"When do you hear back from medical schools for interviews?" is one of the most-asked questions we get from pre-meds. Typically, schools start sending out interview invitations in mid-August and keep sending them out into late March, with the majority arriving between September and January. Exact timelines vary based on factors like the school's admissions process, your medical school application timeline, and the competitiveness of the applicant pool. Below, we break down the specifics to help you know when to expect an invite and how to stay prepared while you wait.
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When Do You Hear Back From Medical Schools for Interviews in the United States?
When Do You Hear Back From Medical Schools for Interviews in Canada?
The timeline for those applying to medical schools in Canada is more uniform since Canada does not follow a rolling admissions system. Most Canadian schools send interview invitations in January and February, with interviews typically taking place between February and April.
However, there are exceptions to this timeline. For instance, Dalhousie Medical School has a late-July application deadline, with invites often coming in October and interviews starting in late November. Medical schools in Quebec and the Maritime provinces also follow their own schedules, so it's important to verify timelines with individual institutions. You can find this information on the school website and the MSAR database.
Factors That Affect When You Hear Back From Medical Schools for Interviews
The timeline for interview invitations can depend on several factors, including:
- Application Submission Date: Submitting early is critical, especially for rolling admissions schools. Early submission ensures your application is one of the first reviewed. A late medical school application can cause you to lose out on an interview spot, even if your application checks all the school’s boxes.
- School’s Review Process: Some schools, like Georgetown Medical School and Stanford Medical School, review applications holistically, which can lengthen the timeline for sending invitations. Others use batch processing, where all applications submitted by a specific date are reviewed together.
- Competitiveness of the Applicant Pool: A larger or more competitive applicant pool can delay responses. In years when applications surge, schools often take more time to review candidates thoroughly.
- Completeness of Your Application: Missing MCAT scores, letters of recommendation, or other medical school application requirements can delay your application’s review.
Learn more about the medical school interview timeline!
What Are My Chances of Getting a Medical School Interview Invite?
Your chances of getting a medical school interview invite depend on several factors. We don’t have a crystal ball to lend you, but there are a few tools and stats that can help you estimate your chances.
- Start by comparing your application to the profiles of previously accepted students at your target schools. You can find school-specific data such as the average GPA, MCAT scores, and extracurriculars of admitted students on the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR).
- Research how many applications the school typically receives and compare that to the number of students who are ultimately accepted. This will help you understand the overall competitiveness of the school and give you a better perspective on your chances of admission.
- Check how many interview invites a school typically sends out. Some schools may invite two or three times more applicants than they can accept. In fact, schools often provide data on MSAR regarding the percentage of applicants interviewed and the percentage accepted from the interview stage. For example, while a school might have an overall acceptance rate of 10%, your chances of being admitted could jump to 50% once you're offered an interview.
- Understand the role of secondary applications in securing interviews. Some schools send out interview invitations along with secondary applications, while others use secondaries to determine who to invite for interviews. This means that if you perform well on your secondary application, your chances of receiving an interview invite may increase significantly at certain schools.
Using this data and an objective evaluation of your own application will help you get a rough idea of where you stand.
What To Do While You Wait To Hear Back From Medical Schools for Interview Invites
Once you’ve submitted your application, waiting for medical school interview invites can feel torturous. Just know that you are not alone, and there are several proactive steps you can take during this period to keep improving your chances of getting into medical school.
Sherry, a former BeMo student accepted to the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, knows just how hard it is to wait for the interview invite and offers this advice:
“When you’re waiting to hear back, you should use this time to figure out who you are, what you want to be, and what you want to be for others. These are questions that you might be asked in your interviews, so thinking about these questions can also be part of your interview prep.”- Sherry, Former BeMo Student, University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry
1. Start to Prepare for Your Medical School Interview
Start interview preparation as soon as possible. You don’t need to wait for an invite to begin practicing. Joe, a former BeMo student and successful applicant, shared: “I spent my entire winter break of my senior year just preparing; learning all the MMI ethical scenarios.”
