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US Medicine · 2027 Entry

University of Maryland School of Medicine (MD) Medical School2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

Location Baltimore, MD, United StatesEstablished 1807Interviews October–FebruaryDecisions March 30 (AAMC standard)

Photo: Baltimore Heritage · CC0

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Overview

About University of Maryland School of Medicine (MD)

The University of Maryland School of Medicine, established in 1807, is the oldest public medical school in the US and one of the most research-intensive public medical schools in the country. Located in Baltimore on the University of Maryland Baltimore campus, the school benefits from close integration with the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) — anchored by the internationally renowned R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center — and one of the highest levels of NIH funding among public medical schools. UMSOM's Institute of Human Virology (IHV) is a world leader in HIV/AIDS research and global health, giving the school distinctive strength in infectious disease.

What makes it different

The University of Maryland School of Medicine, founded in 1807, is the oldest public medical school in the United States. The school is home to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center — which pioneered the "Golden Hour" concept of trauma care and is one of the world's premier trauma centers. UMSOM has significant NIH-funded research strengths in infectious disease (its Institute of Human Virology, co-founded by Dr. Robert Gallo, is a world leader in HIV research), cardiovascular medicine, and neuroscience.

Course & teaching

Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. Years 1–2 integrate basic science, early patient contact, and health systems curriculum. Years 3–4 at University of Maryland Medical Center, Shock Trauma Center, VA Maryland Health Care System, and affiliated community hospitals in Baltimore and the region. MD-PhD program (MSTP) available.

Research strengths

University of Maryland School of Medicine (MD) has notable research strength in HIV/AIDS and infectious disease, Trauma and shock physiology, Cardiovascular biology, Neuroscience, Cancer immunology.

Interview

University of Maryland School of Medicine (MD) interviews via Traditional one-on-one and panel interviews with faculty and students in Baltimore. University of Maryland School of Medicine interview days are held in Baltimore at the Health Sciences Facility complex. Applicants typically complete two traditional interviews — one with a faculty member or clinician and one with a current student — each approximately 30 minutes. Interviewers have reviewed the full application beforehand and probe motivation, research background, clinical experience, and connection to UMSOM's mission. The day includes a financial aid session, a tour of the UM Medical Center (including the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center), and informal student interactions. Being the oldest public medical school in the US (founded 1807), the school's historical significance is a common conversation theme.

Intake

Approximately 165 students per year.

At a glance

Founded in 1807, based in Baltimore, MD. Programmes offered: Trauma and Shock Surgery, Infectious Disease, Cardiovascular Medicine, Neuroscience, Oncology.

Entry requirements

What you need to apply to University of Maryland School of Medicine (MD)

Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applications via AMCAS. Strong preference for Maryland residents; out-of-state applicants are considered but acceptance is competitive. Secondary application required. Research experience is valued given the school's research-intensive environment.
MCAT median
515 (range 510–521)
GPA median
3.78 overall / 3.74 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
2.5%
Class size
165
In-state preference
Moderate — some OOS consideration
In-state matriculants
60%
CASPer
Not required
AAMC PREview
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Research experience, clinical exposure, Maryland ties (for in-state), community service, academic excellence.
Notes
Estimates from public AAMC FACTS / AACOMAS / ADEA AADSAS / class-profile; verify current cycle.
Specialities offered
Trauma and Shock Surgery, Infectious Disease, Cardiovascular Medicine, Neuroscience, Oncology
Interview

How University of Maryland School of Medicine (MD) interviews applicants

Format
Traditional one-on-one and panel interviews with faculty and students in Baltimore
Interview window
October–February
Decision date
March 30 (AAMC standard)
Post-interview chances
Estimated post-interview acceptance rate approximately 20–30%; UMSOM's large applicant pool and research reputation create a competitive post-interview pool.
Tutor insight
UMSOM is a genuinely exceptional public medical school — the oldest public school in the US, with world-class trauma training at R Adams Cowley, and the IHV's global infectious disease reputation. Maryland residents get a significant admissions advantage at one of the country's top public research medical schools. If you are research-oriented, UMSOM's NIH funding and MSTP program make it competitive with elite private schools for research training. In your interview, demonstrate specific knowledge of the Shock Trauma Center and the IHV — these are the school's most distinctive features and interviewers appreciate candidates who have researched them. Baltimore's health disparities (notably high rates of opioid overdose, HIV, and cardiovascular disease in urban communities) are also frequently discussed.
Practice

Practise for your University of Maryland School of Medicine (MD) interview

PrometheusQuestion Bank621 medicine questions inside

Interview questions matched to University of Maryland School of Medicine (MD)

Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for University of Maryland School of Medicine (MD)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.

HardPanelQ1

US Healthcare Ethics: Medicaid Prior Authorisation

You are a primary care physician whose practice participates in a Medicaid managed care plan. The plan requires prior authorisation for specialist referrals, and you have been repeatedly denied authorisation for a cardiology referral for a 52-year-old Medicaid patient with multiple risk factors and atypical chest pain. A comparable commercial-insurance patient in your practice would have been referred immediately. How do you navigate this ethical and systemic conflict, and what does it reveal about the two-tiered nature of American healthcare?

Likely follow-up · What is the physician's legal and ethical obligation when a medically indicated treatment is denied by an insurer?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
HardMMI · PanelQ2

US Healthcare Ethics: Conscientious Objection and Patient Care

A pharmacist in a state that permits pharmacy-level conscientious objection refuses to fill a prescription for emergency contraception on religious grounds, and the patient cannot easily access another pharmacy. A future physician trained in a state where your own religious convictions conflict with providing certain legal medical services asks you: when, if ever, is conscientious objection by a healthcare provider ethically acceptable, and what obligations come with invoking it?

Likely follow-up · Does the ethical analysis change depending on whether the provider is the only one available in the area?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
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University of Maryland School of Medicine (MD) — frequently asked questions

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