Georgetown SOM Interview Prep Guide (2025-2026)

Georgetown University School of Medicine’s interview process and program reflect its Jesuit values and comprehensive training approach. The interviews are traditional one-on-one conversations (open-file) that delve into applicants’ personal qualities beyond academics legacyonlineschool.com som.georgetown.edu. The school’s mission emphasizes cura personalis (care of the whole person), social justice, and serving others, which influence its curriculum and selection criteria som.georgetown.edu meded.georgetown.edu. Georgetown offers an integrated curriculum (the Journeys Curriculum) and unique opportunities such as the HOYA student-run clinic and health policy electives, aligning with its focus on community service and policy engagement som.georgetown.edu meded.georgetown.edu. Admissions are holistic: beyond strong academics, Georgetown looks for clinical experience, research, leadership, and service to underserved communities in line with AAMC-recommended competencies for future physicians som.georgetown.edu students-residents.aamc.org. Past interview questions reflect these themes, touching on candidates’ motivations, ethical reasoning, personal background, and awareness of healthcare issues studentdoctor.net studentdoctor.net. The application timeline extends later than many schools (with primary applications accepted into the fall) and uses rolling decisions through spring som.georgetown.edu som.georgetown.edu.

• Format: Traditional one-on-one interview (30–45 minutes), conducted virtually by a member of the faculty or a selected fourth-year student som.georgetown.edu. This replaces an MMI or panel – you will speak with a single interviewer in a conversational setting.
• Open-file: The interview is open-file, meaning your interviewer will likely have read your full application legacyonlineschool.com. They may reference your academic record or experiences, but the focus is on “non-cognitive” skills and personal qualities beyond grades som.georgetown.edu.
• Style: The tone is generally conversational and aimed at getting to know you. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their unique background, motivation for medicine, interests, and goals during the interview som.georgetown.edu. It’s an opportunity to highlight personal stories that showcase your character and fit with Georgetown’s values.
• Post-interview outcomes: Georgetown interviews a limited portion of its large applicant pool (about 1,300 of ~13,000 applicants in one recent cycle) blackstonetutors.com. Offers are extended on a rolling basis, and an estimated ~25–30% of those interviewed ultimately receive acceptances (given an overall ~3% acceptance rate) blackstonetutors.com. Candidates typically wait ~10–12 weeks after interviewing for a decision notification som.georgetown.edu.

Georgetown’s mission is heavily influenced by its Jesuit heritage, especially the principle of cura personalis, or “care of the whole person.” This means the school prioritizes not just academic excellence but also ethical, spiritual, and social formation of its students. The aim is to produce physicians who are knowledgeable and skillful as well as compassionate, reflective, and dedicated to service som.georgetown.edu.

• Cura Personalis – Care of the Whole Person: Students are taught to care for patients’ psychological, spiritual, and social well-being in addition to their physical health meded.georgetown.edu. This value lays the groundwork for forming physicians who treat patients as whole individuals, not just a diagnosis.
• Commitment to Service & Social Justice: The school embraces a commitment to serve the underserved and to advocate for those who have no voice meded.georgetown.edu. Georgetown’s tradition encourages future doctors to use their skills for the betterment of the community and to address health disparities, reflecting a strong social justice mission.
• Respect for Diversity: Georgetown fosters a community that welcomes people of all faiths, cultures, and backgrounds som.georgetown.edu. There is an expectation that students learn to respect and understand varied perspectives, preparing them to care for diverse populations with sensitivity and respect.

