Preparing for the Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University of Chicago interview

Excelling in your Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine interview requires comprehensive knowledge of the Midwest healthcare environment, particularly Illinois' unique challenges and opportunities. Successful applicants demonstrate awareness of both regional and national healthcare policies, significant social determinants affecting Chicago communities, and major health initiatives throughout the Midwest region.

This comprehensive preparation resource is designed to equip you with essential insights that will help you formulate thoughtful, informed responses during your interview. 

1. The Stritch Interview: Structure, Values, and What They’re Really Assessing

Stritch uses a traditional one-on-one format with faculty and medical students, often lasting 30-45 minutes. Key themes:

• Social Justice in Medicine: Expect questions about working with marginalized populations. Stritch trains 40% of its students at safety-net hospitals like Loyola Medical Center in Maywood, which serves a majority Medicaid population.

• Ethical Reasoning: Scenarios often involve resource allocation (e.g., “How would you prioritize care if a homeless patient and insured patient need the same transplant?”).

• Community Engagement: Highlight experiences aligning with Stritch’s Health Equity Pipeline, which mentors underrepresented pre-meds from Chicago’s West Side.

Insider Tip: Stritch’s interviewers often ask follow-up questions like, “How would that approach reflect our Jesuit values?” Practice connecting personal anecdotes to cura personalis or men and women for others.

2. Illinois Healthcare Policy: Where Medicaid Expansion Meets Neighborhood Disparities

1. Medicaid Expansion & Hospital Closures

Illinois expanded Medicaid under the ACA, covering 650,000+ residents. Yet, Chicago’s South Side lost 3 hospitals since 2018 (including Mercy Hospital in 2021), creating “medical deserts.” Stritch partners with Erie Family Health to staff mobile clinics in these areas.

• Tip: Mention Erie’s asthma van program when discussing community care.

2. Opioid Crisis Reinvestment

Illinois is allocating $700M from opioid settlements into harm reduction. Stritch’s Center for Health Outcomes Research leads studies on naloxone distribution in Cook County, where overdoses rose 33% in 2023.

• Tip: Reference the Center’s work if asked about public health challenges.

3. Reproductive Health Equity

After Roe v. Wade’s reversal, Illinois became a Midwest abortion care hub. Stritch OB-GYNs train residents at Planned Parenthood Illinois, which saw a 54% increase in out-of-state patients in 2023.

• Tip: Prepare to discuss how you’d counsel patients navigating legal barriers.

3. Current Events & Social Issues: The Chicago Lens

Local Flashpoints

• Maternal Mortality: Black women in Cook County die at 6x the rate of white women. Stritch’s Neonatal Equity Initiative trains doulas in North Lawndale, where 45% live below the poverty line.

• Gun Violence as Public Health Crisis: Chicago saw 617 homicides in 2023. Stritch’s trauma surgeons pioneered the WrapAround Care model, pairing ER victims with social workers.

• Climate Health: Loyola researchers found asthma ER visits spike 28% on high-pollution days in Little Village, a Latino neighborhood near industrial corridors.

National Issues with Chicago Stakes

• Immigrant Health: 18% of Illinoisans are immigrants. Stritch’s Cicero Clinic serves undocumented patients, 70% of whom lack insurance.

• Mental Health in Schools: Illinois’ Children’s Mental Health Act (2023) mandates school screenings. Stritch psychiatrists partner with Chicago Public Schools in Austin, where 1 in 3 students report depression.

Tip: Cite Loyola’s STAR Program (Stress Trauma and Resilience) when discussing systemic solutions.

4. The 5 Questions Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University of Chicago is most likely to ask during your medical school interview

1. “How does cura personalis align with your vision of patient care?”

2. “A patient refuses a blood transfusion due to religious beliefs. How do you respond?”

3. “Illinois ranks 47th in mental health provider access. Propose a solution for rural Pike County.”

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

5. “Why Stritch over other Chicago schools like UIC or Rush?”