Long SOMtonio Interview Prep Guide (2025-2026)

The Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine (Long SOM) at UT Health San Antonio combines a mission-driven educational approach with a community-focused ethos. Applicants invited to interview will encounter a traditional interview format: two one-on-one interviews (one with a faculty member and one with a medical student) conducted virtually uthscsa.edu. The school’s mission emphasizes high-quality medical education, research, and service tailored to meet the health needs of Texans, especially in South Texas uthscsa.edu uthscsa.edu. Long SOM’s program features an integrated curriculum that introduces clinical experience early and offers diverse opportunities like dual-degree programs and community clinics, which can serve as great topics for discussion during the interview. The guide also addresses relevant healthcare policy issues – such as Texas’s large uninsured population axios.com – that reflect the context in which Long SOM operates. In evaluating candidates, the school looks beyond academics, valuing leadership, service, and personal attributes aligned with its mission som.uthscsa.edu. Its selection criteria are informed by national competency frameworks uthscsa.edu, mirroring qualities like cultural competence, ethical responsibility, and teamwork that interviewers may seek to observe. Past interviews at Long SOM have typically included conversational questions about the applicant’s background, experiences, and ethical perspectives forums.studentdoctor.net. Finally, understanding the Texas-specific application timeline is crucial: interviews occur in the fall, and most admission offers are extended during the statewide match in February uthscsa.edu. This comprehensive overview sets the stage for a focused and informed interview preparation.

Long SOM uses a traditional one-on-one interview format rather than an MMI. Each invited applicant has two interviews, typically one with a faculty committee member and one with a fourth-year medical student, conducted virtually via Zoom uthscsa.edu uthscsa.edu. These interviews are approximately 30 minutes each and are usually conversational in style. The interviews appear to be open-file, meaning interviewers have access to the applicant’s application file; in fact, past candidates report interviewers directly referencing their submitted experiences forums.studentdoctor.net. Because of this, discussions often center on the applicant’s unique background and activities rather than on hypotheticals or rapid-fire trivia. (Texas schools generally do not ask technical science questions during interviews forums.studentdoctor.net, focusing instead on personal and ethical topics.) The overall tone is friendly and low-stress, with interviewers aiming to know the candidate as a person. It’s worth noting that around 1,000 applicants are selected for interviews each cycle ([uthscsa.edu](https://uthscsa.edu/medicine/education/ume/admissions/interview#:~:text=Invitation%20to%20Interview%21)), for an incoming class of roughly 220-230 students premedcatalyst.com. This translates to roughly a 20–25% post-interview acceptance rate, meaning about one in four interviewees will matriculate. All interviewed candidates remain in a “hold” pool until admissions decisions are made, since Long SOM makes relatively few early offers before the Texas match uthscsa.edu. In practical terms, this format calls for thorough familiarity with your own application and comfort engaging in back-and-forth dialogue about your journey to medicine.

Long SOM’s mission is to provide responsive, comprehensive education, research, and patient care services of the highest quality, addressing the health needs of Texas with special focus on the South Texas region uthscsa.edu. To fulfill this mission, the school has defined key institutional priorities: fostering a professional and inclusive environment, delivering exemplary medical education (with an emphasis on scholarship, leadership, and lifelong learning), advancing biomedical research excellence, providing compassionate health care to improve patients’ quality of life, and serving as a resource to meet community health needs locally and globally uthscsa.edu uthscsa.edu. These goals are underpinned by Long SOM’s core values, which include Humility, Courage, Integrity, Empathy, Transparency, Accountability, and Innovation uthscsa.edu. Together, the mission and shared values reflect a commitment to training physicians who are not only skilled but also service-oriented and ethically grounded. In the interview context, applicants should be familiar with these principles – interviewers may look for alignment between your personal ideals and the school’s ethos. For example, you might be asked how you embody traits like integrity or empathy, or how you plan to contribute to the South Texas community, so understanding Long SOM’s mission statement and values can help you frame your responses in ways that resonate with the school’s identity.

