BYUSOM Interview Prep Guide (2025-2026)

Prospective candidates should understand BYUSOM’s planned interview format and holistic admissions approach, as well as the institution’s mission and values that will shape this new School of Medicine newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. They will also benefit from knowing key program details (such as the MD curriculum, global health focus deseret.com and clinical partnerships with regional health providers news.byu.edu) and being aware of relevant healthcare policy issues affecting the school’s region and mission. Additionally, recognizing the non-academic qualities and competencies the admissions committee seeks, anticipating common themes in interview questions, and noting the expected admissions timeline will all contribute to thorough interview preparation medicine.utah.edu.

Because BYU’s medical school is newly established, specific interview format details have not yet been publicly confirmed. Many modern medical schools utilize a Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) format or a structured panel interview, and it is likely that BYUSOM will adopt a similar approach. For instance, the University of Utah’s School of Medicine (the state’s established program) incorporates multiple assessments including an MMI to evaluate applicants’ motivations, ethical reasoning, leadership, and interpersonal skills medicine.utah.edu medicine.utah.edu. BYUSOM’s interviews can be expected to follow a holistic style – meaning interviewers will explore an applicant’s personal experiences, service motivation, and fit with the school’s mission, not just academic achievements.

It remains to be seen whether BYUSOM will conduct interviews as open-file (where interviewers review the applicant’s full file) or closed-file (where interviewers know little beyond the candidate’s name). Many medical schools prefer partially closed or closed-file interviews to reduce bias, but others use open-file to have in-depth, specific conversations. Regardless of the approach, applicants should be prepared to discuss any aspect of their application if prompted, as well as to speak to their values and goals in medicine. As a brand-new program with an initially small class size (~60 seats), BYUSOM’s admissions will be competitive. The post-interview acceptance rate is not yet known, but new medical schools often extend offers to a significant proportion of those they interview (since they interview a limited number of well-matched candidates). In other words, if you secure an interview at BYU’s medical school, you stand a solid chance – making thorough preparation for the interview day especially important.

Brigham Young University’s overarching mission is “to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life” in a setting where a commitment to excellence is expected and faith is integrated with learning aims.byu.edu. The university aims to develop students of faith, intellect, and character who are committed to lifelong learning and service aims.byu.edu. These principles are foundational to BYU and stem from its sponsoring institution, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Every aspect of a BYU education, including its professional programs, is expected to reflect these spiritual and character-building values.

The new School of Medicine is explicitly designed to reinforce BYU’s spiritual mission and the Church’s emphasis on serving others newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. University leadership has stated that the medical school will provide a “high quality, spiritually-based program” aligned with the ethos of faith and service that defines BYU newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. A major theme is emulating the healing ministry of Jesus Christ – leaders noted that the school’s mission is “all about Jesus Christ and his mission of healing and lifting the nations of the world” deseret.com. This means values like compassion, service, humility, and integrity are not just encouraged but expected in the program’s culture. Students will be viewed as future physician–healers who “lift God’s children” through both medical skill and Christlike service newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. Additionally, BYU’s Honor Code will apply to medical students: BYU can require its students to abide by strict standards of personal conduct (e.g. honesty, abstinence from premarital sex and substances like alcohol or tobacco) as a condition of enrollment decodingainostars.wordpress.com. Adherence to this Honor Code is a reflection of the school’s commitment to moral values and is seen as compatible with accreditation standards decodingainostars.wordpress.com. In short, BYU’s medical school will expect students to not only excel academically but also to uphold and embrace the university’s unique blend of spiritual values and service-oriented mission in their conduct and outlook.

Brigham Young University School of Medicine (BYUSOM) will be an MD-granting program based in Provo, Utah, and operated as a private, faith-based institution studentdoctor.net. The inaugural class is anticipated to start in Fall 2027 and will be relatively small – roughly 60 students – in accordance with accreditation limits for new schools deseret.com. BYUSOM will not have its own university hospital; instead, it plans to leverage clinical partnerships for student training. The school’s new building will be located on BYU’s West Campus (the site of the former Provo High School), adjacent to a major regional hospital (Intermountain Health’s Utah Valley Hospital) news.byu.edu. This proximity, along with formal affiliations, will give students access to clinical clerkship rotations. Talks have been underway with Intermountain Health and the University of Utah Health system to secure a variety of off-site hospital locations for clerkships and clinical experience news.byu.edu. In other words, BYU’s medical students will train in real-world hospitals and clinics through partnerships, rather than in a BYU-owned teaching hospital.

