· 6 min read
Medical School Second Look: 2027 Dates, Is It Required?
What a medical school second look is, who gets invited, ten schools' 2027 second look dates, whether it affects your offer or aid, and what to do there.
A medical school second look is a visit for accepted students, usually in April 2027, to see the school again before you choose. It is an invitation, not a requirement, and your offer is already made. Go to the schools you are still deciding between, before Commit to Enroll opens on April 30, 2027.
What a medical school second look is
Schools call it Second Look, Second Look Weekend or Revisit Weekend. Rochester describes it as a chance to come back “without the pressures of the interview day” At Rochester that can mean student panels, a mock PBL session, simulation, a tour and socials with future classmates. Residency programs run a version too, covered in our residency second look guide.
Who gets invited
Accepted students, by email. Rochester says “Accepted students should expect to receive an email invitation to join the event.” UT Health Science Center sends details and the RSVP only to students offered an acceptance. Toledo's Second Look Saturday welcomes guests too. Mayo starts with a virtual event and adds an in-person visit in the spring.
2027 second look dates at ten schools
Ten MD schools that list a 2027 second look, read October 23, 2026. Each school links to our interview guide for it.
| School | Its admissions page says |
|---|---|
| UT TylerJanuary 2027, day TBD | Second Look Day, by invitation only, listed just before the January 29 deadline to submit your ranked school preference list. Source |
| DukeApril 2-4 | Revisit Weekend, after February decisions. Choosing Duke by April 30 comes with a non-refundable tuition deposit. Source |
| RochesterApril 9, 2027 | For accepted applicants, by email invite. May include a mock PBL session, simulation and a tour. Source |
| Florida StateApril 23, 2027 | On campus, for accepted applicants. Its final deadline to pick one school is also in April. Source |
| ToledoApril 24, 2027 (tentative) | Second Look Saturday for accepted students and guests. Registration is required through an emailed RSVP link. Source |
| Loyola StritchApril 2027 | After interviews end February 25 and before its May 15 Commit to Enroll deadline. Source |
| Kaiser PermanenteApril 2027 | A weekend for admitted students to meet faculty and students. Its seat deposit is refundable if you withdraw before May 1. Source |
| Mayo Clinic AlixVirtual, then spring | A virtual second look for accepted applicants, with a chance to visit campus in person in the spring. Source |
| Vanderbilt2027, details in February | Second Look Weekend 2027. Details go to accepted students in February 2027. Source |
| UTHSC (Memphis)2027, date to come | On campus in Memphis. Details and the RSVP go only to students offered an acceptance. Source |
Does second look affect your offer or aid?
Your offer is already made. Vanderbilt tells admitted students “we've already decided you're a good fit for us.” None of the ten pages calls attendance required, and none ties it to financial aid.
What does matter is timing. Deposits and commit deadlines often fall in the same weeks. Duke takes a non-refundable deposit with Plan to Enroll on April 30, while Kaiser Permanente refunds its seat deposit if you withdraw before May 1. Compare aid letters before you go, and bring the gaps to the financial aid office.
How to decide between schools
The AAMC Choose Your Medical School tool sets the frame. Plan to Enroll opens February 19, 2027, and “Until April 30, applicants can, at the time they make this selection, continue to hold other acceptances, remain on alternate lists, and continue to interview at other schools.” From April 30, 2027, Commit to Enroll means a final pick. “Selecting "Commit to Enroll" indicates that the applicant has made a final selection and withdrawn all other applications.” Rochester's timeline also lists “April 15, 2027: Holding 3 Acceptances (AAMC Traffic Rule)” The AAMC says “applicants should review school-specific instructions, policies, deadlines, and expectations about the use of this tool”, so read each school's own dates. Our waitlist guide has the full spring calendar.
Go where the visit could change your pick
If one school is already your clear first choice, a second look there is a welcome, not a decision. Spend your travel on the schools that are close.
Put the real costs side by side
Tuition, living costs and the aid each school offers you. Ask the financial aid office to walk through your own numbers.
Check each school's own deadlines
Deposits, Commit to Enroll deadlines and scholarship forms differ by school. Duke asks for a non-refundable deposit with Plan to Enroll on April 30, and Loyola's commit deadline is May 15.
Write down what changed after each visit
Three lines that evening: what surprised you, what you liked and where the school now sits on your list.
What to ask and do at second look
Second look is for your questions, not theirs. Our questions for second look cover clinical sites, aid against real costs and sitting in on a class. If you are holding a waitlist spot elsewhere and choose it later, a letter of intent is the next step.
Bring your open questions
Only the ones that could change your choice: clinical sites, real costs, how students support each other.
Spend most of the time with students
Rochester and Toledo build their days around current students. Ask about a hard week and what they would change.
Sit in on a real session if you can
Rochester's day may include a mock PBL session and simulation. Watch how students and faculty talk to each other.
Meet the financial aid office
Bring your aid letters and ask what is still to come, like school scholarships with spring deadlines.
See where you would live
Walk the neighborhoods students live in and time the trip to the hospitals you would rotate at.
If interviews are still ahead, they matter more than any visit. A strong answer names one real moment and ties it to why this school fits you. Our medical school interview guide covers the formats.
Sources: the AAMC Choose Your Medical School tool and the admissions pages of UT Tyler, Duke, Rochester, Florida State, Toledo, Loyola Stritch, Kaiser Permanente, Mayo, Vanderbilt and UT Health Science Center. All checked October 23, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is second look mandatory for medical school?
None of the ten school pages read for this guide calls it required. They describe it as an invitation for accepted students. Some ask you to register or confirm attendance, like Toledo and UT Health Science Center.
When is second look for medical school in 2027?
Mostly in April 2027. Duke holds its Revisit Weekend April 2 to 4, Rochester April 9, Florida State April 23 and Toledo April 24 (tentative). UT Tyler, a Texas school, holds its Second Look Day in January.
Who gets invited to second look?
Accepted students. Rochester, Florida State, Kaiser Permanente, Mayo and UT Health Science Center all limit it to accepted or admitted applicants. Toledo also welcomes guests.
Does going to second look affect your offer or financial aid?
Your offer is already made. Vanderbilt tells admitted students it has already decided they are a good fit. None of the ten pages ties attendance to aid, but deposits and scholarship deadlines often fall in the same weeks.
What should I ask at second look?
The few questions that could change your choice, mostly for students and the financial aid office: clinical sites, real costs and daily life. Questions for second look.