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US Medicine · 2027 Entry

Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) Medical School2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

Location Los Angeles, CA, United StatesEstablished 1885Interviews (2027 entry) October 2026–February 2027Decisions (2027 entry) March 30, 2027
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Full guide

How to get into Keck School of Medicine of USC (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 Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) interview

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

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Overview

About Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD)

The Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California was founded in 1885. It sits on the Health Sciences campus in Los Angeles, next to the Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center. That is one of the busiest public hospitals in the United States.

The school provides unparalleled training in high-volume, complex urban medicine, global health, and research. USC's location in Los Angeles provides a remarkably diverse clinical and research environment.

What makes Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) different

LAC+USC Medical Center is one of the busiest public hospitals in the United States — medical students are exposed to case volumes and clinical complexity rarely available at other schools. Keck's location in a Latino-majority neighborhood in East Los Angeles provides distinctive training in cultural competency and bilingual healthcare delivery.

USC's global health program has strong ties to Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) course & teaching

Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. Curriculum integrates clinical skills from Year 1 with early patient contact. Global health and health equity tracks available. Clinical rotations at LAC+USC Medical Center, Keck Hospital of USC, Norris Cancer Hospital, and affiliated community health centers.

Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) research strengths

Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) is strong in these research areas:

  • Cancer research
  • Global health
  • Organ transplantation
  • Infectious disease
  • Health equity

How the Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) interview runs

Format: Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student)

Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) intake

Approximately 180 students per year.

Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) at a glance

Founded in 1885. Based in Los Angeles, CA.

Programmes offered:

  • Urban Medicine
  • Global Health
  • Oncology
  • Organ Transplantation
  • Community Health
Entry requirements

What you need to apply to Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD)

Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Research experience, clinical exposure, and community service expected. California residents may have modest advantage. Secondary application required.
MCAT median
517 (range 512–522)
GPA median
3.82 overall / 3.80 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
3.5%
Class size
180
In-state preference
None
In-state matriculants
81%
CASPer
Not required
AAMC PREview
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Urban medicine, diversity, global health, and commitment to underserved communities.
Notes
MCAT/GPA approximate from Keck School of Medicine admissions data.
Specialities offered
Urban Medicine, Global Health, Oncology, Organ Transplantation, Community Health

MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures are taken from Keck School of Medicine of USC'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 Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) interviews applicants

Format
Traditional interviews (typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty and/or a student)
Interview window (2027 entry)
October 2026–February 2027
Decision date (2027 entry)
March 30, 2027
Tutor insight
Keck's MMI reflects the school's urban, diverse mission. Expect scenarios on cross-cultural communication, healthcare access, and social determinants of health. Clinical training at LAC+USC is demanding but exceptionally broad. If you want to become a highly skilled clinician in complex, high-acuity settings, there are few better places to train. Show genuine enthusiasm for diverse urban communities in your essays. USC values candidates who are excited by the clinical environment on the East Side of Los Angeles, not ones who treat the location as an afterthought.
Practice

Practise for your Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) interview

PrometheusQuestion Bank621 medicine questions inside

Interview questions matched to Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD)

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

MediumPanelQ1

Surprise billing and the No Surprises Act

Before recent reform, many insured Americans received large 'surprise' medical bills, often from out-of-network providers they never chose, such as anesthesiologists or emergency physicians. The No Surprises Act took effect in 2022 to address this. Why is surprise billing a problem worth solving, and what does it reveal about the US system more broadly?

Likely follow-up · How does the No Surprises Act protect patients, and where do gaps remain?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
EasyPanelQ2

Specialty Curiosity: Choosing Primary Care

Primary care physicians are the backbone of the US healthcare system, yet they earn significantly less than specialists and their numbers are declining relative to demand. Many medical students choose specialties with better reimbursement and lifestyle. You have expressed a strong interest in primary care.

How do you explain that choice to yourself and to others, and how do you think about the financial and personal trade-offs involved?

Likely follow-up · What features of the primary care physician role are most compelling to you, and which do you anticipate finding most challenging?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
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MCAT Strategy

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Interview preparation

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Sources

Where Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD)'s figures come from

Compiled from Keck School of Medicine of USC's published admissions material and checked for internal consistency. Not independently re-checked against the official course page for 2027 entry — confirm the figures with the school before you rely on them.

Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) — official course page →Entry requirements, interview format and deadlines published by the school itself. The primary source for everything on this page.Keck School of Medicine of USC (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

Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) — frequently asked questions

Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) matriculants have a median MCAT of 517. The middle range of matriculants is 512–522. 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.

Apply to Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) with confidence

We've helped students turn their MCAT, personal statement and interview prep into offers from Keck School of Medicine of USC (MD) and other US medicine schools.

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