The Fertitta College of Medicine interview format

The University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine is a Texas school that uses the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS), not AMCAS. Its application process page calls the interview "a final stage in the application process." The format details come from the AAMC's MSAR interview procedures report for the 2027 entering class, which lists two parts: a "Virtual Interactive (Group) Interview" and a "Virtual Individual MMI," with invitations starting August 1, 2026.

Item	What the college and the AAMC say
Application service	TMDSAS only; Fertitta doesn't participate in AMCAS
Format	Virtual interactive (group) interview plus a virtual individual MMI (AAMC MSAR)
Virtual or in person	All interviews virtual for entering year 2027; on-campus experiences are separate and scheduled after the virtual interviews (AAMC MSAR)
Invitations	Starting August 1, 2026 (AAMC MSAR); the college's page says interviews begin in September
Scheduling	You have 30 days from the invitation to schedule your interview with the Admissions Office
Offers	Made according to the TMDSAS Spring 2027 timeline

The college's own pages don't describe the group interview or the MMI stations, their length or scoring. The AAMC entry is the main source here, so use your invitation as the final word. We didn't find Casper or PREview requirements on the college's admissions pages.

The 2026-27 process

Primary application: through TMDSAS, on its timeline. A secondary application follows by email invitation, costs $60 (waivers available) and must be returned within 14 days of the invitation.
Review: applications are reviewed "for alignment with the College of Medicine mission." Because there are many more qualified applicants than seats, the college says applicants "who successfully demonstrate an inclination to pursue careers in primary care will be prioritized."
Early Decision: available through TMDSAS's restricted Early Decision programs. An applicant accepted that way is required to attend.
Residency: the college's FAQ says Texas law caps nonresidents at 10 percent of the class, and TMDSAS assigns residency.

What Fertitta looks for

The application page names the attributes the admissions team seeks in applicants' "activities and reflections": "a commitment to service and to community engagement; a history of performing effectively in team settings; cultural and academic humility; capacity for academic excellence and innovative problem solving; and evidence of maturity, conscientiousness, and resiliency." Those fit well with an MMI and a group interview.

The college's About page states its mission as improving the health and healthcare of Greater Houston and beyond by educating compassionate physicians, with a focus on primary care and other needed specialties such as psychiatry and general surgery, and by working with patients and community partners. Its values spell RISE: Respect, Integrity, Servant Leadership and Equity. The MD program page describes a half-day each week in a primary care clinical setting throughout the curriculum, a focus on socioeconomic and environmental factors, and interprofessional teams of nursing, social work and medical students who visit households facing significant challenges.

How to prepare for Fertitta's interviews

Prepare for two formats in one cycle. A group interview tests how you work with others live; an individual MMI tests structured thinking. Practice both.
In a group, build on others. Listen, use people's names, bring quiet voices in and add something new. Don't dominate, and don't disappear.
Be ready for primary care. The college says it prioritizes applicants inclined toward it. Know what you've seen of primary care, even if you're undecided.
Use the RISE values. Respect, integrity, servant leadership and equity are the school's words. Have a story for each.
Know Houston and the household visits. Be able to say what you'd learn from visiting a family's home with a team, and what could go wrong.
Check TMDSAS timing. Deadlines and offer dates come from TMDSAS, not AMCAS, and the college says offers follow the TMDSAS Spring 2027 timeline.

Fertitta practice questions (written by us, not Fertitta)

The college doesn't publish its interview prompts. These are ours, shaped around its stated attributes and mission. Practice each aloud for about two minutes, and run the group prompts with two or three friends.

Why primary care, or why might you consider it?
Tell me about a time you worked on a team where you had to listen more than you spoke.
Describe a time you showed humility about something you knew less about than others.
Group prompt: your team has three volunteers and one afternoon to help a neighborhood with limited access to health care. Decide together what to do.
A patient misses appointments because of work and transport. What would you do as part of the care team?
Tell me about a time you stayed with something difficult for a long time. What kept you going?
What does servant leadership mean to you, and when have you seen it?
How would you handle a classmate who says something that shows bias against a patient group?
What have you learned from the people you've served that you couldn't have learned in class?
What would you want a home visit to teach you about a patient's health?

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

A drill for the Fertitta interviews

Pick three individual prompts and one group prompt.
Answer the individual prompts in two minutes each on camera, with a short break between.
Run the group prompt with two or three friends on video and have one person watch only for who spoke and who didn't.
Afterward, ask the observer for one thing you did that helped the group and one thing that didn't.
Repeat with a new group prompt two days later.

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.

Fertitta interview FAQ

Does Fertitta use AMCAS?

No. The college says it does not participate in AMCAS. You apply through TMDSAS.

Is the Fertitta interview an MMI?

Partly. The AAMC MSAR entry lists a virtual interactive (group) interview and a virtual individual MMI.

Is it virtual?

The AAMC entry says all interviews are virtual for entering year 2027, with on-campus experiences scheduled separately afterward.

How long do I have to schedule my interview?

The college says 30 days from the invitation.

Is this the same as UTHealth Houston or Baylor?

No. Fertitta is part of the University of Houston. McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston and Baylor College of Medicine are separate schools with their own guides.

Applying to other Texas schools too? See our guides to the McGovern, UTMB, Baylor and Texas A&M interviews, or our medical school interview prep page.

Applying to other TMDSAS schools too? See our guide to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine interview.

Sources: Fertitta application process, Admissions FAQ, About, MD program, AAMC MSAR interview procedures (2027).

Confetto isn't affiliated with the University of Houston. Everything here about the college 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.