The Long School of Medicine offers a robust program with several distinctive features that candidates can both learn from and inquire about during interviews. Curriculum: Long SOM’s curriculum (called the “CIRCLE” curriculum) is highly integrated – it combines basic sciences with clinical experience from the very start of medical school som.uthscsa.edu. Students begin clinical exposure in their first year and continue applying classroom knowledge in real-world settings throughout all four years, an approach that has correlated with strong USMLE board performances and residency match outcomes som.uthscsa.edu. An example of the program’s innovative training is the bedside ultrasound curriculum that extends across all four years, giving students hands-on ultrasound training with simulation and live models alongside their standard coursework som.uthscsa.edu. Dual Degrees and Distinctions: Long SOM also provides opportunities to diversify one’s medical education. It offers several dual-degree programs – for example an M.D./Ph.D. for aspiring physician-scientists and an M.D./M.P.H. in partnership with UTHealth Houston School of Public Health – among a total of five dual degree options, as well as three “Distinction” tracks for focused achievements in areas like research or medical education som.uthscsa.edu. Clinical Training and Facilities: As the largest trainer of physicians in South Texas, UT Health San Antonio is affiliated with major teaching hospitals and clinics. Students rotate through diverse clinical sites, including the University Health hospital system, the Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital, and even military medical centers, exposing them to a wide variety of patient populations and medical cases. There are numerous student-run or student–faculty collaborative clinics in the community where students can volunteer and hone their skills while serving underserved patients som.uthscsa.edu. Student Life and Support: The school prides itself on a collaborative, supportive culture. The class size is around 210–230 students per year, fostering a close-knit community within a large academic health center. Students at Long SOM are involved in a wide range of interest groups and organizations – on interview day, for example, the school hosts a mini “organization fair” to showcase student groups and initiatives uthscsa.edu. Notably, there is no secondary application for UT Health San Antonio’s M.D. program uthscsa.edu; once you submit your TMDSAS primary, you’ll primarily engage in completing the CASPer situational judgment test and a required one-way video interview prior to your interview date som.uthscsa.edu (instead of writing secondary essays). This streamlined process and emphasis on holistic assessment reflect the program’s focus on getting to know the applicant as a whole person. For interviewees, these program facts offer excellent material to draw on for questions – for instance, you might ask about the outcomes of the early clinical exposure, opportunities to participate in community clinics, mentorship in the dual-degree tracks, or how the school’s values like “innovation” play out in the curriculum. Demonstrating knowledge and curiosity about Long SOM’s unique offerings can highlight your genuine interest and fit for the program.

Being informed about current healthcare policy issues and challenges is an important part of interview preparation, especially as they relate to Long SOM’s setting in San Antonio, Texas. Local and Regional Issues: South Texas faces significant public health challenges – for example, the region has high rates of chronic illnesses like diabetes and obesity, partly reflecting socioeconomic disparities news.uthscsa.edu. San Antonio’s patient population is diverse (with a large Hispanic community and many underserved areas), which brings topics like culturally competent care and improving access to care to the forefront. Texas also has the highest uninsured rate in the United States (around 21.6% of working-age adults, nearly double the national average) axios.com. This is partly because Texas has not expanded Medicaid coverage under the ACA, leaving a coverage gap for many low-income adults axios.com. Consequently, discussions around how to provide healthcare for the uninsured or how to navigate limited resources are very pertinent – interviewers might not ask directly about Medicaid, but demonstrating awareness of the healthcare access issues in the state can be valuable. Additionally, Texas’s healthcare landscape includes unique state policies – for instance, recent legislation has significantly restricted reproductive health services, raising questions about physicians’ roles and patient care in such an environment. An applicant might be expected to thoughtfully discuss how such policies impact patient health or the practice of medicine. National Issues: On a broader scale, candidates should be ready to talk about major healthcare policy topics in the U.S. – for example, the ongoing evolution of the Affordable Care Act and insurance reform, healthcare equity and systemic disparities, or public health preparedness (as seen during COVID-19). Long SOM’s mission of service and its values (like accountability and empathy) align with a desire to improve community health, so being conversant with topics like preventive care, cost of healthcare, and the physician’s role in advocacy can help show interviewers that you understand the context in which you will train and eventually practice. In summary, awareness of relevant policy issues – from how Texas might address its uninsured crisis to how national policy shapes patient care – can enrich your interview conversations and signal that you are an informed, socially conscious future physician.

Like many medical schools, Long SOM employs a holistic review process in admissions, meaning that the non-academic qualities of applicants carry significant weight alongside GPA and MCAT. The Admissions Committee explicitly looks for a balance of academic achievement, meaningful experiences, and personal attributes in each candidate som.uthscsa.edu. In practice, this means that beyond strong grades and test scores, experiences in healthcare, leadership, research, and community service are highly valued. Long SOM “values evidence of academic strength” but equally emphasizes broad and varied experiences such as clinical exposure (e.g. shadowing or working with healthcare teams), leadership roles in organizations or projects, and sustained community service involvement som.uthscsa.edu. Moreover, the committee seeks indications of an applicant’s personal character and interpersonal skills. The school specifically mentions the importance of integrity, maturity, motivation, judgment, resilience, and resourcefulness in applicants som.uthscsa.edu – traits that suggest the individual has the professionalism and grit to become a compassionate physician. For example, showing that you have overcome challenges, managed responsibilities, and learned from failures can demonstrate resilience and growth. Service orientation and a genuine desire to help others (especially underserved communities) are also key; evidence of volunteer work or advocacy can reflect these. During interviews, you can expect that the conversation will touch on these non-academic dimensions. Interviewers often probe your experiences and personal insights to assess how well you embody the qualities Long SOM is looking for. They might ask about a leadership experience, an ethical dilemma you faced, or how you dealt with a setback – all aimed at understanding your character. Keeping these selection criteria in mind will help you recognize what your interviewers are listening for. Rather than focusing only on your academic accolades, be ready to discuss the life experiences and personal values that have shaped you, as these are central to Long SOM’s holistic evaluation.

