How to get into University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Your 2027 Entry step-by-step guide
University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences is a US MD program in Grand Forks, ND that takes 2027-entry applications through AMCAS. Its published class profile lists a median MCAT of 508 (range 503–513), a median GPA of 3.75, a 5.0% acceptance rate and a class of 78. The school holds a traditional interview: October 2026–February 2027. Decisions for 2027 entry: March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard).
- Interviews (2027 entry)
- October 2026–February 2027
- Decisions (2027 entry)
- March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard)
Photo: Zakary Lewis · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped
Photo: Jimmyjohnson90 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: Jimmyjohnson90 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: Ross Griff · CC BY 2.0
Still deciding where to apply? Hear it from a student who's there
Honest student guides to US medical schools
Current medical students at US schools are filming their guides right now: what the course and teaching are really like, the city they live in, the social side, and whether they'd pick it again.
Coming soonNot on sale yet — we'll open these up as soon as the first US videos land.
Filming now
University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) expects a competitive the MCAT score and GPA (cumulative and science) for its 4-year Medicine (MD/DO) program and uses One virtual interview of about 45–60 minutes with a three-member team (a basic scientist, a clinician and a medical student) for interviews in the 2027 Entry cycle.
Applications go through AMCAS / AACOMAS (and TMDSAS for Texas) and are read on a holistic, rolling basis against a limited number of seats, so submitting a complete primary early in the cycle materially improves your odds.
This guide is written for 2027 Entry applicants and updated annually before each AMCAS / AACOMAS cycle. Sources include University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences's official admissions page, the AAMC (MCAT and AMCAS), AACOMAS, and direct conversations with current students. Read time: ~12 minutes.
Checked against University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences'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.
University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) at a glance
| MCAT / GPA (medians) | 508 · 3.75 (MCAT range 503–513) |
|---|---|
| Interview format | One virtual interview of about 45–60 minutes with a three-member team (a basic scientist, a clinician and a medical student) |
| Interviews (2027 entry) | October 2026–February 2027 |
| Decisions (2027 entry) | March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard) |
University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) entry requirements
University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) is a US MD program that evaluates applicants holistically via AMCAS. The core academic filters are MCAT and GPA (cumulative + science).
University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) admissions profile
- MCAT median:
- 508 (range 503–513)
- GPA median:
- 3.75 overall / 3.70 science (BCPM)
- Acceptance rate:
- 5.0%
- Class size:
- 78
- In-state preference:
- Strong — primarily in-state
- CASPer:
- Not required
- AAMC PREview:
- Not required
- Holistic review emphasis:
- North Dakota or regional ties, rural and Indigenous health commitment, primary care orientation, and mission alignment.
- Notes:
- Checked 2026-09-13 against the school's own published figures: class of 78; 82% in-state. Not confirmed from the school's own pages: MCAT, GPA, science GPA, acceptance rate. Interview format checked 2026-10-07 against https://med.und.edu/admissions/student-affairs-admissions/prospective-students/how-to-apply.html.
MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures are taken from University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences's published admissions data. Class profiles are republished each year — confirm which entering class these numbers describe before you rely on them.
MCAT
The MCAT is a 7.5-hour standardized test covering Biological & Biochemical Foundations (BB), Chemical & Physical Foundations (CP), Psychological, Social & Biological Foundations (PS), and Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills (CARS). Total score: 472–528; national median ~511. Competitive applicants to top MD programs typically score 515+. MCAT scores are valid for 3 years (AAMC policy). Register through AAMC at aamc.org/mcat.
Working towards the MCAT score University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) expects? Build a week-by-week plan from your test date — free for the first two weeks.
AMCAS personal statement
Your AMCAS (and AACOMAS for DO) primary carries one personal statement of about 5,300 characters that goes to every school you apply to - so it must answer "why medicine?" without naming a specific school. Lead with a concrete scene, build a reflective arc through your clinical, research and service experience, and close with a forward-looking sense of the physician/dentist you want to become. After the primary, each school sends secondary (supplemental) essays - this is where school-specific "why us?" and mission-fit content belongs. Treat the personal statement and the secondaries as two distinct writing jobs.
