Preparing for the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine interview

Gaining an interview at Boston University’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine (BUSM) signals more than academic prowess—it’s an invitation to engage deeply with one of the nation’s epicenters for urban health innovation, progressive policy, and fierce advocacy for equity. To stand out, you’ll need more than rote preparation. You’ll want to be fluent in Massachusetts’s bold healthcare legacy, Boston’s local public health landscape, and the vibrant, sometimes challenging, tapestry of issues facing urban medical providers. 

This guide distills exactly what you’ll need to convey nuanced, regionally grounded, and forward-thinking responses at your BUSM interview.

1. The BUSM Interview: Structure, Format, and Underlying Themes

BUSM continues to use a hybrid process. Depending on the interview season, you’ll most likely experience one of two formats:

• Traditional Open File One-on-One/Panel Interviews (30–60 min): With faculty, physicians, or medical students—probing your motivation, depth of insight, and cultural humility.

• Scenario-Based/MMI Stations (6–10 min each): Focused on ethical reasoning, clinical decision-making, and real-world dilemmas commonly encountered in Boston hospitals and neighborhoods.

Both formats are highly conversational but can be rigorous, blending behavioral questions (“Tell us about a time…”) with scenario-based thought experiments.

Themes:

• Dedication to health equity, particularly in urban, multicultural settings.

• Intellectual curiosity and readiness for evidence-based clinical learning.

• Commitment to social justice, advocacy, and Boston’s community health needs.

• Resilience and adaptability—how you thrive within complexity and systems-level challenges.

Insider Tip:

BUSM’s legacy as a safety-net institution (think Boston Medical Center, Greater Boston Health Community partnership, and its role in the Boston HealthNet) is central. Personalize your answers with references to these institutions or local health campaigns where possible.

Massachusetts Healthcare Policy: Beacon Hill Innovations and Back Bay Divides

1. MassHealth Expansion (2023)

MA now covers 2.3 million via MassHealth, including undocumented adults under the new Cover All Kids law. But waitlists persist for addiction services in Lawrence, where BU’s CATALYST Program trains providers in medication-assisted treatment.

Tip: Cite BU’s Health Justice Advocacy Track when proposing policy fixes.

2. Mental Health ABC Act (2022)

This law mandates parity for mental health care, yet wait times for child psychiatrists still exceed 6 months in Chelsea. BU psychiatrists lead TEAM UP, embedding therapists in 18 Boston community health centers.

Tip: Discuss BU’s Grayken Center for Addiction when addressing co-occurring disorders.

3. Opioid Settlement Reinvestment

MA is allocating $1 billion from opioid lawsuits into harm reduction, including BMC’s SPACE Program (needle exchange + wound care). BU researchers pioneered ED-initiated buprenorphine—now standard at BMC.

Tip: Contrast MA’s approach with Southern states’ abstinence-focused policies.

Current Events & Social Issues: The Boston Lens

Local Flashpoints

• Maternal Mortality: Black women in Suffolk County die 2.3x more postpartum. BU’s Birth Equity Initiative trains midwives at Codman Square Health Center.

• Climate Health: 2023’s record rainfall worsened mold-related asthma in East Boston. BU’s EnviroHealth Lab partners with GreenRoots Chelsea on housing advocacy.

• Gun Violence: Boston saw a 22% spike in shootings in 2023. BU’s Violence Intervention Advocacy Program at BMC treats violence as a contagious disease.

National Issues with Boston Stakes

• Abortion Access: Post-Dobbs, BMC saw a 300% rise in out-of-state patients. BU OB-GYNs lead research on self-managed abortions using telehealth.

• Immigrant Health: 28% of Chelsea residents are undocumented. BU’s Immigrant & Refugee Health Center offers trauma-informed care in 12 languages.

• AI in Medicine: BU’s AI4Health collaborates with MIT on bias audits for diagnostic algorithms—critical as BMC pilots AI sepsis detectors.

Tip: Reference BU’s Clinical & Translational Science Institute when discussing research equity.

4. The 5 Questions Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine is most likely to ask during your medical school interview

1. “Why BU? How does our Clinical Affiliate Network align with your goals?”

2. “Design an intervention for vaccine hesitancy in Mattapan’s Haitian community.”

3. “A patient refuses care due to distrust of hospitals. How do you respond?”

4. “Describe a time you advocated for someone. What systemic barriers existed?”

5. “How should BU address racism as a public health crisis?”