University of Washington School of Medicine (MD) Medical School - 2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format
The University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle is consistently ranked among the top primary care and family medicine programmes in the United States. Founded in 1946, UW SOM operates the WWAMI programme, which distributes medical education across five states (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho), producing physicians specifically trained to practise in underserved and rural regions of the Pacific Northwest. Its affiliated hospitals — UW Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, and the VA Puget Sound — provide diverse, high-acuity clinical training. The school has a major research enterprise in HIV/AIDS, global health, and genomic medicine.
Entry Requirements
What you need to apply to University of Washington School of Medicine (MD).
Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applied via AMCAS. WWAMI states (WA, WY, AK, MT, ID) receive strong preference; the majority of seats are reserved for WWAMI-state residents. Non-WWAMI applicants are rarely accepted. Secondary application required.
MCAT median
514 (range 508–519)
GPA median
3.77 overall / 3.73 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
5.0%
Class size
290
In-state preference
Strong — primarily in-state
In-state matriculants
95%
CASPer
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Primary care and rural medicine commitment, WWAMI-state ties, research experience, and community engagement.
Notes
Estimates from public AAMC FACTS / class-profile data; verify current cycle. AMCAS application; WWAMI-state residents (WA, WY, AK, MT, ID) receive near-exclusive preference.
Specialities offered
Primary Care, Global Health, Rural Medicine, HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease, Biomedical Informatics
Interview Format
How University of Washington School of Medicine (MD) interviews applicants.
Format
Traditional one-on-one interviews (in-person or virtual)
Interview window
September–February
Decision date
March 30 (AAMC standard)
Post-interview chances
Post-interview acceptance estimated at 20–35%; WWAMI-state residency and primary care orientation are the dominant selection factors.
What to expect at a University of Washington School of Medicine (MD) interview
UW SOM uses a traditional interview format with typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty, clinicians, or senior students. Each interview runs approximately 30 minutes. The full interview day includes an orientation, tour of the UW Medical Center campus, and informal lunch with current students. Interviewers have reviewed the application in advance and typically ask both behavioural and motivational questions. The school's WWAMI regional programme creates a distinctive emphasis on rural and underserved medicine that often surfaces in interview conversations.
What makes University of Washington School of Medicine (MD) different
UW SOM operates the unique WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) regional medical education programme — one of the largest and most distinctive in the US — training students across five states with significant rural and frontier health needs. The school consistently ranks #1 nationally for primary care by US News. Research enterprise spans cancer, HIV/AIDS, global health, and biomedical informatics.
Tutor insight
UW is effectively a WWAMI-state school — non-WWAMI applicants have minimal chances and should consider this carefully before applying. WWAMI applicants should articulate a clear connection to the Pacific Northwest region and ideally a commitment to primary care or rural medicine. Interview questions frequently probe understanding of the WWAMI model, rural health challenges in the Pacific Northwest (frontier medicine in Alaska and Montana, tribal health issues, opioid epidemic in rural areas), and primary care workforce priorities. Research experience at UW or WWAMI-state institutions strengthens applications significantly.
PrometheusQuestion Bank
595 medicine questions inside
Interview questions matched to University of Washington School of Medicine (MD)
Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for University of Washington School of Medicine (MD)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.
Hard·MMI · PanelQ1
US Healthcare Ethics: Informed Consent and Capacity Assessment
A 60-year-old man with moderate depression and poorly controlled diabetes presents for an elective leg amputation recommended by his vascular surgeon to prevent death from gangrene. He tells you he refuses the operation: 'I would rather die than live without my leg.' His wife insists he is 'not in his right mind' due to his depression and demands that you proceed with the surgery. What is your ethical and clinical obligation?
Likely follow-up · What is the legal standard for decision-making capacity in the US, and how does depression affect it?
3 expert tips in Prometheus
Hard·PanelQ2
Cultural Humility: Post-SCOTUS Admissions and Diversity in Medicine
In 2023, the US Supreme Court ruled in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and UNC that race-conscious admissions in higher education were unconstitutional. Evidence suggests that without race-conscious admissions, Black and Hispanic student representation in medical schools could decline significantly. Why does the racial composition of the physician workforce matter for patient outcomes, and how can medical schools pursue diversity within the legal constraints now in place?
Likely follow-up · What is the evidence that racially concordant patient-physician relationships affect health outcomes?
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University of Washington School of Medicine (MD) - Frequently asked questions
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applied via AMCAS. WWAMI states (WA, WY, AK, MT, ID) receive strong preference; the majority of seats are reserved for WWAMI-state residents. Non-WWAMI applicants are rarely accepted. Secondary application required.
Traditional one-on-one interviews (in-person or virtual). UW SOM uses a traditional interview format with typically two one-on-one sessions with faculty, clinicians, or senior students. Each interview runs approximately 30 minutes. The full interview day includes an orientation, tour of the UW Medical Center campus, and informal lunch with current students. Interviewers have reviewed the application in advance and typically ask both behavioural and motivational questions. The school's WWAMI regional programme creates a distinctive emphasis on rural and underserved medicine that often surfaces in interview conversations.
University of Washington School of Medicine (MD) typically interviews in September–February.
Decisions are released March 30 (AAMC standard).
UW SOM operates the unique WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) regional medical education programme — one of the largest and most distinctive in the US — training students across five states with significant rural and frontier health needs. The school consistently ranks #1 nationally for primary care by US News. Research enterprise spans cancer, HIV/AIDS, global health, and biomedical informatics.