The curriculum at BYUSOM is still in development, but administrators have signaled some innovative intentions. The program will confer the Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree and aims to create a “high quality, spiritually-based” educational experience universe.byu.edu. Uniquely, BYU is exploring ways to reduce the time and cost required to earn the MD universe.byu.edu. While details are not yet finalized, this could mean an accelerated curriculum or other efficiencies that allow students to graduate faster and with less debt than traditional programs deseret.com. The emphasis is on producing competent physicians more efficiently, addressing a national concern about the length and expense of medical training. At the same time, the curriculum will reflect BYU’s mission – expect integration of ethics, service learning, and possibly opportunities for international or humanitarian medical work, given the school’s focus on global health. In fact, unlike many research-intensive medical schools, BYUSOM’s primary focus will be on teaching and training excellent clinicians, with a more selective approach to research. Research will be conducted in areas of strategic importance to the Church (for example, global/public health issues that affect communities worldwide) rather than across every biomedical field news.byu.edu. This suggests that while students will learn the latest in medical science, the program may not emphasize laboratory research for all students; instead, students interested in research might engage specifically in projects aligned with the school’s humanitarian and international health objectives.

Even as a new institution, BYUSOM is progressing through the steps required to become accredited and operational. It currently holds applicant status for LCME accreditation studentdoctor.net, having submitted a comprehensive proposal (nearly 900 pages long) to the accrediting body in 2025 deseret.com. In October 2025 the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) will review BYU’s application, and if that goes well a site visit in Provo will occur in 2026 deseret.com. The anticipated timeline (contingent on meeting standards) would have BYU receive preliminary accreditation by October 2026 deseret.com. Preliminary accreditation is critical, as it permits the school to begin accepting student applications. Thus, BYU’s first admissions cycle is expected to open after that point – likely aligning with the 2026–2027 application cycle – to recruit the inaugural class for fall 2027. Administrators and the founding dean (Dr. Mark Ott, a surgeon with leadership experience at Johns Hopkins, Harvard, and Intermountain Health news.byu.edu) have been actively laying this groundwork. There is tremendous enthusiasm for the program: BYU has reported an outpouring of interest, and many have already inquired or sent resumes to join the faculty and team developing the school deseret.com. All these facts can help an applicant appreciate how the program is being built and the context in which they would join as a student.

Potential Questions to Ask at the Interview

• How will the global health emphasis of BYU’s medical school be reflected in the curriculum and student experiences? (For example, will there be opportunities for international rotations or humanitarian service as a medical student?)
• What innovative approaches is BYUSOM considering to reduce the length and cost of medical education for students, and how might these changes impact the student experience or learning outcomes?
• Since BYU will not have its own teaching hospital, how are clinical rotations being arranged through partnerships? In what hospitals or settings will students gain their core clinical training, and what advantages do these partnerships offer?
• What kinds of research or scholarly opportunities will be available to students, especially in the areas of strategic focus like international health or community medicine? How can students get involved in these efforts during their time at BYU’s medical school?
• BYU is known for its Honor Code and spiritual environment – how does the medical school plan to integrate BYU’s values into its training? (For instance, one might ask how the school supports the spiritual development of future physicians or ensure a culture of compassion and service.)

