Loma Linda University School of Medicine (MD) Medical School - 2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format
Loma Linda University School of Medicine is a faith-based private MD programme affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, located in Loma Linda, California. Founded in 1909, Loma Linda has a global reputation in cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, cancer treatment, and whole-person care. The school trains physicians with a mission integrating Christian service, physical healing, and spiritual care — attracting students from Adventist and other faith traditions as well as students aligned with the whole-person care philosophy.
Entry Requirements
What you need to apply to Loma Linda University School of Medicine (MD).
Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applications submitted via AMCAS. The school values mission alignment with whole-person, faith-integrated care. While Adventist applicants receive preference, students of other faiths who are aligned with the school's values are welcome. Clinical experience, community service, and mission-coherent personal narrative expected. Secondary application required.
MCAT median
512 (range 507–517)
GPA median
3.85 overall / 3.72 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
4.0%
Class size
175
In-state preference
None
CASPer
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Faith and whole-person care alignment, clinical experience, service, and mission coherence.
Notes
Estimates from public AAMC FACTS and school data; verify current cycle. Adventist applicants have preference; non-Adventist applicants welcome with mission alignment.
Specialities offered
Cardiac Surgery, Neurosurgery, Oncology, Paediatrics, Global Health
Interview Format
How Loma Linda University School of Medicine (MD) interviews applicants.
Format
Traditional interview with faculty members
Interview window
September–February
Decision date
Rolling; final decisions by March 30
Post-interview chances
Approximately 25–40% post-interview acceptance rate (estimated).
What to expect at a Loma Linda University School of Medicine (MD) interview
Loma Linda uses a traditional interview format in which applicants meet with faculty physicians or committee members in one-on-one or small-panel sessions lasting approximately 30–45 minutes. As a Seventh-day Adventist institution, interviewers may discuss the applicant's values alignment with the school's mission of "whole-person care" — encompassing spiritual, physical, and psychological wellbeing. The interview day includes a campus tour of Loma Linda University Medical Center, one of the country's leading surgical and cardiac centres.
What makes Loma Linda University School of Medicine (MD) different
Loma Linda University Medical Center is home to one of only a handful of proton therapy cancer treatment centres in the US. The school has an exceptional reputation in cardiac surgery and neurosurgery, and offers distinctive global health mission opportunities through the Adventist Health System's international network. The faith-integrated whole-person care curriculum is a genuine differentiator from secular medical schools.
Tutor insight
Loma Linda interviewers will assess your alignment with the whole-person care mission and your comfort with a faith-integrated medical education. Adventist applicants should demonstrate service involvement within the Adventist community and a coherent faith-medicine narrative. Non-Adventist applicants must articulate genuine alignment with the values — not just a desire for the surgical or specialty training. The school has exceptional cardiac, neuro, and proton therapy facilities; if subspecialty training is a draw, be specific in your secondary essays. Avoid applying primarily for subspecialty training without engaging the mission — it will be apparent in the interview.
PrometheusQuestion Bank
595 medicine questions inside
Interview questions matched to Loma Linda University School of Medicine (MD)
Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for Loma Linda University School of Medicine (MD)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.
Easy·PanelQ1
MCAT Preparation: Passage-Based Critical Thinking
The MCAT's Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS) section requires you to evaluate arguments in humanities and social science passages without prior subject knowledge. Reflecting on your preparation: how did developing this skill change the way you read clinical literature, listen to patients' explanations of their illness, and evaluate policy arguments about healthcare?
Likely follow-up · Give an example of a time when your CARS training — identifying the author's central argument, evaluating the evidence provided, and recognising assumptions — helped you in a non-MCAT context.
3 expert tips in Prometheus
Hard·Panel · MMIQ2
Research and Critical Thinking: Clinical Trial Diversity
Black Americans are significantly underrepresented in clinical trials relative to their share of the US population and their burden of disease. Historical abuses -- most notably the Tuskegee Syphilis Study -- have contributed to deep and justifiable distrust of medical research in some Black communities. As a physician-researcher, how do you address this distrust, and what specific practices should the research community adopt to make clinical trials more equitable and inclusive?
Likely follow-up · What was the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, and how did it reshape federal research regulations?
Apply to Loma Linda University School of Medicine (MD) with confidence
We've helped students get into Loma Linda University School of Medicine (MD) and other US medicine schools. Get tailored support for each stage of the application.
Loma Linda University School of Medicine (MD) - Frequently asked questions
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applications submitted via AMCAS. The school values mission alignment with whole-person, faith-integrated care. While Adventist applicants receive preference, students of other faiths who are aligned with the school's values are welcome. Clinical experience, community service, and mission-coherent personal narrative expected. Secondary application required.
Traditional interview with faculty members. Loma Linda uses a traditional interview format in which applicants meet with faculty physicians or committee members in one-on-one or small-panel sessions lasting approximately 30–45 minutes. As a Seventh-day Adventist institution, interviewers may discuss the applicant's values alignment with the school's mission of "whole-person care" — encompassing spiritual, physical, and psychological wellbeing. The interview day includes a campus tour of Loma Linda University Medical Center, one of the country's leading surgical and cardiac centres.
Loma Linda University School of Medicine (MD) typically interviews in September–February.
Decisions are released Rolling; final decisions by March 30.
Loma Linda University Medical Center is home to one of only a handful of proton therapy cancer treatment centres in the US. The school has an exceptional reputation in cardiac surgery and neurosurgery, and offers distinctive global health mission opportunities through the Adventist Health System's international network. The faith-integrated whole-person care curriculum is a genuine differentiator from secular medical schools.
