MSOM Interview Prep Guide (2025-2026)

Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine (MSOM) is a newly established osteopathic medical school in Maryland with a mission centered on community-oriented, socially responsible healthcare msom.org. Applicants should be aware of its one-on-one, closed-file interview format and the school's focus on recruiting future physicians who embody its values of social responsibility and community service msom.org aacom.org. This guide synthesizes key information about MSOM’s interview process, mission and values, program highlights, relevant healthcare policy topics, candidate selection criteria, competency expectations, past interview question themes, and the 2025-2026 application timeline. Understanding these elements will help candidates connect their own experiences to MSOM’s expectations and excel in the interview process.

MSOM conducts a traditional interview, featuring a one-on-one conversation rather than an MMI or panel msom.org. Interviews are closed-file, meaning the interviewer has not reviewed the applicant’s academic file, which fosters a more conversational and unbiased dialogue studentdoctor.net forums.studentdoctor.net. The school offers the option to interview virtually or in-person, accommodating applicants’ needs msom.org. Each interview slot is about 60 minutes, though the actual face-to-face portion is typically around 20–30 minutes studentdoctor.net msom.org, often complemented by informational sessions or a tour. Past candidates describe the atmosphere as low-stress and friendly, with interviewers aiming to get to know the applicant holistically forums.studentdoctor.net. As a brand-new program, MSOM has no published post-interview acceptance rate, but given the inaugural class size of 90 seats, an interview invitation indicates a significant opportunity for acceptance.

MSOM’s mission is to prepare future physicians who are “professionally accomplished, socially responsible, and community-oriented” aacom.org. In practice, this means the school values service to the community, social accountability, and training doctors who will address healthcare needs in underserved areas. The vision of MSOM is to be a leader in community-based medical education msom.org, reflecting an institutional commitment to immersive community engagement. The very inception of the school was driven by the goal of alleviating physician shortages in the local region, the state of Maryland, and the nation msom.org. These core values and goals are likely to be woven into interview discussions – interviewers may look for evidence that candidates share a passion for serving the community and can uphold the school’s mission through their future careers.

Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine is located in Hagerstown, Maryland, about 70 miles from Washington, D.C., in a predominantly rural setting aacom.org. It is the first new medical school in Maryland in over 100 years msom.org. The inaugural class (entering Fall 2025) will consist of 90 students, and future classes are planned to expand to 180 students each msom.org. The campus features a brand-new 200,000-square-foot academic building that houses state-of-the-art simulation labs, classrooms, and a conference center msom.org. An adjacent residential complex (Meritus Commons) provides on-campus student housing, with the first phase of apartments ready for the initial class msom.org. Being closely affiliated with the Meritus Health system (the region’s major healthcare provider), MSOM offers students clinical training opportunities within local hospitals and clinics, directly aligning with its community-focused mission.

Academically, MSOM offers an innovative curriculum designed to produce well-rounded osteopathic physicians. The program uses a systems-based “one-pass” curriculum, integrating team-based learning (TBL), interactive lectures, and immersive virtual anatomy sessions aacom.org. Notably, dedicated preparation time for the COMLEX (osteopathic medical board exams) is built into the curriculum to support students’ success aacom.org. Students are encouraged to engage in research through various opportunities and settings provided by the school aacom.org. MSOM also offers optional certificate programs (concurrent with the DO program) in areas like Health Data Services and Health Equity & Quality Improvement, allowing high-achieving students to gain additional expertise aacom.org. Furthermore, the school emphasizes clinical experiences in underserved and community settings – MSOM students will train within the Meritus Health network and other partner sites to encounter real-world healthcare challenges in the region aacom.org. These program features not only illustrate the school’s commitment to community health and innovation but also provide excellent talking points for applicants to explore during their interviews.

Potential Questions to Ask at the Interview

• How does MSOM’s innovative one-pass curriculum prepare students for the COMLEX exams and for clinical rotations?
• What opportunities do students have to engage with the local community and underserved populations during their training at MSOM?
• Can you tell me more about the optional certificate programs in Health Data Services or Health Equity & Quality Improvement and how they complement the DO curriculum?
• What kinds of clinical experiences and rotations will students have within the Meritus Health system and other affiliated hospitals or clinics?
• How is MSOM fostering student wellness and support, especially as a newer medical school establishing its culture and resources?
• What research or extracurricular initiatives are available for students, particularly those interested in community health or primary care?

Given MSOM’s mission and location, several healthcare policy topics are particularly pertinent. Foremost is the physician workforce shortage: the school itself was founded to help address a critical shortage of doctors in the community, state, and nation msom.org. Nationally, the AAMC has projected a significant physician shortfall (on the order of 124,000 doctors by 2030), with rural areas being among the hardest hit msom.org. In Western Maryland (where MSOM is located), there is a documented need for more physicians (dozens of additional doctors are needed in Washington County alone) and many current providers are nearing retirement age msom.org. Therefore, policy discussions around improving healthcare access in rural and underserved regions, incentives for practicing primary care in shortage areas, and expanding medical education to meet demand are highly relevant. MSOM’s emphasis on community-based care also aligns with broader themes of preventive care and population health management. Additionally, as an osteopathic institution, the school’s holistic approach to medicine resonates with healthcare policies that promote integrating behavioral health, preventive medicine, and alternative therapies into primary care. Interviewers might not ask direct “policy” questions, but they could probe an applicant’s awareness of issues like healthcare disparities in rural communities, strategies to combat provider shortages, or the role of osteopathic medicine in the U.S. healthcare system. Being conversant with these topics will allow candidates to demonstrate insight and commitment to MSOM’s core mission.