In preparation for interviews, it’s valuable to be aware of broader healthcare issues and policies that intersect with BYU’s mission and the region it serves. The Intermountain West and Utah have unique healthcare needs and context, and BYU’s new program is emerging in response to some of these challenges. Below are several relevant policy and healthcare topics worth understanding and considering in relation to BYUSOM:

• Physician workforce shortages – Utah and the nation face doctor shortages, especially in primary care and rural areas. BYU’s medical school is partly intended to help address the growing need for physicians. State leaders have noted that adding a new medical school can help "meet existing and future health care professional shortages" by increasing the supply of well-trained doctors sltrib.com.
• Global health disparities and humanitarian healthcare – A core focus of BYUSOM will be international health issues and humanitarian service newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. This aligns with global policy discussions on improving healthcare in underserved countries and responding to humanitarian crises. Applicants might consider current international health challenges (for example, managing infectious diseases outbreaks or providing care in low-resource settings) since the school emphasizes training doctors to serve worldwide.
• Local healthcare access and community needs – BYU’s program will exist alongside the University of Utah’s state-focused medical efforts, complementing them with its international perspective sltrib.com. Understanding Utah’s healthcare landscape can be useful: this includes rural healthcare delivery (many Utah communities are remote), public health issues in the Mountain West (such as opioid use, mental health, or a high birth rate influencing obstetric care), and how BYU’s graduates might serve the region. The collaboration between BYU and local health systems speaks to policy efforts to improve healthcare access across the state.
• Cost of medical education and student debt – Nationally, the high cost of medical schooling and resulting student debt are policy concerns. BYU’s intention to shorten the duration of training and lower costs for students is a direct response to this issue deseret.com. An applicant might be mindful of discussions around tuition, funding for medical education, and innovative models (like three-year accelerated MD programs or service-linked scholarships) that aim to reduce financial barriers for medical students.
• Faith and ethics in healthcare – As a Church-sponsored school, BYUSOM sits at the intersection of faith and medicine. Topics such as medical ethics, conscientious practice, and cultural competence could be particularly relevant. For instance, how do personal or religious values intersect with medical policy on issues like end-of-life care or reproductive health? While every accredited medical school teaches core ethics, BYU’s environment may especially encourage discussions on providing compassionate care that respects patients’ spiritual needs. Being aware of current debates on ethics (e.g., balancing religious conscience rights of providers with patient care obligations) could provide useful context.

Like all medical schools, BYUSOM will use a holistic admissions process. This means that beyond strong grades and MCAT scores, the school will look closely at applicants’ personal characteristics, experiences, and potential to contribute to the BYU community and the medical profession. Given BYU’s ethos, certain non-academic qualities will carry particular weight. Foremost is a demonstrated commitment to service – applicants who have significant volunteer work, community service, or humanitarian experience will likely stand out, as this echoes the school’s mission of “going forth to serve.” Involvement in altruistic activities (whether locally, in church service, or abroad) shows a service orientation that BYU values highly aims.byu.edu. Leadership experience is another key factor; the admissions committee will be interested in students who have taken initiative, led teams or projects, and can collaborate well with others toward a common goal. Evidence of strong teamwork and communication skills, for example through group projects or team sports, will indicate an ability to work effectively in the healthcare environment.

Personal integrity and ethical grounding are also crucial. BYU will seek students who have shown honesty, responsibility, and adherence to high moral standards in their lives – qualities that align with the Honor Code and the profession’s ethical demands. An applicant’s history should reflect reliability (keeping commitments, working diligently) and resilience (the ability to overcome challenges or setbacks, which is vital in the rigors of medical training). Since BYUSOM is a faith-based program, showing respect for spiritual values and an openness to BYU’s religious environment can be important. While applicants of all backgrounds are considered, one should be prepared to uphold BYU’s standards and contribute positively to its community of faith and learning. Additionally, having some form of research or scholarly experience can be a plus (as it demonstrates intellectual curiosity and perseverance), but given BYU’s focus on specific research areas, depth of engagement in any scholarly pursuit or an understanding of research’s relevance to community health might matter more than sheer volume of publications. Overall, BYUSOM is likely to select students who are well-rounded and mission-aligned – those who excel academically but also have a record of empathy, leadership, service, and personal development. This aligns with what medical school interviews often probe: an applicant’s motivation for medicine, understanding of the profession, interpersonal skills, and values medicine.utah.edu.

