditional One open-file interview of about 20–30 minutes with 3–4 Admissions Committee members, on an in-person interview day |
| University of Iowa College of Dentistry | IA | DDS | Traditional One-on-two timed interviews (situational and behavioral questions) with pairs of interviewers; in person, plus one virtual interview day |
| University of Kentucky College of Dentistry | KY | DMD | Panel Traditional, conversation-style panel interview (Admissions Committee members, faculty, staff and students) |
| University of Louisville School of Dentistry | KY | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| University of Maryland School of Dentistry | MD | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview |
| University of Minnesota School of Dentistry | MN | DDS | Panel Two rounds: a recorded Kira interview, then a 20-minute structured, closed-file interview with two faculty members (in person July–November, on Zoom in January–February) |
| University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry | MO | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry | NE | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or small panel interview with faculty |
| University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine | NV | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| University of New England College of Dental Medicine | ME | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry | OK | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty and/or panel interview |
| University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine | KY | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine | PA | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty interview |
| University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine | PR | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one and/or panel interview (bilingual) |
| University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry | CA | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview at San Francisco campus |
| University of Utah School of Dentistry | UT | DMD | Traditional + MMIHybrid Traditional and/or MMI-style interview |
| University of Washington School of Dentistry | WA | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one and/or panel interview with faculty |
| UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry | TX | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry | TX | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| UTHSC College of Dentistry | TN | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| VCU School of Dentistry | VA | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| West Virginia University School of Dentistry | WV | DDS | Traditional Traditional one-on-one or panel interview with faculty |
| Western University College of Dental Medicine | CA | DMD | Traditional + MMIHybrid In-person interview day with a 30-minute interview block and an MMI block (school’s sample schedule, August 2026) |
| Workman School of Dental Medicine at High Point University | NC | DMD | Traditional Traditional one-on-one faculty and/or panel interview |
| Yeshiva University College of Dental Medicine | NY | DDS | Traditional Traditional interview with faculty |
Virtual interviews: set-up and etiquette
The AAMC recommends that medical schools interview virtually, though each school decides: Baylor, Dartmouth, Tufts and the University of New Mexico all interview MD applicants online. Treat a video interview exactly as formally as an in-person one.
Some dental schools interview online for part or all of the day: at UCSF the faculty interview is on Zoom and the student interview can be virtual or on campus. ADEA's advice is to treat a video interview just like an in-person one.
Set up the room
Choose a quiet, private, well-lit space with a neutral background and nothing behind you to distract. Put the camera at eye level and look into the lens when you speak.
ADEA advises a quiet place with privacy, a clean, well-lit room with a neutral background, no window with light behind you and no pets in the room.
Check the time and the tech
Test the platform, camera, microphone and connection beforehand, close other applications and log on early.
Confirm the time zone the interview is scheduled in, check your equipment and be in front of your webcam 15 minutes early, as ADEA recommends. Do not expect the school to solve technical problems.
Several faces on one screen
Look at the lens while you answer, not at the faces. Address whoever asked, bring the others in when you build on their point and pause for a beat before answering to allow for lag.
If something goes wrong
If your connection fails or you feel unwell, tell the school straight away. A problem raised only after a decision is much harder for a school to act on.
ADEA advises informing the dental school of any change, such as a conflict or an emergency that means you need a new date. Raise it straight away, not afterward.
Your preparation plan
Interview seasons at many schools run from late summer into early spring, so start before your first invitation arrives.
Build a story bank
Choose six to eight experiences you can adapt: a challenge, a failure, leadership, teamwork, an ethical dilemma and difficult feedback. Save every secondary you submit.
Confirm the format and research the school
Note whether it is one-on-one or panel, open or closed file, virtual or in person, and start a one-page sheet on the school's mission, curriculum and patients. Reread your AMCAS or AACOMAS application.
Read the invitation for the type of interview, as ADEA advises, and learn the school's mission from its website. Reread your ADEA AADSAS application.
Mock interviews that push back
Practice with someone who asks follow-ups, record yourself and do one short ethics scenario a day: read it, take a position, then talk it through out loud.
Questions and current issues
Prepare three or four questions for your interviewers and refresh a few health-policy themes you can discuss with balance.
Arrive early and professional
The AAMC suggests a neutral-colored suit or dress without distracting accessories, and knowing the day's schedule. Be friendly to everyone and keep your phone away.
ADEA advises arriving 30 minutes early, bringing your invitation and photo ID, and choosing attire that is professional and comfortable. Turn your phone off.
After the interview
Thank-you notes
Check each school's stance: Brown's Alpert Medical School says writing one or not has no effect on its admissions decision. Where allowed, keep a note brief and specific.
ADEA's checklist recommends a thank-you email, with no grammatical errors or misspelled names. Follow any instructions the school gives.
Update letters
Policies vary. Stanford, for example, accepts one update, and only from applicants invited to interview. Check each school's policy before sending anything.
Policies vary from school to school. Check each school's instructions before sending anything, and reach out only if prompted or if there is a genuine need, as ADEA advises.
Letters of intent
A letter of intent tells one school it is your clear first choice and that you would attend if admitted. Send one to a single school, and only if it is true.
Withdrawing
If you will not attend an interview, withdraw as early as you can so another applicant gets the slot. Never simply fail to show up.
Letters of intent and withdrawing: Dartmouth's Health Professions Program.
Six mistakes that cost you
Traditional interview FAQs
Sources
Claims about the AAMC, ADEA, CMS and named schools come from these pages, checked in October 2026. School counts and the tables are as recorded in our school profiles. Your invitation always has the final word.
Rehearse with an interviewer who follows up
Book a mock interview with a tutor who pushes past your first answer, or practice any time with the AI interviewer.