Preparing for the Penn State University College of Medicine interview

Standing out in your Penn State College of Medicine interview demands more than just strong academics; it calls for an in-depth understanding of Pennsylvania’s healthcare landscape, knowledge of relevant policy issues locally and nationally, and an informed perspective on key social and health topics affecting the state and country.

1. The Penn State Med Interview: MMI Structure, Hidden Themes, and What They’re Assessing

Penn State College of Medicine uses a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format with 8–10 stations designed to test ethical reasoning, cultural humility, and problem-solving in Pennsylvania’s unique healthcare ecosystem.

Key details:

• MMI Stations: 8-minute scenarios focused on PA-specific challenges. Example: “Design a mobile clinic strategy for opioid overdose hotspots in rural Lycoming County, where EMS response times exceed 30 minutes.”

• Role-Play Scenarios: Interactions with standardized patients mirroring central PA demographics. Example: “A Lancaster County Amish farmer refuses a blood transfusion due to religious beliefs. Navigate this conflict.”

• Written Stations: Analyze data on PA health disparities (e.g., maternal mortality rates in Harrisburg’s Black communities).

• Themes: Rural health innovation, health equity in aging populations, and interdisciplinary care (Penn State’s PRO Wellness Center model).

Insider Tip: Penn State’s MMI prioritizes systems thinking. Frame solutions around existing PA infrastructure like Centers of Excellence for Opioid Use Disorder or PA’s 2023 Regional Response Health Collaborative.

2. Pennsylvania’s Healthcare Policy: Rust Belt Realities & Revolutionary Reforms

1. Medicaid Work Requirements (Frozen in 2023)

PA’s GOP-led legislature passed work requirements for Medicaid expansion enrollees in 2022, but Gov. Shapiro froze implementation. Why this matters:

• Rural Impact: 42% of Medicaid enrollees in counties like Cambria work in gig economy jobs lacking healthcare. Penn State’s Rural Health Scholars Program trains students to address this via community health worker partnerships.

• Clinical Tie-In: Cite Penn State Health’s Medical-Legal Partnership, which helps patients navigate benefits paperwork—critical for stations about social determinants.

2. Opioid Settlement Reinvestment

PA is allocating $1.07B from opioid lawsuits into:

• Naloxone Distribution: Overdose deaths fell 11% in 2023, but rates remain 2x higher in rural counties like Somerset. Penn State’s Project ECHO trains primary care providers in medication-assisted treatment (MAT).

• Recovery Housing: 73% of PA counties lack certified facilities. Penn State’s Center for Applied Studies in Health Equity partners with faith-based groups in York to fill gaps.

Tip: Name-drop Penn State’s PA Opioid Surveillance Dashboard when discussing data-driven interventions.

3. Current Events & Social Issues: The PA Lens

Local Flashpoints

• Maternal Mortality: Black women in PA die at 3x the rate of white women. Penn State’s BirthCare Collaborative trains midwives in Reading (63% Latino population) to reduce C-section disparities.

• Climate Health: Fracking-linked asthma rates are 25% higher in Washington County. Penn State’s Environmental Health Clinic in Hershey screens patients for methane exposure—a likely MMI topic.

• Aging Population: 21% of Pennsylvanians are over 60. Penn State’s Seniors CAN! Program reduces hospital readmissions via grocery delivery partnerships in Altoona.

National Issues with PA Stakes

• Abortion Access: PA remains a haven for neighboring states with bans. Penn State OB-GYNs lead telehealth initiatives for out-of-state patients—prepare to discuss ethical dilemmas in post-Roe MMIs.

• Immigrant Health: 7% of PA residents are immigrants. Penn State’s Global Health Center runs bilingual diabetes clinics in Lebanon’s Puerto Rican community.

Tip: Reference Penn State’s PA Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) to show grasp of rural workforce pipelines.

4. The 5 Questions Penn State University College of Medicine is most likely to ask during your medical school interview

1. “A school board in Erie County bans LGBTQ+ health books. As a pediatrician, how do you respond?”

2. “PA ranks 49th in mental health funding. Propose a solution using the 2023 Behavioral Health Council Report.”

3. “Convince a vaccine-hesitant Amish parent in Lancaster to immunize their child against measles.”

4. “Interpret ER wait time disparities between Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey (urban) and UPMC Cole (rural).”

5. “Work with a ‘nurse’ and ‘social worker’ to allocate limited naloxone doses in Williamsport.”