The primary personal statement runs to about 5,300 characters including spaces (AMCAS ~5,300; AACOMAS ~5,300). On top of that you will write many secondary essays - often 3-8 prompts per school, frequently with their own word or character caps. First drafts are always too long, so plan to edit the personal statement down and to reuse a pre-written secondary bank.
Five things that win
Four things that lose
Worked-example opener (do not copy — for shape only)
"At 17, scribing in the emergency department, I watched the attending physician explain a difficult prognosis to a frightened family in plain, unhurried language. The exam took minutes; the conversation took far longer, and it taught me that medicine is as much about clarity and trust as it is about clinical knowledge. Since then I have spent…"
Notice: a specific scene rather than a cliché, a precise detail (the nine-minute conversation), and a closing sentence that bridges to the next paragraph. We have a step-by-step AMCAS personal statement service if you want a tutor to help shape yours.
The Assessment interview at University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD)
University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) uses One virtual interview of about 45–60 minutes with a three-member team (a basic scientist, a clinician and a medical student). For 2027 entry, interviews typically take place in October 2026–February 2027. Final decisions are released March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard).
At University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD), expect the following from the selection process. Assessment / situational-judgment format - some US schools require an online CASPer or AAMC PREview test as a structured judgment screen, and some hold multi-station assessment days that combine interviews with group or written exercises. Allow 60-90 minutes for an online assessment, or 4-6 hours for a full in-person assessment day.
How the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) interview actually runs
UND SOM conducts one virtual interview of about 45 to 60 minutes with a three-member team from the Medical Student Admissions Committee: a basic scientist, a clinician and a medical student.
Given the school's location in the rural Great Plains and its strong commitment to Native American health and rural medicine, interview questions probe commitment to underserved Great Plains communities, awareness of North Dakota's unique healthcare landscape, and interest in Native American health issues.
What they assess
What University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) assessors are scoring: Multi-station and situational-judgment formats let the school triangulate - they compare structured scores across stations or scenarios to spot consistent strengths in communication, ethics and professionalism (and any red flags).
Common station / question themes
- Group task observation (how you contribute, listen, lead)
- Written ethics scenario
- Panel or one-on-one interview
- Personal-statement and experiences deep dive
- US health-system topics (access, cost, insurance, disparities)
- Academic curiosity questions
Sample questions you might face at University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD)
Why medicine?
Tell us about your clinical and research experience.
In a group task, what role did you take and why?
How would you handle disagreement with a senior colleague?
Describe a current issue in US health care and your view on it.
Model-answer guidance: “Why medicine?”
Our panel-interview prep covers ethics frameworks (SPIES, the four pillars), structured behavioral answers (STAR), and live mock interviews with admissions specialists.
Practise the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) interview
Rehearse the real format before the day — on demand with our AI interviewers, or live with a tutor.
Sit a mock with photoreal AI interviewers — any time
A timed MMI or panel interview on video — American & international voices — with interviewers who listen, react and press with follow-ups. Rubric-scored feedback and a replay the moment you finish.
Live mocks with a tutor who’s been in the room
A full University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD)-style mock with a medic or dentist tutor — honest scoring against real marking criteria, a station-by-station debrief and a written action plan.
Book a mock interviewMonth-by-month timeline for 2027 Entry
The cycle runs roughly January 2025 (start of prep), AMCAS / AACOMAS opens in May 2026 with primaries submitted from June 2026, secondary applications over summer 2026, interviews from August 2026 through March 2027, and rolling decisions to course start in August 2027. Here are the milestones you cannot miss.
Decide and build clinical + research experience
Confirm medicine or dentistry as your career direction. Start banking the experience US schools expect: clinical exposure (scribing, EMT, hospital volunteering, shadowing MDs/DOs or dentists), research, and community service. Admissions committees review holistically, so depth, reflection and longitudinal commitment matter more than a long list of one-off activities.
Open your MCAT / DAT prep window
Begin structured prep 4-6 months before your test date. The MCAT (medicine) is a ~7.5-hour exam across four sections including CARS; the DAT (dentistry) tests sciences, perceptual ability and reading. Aim to test in spring of your apply year so a verified score is ready when the primary opens.