The qualities Long SOM seeks in applicants are not arbitrary – they align closely with nationally recognized competency frameworks for entering medical students. In fact, the Admissions Committee updates its criteria annually using AAMC resources and medical education literature as guides uthscsa.edu. This means that Long SOM’s evaluation standards map to the core competencies the AAMC has defined (often known as the “15 core competencies” for pre-med students). These competencies fall into categories like interpersonal skills, intrapersonal traits, thinking and reasoning, and science knowledge. For example, the school explicitly values strong social and communication skills, cultural competence, ethical responsibility, teamwork, resilience, and service orientation, among other attributes uthscsa.edu. If you compare this to the AAMC’s competency list, it’s a direct match – competencies such as ethical responsibility to self and others, reliability and dependability, service orientation, cultural awareness, teamwork, and oral communication are clearly mirrored in Long SOM’s stated criteria. Interviewers, therefore, will be attuned to evidence of these competencies as you speak. It would not be surprising for an interviewer to assess your empathy and compassion (perhaps through a question about a patient interaction or a time you helped someone in need), your integrity (through a scenario requiring an ethical decision), or your ability to work in a team (by asking about collaborative experiences), because these are qualities the program deems essential in future physicians. Essentially, Long SOM is looking for well-rounded individuals who meet the professional standards expected in medicine. Understanding that your interview performance might be judged against these broader competency benchmarks can help you frame your responses accordingly. It’s wise to reflect on instances from your life that illustrate these qualities, so that you’re ready if you’re asked to demonstrate how you embody traits like accountability, initiative, or cultural humility.

Reports from previous interviewees indicate that Long SOM’s interview questions are designed to prompt discussion in a wide range of areas – mostly focusing on who you are and how you think, rather than on technical medical knowledge forums.studentdoctor.net. The interviews are open-file and conversational, so questions often spring from your application and your personal experiences. Based on past experiences, some common question themes include:

• Personal motivation and “get-to-know-you” questions: Interviewers commonly start with broad questions like “Tell me about yourself,” or ask why you decided to pursue medicine and why Long SOM in particular forums.studentdoctor.net. These questions give you a chance to articulate your journey and fit with the school, so expect to discuss your background, inspirations, and goals.
• Behavioral and ethics questions: Long SOM interviewers often pose situational or behavioral prompts to gauge your character. For example, you might be asked to “describe a time you demonstrated integrity” or another core value forums.studentdoctor.net. Similarly, they could ask about a challenge or failure you faced, a difficult decision you had to make, or how you handled a conflict in a team. These questions let you show qualities like honesty, resilience, empathy, and ethics in action.
• Application-specific discussions: Because the interviews are open-file, expect direct questions about your experiences listed in your application. Interviewers may pick an activity, research project, or volunteer experience you wrote about and ask you to elaborate on it. Be prepared to talk in depth about your most meaningful experiences – what you did, what you learned, and why they were important. This can also include follow-ups on any uncommon hobbies or interesting life events you mentioned, as they genuinely want to get to know you beyond your stats.
• Career goals and specialty interests: It’s common for interviewers to ask what medical specialty or career path you are interested in, or how you envision your future in medicine forums.studentdoctor.net. Even though you’re not expected to have your whole career figured out, having a thoughtful answer about fields you find appealing (and why) can show that you’ve thought about your fit with the school’s strengths. For instance, if you’re interested in primary care or a field that Long SOM is strong in, it’s worth mentioning along with the reasons driving that interest.
• Current events and health care issues: Interviewers may inquire about your thoughts on broader healthcare topics or policies. You might be asked something like, “What do you think is the biggest issue facing healthcare today?” or your opinion on a specific policy (for example, in past years candidates have been asked about the Affordable Care Act’s impact) studentdoctor.net. These questions assess whether you stay informed and can think critically about the context of medicine. In a Texas setting, topics could range from healthcare access for the uninsured to public health challenges. When answering, it helps to show awareness of different perspectives and to connect the issue to the role of physicians or patient care.
• (Notably, Long SOM interviews do not include science quiz questions – you won’t be asked to recite biology facts or solve chemistry problems. The focus is firmly on your personal attributes, reasoning, and fit for the profession.)