In evaluating applicants’ non-academic qualities, BYUSOM (like other accredited medical schools) will be guided by established competency frameworks. A key reference is the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) set of core competencies for entering medical students, which was updated in 2023 to reflect what’s expected of new medical students students-residents.aamc.org. These competencies are grouped into categories – often described as Professional, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Thinking and Reasoning, and Science competencies. BYU’s approach to admissions will naturally align with these, given that they are widely accepted standards in medical education.

Some examples of these competencies help illustrate what qualities BYUSOM will look for. One is Service Orientation, which is defined as demonstrating a commitment to others and making meaningful contributions to the welfare of communities hpa.princeton.edu. This clearly resonates with BYU’s emphasis on service. Another is Empathy and Compassion – the capacity to understand and share others’ experiences and to desire to help those in distress hpa.princeton.edu – a trait essential for a healer and very much in harmony with the school’s values of Christlike caring. Ethical Responsibility to self and others is also a core competency: behaving with honesty and integrity, and adhering to ethical principles, which will be expected of BYU students both in following the Honor Code and in clinical settings. Other competencies include Teamwork and Collaboration (working effectively in team roles, a must for healthcare) and Resilience and Adaptability (handling stress and changing circumstances well). Academically related competencies like critical thinking, scientific inquiry, and knowledge of human behavior are also on the list, ensuring that students are intellectually prepared. An awareness of this competency framework is useful for interview prep – it reminds applicants to showcase evidence of these attributes (through their anecdotes and experiences) during interviews. Since BYUSOM’s interviewers will likely be implicitly checking for these qualities, demonstrating strengths in areas like service, cultural competence, teamwork, and ethical reasoning will align with the expected profile of a successful candidate.

As a new school, BYUSOM doesn’t have a track record of past interview questions. However, we can anticipate the themes and topics that are likely to come up by considering the school’s mission and the common questions asked at medical school interviews. Being prepared for these thematic areas will help you confidently tackle whatever specific questions are posed. Some anticipated themes include:

• Service and altruism: Expect questions delving into your commitment to serving others. Given BYU’s motto of lifelong service aims.byu.edu, interviewers might ask about your volunteer work or how you plan to fulfill the school’s mission of caring for the underserved. For example, “Tell us about a meaningful service experience you’ve had,” or “How do you see yourself contributing to our focus on humanitarian service as a physician?” are the kind of prompts you might encounter.
• Ethical reasoning and values: In line with BYU’s values-oriented environment, you may be presented with ethical dilemmas or questions about your personal principles. Interviewers will want to gauge your integrity and how you make difficult moral decisions. (In fact, the University of Utah explicitly assesses understanding of medical ethics in interviews medicine.utah.edu, and BYU is likely to do the same.) Be prepared for questions like, “Describe a time you faced an ethical conflict. How did you resolve it?” or hypotheticals about patient confidentiality, honesty, or treating a patient who requests something against your beliefs. The goal is to see that you can navigate ethical challenges thoughtfully and in a manner consistent with professional and personal values.
• Motivation for medicine and fit with BYU: You will almost certainly be asked some form of “Why do you want to be a doctor?” and “Why BYU’s medical school?” The interviewers are probing your motivation for pursuing medicine and whether you understand and embrace BYU’s unique mission. In framing your answer, you should highlight not only your passion for medicine but also how you resonate with the school’s focus (for instance, its spiritual foundation or global health orientation). They want to see genuine enthusiasm for joining BYUSOM, so reflect on what aspects of BYU’s program appeal most to you and align with your own goals as a future physician.
• Leadership and teamwork experiences: Given the importance of collaboration in both BYU’s culture and the medical profession, you can anticipate questions about how you’ve functioned in team settings or taken on leadership roles. You might be asked for examples like, “Tell me about a time you were a leader of a group,” or “Describe a team project you contributed to and what you learned about working with others.” The admissions team will be looking for evidence of strong interpersonal skills – that you can lead when necessary but also listen, cooperate, and handle conflicts diplomatically. Showcasing a balance of leadership and teamwork ability is key (for instance, times when you facilitated a group outcome or supported others to accomplish a goal).
• Cultural competence and diversity: Because of BYU’s international and humanitarian emphasis, you should be ready for questions about working with people from different backgrounds or your exposure to diversity. You may be asked, “Have you ever worked with communities or individuals very different from yourself? What did you learn from that experience?” or how you would handle treating patients whose cultural or religious beliefs differ from yours. This theme evaluates your cultural awareness and humility – whether you can appreciate and learn from perspectives unlike your own hpa.princeton.edu. Drawing on any study-abroad, language, or mission experiences (common among BYU students) can be very effective to demonstrate that you are prepared to serve a diverse patient population with respect and understanding.