Sit the MCAT / DAT
Take the MCAT (medicine) or DAT (dentistry) by spring so scores post before you submit. MCAT scores release ~30-35 days after the test and are valid for 3 years (AAMC policy). Leave a contingency retake window only if you must - a later score delays your whole rolling application.
Primary application opens
AMCAS (MD), AACOMAS (DO) and TMDSAS (Texas public schools) open in early May; ADEA AADSAS (dentistry) opens in early May too. Begin entering coursework, experiences, and your personal statement immediately - verification of transcripts takes weeks, so an early submission protects your place in the rolling queue.
Submit your primary
Submit your verified primary in late May or June. This is the single most important deadline you control: in a rolling cycle, a complete June application is materially stronger than the same application in August. Request transcripts and letters of recommendation early so verification is not the bottleneck.
Secondary (supplemental) applications begin
Schools send secondary applications soon after receiving your verified primary. Turn each around within ~1-2 weeks - schools track responsiveness. Pre-write answers to common prompts ("Why our school?", diversity, adversity, future goals) so you can localize quickly. CASPer and AAMC PREview are required by some schools - schedule them now.
Interview invitations begin
Complete files (primary + secondary + letters + any CASPer/PREview) move to committee, and interview invitations start going out from August. Invitations and offers are issued on a rolling basis, so completing files early in summer puts you in front of committees while the most seats remain open.
Interviews + first rolling acceptances
Interviews run from August through March (MMI, traditional one-on-one, or panel). MD schools may begin releasing acceptances around October 15 under AMCAS Traffic Rules. Each school sets its own primary deadline, most of them in the fall - but applying that late in a rolling cycle is a disadvantage, not a target.
Interviews continue + manage offers
Interview season peaks. Acceptances, waitlists and holds accumulate on a rolling basis. Track each school's deadline to commit, and use AMCAS / AACOMAS "Plan to Enroll" and "Commit to Enroll" tools (and TMDSAS / AADSAS equivalents) as instructed.
Final interviews + waitlist movement
The last interviews wrap up around March. From spring onward, schools work their waitlists as accepted applicants narrow their choices. Stay responsive: a strong letter of intent and updated achievements can move you off a waitlist.
Commit to one school
Narrow to a single acceptance by the AAMC "Commit to Enroll" date (typically late April) for MD; AACOMAS, TMDSAS and AADSAS have parallel deadlines. Withdraw from other schools promptly so seats free up for waitlisted applicants.
Matriculation
US medical and dental school begins in August. Orientation, white-coat ceremony, and the first pre-clinical (or integrated) coursework start the 4-year program.
What makes University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) different
UND SOM is the only medical school in North Dakota and serves a vast, sparsely populated rural state with one of the highest proportions of Native American residents in the continental US. The school has a distinctive Center of Excellence for Native American health and has strong commitments to training Indigenous health professionals. Its distributed curriculum model sends students to clinical sites across North Dakota, northeastern South Dakota, and parts of Minnesota.
Notable research areas
Curriculum (Integrated)
4-year MD. Years 1–2: integrated preclinical curriculum at the Grand Forks campus combining basic science with early clinical exposure and introduction to rural and Indigenous health themes. Years 3–4: distributed clinical clerkships at sites across North Dakota (Bismarck, Minot, Fargo, Grand Forks), with rural community placements and Indian Health Service affiliate sites. Students often train in communities of fewer than 10,000 people.
Location: Grand Forks, ND, United States
Founded in 1905. Whether the city suits you matters - four years is a long commitment. Visit on an open day if you can; current students will be the most honest assessors of culture and clinical placement quality.
Application statistics for University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD)
University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) intake
Approximately 78 students per year.
How University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) selects, at a glance
Source: University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences admissions data; AAMC published class profiles; MSAR data; school-reported class statistics.
Six mistakes that derail medicine applications
University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) — frequently asked questions
Sources for this University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) guide
Apply to University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) with confidence
We help US applicants with MCAT strategy, AMCAS personal statements, secondary essays and MMI prep — everything you need for a competitive University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (MD) application.