WashU Medicine Interview Prep Guide (2025-2026)

WashU Medicine invites each selected applicant to two virtual interviews (one open-file and one closed-file) mdadmissions.wustl.edu, reflecting its holistic approach to admissions. The school’s vision is to advance human health through the promotion of wellness, the delivery of outstanding health care, innovative research, and the education of future biomedical leaders — all within a culture that supports diversity, inclusion, critical thinking and creativity medicine.washu.edu. Its MD program features the Gateway Curriculum, an integrated, competency-based model that merges scientific foundations with early clinical experience and offers personalized elements like coaching and career pathways mdadmissions.wustl.edu mdadmissions.wustl.edu.

This guide also explores the broader context of interview preparation. It touches on relevant healthcare policy issues in Missouri and nationally, underscores the non-academic qualities (e.g. leadership, service, cultural competence) that WashU looks for in applicants prospectivedoctor.com mdadmissions.wustl.edu, and identifies common themes from past interview questions (ranging from personal motivations to ethics and health system topics) shemmassianconsulting.com shemmassianconsulting.com. Key application dates and deadlines for the 2025–2026 cycle are summarized as well mdadmissions.wustl.edu mdadmissions.wustl.edu.

Washington University School of Medicine uses a traditional interview approach rather than a multiple mini-interview (MMI). Each invited applicant completes two live interviews over Zoom on the same day: one standard open-file interview (around 25–30 minutes, where the interviewer has reviewed the full application) and one shorter closed-file interview (20–25 minutes, where the interviewer only knows the applicant’s name) mdadmissions.wustl.edu. Interviewers clarify at the start which type of interview is being conducted so that the applicant understands how much background information the interviewer has mdadmissions.wustl.edu.

In recent cycles, WashU has also included an asynchronous online interview component using the Kira Talent platform. Applicants record video responses to several prompted questions (about three video questions) and provide one written response, with the Kira interview taking roughly 30 minutes to complete forums.studentdoctor.net shemmassianconsulting.com. The live faculty interviews themselves are typically described as low-stress and conversational forums.studentdoctor.net, aimed at getting to know the candidate beyond their paper credentials. Notably, about 1,057 applicants were interviewed for 124 spots in the 2023 entering class shemmassianconsulting.com, so an interview invitation is a strong positive sign – a significant proportion of those interviewed ultimately receive offers of admission.

WashU Medicine’s mission and values are central to its identity. The school aims to lead in advancing human health by promoting wellness, delivering outstanding health care, conducting innovative research, and educating tomorrow’s leaders in biomedicine, all within a supportive culture of diversity and inclusion medicine.washu.edu. This commitment to excellence, innovation, and inclusivity is reflected in everything from the curriculum to community initiatives. Interviewees should be familiar with these ideals – understanding the mission helps you recognize what qualities and aspirations the school might prioritize. Conversations during the interview may implicitly touch on these values (for example, discussing your service experiences or research interests can demonstrate alignment with WashU’s mission-driven culture).

WashU’s MD program is distinguished by the recently implemented Gateway Curriculum. This curriculum is integrated and competency-based, combining fundamental science with clinical skills training and health systems science throughout all phases mdadmissions.wustl.edu. A hallmark of Gateway is the “EXPLORE” component, which allows students to pursue one of four academic pathways – Research, Advocacy & Global Health, Education, or Innovation – and engage in a mentored scholarly project in their chosen area mdadmissions.wustl.edu. Another notable element is the Gateway Coaching Program: each student is paired with a faculty coach and a small cohort of peers, meeting regularly to synthesize learning, receive guidance, and develop professional identity mdadmissions.wustl.edu. These features exemplify WashU’s emphasis on personalizing medical education and fostering student growth. Additionally, the program’s reputation for research is strong (WashU Medicine was ranked among the top institutions in NIH research funding, attesting to abundant opportunities for student research involvement) source.washu.edu medicine.washu.edu. Knowing these distinctive aspects of the program not only helps you understand the school better, but also provides great talking points during your interview – demonstrating familiarity with the curriculum and resources can show enthusiasm and initiative.

For instance, an applicant might ask questions such as:

• How does the Gateway Curriculum’s integrated approach (and the EXPLORE pathways) help students shape their medical careers?
• Could you tell me more about the Gateway Coaching Program and how it supports student development?
• What opportunities do students have to engage with the St. Louis community or address health disparities during training?
• In what ways can medical students get involved in research at WashU, and are there specific programs or support for student research?

Awareness of current health policy issues is an important part of interview readiness. Locally, Missouri’s healthcare landscape has seen significant changes such as Medicaid expansion in 2021, which increased insurance coverage for low-income residents source.washu.edu. At the same time, the state faces ongoing public health challenges — for example, Missouri has had some of the nation’s highest maternal and infant mortality rates, and nearly half of its counties lack adequate maternal health care providers missouriindependent.com. Understanding regional issues like healthcare access, provider shortages, and health disparities can help you speak to community health topics or the school’s service mission if they come up in conversation.