This kind of focused preparation is key, especially if you’ve applied to multiple schools.
Mock medical school interviews will help increase the overall quality of your presentation during interviews and your confidence!
Our admissions consulting expert, Dr. Monica Taneja, used a unique and highly effective strategy to prepare for her interviews that almost no one else is talking about.
“I [recommend] doing more MMI practice with friends/family. MMI questions tend to be more creative and they are great to discuss with non-medical folks as their key goal is to assess your humanistic character.” Dr. Monica Taneja, MD, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Pro Tip: Find out what interview format the schools you have applied to will be using for the current admissions cycle. Armed with that info, customize your interview prep accordingly, familiarize yourself with traditional interview questions and the MMI format, and practice answering common med school interview questions. Have a plan in place for how you will schedule your medical school interviews so that you aren’t overwhelmed when the invites start rolling in.
Find out more about MMI coaching and how it can help you!
2. Work on Stress Management
Medical school is inherently stressful, and this application process is just the beginning. Use the waiting period to refine your stress management techniques. As a future medical professional, learning how to handle pressure and uncertainty is crucial.
Pro Tip: Engage in activities that help you relax and recharge—whether it’s exercising, spending time with friends, or indulging in creative hobbies. Admissions consultant Dr. Monica Taneja highly recommends this to all students waiting for their interview invite, and she did the exact same thing.
“[As I was working on my applications and waiting for interviews] I also continued to participate in my hobbies including photography” – Dr. Monica Taneja, MD, University of Maryland School of Medicine
3. Send an Update Letter
If you haven’t heard back after several months, you might consider sending an update letter or medical school letter of intent highlighting new achievements or experiences not included in your initial application. Be sure to only send this if the school allows it.
What to Include in a Medical School Update Letter:
- New transcripts (improved grades)
- New relevant volunteer work or leadership experiences
- Honors, awards, or significant accomplishments
- Updated research or clinical experiences
Pro Tip: Make sure your letter is concise and highlights meaningful updates that show your continued growth as an applicant. For U.S. applicants, consider this step around December, while Canadian applicants can evaluate the need to send an update letter in mid-February.
4. Reflect and Prepare for Future Applications
Unfortunately, some students will not receive interview invites. Moriah, a former BeMo student and a non-traditional applicant who eventually got into the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine, advises that “the main thing you have to learn (about the application process) is on some level to be prepared for rejection.”
If you’re nearing the end of the interview season with no medical school interview invites, now is the time to start evaluating your application for the next cycle. Analyze where you might improve, whether that’s increasing your clinical hours, volunteering more, or strengthening your medical school personal statement.
It’s important to reflect honestly on your MCAT score, particularly compared to last year's matriculants at your target schools. If your score falls short of being competitive, consider retaking the MCAT.
When reviewing medical school GPA requirements, compare your GPA to that of accepted students at your target schools. If your GPA isn’t competitive, strategize how to overcome this hurdle during the next application cycle. You can also look at medical schools that accept students with a low GPA.
Admissions expert and someone who has been right where you are today, Dr. Neel Mistry, offers this insight and advice for anyone considering reapplying to medical schools:
“Although the [MCAT score] is important when trying to calculate the odds of getting in, unfortunately, there is no simple formula for who gets in and who does not. I have seen many students over the years with perfect GPAs and MCAT not get in, while those with less impressive statistics get in.” – Dr. Neel Mistry, MD
Pro Tip: Choose courses you genuinely enjoy to boost your GPA, and if it's low, consider a post-baccalaureate for medical school or graduate program to strengthen your academic record. Reflect on your MCAT score to ensure it's competitive; if not, retake it. Plan early by researching GPA and MCAT requirements for your target schools, and seek expert medical school application help to improve your overall application.
Check out our quick reference guide with insights into why you might not have an interview invite.
5. Continue Engaging in Meaningful Experiences
While you wait, you can continue building your profile by gaining more meaningful experience. Consider volunteering, logging additional shadowing hours for medical school, or getting involved in premed research opportunities. Document your experiences and reflect on how they’ve shaped your journey toward becoming a physician. This will help you articulate your growth in interviews and on future applications.
