George Washington University has a 7-year BA/MD program where students go to undergrad and medical school at George Washington University all 7 years. Consequently, they can conduct longitudinal research and work on projects for all 7 years. While the GW Admissions Committee is looking for smart, highly motivated individuals, it is also looking for individuals who want to make big healthcare changes. It’s tricky and tough to convey this balance in your George Washington BS MD interview, so our Cracking BS MD Admissions team can help you prepare!
In this post, we will cover:
- What does the George Washington University look for in BS MD applicants?
- Research unique opportunities at GW and Washington D.C.
- Read about healthcare issues that affect Washington D.C.
- Common George Washington BS MD interview questions and how to prepare
- Schedule a mock interview with our Cracking BS MD Admissions team!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Dr. Rishi Mediratta and Dr. Rachel Rizal below!
What does the George Washington BS MD Admissions Committee look for?
Given that every single GW BS MD interviewee is going to have strong academics + clinical experience, how will you stand out?
It is important to note the unique traits that the George Washington BA/MD program looks for in its applicants. Take note of the highlighted box right below and incorporate these elements in your GW BS MD interview. If you want to refine and practice your interview skills, schedule a mock interview with our team today!
Highlight the following qualities in your George Washington BS MD Interview:
- Leadership – Give instances of times you displayed leadership. Be able to discuss what you learned about leading organizations or teams and how that translates to what you will do as a physician leader.
- Teamwork – The Leadership in Medicine program at Albany is based on a lot of team learning. As a leader, you’ll have to work and lead a lot of teams. As a physician, you will also be leading a lot of medical teams. Be able to discuss times when you worked on teams in your George Washington BS MD interview.
- Community Service – Albany is committed to improving its local community. Have ideas about community service opportunities you want to pursue in upstate New York. These community service opportunities can be both healthcare-related and non-healthcare-related.
- Interest in public policy and/or advocacy – George Washington University is located in the center of Washington D.C. There is definitely a political or public policy slant in everything you do in Washington D.C. Therefore, GW cares about students who are interested in healthcare + policy. Many students at GWU get involved with healthcare policy or advocate for healthcare issues they are passionate about. GWU encourages its students to not only pursue extracurricular activities on the GWU campus, but to also take advantage of what Washington D.C. has to offer.
- Well-roundedness – GW loves students who are passionate about other things aside from academics. If you have outside academic interests like dance or sports or the arts or journalism, you should highlight them in your interview.
How To Prepare For The George Washington BS MD Interview
First, if you receive a George Washington BS MD Interview Invite, prepare your answers to traditional interview questions. Here are some helpful resources for traditional BS MD Interviews
- Download our Cracking BS MD Admissions interview guide
- The most important question is “Tell me about yourself.”
- [ Prepare a STRONG response to that question using our step-by-step advice: How to Answer Tell Me About Yourself College Interview]
- Read our tips on how to answer 4 other common BS MD interview questions.
- Why do you want to come to ______ college / BS MD program?
- Why do you want to come to _____ medical school?
- Is there anything else you want me and the admissions committee to know?
- Tell me about _____ activity.
- Read our blog post – STAR Method for College Interviews and BS MD Interviews to help guide you on how to answer other behavioral questions
Second, improve your interview skills by scheduling a mock interview with us!
From our experience, we LOVE working with BS MD applicants because they work hard, they are coachable, and they practice a ton. However, with our coaching, we will help you fine-tune your answers.
Take a look at our college interview coaching packages.
A big part of this is actually learning about BS MD interview strategy. What should you highlight in your George Washington BS MD interview?
Typically, GW BS MD applicants have the following weaknesses in their interviews:
- Did not adequately explain why they want to be a doctor.
- Did not bring up why they want to go to undergraduate and medical school in Washington D.C.
- Can incorporate more specific stories, especially patient stories, throughout the interview
Take a look at our interview preparation packages and if you have questions or are interested, contact Dr. Rachel Rizal and Dr. Rishi Mediratta at he***@*******it.com or the contact form below.