• Journeys Curriculum: Georgetown’s M.D. program uses the modern Journeys Curriculum, which is divided into three phases – Foundational, Core Clinical, and Advanced Clinical som.georgetown.edu. The pre-clinical Foundational phase is organized into organ-system blocks integrating basic science with “doctoring” courses. Notably, a longitudinal cura personalis thread runs through all blocks, focusing on ethics, communication, and professional skills som.georgetown.edu. This integrated approach to basic and clinical science trains students in critical thinking and lifelong learning from day one.
• Professional Identity & Mentorship: A unique element of Georgetown’s program is its emphasis on professional identity formation. For example, the Cura Personalis Fellowship program pairs faculty mentors with small groups of students starting at orientation, to foster reflection, resilience, and personal growth throughout medical school som.georgetown.edu. This reflects the school’s commitment to shaping “physician-healers” and compassionate professionals, not just teaching medical facts.
• Clinical Training and Sites: Georgetown is affiliated with MedStar Health, and students do clinical rotations at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (on campus) and other MedStar hospitals in the Washington, D.C. area medstarhealth.org. This gives exposure to a wide range of patients and clinical settings, from a tertiary care center to community hospitals. Being in the nation’s capital also means access to unique clinical experiences such as federal medical institutions and diverse urban patient populations.
• Community Service Opportunities: In line with its mission, Georgetown offers robust service-learning. For instance, students volunteer at the HOYA Clinic, a student-driven free clinic that provides care to underserved D.C. residents hoyaclinic.som.georgetown.edu. Through such efforts, students confront socioeconomic inequalities and health disparities firsthand. This is a great aspect to inquire about during interviews – many applicants ask about ways they can engage with the community or continue service work as a Georgetown student.
• Dual Degree Options: The School of Medicine provides pathways to pursue dual degrees, catering to students with multidisciplinary interests. Notably, an MD/MPH joint program with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health allows students to integrate public health with medicine som.georgetown.edu. There’s also an MD/MBA with Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business and a dedicated MD/PhD program for aspiring physician-scientists. These options reflect the school’s support for careers that blend medicine with public health, research, or leadership – applicants keen on these can explore them further at interviews.

• Health Disparities & Social Determinants: Given Georgetown’s social justice mission and its D.C. location, an understanding of health disparities is crucial. Students learn how factors like food insecurity and housing affect patient outcomes meded.georgetown.edu. The school actively encourages future physicians to consider upstream causes of illness – an interview conversation might naturally touch on your views or experiences with social determinants of health and caring for underserved communities.
• Healthcare Access & Policy Reform: Being in the nation’s capital, Georgetown provides a front-row seat to health policy discussions. The curriculum even includes a Health Policy track/elective where students practice advocating for public health improvements meded.georgetown.edu. Relevant topics include healthcare legislation, insurance coverage (Medicaid/Medicare), and the Affordable Care Act – the kinds of big-picture issues that shape patients’ access to care. Interviewers may not quiz you on policy details, but showing awareness of how policy impacts medicine (for example, citing an experience or interest in health policy) aligns well with Georgetown’s environment.
• Public Health and Preventive Medicine: Discussions around public health crises and prevention are highly pertinent. Georgetown has brought in experts on pandemic response and healthcare systems (e.g. a pandemic preparedness expert and the director of Medicare spoke to students in a recent course) meded.georgetown.edu. Hot topics like managing pandemics, addressing the opioid epidemic, or improving preventive care for chronic diseases are part of the national dialogue that students at Georgetown often engage with. Awareness of current public health challenges could inform thoughtful discussion during the interview.
• Advocacy and Ethics in Healthcare: The Jesuit ethos adds an additional lens to policy and ethics. Georgetown encourages its students to advocate ethically for patients – whether it’s policy advocacy or day-to-day ethical decision-making. For example, a fourth-year elective has students draft mock congressional testimony on health issues meded.georgetown.edu. Don’t be surprised if conversations about healthcare ethics or your stance on physicians’ role in policy arise; this ties together the school’s focus on moral values and systemic thinking.

Like many medical schools, Georgetown admits students via a holistic review, meaning they look beyond GPAs and MCAT scores. The Committee on Admissions explicitly considers attributes such as character and life experiences alongside academics som.georgetown.edu. Below are key non-academic factors Georgetown values in applicants (often evidenced through your resume, essays, and interview discussions):