Nationally, broader policy debates in medicine may also arise during interviews. One past WashU interview question directly asked about thoughts on healthcare reform shemmassianconsulting.com, reflecting the expectation that applicants are informed about major healthcare system issues (such as the Affordable Care Act and insurance coverage debates). The evolving legal landscape around reproductive health is another contextual factor – for instance, Missouri enacted a near-total abortion ban in 2022, a policy change that impacts patient care and medical training in the state. While you aren’t expected to be a policy expert, it’s wise to have an informed perspective on how such policies affect patients and healthcare delivery. Demonstrating a general awareness of key health policy topics – from insurance access to public health challenges – shows that you appreciate the environment in which you will train and practice.

WashU Medicine takes a holistic approach in evaluating applicants, placing significant weight on non-academic factors. The admissions committee explicitly considers your accomplishments in areas like work experience, research productivity, volunteer service, and leadership roles mdadmissions.wustl.edu. Beyond these experiences, they look for personal attributes and interpersonal skills that are crucial for a physician. Qualities such as strong communication skills, cultural competence and humility, ethical responsibility, empathy, resilience, and adaptability are all assessed during the selection process mdadmissions.wustl.edu mdadmissions.wustl.edu. In fact, the admissions dean has noted that compared to years past, the school now places greater emphasis on an applicant’s engagement with underserved communities and understanding of the social determinants of health prospectivedoctor.com. During the interview, expect that your experiences exemplifying these qualities (for example, times when you demonstrated leadership, teamwork, or dedication to service) will be topics of discussion. The goal is to discern how well your character and extracurricular achievements align with the school’s values and the medical profession’s expectations.

WashU’s program is aligned with nationally recognized physician competency frameworks. The Gateway Curriculum is explicitly designed around competency-based learning – students must not only complete courses but also demonstrate mastery of essential skills and behaviors as they progress mdadmissions.wustl.edu. The school’s educational objectives mirror the core competency domains expected of all physicians: medical knowledge, patient care, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, systems-based practice, and practice-based learning & improvement md.wustl.edu. These six domains correspond to the standards set by organizations like the ACGME for graduate training, ensuring that WashU graduates are well-prepared for residency. For interview purposes, it’s useful to recognize that many of the traits interviewers evaluate (e.g. communication, ethical judgment, teamwork) tie into these same competency areas. Showing that you appreciate the importance of these competencies – through your answers and examples – can subtly reinforce that you are prepared to meet the program’s expectations.

Reviewing past interview questions at WashU can provide insight into the range of topics you might be asked to discuss. Students report that the interviews often start with open-ended personal questions – for example, “Tell me about yourself.” or “Was there anything that made you hesitate about going into medicine?” – as well as reflective prompts like “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” shemmassianconsulting.com. Interviewers also tend to explore the applicant’s perspectives on broader issues. A common question in the past asked about healthcare reform shemmassianconsulting.com, probing the candidate’s awareness of healthcare system challenges, while another inquired “What does patient autonomy mean to you?” to delve into ethical reasoning shemmassianconsulting.com. Additionally, it’s typical to be asked about specific experiences from your application (for instance, “Tell me about this experience you had doing X.”) shemmassianconsulting.com or to consider potential challenges you might face at WashU. These themes suggest that you should be prepared to discuss your personal journey and motivations, demonstrate knowledge of current healthcare topics, reason through ethical scenarios, and reflect on your past experiences and growth.

Key dates and deadlines for the 2025–2026 application cycle (entering class of 2026) include:

• May 1, 2025 – AMCAS primary application opens for WashU mdadmissions.wustl.edu
• May 30, 2025 – First day to submit the AMCAS primary application (earliest submission date) mdadmissions.wustl.edu
• June 27, 2025 – Verified AMCAS applications begin transmitted to WashU (WashU starts receiving applications) mdadmissions.wustl.edu
• July–October 2025 – Secondary application invitations sent out on a rolling basis to selected applicants (after primary verification) mdadmissions.wustl.edu
• September 2025 – February 2026 – Interview season (all interviews conducted virtually via Zoom) mdadmissions.wustl.edu
• October 17, 2025 – Deadline to submit AMCAS primary application (and final date for transcripts to reach AMCAS) mdadmissions.wustl.edu
• October 31, 2025 – Deadline to submit WashU Medicine secondary (supplemental) application (by 11:59 p.m. CT) mdadmissions.wustl.edu
• November 7, 2025 – Deadline for receipt of all letters of recommendation mdadmissions.wustl.edu
• December 2025 – First round of admissions decisions released (via online portal; many accepted students also receive a personal call) mdadmissions.wustl.edu
• January 2026 – Second round of admissions decisions released mdadmissions.wustl.edu
• February 2026 – Final round of admissions decisions released (concluding the cycle’s offers) mdadmissions.wustl.edu

In conclusion, effective interview preparation for Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine involves understanding the program’s format, values, and context. By familiarizing yourself with the school’s mission of advancing human health through excellent care, research, and education – and recognizing how that mission is reflected in the Gateway Curriculum and student opportunities – you can better articulate your fit with the program. Likewise, being aware of current healthcare issues and reflecting on your own experiences in light of the school’s competencies will enable you to engage thoughtfully during the interview. Armed with this knowledge and a clear timeline of the admissions process, you can approach your WashU Medicine interview with confidence and insight.