The University of Georgia School of Medicine interview format

The University of Georgia School of Medicine (UGA SOM, in Athens) is a new, stand-alone MD school: it welcomed its inaugural class in 2026 and is separate from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. Its admissions process page says applicants invited to interview "will participate in a virtual, closed Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) Process" on Zoom, rotating through six stations. Each station is eight minutes: "two minutes for reviewing the prompt and six minutes for responding to an interviewer."

Item	What UGA and the AAMC say
Format	Virtual, closed Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) on Zoom
Stations	Six
Time per station	Eight minutes: two to read the prompt, six to respond
Between stations	Two minutes to transition, and you are moved to the next interviewer automatically (AAMC MSAR)
Interviewers	UGA faculty, campus partners and community partners (AAMC MSAR)
Invitations	Starting August 15, 2026 (AAMC MSAR)
Casper and PREview	Not required

UGA calls the process "closed" but doesn't define the word on that page, so assume interviewers know little about you. What UGA doesn't publish: the stations' content, sample prompts or a scoring rubric. The school's own tips are practical: "It is highly recommended applicants conduct a mock interview," dress business professional, close other tabs, use a neutral background, check your camera and audio, and "Be yourself."

UGA's 2026-27 timeline

Early Decision: AMCAS by August 3, 2026 (UGA strongly encourages July 1), all materials by August 15, interviews in mid-September, final decisions October 1. The July 11, 2026 MCAT was the last one accepted for Early Decision.
Regular decision: AMCAS by October 15, 2026 (September 1 is strongly encouraged), all materials by November 15, interviews from October 2026 to January 2027 on a rolling basis. The page lists April for final decisions, but its table prints the year 2026, which looks like a typo, so confirm the date in your invitation.
Screening: a secondary application goes to applicants with a minimum 3.0 BCPM GPA and a 502 MCAT, plus a tie to Georgia. UGA says competitive out-of-state applicants typically present a 511 MCAT or higher.
Secondary: $75, with essays about what draws you to UGA, a "Career Celebration" about the legacy you want, your academic journey and a reflection on when your core values were challenged.

In its first cycle, a UGA news story reports more than 2,000 applications, 235 interviews and a class of 64 students, 95% of them Georgia residents. Expect the interview pool to be small relative to the applicant pool.

What UGA looks for

The mission, from the school's mission page, is "to educate excellent physicians, to pursue new knowledge, and to advance the health of our communities, Georgia, and beyond." Guidance for letter writers names six values: respect, teamwork, integrity, commitment, curiosity and courage. At the launch of applications, Founding Dean Shelley Nuss said the school wants students who are "collaborative, compassionate and committed to improving health across Georgia."

The school's education page adds themes that fit an MMI: a curriculum that is "rigorous" yet "joyful and driven by curiosity," "reflection and mindfulness," and technology as "the instrument, not the mission," with "a doctor who truly listens" at the center. The inaugural-class story names nine Georgia health challenges the curriculum will explore, including maternal and infant mortality, mental and cognitive health, and the health care workforce shortage.

The Why Choose Us page describes small-group learning, a 3:1 student-to-faculty ratio, early clinical experience from the first year and work in the free clinic. Students are assigned to one of five Georgia regions and complete a four-year capstone project on a real health care gap in that region.

How to prepare for UGA's MMI

Practice the timing. Two minutes to read and six to talk is short. Practice structuring an answer in the first twenty seconds, using the whole six minutes and stopping on a conclusion.
Know Georgia. Pick one Georgia health challenge you can discuss with a real example: access in a rural county, the physician shortage, maternal health. Don't recite statistics; show you understand the people.
Prepare for the values. For respect, teamwork, integrity, commitment, curiosity and courage, find a story in which you acted, not just agreed.
Assume a fresh audience. The process is called closed, so introduce each experience from scratch and keep it clear.
Prepare for reflection. The secondary essays ask about values challenged and a legacy. The same thinking helps in a station about a hard choice or an ethical dilemma.
Reset between stations. You'll switch interviewers automatically. A weak station is over in eight minutes; don't carry it into the next one.

UGA practice stations (written by us, not UGA)

UGA doesn't publish its MMI prompts. These are ours, shaped around the school's stated values and Georgia focus. Set a timer for two minutes to read and six to speak.

A rural county in Georgia has lost its only pediatrician. You are advising the county board. What would you recommend and why?
Describe a time your values were challenged by someone who saw a situation differently. How did you respond?
A teammate on a group project is not doing their part, and the deadline is tomorrow. What do you do?
Tell me about a time you needed courage to speak up.
A patient asks you to keep information from their family, but you think the family would help. How do you handle it?
Technology can now draft notes and suggest diagnoses. What should a doctor still do that technology can't?
Imagine a colleague describing your career at a celebration of your work. What would you want them to say?
Describe a situation where you changed your mind after listening to someone.
Why UGA's new school, and what would you do to help it succeed as a member of an early class?
You notice a classmate seems to be struggling and has stopped showing up. What do you do?

For a wider set, see our MMI practice questions with answers.

A drill for the UGA MMI

Choose six of the prompts above and put them in random order.
Read each for two minutes, then answer out loud for six on camera. Take a two-minute break after each, as you will on the day.
After each, write one sentence on what you'd cut and one on what you'd add.
Ask a partner to interrupt with "Why?" once per station, to practice staying calm when the conversation moves.
Repeat two days later with new prompts.

If you don't have a practice partner, Confetto's AI mock interviews ask follow-up questions based on what you actually said and give rubric-based feedback afterward. The question bank has over 500 questions, and you can start with a 7-day free trial.

UGA interview FAQ

Is the UGA interview an MMI?

Yes. UGA describes a virtual, closed MMI with six stations.

Is UGA the same as the Medical College of Georgia?

No. The Medical College of Georgia is part of Augusta University. The UGA School of Medicine is a new school on UGA's Athens campus with its own application, MCAT and interview process.

Does UGA require Casper or PREview?

No. The admissions page says "CASper and Preview are not required."

How long is each station?

Eight minutes: two to read the prompt and six to respond.

Do I need a tie to Georgia?

UGA prioritizes Georgia residents or those with a tie to the state, and welcomes out-of-state applicants who are strongly aligned with its mission.

Applying to other Georgia schools too? See our guides to the Mercer University, Medical College of Georgia, Emory and Morehouse interviews, or our medical school interview prep page.

Sources: UGA SOM admissions process, Admissions policies, Mission, Why Choose Us, Education, Applications-open story, Inaugural class story, AAMC MSAR interview procedures (2027).

Confetto isn't affiliated with the University of Georgia. Everything here about the school comes from its public admissions pages and the AAMC MSAR report, checked in October 2026. Formats can change between cycles, so go by your invitation email.