• Character and Maturity – Integrity, honesty, and ethical behavior are critical. Georgetown wants to see that you have sound judgment, take responsibility for your actions, and have grown from your experiences (be prepared to demonstrate these qualities when talking about challenges or leadership roles) som.georgetown.edu.
• Motivation for Medicine – A genuine commitment to medicine and an understanding of why you want to be a physician. The admissions committee looks for clear purpose and passion in your journey to medicine, as shown through your personal statement and interview answers som.georgetown.edu.
• Clinical Experience – Substantial firsthand exposure to healthcare is expected. Competitive applicants have longitudinal clinical experiences such as shadowing physicians, working as an EMT or scribe, medical mission trips, or similar hands-on patient contact som.georgetown.edu. (Simply volunteering in a hospital waiting room, for example, is viewed as less immersive som.georgetown.edu.) Georgetown wants assurance that you understand the realities of patient care.
• Service to Underserved Communities – Consistent with Georgetown’s mission, experience serving those in need is highly valued. Applicants should ideally have direct service with underserved or marginalized populations som.georgetown.edu – whether through community service projects, mentoring, free clinics, or outreach programs. This demonstrates compassion and a commitment to social justice that resonates with Georgetown’s values.
• Research Experience – Engagement in research (basic science, clinical, social science or any scholarly inquiry) is encouraged som.georgetown.edu. It shows intellectual curiosity and willingness to advance knowledge. While not every admitted student is a published scientist, having some research experience (and being able to talk about what you learned from it) makes you a stronger candidate in Georgetown’s eyes.
• Leadership and Teamwork – Taking initiative in groups or projects is another sought-after quality. Whether you led a student organization, coordinated a community event, or held a leadership role at work, such experiences indicate you can collaborate and step up to guide others. Georgetown’s review mentions leadership among key experiences som.georgetown.edu, reflecting their desire for future physicians who can lead in healthcare settings and serve as role models.

Georgetown’s program aligns with broader competency frameworks in medical education, ensuring that graduates are well-rounded clinicians. Two perspectives on competencies are relevant: the competencies emphasized in Georgetown’s curriculum and those looked for in applicants (as defined by national standards like the AAMC).

• Patient-Centered Competencies: Georgetown aims to graduate physicians with a strong generalist foundation, integrating scientific knowledge, clinical skill, and humanistic, “high-touch” abilities needed for compassionate care meded.georgetown.edu. The curriculum is guided by a blend of knowledge, skills, and values reflective of the Georgetown community meded.georgetown.edu. In practice this means students are trained not only to diagnose and treat, but also to communicate effectively, empathize with patients, work in teams, and uphold professional ethics – all competencies vital to patient-centered medicine.
• AAMC Core Competencies Alignment: Like all accredited medical schools, Georgetown participates in the AAMC’s competency-based approach to admissions. The Premedical Core Competencies (recently updated by the AAMC) span professional, thinking and reasoning, and science domains students-residents.aamc.org. Georgetown’s holistic review looks for evidence of these competencies in applicants. This includes professional competencies (such as cultural awareness, ethical responsibility, and resilience) and interpersonal skills like communication and teamwork – paralleling the school’s cura personalis philosophy. It also expects solid thinking and reasoning competencies (critical thinking, quantitative skills, scientific inquiry) and foundational science knowledge. In short, if you demonstrate qualities like empathy and cultural humility alongside academic ability, you are aligning well with the competency framework valued at Georgetown students-residents.aamc.org students-residents.aamc.org.

Students who have interviewed at Georgetown report a range of question types. While we cannot predict exact questions, common themes tend to echo Georgetown’s mission and the attributes they seek. Interviewers often tailor questions to explore your personal story, ethical reasoning, and fit for Georgetown. For example:

• Motivation & “Why Georgetown?” – Expect very fundamental questions like “Tell me about yourself,” “Why do you want to be a doctor?” (sometimes asked multiple times to probe deeper studentdoctor.net), and “Why Georgetown?”. These help the interviewer gauge your self-reflection and how well you understand Georgetown’s ethos. One applicant noted they were asked why they chose their undergraduate major and what they look for in a community legacyonlineschool.com, indicating the school’s interest in your personal motivations and the environment in which you thrive.
• Ethical Scenarios – Questions that pose an ethical dilemma or challenging scenario are frequently reported. Georgetown interviewers have, for instance, asked how an applicant would respond upon witnessing a classmate cheating on an exam, or how they would break bad news to a patient about a serious diagnosis studentdoctor.net. These scenarios test your moral reasoning, integrity, and communication skills. There isn’t one “right” answer; the focus is on how you think through the problem, your empathy, and your professionalism under pressure.
• Personal Reflection – Interviewers may ask introspective questions to understand your character and background. Some examples shared by past interviewees include, “What were you like in high school? How would your classmates or teachers describe you?” studentdoctor.net. You might also be asked about hobbies or non-medical interests. These questions allow you to highlight personal traits, formative experiences, and how you’ve grown over time. They want to see the person behind the resume – what makes you tick and how you’ve built the qualities that will make you a good physician.
• Application-Specific Queries – Since the interview is open-file, be prepared to discuss anything you wrote in your application. Interviewers often hone in on notable experiences or address gaps/weaknesses. For example, if you had a difficult semester or a lower grade, you might be asked, “Why did you perform poorly in ___ class?” studentdoctor.net. You could also be asked about your research or a key volunteer experience you listed. These questions are not meant to be accusatory; rather, they give you a chance to elaborate on your journey, explain challenges, and demonstrate insight and resilience.
• Health Policy and Current Issues – In some cases, interviewers have gauged candidates’ awareness of healthcare beyond the textbook. One student was even asked if they had taken any classes on health policy studentdoctor.net. Don’t be surprised by light discussion of a recent healthcare news item or a policy issue (especially given Georgetown’s D.C. setting). The goal isn’t to quiz your policy knowledge, but to see if you are an informed, curious individual who appreciates the larger context of medicine. If you have involvement or interest in health policy or public health, this is a good time to connect it to Georgetown’s opportunities.