Pro Tip: Start compiling a list of experiences or skills you can improve upon if you need to reapply next year. Building your med school CV will help your next application and keep you connected to the medical field.
6. Apply Strategically During the Next Application Cycle
As you prepare for the next application cycle, be ready to apply early. Focus on schools where your GPA and MCAT scores align with the accepted ranges rather than only targeting "dream schools." Use resources like MSAR to compare your stats with those of admitted students, and make sure you're applying to schools where you have realistic chances. Also, consider the experiences—volunteering, research, and work—that schools prioritize.
Pro Tip: When building your school list, aim for a balance of "reach," "target," and "safety" schools to maximize your chances of acceptance.
FAQs
1. HOW MUCH DO MEDICAL SCHOOLS VARY IN THEIR INTERVIEW INVITATION TIMELINES?
Medical school interview timelines vary between schools and regions. In Canada, most invitations are sent in January and February, while U.S. schools may start as early as August. Always check specific school timelines for the most accurate information.
2. I SUBMITTED MY APPLICATION EARLY BUT HAVEN’T HEARD BACK—WHY?
Not hearing back from medical schools, even after submitting your application early, is common due to the volume of applications and varying review timelines. Schools usually have a multi-stage selection process for interviews. After initial reviews, committees may prioritize interview invites based on various criteria, including GPA, MCAT scores, and personal statements.
3. WHAT SHOULD I DO WHILE WAITING FOR A RESPONSE?
Stay productive while waiting for medical school interview invitations. Consider volunteering, working, conducting research, or improving your skills in areas like communication or leadership. Keeping busy will also help reduce stress during this period.
4. HOW CAN I TELL IF MY LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION WERE STRONG ENOUGH?
If you didn’t get an interview, your medical school recommendation letters might not have been impactful. Moving forward, ensure your referees know you well, have enough time to write, and can speak to your strengths in medicine.
5. HOW DO I KNOW IF MY VOLUNTEER AND WORK EXPERIENCE WAS SUFFICIENT?
Your volunteer and work experience must demonstrate dedication to medicine. If you didn’t get an interview, it might indicate your experiences weren’t extensive enough or didn’t show leadership or commitment. Reflect on how you can strengthen these areas.
6. SHOULD I PURSUE GRADUATE SCHOOL IF I DIDN’T GET A MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEW?
Graduate school isn’t always the best option to improve your medical school chances, as many schools don’t weigh graduate GPAs heavily. However, it can expand your learning, network, and research opportunities. Consider graduate studies if you’re genuinely interested in the field.
7. IS ADMISSIONS CONSULTING NECESSARY TO GET A MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEW?
Medical school admissions consulting can be beneficial both when preparing your applications and if you need to strengthen your application after not receiving an interview. Consultants can provide guidance on improving your personal statement, recommendation letters, and school selection. They can also help you better prepare for interviews when the time comes.
8. HOW MANY INTERVIEW INVITES DO MEDICAL SCHOOLS TYPICALLY SEND?
The number of interview invites varies by school, with some inviting 2 to 3 times more candidates than available spots. Research each school’s statistics to gauge your chances.
9. CAN I SEND AN UPDATE LETTER WHILE WAITING FOR AN INTERVIEW?
Yes, many schools accept update letters. Your update letter should include relevant and new information for the admissions committee, like achievements, grades, awards, or publications.
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2 Comments
Sumathi Krishnan
Hi My Son applied to 15 med school 2 two he got accepted which is not his prefrence. But two of them we didn't hear anything. Remaining rejected . Is there a chance that he can get admitted into rejected univerisity during this 2022 academic year?. His MCAT score 521 and GPA 3.89 grom GT bio medical engineer along with premed requirement. my question is , any way to get into med school this 2022 year without gap year.
ReplyUsha Sharma
Hi, My daughter applied 13 medical school in Texas, she got 3 interview out of 13. She has not heard anything after interview. Why?
Reply