Frequently Asked Questions
You will complete three (3) total interviews.
The first is a standardized video interview that you complete on your own prior to the interview day.
There will be two (2) live, virtual faculty interviews scheduled on the interview day you selected on mdapply.wustl.edu. In the live interactions, one will be a standard interview where a Committee on Admissions (COA) member has reviewed your full application. The other will be a closed file interview where the COA member only knows your name and has not reviewed your application in advance. In each case, the interviewer will tell 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.
To start the interview, log into the portal (mdapply.wustl.edu), click the Interview tab then select the Virtual Interview from the menu. You will see a start button next to each interview. Clicking start will connect you directly with the faculty member. WashU will use Zoom technology to conduct these interviews. We expect standard interviews to take 30-45 minutes to complete in a virtual format; virtual closed file interviews will likely take 20-30 minutes. All interviews need to occur with webcam/video and microphone.
You will receive an email approximately 2 days prior your interview date with specific interview times or you may log into mdapply.wustl.edu at 8:30am CT on the morning of your interview to confirm your interview times.
The virtual context will not change the typical expectations of a medical school interview. Your professional attire and timeliness should be a priority as you prepare. We recommend that you treat these virtual interviews as you would an in-person interview.
Your environment should be quiet and free from distractions. You will not be evaluated on the quality of your room or background. You may use a virtual background, but this may lower the quality of the video displayed to the faculty and is not necessarily recommended.
We recommend a laptop or desktop computer with high speed internet, a webcam and a microphone.
You may reach the Office of Admissions at (314) 362-6858.
Yes, if you need to reschedule, return to the Virtual Interview Experience calendar to select a date and time.
Yes, you may attend multiple tours. In addition to our regularly occurring tours, we will also offer a variety of specialty tours throughout the admissions cycle.
Beginning in October, we expect to offer “Why WashU Wednesdays” virtually at 5pm CT, to help connect prospective medical students to our current student body and to continue to allow prospective students to discover what makes WashU unique. Any student who has been invited to interview or who has completed their interview will be able to participate in these sessions. Beyond student panels, we anticipate sessions focused on the new Gateway Curriculum (including its coaching ethic), research, St. Louis and the medical school’s relationship with the city, diversity, and dual degree options. The Office of Admissions will also strive to connect prospective students to our many affinity groups; that planning is ongoing.
Please email our Office of Student Financial Planning via MedFinancialAid@wustl.edu.
The Office of Student Financial Planning offers individual meetings with international applicants. Email MedFinancialAid@wustl.edu to schedule your appointment.
We encourage you to attend multiple Why WashU Wednesday events throughout 2020-21. The focus of these sessions will vary, and even when topics are repeated, we will likely have a slightly different team of current students and/or faculty participating in the session—so new voices to hear from and with whom to interact. You are welcome to attend as many of these sessions as your schedule allows—they will add to your understanding of the WashU medical education experience.
Most of our interviewers are academic physicians, with multiple areas of responsibility. In particular, their clinical schedules can be quite unpredictable. In the event of a clinical emergency, we will reassign your interview to another faculty member.
