What to Expect
This year’s interview season will launch in mid-September 2026; Washington University School of Medicine (WashU Medicine) expects to conduct admissions interviews through mid-February 2027. The goal of the interview process is for invited applicants and members of the WashU Medicine community to get to know each other. The process is designed to bring interviewees into contact with as many current students and faculty as feasible. Before interviewing, think about what you want to know about WashU Medicine so that your questions are answered.
WashU Medicine will continue a “Virtual Interview Experience” (VIE) format. Those invited will have two (2) interviews. These are live Zoom interviews, each with a faculty member from our Committee on Admissions (COA), scheduled for the same day. The week of your interview you are also invited to attend (i) a small group discussion with faculty admissions leadership, (ii) an informal small group discussion with current students, and (iii) a self-guided, virtual tour of the medical campus.
Interview Invitations
Interview invitations are delivered individually by email upon the recommendation of the WashU Medicine COA. An applicant is expected to schedule an interview soon after the invitation is issued. As part of the invitation, invitees will be provided videos featuring (i) an overview of the Virtual Interview Experience from Valerie Ratts, MD, Professor and Associate Dean for Admissions (ii) our Gateway Curriculum and (iii) an enthusiastic student welcome to WashU.
Live Virtual Interviews
Each interviewee will have two live virtual (Zoom) interviews, both scheduled on the same day. One is a 25 minute standard interview, where the COA member has the opportunity to review your full application. The other is a 25 minute closed file interview, where the COA member has only reviewed your name. In each case, the interviewer will inform you which type of interview is being conducted, so you have context on how much information the interviewer has on hand and how much background information you may need to provide in the conversation. If you encounter technology issues on your interview day, please contact the Office of Admissions to reschedule. AAMC provides Virtual Interviews: Tips for Medical School Applicants to assist in preparation.
“Meet Our Students” Sessions
Beginning in mid-September, optional “Meet Our Students” sessions are offered virtually on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. CT for those applicants scheduled to interview or who have recently interviewed. We recommend that you attend one of these sessions in the week of your interview. Attendance at these sessions is optional and does not impact final admissions decisions.
“Why WashU Wednesday” Sessions
Beginning in October, optional “Why WashU Wednesday” sessions are offered virtually on select Wednesdays at 5 p.m. CT. These sessions are optional opportunities to learn in greater detail what distinguishes WashU Medicine from our peers. Applicants invited to interview are welcome to register to attend any or all of these sessions. Attendance at these sessions is optional and does not impact final admissions decisions.
We anticipate sessions featuring current medical student panels, research, our Gateway Curriculum, coaching within the medical education experience, the city of Saint Louis, and other topics. Why WashU Wednesday sessions enable prospective students to continue to make connections with and gain more information about WashU Medicine. Additional details will be provided as they become available.
In-Person Visits
No in-person interviews are being scheduled for the 2026-27 cycle. All MD interviews will be conducted virtually. Some suggestions on how to experience the medical campus if you happen to be in St. Louis or wish to explore it virtually are available here. The Office of Admissions will be organizing optional visit days in spring 2027 for applicants who are offered admission. More information will be communicated with your admission offer.
Our Expectations
Interviews are critical interactions and opportunities for applicant evaluation for the COA. We hope you can relax and utilize the virtual interview experience to learn more about WashU Medicine and whether it is the right fit for your education. We would emphasize that your professional appearance and timeliness should be a high priority as you prepare for interviews with faculty; the virtual context will not change the typical expectations of a medical school interview. On the other hand, please note that there are no specific attire expectations for our other virtual programming such as the Dean’s Welcome, Meet Our Students, and Why WashU Wednesday sessions.
Factors Considered in the Interview and Admissions Evaluation
- Social skills
- Accomplishments: work, research, volunteerism, leadership
- Avocations and interests
- Capacity for improvement
- Communication skills (oral and written)
- Empathy and understanding others
- Ethical responsibility to self and others
- Initiative and productivity
- Insight into the practice of medicine
- Maturity
- Motivation for the study of medicine
- Professional bearing and communication
- Resilience and adaptability
- Self-awareness