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US Medicine · 2027 Entry

John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa

2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa is a US MD program in Honolulu, HI that takes 2027-entry applications through AMCAS. Its published class profile lists a median MCAT of 513 (range 507–517), a median GPA of 3.79, a 6.0% acceptance rate and a class of 77. The school holds a traditional interview: October 2026–February 2027. Decisions for 2027 entry: March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard).

Location
Honolulu, HI, United States
Established
1967
Interviews (2027 entry)
October 2026–February 2027
Decisions (2027 entry)
March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard)
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John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) — Exterior daytime view of the Research Building at the…John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) — Hawaii Hall, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Photo: Scott Dahlem (Wikimedia user Lavishluau) · Public domain · cropped

Photo: Sdkb · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand · CC0

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Full guide

How to get into John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) medicine

Step-by-step: entry requirements, MCAT prep, personal statement, interview format and the key deadlines.

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Interview guide

Prepare for the John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) interview

Format breakdown, school-specific sample questions, FAQs and prep tips from tutors who interviewed here.

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Overview

About John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD)

The John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, located in the Kaka'ako district of Honolulu, is Hawaii's only medical school and a national pioneer of Problem-Based Learning in medical education.

JABSOM trains physicians for service across Hawaii and the Pacific basin, with particular emphasis on Native Hawaiian health, health equity, and the unique cultural and epidemiological challenges of island communities. The school's small class size and island location create a close-knit, community-oriented academic culture.

What makes John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) different

JABSOM is the only MD-granting medical school in Hawaii and serves as the primary training institution for physicians serving Hawaii, Guam, Micronesia, and the wider Pacific basin. The school has a longstanding commitment to Native Hawaiian health and Pacific Islander communities. JABSOM developed and pioneered the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum model that was widely adopted across US medical schools.

Its location in Kaka'ako places students in one of the most ethnically diverse clinical environments in the United States.

John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) course & teaching

PBL curriculum. 4-year MD using a full Problem-Based Learning curriculum — JABSOM was among the earliest US schools to adopt PBL and has refined it over decades. Small-group sessions anchor the preclinical years; clinical rotations at Queens Medical Center, Straub Medical Center, and community health centers across Oahu, Maui, and the Neighbor Islands.

John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) research strengths

John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) is strong in these research areas:

  • Native Hawaiian health disparities
  • Pacific Islander health
  • Cancer in Pacific populations
  • Diabetes and metabolic disease
  • Infectious disease in island communities

How the John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) interview runs

Format: 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

JABSOM applicants go through three interviews. Two are assigned interviews, each with a clinical or basic science faculty member, a physician, a JABSOM alumnus, a member of the medical community or a fourth-year medical student; the third is a final interview with the Director of Admissions.

Interviewers probe commitment to Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander health, experience with Hawaii's unique multicultural patient population, and motivation to practice in the Pacific region. JABSOM's mission to serve Hawaii and the Pacific basin permeates every aspect of interview evaluation.

John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) intake

Approximately 77 students per year (2025 entering class).

Where John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) is

John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa was founded in 1967 and is based in Honolulu, HI.

Programmes offered:

  • Primary Care
  • Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Health
  • Community Medicine
  • Internal Medicine
  • Pediatrics
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Entry requirements

What you need to apply to John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD)