Keeping track of application timelines is crucial for staying organized during the admissions process. Below are key dates and deadlines for the 2025-2026 cycle specific to TMDSAS and Long SOM:

• May 1, 2025 – TMDSAS application opens for entry year 2026 (the application portal becomes available) tmdsas.com. May 15, 2025 – First date you can submit the TMDSAS application (submissions open at 8 a.m. CST) tmdsas.com. It’s advantageous to apply early, as Texas schools begin reviewing completed applications in the summer.
• July 2025 – Long SOM’s Admissions Committee starts reviewing applications and sending out interview invitations on a rolling basis uthscsa.edu. You will receive an email if selected for an interview, and you’ll be able to choose from several offered dates. (There is no secondary application to complete, but ensure your letters of recommendation and CASPer score are in progress by this time.)
• August – December 2025 – Interview season at Long SOM. Interviews are held most Fridays (and occasionally Tuesdays) during this period, conducted virtually via Zoom uthscsa.edu. The interview day typically runs from morning (around 8:45 a.m.) to early afternoon and includes informational sessions and interactions with students. It’s worth noting that while most interviews conclude by December, a few interview dates may extend into January 2026 for later invitation rounds premedcatalyst.com.
• October 1, 2025 – Application deadline for TMDSAS. This is the final date to submit your primary application for Texas medical schools (no submissions accepted after 11:59 p.m. CST) tmdsas.com. Make sure all sections are complete and your payment is submitted by this date. (Note: Long SOM doesn’t require a secondary form, but your TMDSAS primary must be in by Oct 1.)
• October 15, 2025 – Target date for having all letters of evaluation and official test scores submitted. TMDSAS recommends letters be in by mid-October tmdsas.com. Also on Oct 15, Texas medical schools can begin extending offers of admission to applicants (the “pre-match” offers) tmdsas.com. Long SOM historically gives only a small number of early offers at this stage uthscsa.edu, so do not be discouraged if you don’t receive an acceptance in the fall – most Long SOM seats are filled later via the match.
• January 30, 2026 – Deadline for applicants to submit their rank list of school preferences for the TMDSAS match tmdsas.com. (Texas has a match system for its public medical schools: if you hold multiple offers or interview decisions, you rank the schools you’d accept and schools rank their candidates.) You must finalize your rankings in the TMDSAS portal by this date at 5 p.m. CST.
• February 13, 2026 – Match Day for Texas medical schools. Admissions match results are announced on this date tmdsas.com, and Long SOM will send out the majority of its acceptance offers through the TMDSAS match process on this day uthscsa.edu. If you matched to Long SOM, congratulations – you will receive an offer of admission! If not, you may be placed on an active waitlist. After match results, any remaining unfilled spots at Long SOM (and other Texas schools) go into rolling admissions.
• February – March 2026 – Rolling admissions period. Post-match, Long SOM may extend additional offers to waitlisted applicants as spots open up. This period can continue for several weeks as accepted students make their decisions. It’s a time to remain patient and in communication – the school offers a “Cycle Buddy” program connecting interviewed applicants with current students for updates and support uthscsa.edu.
• April 30, 2026 – (AAMC/TMDSAS Deadline) Applicants holding more than one acceptance should choose their single school by April 30 (the “Plan to Enroll” deadline). By this date, if you have an acceptance from Long SOM and another school, you’ll need to withdraw from all but your top choice. This helps schools manage their waitlists tmdsas.com.
• May 15, 2026 – (Texas Deadline) Commit to Enroll: Texas medical schools can no longer make new offers to an applicant who is already holding a spot at another Texas school after this date tmdsas.com. In other words, by mid-May the incoming Long SOM class will be finalized. If you are accepted off the waitlist on or before this date, you should be ready to fully commit to joining Long SOM.

In summary, preparing for an interview at the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine means equipping yourself with knowledge on multiple fronts. By understanding the school’s mission to serve South Texas and its core values, recognizing the traditional interview format and what it entails, reviewing the unique aspects of Long SOM’s program, and staying informed on relevant healthcare issues, you can enter the interview day with confidence and purpose. Remember that the admissions process is holistic: your experiences, attributes, and fit with the school’s culture are just as important as your academic achievements. Through thoughtful preparation – knowing key timelines, reflecting on your personal journey in light of Long SOM’s ideals, and engaging with current medical topics – you can authentically convey your passion and suitability for the program. Good luck with your interview!