Preparing for the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine interview

To stand out in your interview at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, you’ll need more than just a polished resume and an understanding of their curriculum. Feinberg seeks future physicians who blend academic excellence with civic engagement, scientific curiosity with community accountability, and evidence-based reasoning with a nuanced understanding of the real-world systems their patients navigate.

This guide explores Feinberg’s interview format, unpacks themes you’re likely to encounter, and contextualizes your preparation through a hyper-local lens—focusing on Illinois healthcare policy, current health challenges specific to Chicago, and social issues shaping care delivery in 2024.

1. The Feinberg MMI: Stations, Themes, and What They’re Assessing

Feinberg uses 8-10 timed MMI stations blending ethics, policy, and community health scenarios. 

Key details:

Format:

• 8 stations (8 minutes each):

  1. Ethics: “A Jehovah’s Witness teen refuses a blood transfusion. How do you advocate while respecting autonomy?”

  2. Health Equity: Role-play advising Feinberg’s Center for Health Equity Transformation on reducing West Side asthma ER visits (3x national rate).

  3. Tech Dilemma: Defend/dismantle Northwestern’s AI sepsis system (18% mortality reduction) using Yikuan Li’s health data interoperability research.

  4. Rural Care: Prioritize funding for Pike County (1 OB-GYN:16k residents) using Feinberg’s Rural Student Health Coalition model.

  5. Teamwork: Resolve conflict between an attending and medical student over LGBTQ+ care disparities (hint: cite Feinberg’s COMMIT Program).

  6. Data Interpretation: Analyze Chicago Health Atlas maps showing South Side diabetes rates. Propose interventions.

  7. Policy: Argue for/against Illinois’ Medicaid reimbursement policies contributing to 7 rural hospital closures since 2020.

  8. Personal Reflection: “How does your identity align with Feinberg’s mission to leverage Chicago’s diversity?”

Themes:

• Health Equity in Action: Stations mirror Feinberg’s West Side asthma initiatives and Education-Centered Medical Home training.

• Urban-Rural Synergy: Expect Pike County scenarios tied to Feinberg’s rural OB-GYN pipeline.

• Tech-Driven Care: Stations reference Northwestern’s AI sepsis system and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab innovations.

Hidden Signals:

• Community Consciousness: Stations test if you prioritize solutions like Feinberg’s South Side diabetes studies over purely clinical fixes.

• Data Fluency: Use the Chicago Health Atlas’ neighborhood-level metrics in responses.

Tip:

When asked “Why Feinberg?” in reflection stations, cite their COMMIT Program or AI-driven sepsis protocols to showcase mission alignment.

2. Illinois Healthcare Policy: Deep Dish Politics Meets Public Health

1. Medicaid Expansion & the Hospital Tax War

Illinois expanded Medicaid in 2013 under Gov. Pat Quinn, covering 700,000+ residents. But a 2023 state audit revealed 42% of Cook County specialists refuse Medicaid patients—a crisis Feinberg’s Gold Coast Clinic addresses via resident-led sliding-scale care.

2. Opioid Settlements & Safe Consumption

Illinois is allocating $760M from opioid lawsuits toward vending machines with naloxone in transit hubs like Union Station. Yet, Cook County saw 2,000+ fentanyl deaths in 2023—double 2020 numbers. Feinberg researchers lead the HEAL Initiative, testing mobile methadone units in Austin, a West Side neighborhood with 1 detox bed per 10,000 addicts.

3. Nurse Staffing Ratios & the Hospital Lobby

After California-style staffing ratio bills died in Springfield (2023), Chicago hospitals like Mount Sinai cut ER shifts. Feinberg’s Simpson Querrey Institute now studies AI triage tools to ease burnout—a hot topic for ethics questions.

Tip: Name-drop Feinberg’s Institute for Public Health and Medicine when discussing policy solutions.

3. Current Events & Social Issues: The Chicago Lens

Local Flashpoints

• Maternal Mortality: Black women in Chicago die postpartum at 6x the rate of white women. Feinberg’s Chicago Community Maternal Health Equity Initiative trains doulas in Englewood, where 40% live below poverty line.

• Lead Pipe Replacement: After a 2023 Tribune exposé found 400,000+ Chicago homes still using lead pipes, Feinberg epidemiologists linked lead exposure to 15% of local ADHD cases.

• Climate-Driven Asthma: Southeast Side’s steel mill pollution causes pediatric asthma rates 4x national averages. Feinberg partners with Elevate Chicago on free air filters for Section 8 housing.

National Issues with Chicago Stakes

• Abortion Access: Illinois saw a 54% rise in out-of-state abortion seekers post-Roe. Feinberg OB-GYNs run a Telehealth Safe Haven Project for Texas and Oklahoma patients.

• Immigrant Health: 22% of Chicagoans are immigrants. Feinberg’s Refugee Health Clinic in Rogers Park handles trauma care for 3,000+ asylum seekers annually.

Tip: Reference Feinberg’s collaboration with Erie Family Health—a major FQHC—to demonstrate community health literacy.

4. The 5 Questions Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is most likely to ask during your medical school interview

1. “How would you redesign Feinberg’s curriculum to address Chicago’s South Side health disparities?”

2. “A patient from a religious sect refuses chemotherapy. How do you balance autonomy and beneficence?”

3. “Illinois ranks 47th in mental health funding. Propose a solution using Northwestern’s resources.”

4. “Describe a time you advocated for someone with different values than yours.”

5. “How should Feinberg address distrust in medicine among Black communities in Bronzeville?”