John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) at a glance

John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa Medicine — 2027 entry at a glance
MCAT / GPA (medians)513 · 3.79 (MCAT range 507–517)
Acceptance rate6.0%
Class size77
In-state matriculants90.9%
Interview formatTraditional interview
IntakeApproximately 77 students per year (2025 entering class)
Decisions (2027 entry)March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard)
John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa Medicine admissions profile — 2027 entry
Admission overviewBachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applications via AMCAS; secondary application required. JABSOM gives strong preference to Hawaii residents and applicants with demonstrated ties to Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander communities. Out-of-state applicants are considered but face strong in-state competition. The curriculum uses PBL exclusively; applicants should demonstrate comfort with self-directed learning.
MCAT median513 (range 507–517)
GPA median3.79 overall / 3.65 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate6.0%
Class size77
In-state preferenceStrong — primarily in-state
In-state matriculants90.9%
CASPerNot required
AAMC PREviewRequired
Holistic review emphasisHawaii residency, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community ties, PBL learning style fit, primary care commitment.
NotesChecked 2026-09-13 against the school's own published figures (class entering in 2026): mean MCAT 513; mean GPA 3.79; class of 77; 70 of 77 in-state. Where a figure is marked mean, the school publishes a mean rather than a median. Not confirmed from the school's own pages: science GPA, acceptance rate. Interview format checked 2026-10-07 against https://admissions.jabsom.hawaii.edu/apply/faqs/index.html.
Specialities offeredPrimary Care, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Health, Community Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics

MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures are taken from John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa's published admissions data. Class profiles are republished each year — confirm which entering class these numbers describe before you rely on them.

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Interview

How John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) interviews applicants

John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa Medicine interview — 2027 entry
FormatThree interviews: two assigned interviews (faculty, physicians, JABSOM alumni, medical-community members or fourth-year students) and a final interview with the Director of Admissions
Interview window (2027 entry)October 2026–February 2027
Decision date (2027 entry)March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard)
Post-interview chancesEstimated post-interview acceptance rate approximately 30–40% for Hawaii residents; significantly lower for out-of-state applicants. Mission and community ties are primary differentiators.
Tutor insight
JABSOM's PBL curriculum is genuine and demanding — if you prefer lecture-based learning, be honest with yourself before applying. In your interview, demonstrate specific knowledge of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander health disparities (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer rates) and any direct experience with these communities. Hawaii residency gives a meaningful advantage; out-of-state applicants should demonstrate compelling Pacific ties or a very strong academic profile. The small class size means everyone knows each other — emphasize your collaborative approach and comfort with community-based learning.
Practice

Practise for your John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) interview

PrometheusQuestion Bank621 medicine questions inside

Interview questions matched to John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD)

Two questions from our US bank that match John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD)’s panel format. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.

HardMMI · PanelQ1

Insulin Rationing in the Coverage Gap

Millions of low-income adults in non-Medicaid-expansion states fall into a coverage gap: their income is too high to qualify for Medicaid under their state's rules but too low to receive marketplace subsidies under the ACA. A patient in your clinic is one of them. She has Type 2 diabetes, cannot afford insulin, and is rationing doses.

Her state has not expanded Medicaid. What are the ethical obligations of her physician, and what practical options exist?

Likely follow-up · What is the difference between a physician's duty to an individual patient and a physician's duty to advocate for systemic change?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
EasyPanelQ2

Keeping a Commitment Under Pressure

The AAMC expects entering medical students to follow through on commitments even when circumstances are difficult. Describe a specific time when external pressures made it tempting to drop or significantly reduce a commitment. How did you handle it, and what did it cost you personally?

Likely follow-up · How do you distinguish a healthy choice to withdraw from a commitment that is no longer serving you or the community versus an avoidance of difficulty?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
Open Prometheus for John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD)Free medicine interview question bank for John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) applicants →
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Sources

Where John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD)'s figures come from

Checked against John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa's own website on 13 September 2026: our record for the school was reconciled with what it publishes there. For most US schools that is class size and interview format only, so MCAT, GPA and acceptance-rate figures remain unconfirmed.

John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) — official course page →Entry requirements, interview format and deadlines published by the school itself. The primary source for everything on this page.John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) — published admissions data →The class profile and admissions statistics this record's MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures were taken from.John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) — published admissions data →The class profile and admissions statistics this record's MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures were taken from.John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) — published admissions data →The class profile and admissions statistics this record's MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures were taken from.
FAQ

John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) — frequently asked questions

John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa (MD) matriculants have a median MCAT of 513. The middle range of matriculants is 507–517. US schools publish medians rather than cut-offs, and committees review holistically — the MCAT is weighed alongside GPA, clinical and research experience, letters of recommendation and secondary essays.

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