The timeline for BYU’s School of Medicine is a bit different from that of established schools, since the program is still ramping up through the accreditation process. For the 2025–2026 application cycle, BYUSOM will likely not yet be accepting applications – instead, this period is when the crucial accreditation steps are occurring to allow the school to open. Below is an overview of key milestones and expected timelines leading up to the first class:

1. July 2024 – The First Presidency of the LDS Church announces plans to establish a BYU School of Medicine (the initial public announcement of the new medical school) newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org.
2. October 2024 – BYU appoints Dr. Mark Ott as the inaugural Dean of the School of Medicine, signaling that foundational leadership is in place news.byu.edu news.byu.edu.
3. July 2025 – BYU’s School of Medicine team submits its LCME accreditation application (a nearly 900-page document) ahead of the August 1 deadline, in hopes of opening the school by 2027 deseret.com.
4. October 2025 – The LCME reviews BYU’s application in its fall meeting. If the application meets standards, the committee will schedule a site visit to BYU as the next step deseret.com.
5. Spring–Summer 2026 – An LCME site visit takes place at BYU (pending approval of the written application). During this visit, accreditors will verify BYU’s readiness – examining facilities, interviewing faculty/staff, and ensuring the program meets required standards deseret.com.
6. October 2026 – The LCME could grant Preliminary Accreditation to BYU’s School of Medicine deseret.com. (This is the milestone that permits the school to begin recruiting and accepting students officially.)
7. Fall 2027 – Inaugural class matriculates: if all goes as planned, BYUSOM welcomes its first cohort of about 60 medical students to campus to begin their training deseret.com.

As this timeline shows, the 2025–2026 cycle is focused on securing accreditation rather than interviewing applicants. Prospective applicants should therefore anticipate that the first opportunity to apply will likely be in the 2026–2027 admissions cycle (for entry in fall 2027), once the program has preliminary accreditation. If BYUSOM stays on schedule and receives the go-ahead in late 2026, we can expect that applications will open around summer 2026 through the standard AMCAS process, followed by interviews perhaps in late 2026 or early 2027, and admissions offers made before the 2027 academic year start. It’s important to stay updated via official BYU channels on exact dates – the school will announce when it begins accepting applications. In the meantime, applicants can prepare by completing prerequisite coursework, gaining relevant experiences, and aligning themselves with the school’s mission so that when the admissions cycle does open, they are ready to apply and interview with a strong profile.

In summary, Brigham Young University’s new School of Medicine offers an innovative and mission-driven program that blends rigorous medical training with a profound emphasis on service, faith, and global engagement. Preparing for an interview at BYUSOM entails more than the usual medical school interview prep – it means understanding the unique ethos of BYU and reflecting that understanding in your conversations. By familiarizing yourself with the interview format, the school’s values and curriculum, current healthcare issues in Utah and beyond, and the personal qualities prized by the admissions committee, you equip yourself to present as a well-informed, mission-aligned candidate. Remember that BYU’s vision for its medical graduates is not just to produce skilled physicians, but to produce healers in the fullest sense – those who are competent, compassionate, and reflective of the school’s spiritual ideals. As you convey your motivations and experiences, keeping this vision in mind will help you connect authentically with BYU’s interviewers. Ultimately, the goal is to show that you are ready to contribute to and benefit from a medical education that seeks to “another way to lift God’s children” through the healing arts newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. Good luck with your interview preparation as you strive to become part of BYUSOM’s pioneering cohort!