For the 2025–2026 application cycle (matriculation in Fall 2026), Georgetown’s deadlines are expected to be similar to recent cycles. Always double-check the official admissions site for the most up-to-date dates, but the cycle generally follows this schedule:

• AMCAS Primary Application – Georgetown participates in AMCAS. The application typically opens in May, and the final deadline is around early November of the year before matriculation (for example, Nov 1, 2024 was the deadline for the 2024–25 cycle) som.georgetown.edu. Submitting well before the November deadline is advised due to rolling admissions. (Note: Georgetown does not pre-screen applications; all verified applicants are invited to submit a secondary som.georgetown.edu.)
• Secondary Application – Once the AMCAS application is verified, Georgetown sends its secondary. For 2025–26, the secondary application and all recommendation letters will likely be due by mid-December 2025 (the prior cycle’s deadline was December 15) som.georgetown.edu som.georgetown.edu. The secondary includes additional essays specific to Georgetown, and a $130 fee (waived only for AAMC FAP applicants). MD/PhD Note: Deadlines for the MD/PhD program are earlier – in the last cycle the secondary deadline for MD/PhD was November 15 som.georgetown.edu, reflecting the more extensive review process.
• Interview Invitations – Georgetown’s interviews run relatively long in the cycle. Invitations typically start in mid-August and continue through the fall. Interview days were virtual and held Tuesday through Friday from September to February som.georgetown.edu. If invited, you’ll first attend a virtual orientation session (held Mondays) before your interview day som.georgetown.edu. It’s wise to submit your applications early enough to be in the pool for the earlier interview slots, though invites can roll out even into late fall/winter depending on when you complete your secondary.
• Decision Timeline – Georgetown uses a rolling admissions process. The Committee on Admissions releases decisions a few weeks after each interview, typically around 10–12 weeks post-interview som.georgetown.edu. This means early interviewees might hear as soon as late fall, whereas those interviewing in winter could hear by spring. Acceptance offers continue through spring and early summer as waitlists move. Notably, Georgetown (like other U.S. med schools) follows the AAMC “Choose Your Medical School” guidelines: by April 15, 2026 admitted students should reduce their held acceptances to three schools som.georgetown.edu, and by April 30, 2026, they should choose a single school to "Plan to Enroll" (while remaining on other waitlists) som.georgetown.edu. Commit to Enroll: Georgetown requires accepted students to select “Commit to Enroll” by mid-June (June 15, 2026, was the date for the prior cycle) to secure their seat som.georgetown.edu. Classes typically start in August 2026.

In summary, preparing for a Georgetown School of Medicine interview involves understanding the school’s distinct blend of traditional medical training and Jesuit values. The one-on-one, open-file interview format is an opportunity to showcase your personal journey and alignment with cura personalis and service – core tenets of Georgetown’s mission. By familiarizing yourself with Georgetown’s curriculum, its emphasis on community service and policy, and the qualities the admissions committee looks for, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the interview. This guide has outlined the interview structure, the school’s mission and program highlights, relevant policy contexts, key selection criteria, competency expectations, common interview themes, and the application timeline – all of which together paint a comprehensive picture of what Georgetown values in its future physicians som.georgetown.edu som.georgetown.edu.