Preparing for the Duquesne University Nasuti College of Osteopathic Medicine interview

What Duquesne is looking for

Duquesne is unusually explicit about what it values. Its mission is "to provide excellence in medical education" and to train "physicians who will serve God, in the Spiritan tradition, by caring for all people in all communities, including in underserved urban and rural communities of Western Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world, addressing healthcare disparities among these communities." The college's vision is "to create a culture of servant leaders who are dedicated to treating the whole person, mind, body and spirit." Its values spell out LEADERS:

Duquesne value	How it might show up (our suggestion)
Love and Mercy (empathy, compassion, non-judgment)	A time you cared for someone you didn't agree with or understand
Ethics and Morality	A decision where doing the right thing cost you something
Advancement and Personal Development	A skill or habit you worked on over time, and how you knew it improved
Disparity and Social Justice	An inequity you saw up close and what you did about it
Excellence	A time you held yourself to a standard no one else was checking
Responsibility to Profession and Community	A role where others depended on you
Servant Leadership	A time you led by serving the group rather than directing it

The AACOM profile adds that selection is based "primarily on the applicant's demonstrated academic achievements, performance on standardized examinations, community service, leadership activities, and clinical shadowing/healthcare experiences," as well as mission fit. If you are not part of the Spiritan or Catholic tradition, that doesn't make your answers weaker. Be honest about how service, social justice and caring for the whole person connect to your own life.

Timeline for the current cycle

• AACOMAS opened May 4, 2026. The primary deadline is April 1, 2027. Duquesne suggests submitting at least four weeks before for best consideration.
• The secondary application opened May 15, 2026 and is due April 30, 2027. The fee is $65, non-refundable.
• Duquesne's primary application requirements include being a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, a minimum 3.2 science and overall GPA, and a minimum MCAT of 500 within three years of matriculation. It also says applicants must be "proficient in data entry to complete time-specific assignments and assessments."
• Letters: if you have a pre-health committee, submit its letter plus a physician (D.O. or M.D.) letter. If not, submit a natural science faculty letter, one additional academic or professional letter and a physician letter.
• Deposit: $1,500, nonrefundable, on a schedule tied to when you're accepted.
• The Early Decision Admissions Track has its own dates: primary application due July 1, secondary July 15 (for 2026), with a deposit due December 1 if accepted.

A young school: what to know

The Nasuti College of Osteopathic Medicine is still being built out. Duquesne's college page includes a section titled "Building a World-Class Medical School from the Ground Up," lists a White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2030, and AACOM lists 129 first-year matriculants and a planned 80,000 square foot building on Forbes Avenue. If you are asked why you chose a newer college, have a specific answer. Good answers describe the people, curriculum or mission, not that it is "new and exciting."

• Curriculum. AACOM's profile describes a simulation hospital, dissection beginning early in the first year, clinically focused anatomy using HoloAnatomy and ultrasound, a dedicated four-week board preparation program in the second year, and a mix of independent study, lectures, team-based learning and case-based group work.
• Clinical years. Immersive clinical training in the simulation hospital and at partner sites in urban and rural areas across Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.
• Focus. The mission names primary care, underserved urban and rural communities and healthcare disparities.

How to prepare

1. Know the LEADERS values. Pick one or two that you can honestly support with a story. Don't try to cover all seven.
2. Write your "why" answers. Why medicine, why osteopathic medicine, why Duquesne. For the last one, connect the Spiritan mission, the curriculum or Pittsburgh to something specific.
3. Plan for either format. If you live within four hours of Pittsburgh, plan for an in-person visit. If not, prepare for a phone or video call and test your technology.
4. Prepare for a conversation. With a traditional interview, expect questions about your motivation, experience, values and judgment. Know your application cold.
5. Run three mock interviews. Use someone who will ask follow-ups, and record at least one.

Practice questions (written by us, not Duquesne)

Duquesne doesn't publish its interview questions. We wrote these around its mission and LEADERS values. They are for practice and don't predict what you'll be asked.

1. Walk me through why you want to be a physician, and why an osteopathic physician.
2. Why Duquesne, and what draws you to a newer college?
3. Our vision talks about treating the whole person, mind, body and spirit. What does that mean to you in practice?
4. Tell me about a time you cared for someone you struggled to understand.
5. Describe an inequity in health care you have seen. What did you do, and what would you do now?
6. Tell me about a time doing the right thing cost you something.
7. What does servant leadership look like when you aren't in charge?
8. A patient cannot get to appointments because of transportation. What do you try?
9. Tell me about a time you held yourself to a higher standard than anyone required.
10. Western Pennsylvania has rural communities with too few primary care physicians. How would you want to contribute?
11. Describe a challenge you have faced and what it changed about how you work.
12. What question were you hoping we would ask today?

Our free question bank preview has more medical school interview questions, and the full bank has over 500.

A 30-minute practice run

1. Recruit one or two people to play interviewers. Ask them to read your application first.
2. Have them pick eight questions from the list above and ask one follow-up for each.
3. Run it on Zoom or by phone for 30 minutes, matching the format you expect. Keep answers to about two minutes.
4. Record it. Afterward, watch two answers and check three things: did you give a specific example, did you tie it to a value, and did you answer what was asked.
5. Ask what they would still want to know about you. Add that detail to your next round.

Practicing alone? Confetto's AI mock interviews run traditional and panel-style interviews as well as MMIs, ask follow-up questions based on what you said, and give rubric-based feedback afterward. You can start with a 7-day free trial.

Duquesne interview FAQ

Is the Duquesne interview an MMI?
No. AACOM lists the format as traditional, and Duquesne describes interviews with the admissions team and faculty.

Will my interview be in person?
It depends on where you live. Duquesne says interviews are in person for applicants within a four-hour drive of its Pittsburgh campus and virtual (phone or Zoom or Teams) for those farther away.

Do I need to be Catholic?
We found no religious requirement stated on Duquesne's admissions pages. The mission is framed in the Spiritan tradition, so be ready to talk honestly about how you see service and caring for the whole person.

Is there a minimum GPA or MCAT?
Duquesne lists a minimum 3.2 science and overall GPA and a minimum MCAT of 500 for its primary application requirements.

Do I need a physician letter?
Yes. Duquesne requires one letter from a licensed physician (D.O. or M.D.).

Do I need Casper or PREview?
Neither appears on Duquesne's admissions pages or its AACOM profile.

Applying to other Pennsylvania DO schools? See our guides to the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine interviews, or our medical school interview prep page.

Confetto isn't affiliated with Duquesne University. Details about the college come from Duquesne's public admissions pages and its AACOM Choose DO Explorer profile as of October 2026. Formats can change between cycles, so go by what your invitation says.