Like many medical schools, MSOM considers more than just academic metrics when evaluating applicants. In fact, the MSOM Admissions Committee explicitly screens for a range of non-academic attributes to identify candidates who align with the school’s mission aacom.org. These criteria include leadership qualities, community service involvement, clinical experience or exposure to patient care, interpersonal and communication skills, and evidence of perseverance and maturity in the face of challenges aacom.org. The committee also looks for genuine motivation for osteopathic medicine and knowledge of the profession aacom.org – for instance, understanding osteopathic principles or having shadowed a DO physician. Demonstrating these qualities increases an applicant’s likelihood of being invited to interview and ultimately admitted. During the interview, candidates should expect broad questions that allow them to highlight experiences in these areas (for example, discussing a leadership role or volunteer project) and to show how those experiences have prepared them to be socially responsible, community-focused physicians in line with MSOM’s values.

MSOM’s curriculum and assessment methods are designed around established medical education competencies. As a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program, MSOM adheres to the core competencies defined by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) clinicaldistinctioncom.wordpress.com. These seven competency domains include Osteopathic Principles and Practice (which encompasses the philosophy of holistic care and osteopathic manipulative treatment), Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Practice-Based Learning and Improvement, and Systems-Based Practice clinicaldistinctioncom.wordpress.com. Students are expected to develop proficiency in all of these areas by graduation, which aligns with the standards of osteopathic graduate medical education and eventual physician practice. In addition, MSOM’s focus on community-oriented care reflects an emerging emphasis on social accountability in medical training – ensuring that graduates are not only clinically competent but also attuned to the health needs of their communities. While preparing for interviews, applicants might find it useful to frame their experiences in terms of these competencies (e.g., describing teamwork or leadership in terms of communication skills and professionalism). Though interviewers may not explicitly reference “competency frameworks,” they will implicitly value traits like ethical judgment, collaboration, adaptability, and a commitment to holistic care, all of which tie back to the expected competencies of an osteopathic physician.

Feedback from MSOM’s first interview season indicates that the interview is very conversational in tone forums.studentdoctor.net. Because the interview is closed-file, the questions tend to be general, giving applicants an opportunity to share their story, motivations, and personal qualities. One of the consistently reported themes is the “Why osteopathic medicine?” question – interviewers want to know why the candidate chose a DO path over an MD, and how they connect with the osteopathic philosophy forums.studentdoctor.net. Similarly, “Why MSOM?” or “Why do you want to attend Meritus specifically?” has been a common question, as the school is interested in applicants’ fit with its unique mission and new program. Interviewers often ask about an applicant’s experiences in healthcare or their journey to medicine, such as “Tell me about your clinical experiences (both allopathic and osteopathic) so far.” Behavioral questions have also appeared; for example, discussing a time when the applicant faced a significant challenge or adversity is a frequent topic studentdoctor.net studentdoctor.net. In fact, many students noted that describing how they overcame adversity was one of the more difficult questions during their MSOM interview studentdoctor.net. Other questions like “What is your learning style?” have been reported, aiming to understand how candidates handle the rigorous learning environment studentdoctor.net. These themes show that MSOM’s interview seeks to uncover personal motivation, resilience, adaptability, and alignment with the school’s values. In discussing such topics, candidates have the opportunity to demonstrate qualities like perseverance, empathy, and commitment to service – traits that reflect well on their suitability for a community-focused program.

The 2025-2026 application cycle will be the second ever for MSOM (for the class entering Fall 2026, which will be the Class of 2030). The primary application is submitted via AACOMAS (the centralized osteopathic application service). AACOMAS typically opens in May; for this cycle the earliest submission date is May 25, 2025 aacom.org. MSOM operates on a rolling admissions basis, so early applicants have a greater advantage. The final deadline for submitting the primary AACOMAS application is April 10, 2026 aacom.org. Once the primary application is verified and transmitted, MSOM invites eligible applicants to complete a secondary application which includes a $100 fee (this fee is waived if the applicant has an approved AACOMAS fee waiver) aacom.org. The secondary application will likely have additional essay prompts related to MSOM’s mission or asking about the applicant’s interest in the program. After submitting secondaries, competitive applicants can receive interview invitations relatively quickly – some candidates in the previous cycle reported receiving an interview invite within a couple of weeks of secondary submission forums.studentdoctor.net. MSOM held its first interviews in mid-August 2025 msom.org, and interview sessions are expected to continue through the fall and winter months (and possibly into early spring 2026) until the class is filled. Because admissions are rolling, the earlier in the cycle an applicant interviews, the more seats are available. Acceptance decisions are typically made on a rolling basis as well, often notified a few weeks after the interview. Admitted students are usually required to secure their spot by paying a non-refundable deposit (MSOM has two deposit payments as part of its matriculation process) within specified time frames aacom.org. Key takeaway: to maximize their chances, applicants should aim to apply and complete secondaries as early as possible, prepare for potential interviews starting in late summer, and keep track of all deadline dates and post-interview follow-up requirements.

MSOM’s interview process and program reflect its identity as an emerging leader in community-focused medical education msom.org. In summary, successful interview preparation for Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine involves understanding the school’s mission-driven approach, being familiar with its curriculum and initiatives, staying informed about relevant healthcare issues (like physician shortages in underserved areas msom.org), and being ready to discuss one’s experiences in light of the qualities MSOM values. By absorbing the information in each section of this guide – from the interview format and typical questions to the academic program details and admissions timeline – applicants will be well-equipped to present themselves as mission-aligned, thoughtful, and prepared future osteopathic physicians. Good luck with your interview preparation for MSOM’s 2025-2026 cycle!