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US Medicine · 2027 Entry

WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (MD) Medical School2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

Location Spokane, WA, United StatesEstablished 2015Interviews October–FebruaryDecisions March 30 (AAMC standard)

Photo: WSU · CC BY 2.0

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Overview

About WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (MD)

The Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, founded in 2015 and enrolling its first class in 2017, is one of the newest MD programs in the Pacific Northwest. Located in Spokane at the WSU Health Sciences campus, the school is named for WSU President Elson S. Floyd, who championed its creation to improve physician access in underserved eastern Washington communities. The college trains students through a community-engaged, team-based curriculum emphasizing rural medicine, primary care, and health equity. Clinical training occurs at MultiCare Health System hospitals, Providence Health facilities, and rural and tribal health sites across eastern Washington.

What makes it different

WSU Floyd College of Medicine is one of the newest MD programs in Washington State (first class 2017) and was explicitly founded to address the physician shortage in rural and underserved eastern Washington. The school trains physicians specifically for the Inland Northwest, a region with significant agricultural communities, tribal health needs, and limited specialist access. The Spokane location bridges the Pacific Northwest with the rural Intermountain West.

Course & teaching

Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. Curriculum uses a team-based, case-driven approach integrating basic sciences with community health from the first year. Core clerkships at MultiCare and Providence Spokane hospital systems and rural eastern Washington clinical sites. Rural training tracks available for extended rural and tribal health experiences.

Research strengths

WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (MD) has notable research strength in Rural and frontier health, Tribal and Indigenous health, Opioid and substance use disorders, Cardiovascular disease, Agricultural and occupational health.

Interview

WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (MD) interviews via MMI (multiple stations, in-person). WSU Floyd College of Medicine uses an MMI with multiple timed stations assessing communication, ethical reasoning, and interpersonal skills. Each station runs approximately eight minutes with two minutes of prep time. The full interview day is held at the WSU Health Sciences campus in Spokane and includes orientation, tours, and informal sessions with faculty and current students. The school's mission to train physicians for eastern Washington and rural Pacific Northwest communities informs many station themes.

Intake

Approximately 80 students per year.

At a glance

Founded in 2015, based in Spokane, WA. Programmes offered: Rural Medicine, Primary Care, Tribal and Indigenous Health, Community Health, Internal Medicine.

Entry requirements

What you need to apply to WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (MD)

Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applied via AMCAS. Washington State residency strongly preferred; the school was created to serve the eastern Washington region and prioritizes applicants with ties to the Inland Northwest. No specific major; strong science preparation and community engagement expected.
MCAT median
506 (range 493–520)
GPA median
3.70 overall / 3.65 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
3.0%
Class size
80
In-state preference
Strong — primarily in-state
In-state matriculants
100%
CASPer
Not required
AAMC PREview
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Rural medicine commitment, eastern Washington or Inland Northwest ties, community engagement, and primary care orientation.
Notes
Estimates from public AAMC FACTS / class-profile data; verify current cycle. AMCAS application; strong Washington State and eastern Washington preference.
Specialities offered
Rural Medicine, Primary Care, Tribal and Indigenous Health, Community Health, Internal Medicine
Interview

How WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (MD) interviews applicants

Format
MMI (multiple stations, in-person)
Interview window
October–February
Decision date
March 30 (AAMC standard)
Post-interview chances
Post-interview acceptance estimated at 20–30%; Washington residency and rural/community health mission fit are key selection factors.
Tutor insight
WSU Floyd was built to produce rural eastern Washington physicians — this mission is not marketing, it is the admissions filter. Applicants without genuine ties to the Inland Northwest or a compelling rural/underserved medicine narrative will struggle to compete with applicants who grew up in Yakima, Pullman, or the Tri-Cities. Prepare for MMI scenarios involving agricultural health, tribal health, opioid epidemic in rural communities, and the practical constraints of practicing in specialist-poor eastern Washington. The school is relatively new, so interviewers are particularly proud of its founding mission.
Practice

Practise for your WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (MD) interview

PrometheusQuestion Bank621 medicine questions inside

Interview questions matched to WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (MD)

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

MediumMMI · PanelQ1

Motivation: MD Versus DO and the Osteopathic Pathway

You are interviewing at an osteopathic (DO) medical school. Some applicants apply to both MD and DO programs without much thought about the difference. What is your understanding of osteopathic medicine, and why are you pursuing the DO pathway specifically?

Likely follow-up · How would you explain osteopathic manipulative treatment, and its evidence base, to a skeptical patient?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
MediumPanelQ2

Holistic Review: Non-Traditional Applicant

You are a 32-year-old applicant who spent six years as a paramedic before returning to complete a post-baccalaureate pre-medical programme. Some medical school admissions committees may question your gap years or your academic readiness. How do you present your non-traditional path as an asset, and what do you believe your background gives you that a traditional applicant may not yet have?

Likely follow-up · What is one clinical situation from your paramedic career that changed how you think about what physicians do?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
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WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (MD) — frequently asked questions

Apply to WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (MD) with confidence

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