Mock Interviews: Refine Your Interview Skills With Us 1-On-1
Rachel Rizal, MD
Changing the trajectory of people’s lives
Undergraduate
Princeton
Medical School
Stanford
Awards & Scholarships
Fulbright Scholar
USA Today Academic First Team
Tylenol Scholarship
RISHI MEDIRATTA, MD, MSc, MA
Advising students to attend their dream schools
Undergraduate
Johns Hopkins
Medical School
Stanford
Awards & Scholarships
Marshall Scholar
Tylenol Scholarship
Global Health Scholar
Research Unique Opportunities at
George Washington University
We like to give GWU BA/MD applicants very specific opportunities to look up at George Washington University. You need to mention these in your interview!
Research Opportunities at George Washington
- 2 clinical opportunities: First and foremost, you are applying to a BS MD program. Therefore, you should look for clinical opportunities you want to pursue at Albany Medical College! Here is a full list of clinical opportunities that you can pursue as an undergrad at GW.
- 2 community opportunities: George Washington appreciates students who want to serve its local Washington D.C. community. Find public health or community service opportunities around D.C.! The organizations do not have to be directly affiliated with George Washington University. For example, some students intern with the NIH while others join healthcare think tanks.
- 2 academic opportunities: Have an idea of 1 or 2 majors you’re interested in. Additionally, if there are other electives at the medical school you want to take, you should mention those.
- 1-2 other non-academic extracurricular activities: Leadership and being well-rounded are important qualities for GW’s BS/MD program Therefore, find two organizations you want to lead or think about two organizations you want to create at George Washington University. Here is a list of student organizations at GW.
Read About Current Event Issues
Read about healthcare issues that affect the Washington D.C. community
- Look up the Washington D.C. Health Department’s website and/or local newspapers to see the most recent pertinent healthcare issues.
- Some popular healthcare issues that our BS MD Admissions team regularly hears about around Washington D.C. are the following:
- Urban health
- Healthcare disparities
- Access to healthcare
- Gun violence
- Drug addiction
Read about healthcare issues that affect the country
George Washington likes to recruit students who care about improving healthcare throughout all of society. Therefore, it’s important to be up-to-date on current events!
- Read – Top 10 Current Events You Need To Know For Your Medical Interview. This is a good primer for healthcare current events.
- We would recommend that you go even deeper, so that you look at different perspectives of various healthcare current events. To get a curated list of readings for healthcare current events, download our entire Healthcare Current Events Guide.
Common GW BS MD Interview Questions
It’s important to prepare STRONG answers for the following common GW BS MD interview questions:
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why BS/MD vs attending a 4-year university?
- Why do you want to go to George Washington specifically?
- What do you think about _______ (healthcare current event issue)?
- What is one healthcare issue that you care about and tell me your opinion about it?
- Where do you see yourself in 15 or 20 years?
- What do you like to do for fun?
- How do you manage work/life balance?
Scheduling a Mock Interview
Work with our BSMD Admissions interview team for your upcoming George Washington BS MD interview!
How to schedule a mock George Washington BS MD interview:
- If you have questions, feel free to contact Dr. Rachel Rizal and Dr. Rishi Mediratta about BS MD interview prep.
- If you have no questions, purchase mock interviews here. Most students will purchase 4 mock interviews with your team (and the Mastering the Multiple Mini Interview course if they have an MMI interview) and they will use those 4 mock interviews throughout the interview season. Students will also use mock interviews to prepare for Ivy League or Scholarship interviews!
- After purchasing the mock interview package, you will receive an automatic email that allows you to upload your application materials, including your Common Application plus your George Washington BS MD supplemental essays. Additionally, you will be asked for more information like your name, contact information, interview date, time zone, and availability. Please fill out the form thoroughly.
- Our interview team will reach out to you to schedule a mock BS MD interview!
If you have any additional questions, feel free to reach out to Dr. Rachel Rizal and Dr. Rishi Mediratta through the contact form below. Or, you can email us directly at he***@*******it.com.
Mock Interviews: Refine Your Interview Skills With Us 1-On-1
Rachel Rizal, MD
Changing the trajectory of people’s lives
Undergraduate
Princeton
Medical School
Stanford
Awards & Scholarships
Fulbright Scholar
USA Today Academic First Team
Tylenol Scholarship
RISHI MEDIRATTA, MD, MSc, MA
Advising students to attend their dream schools
Undergraduate
Johns Hopkins
Medical School
Stanford
Awards & Scholarships
Marshall Scholar
Tylenol Scholarship
Global Health Scholar