The UNR School of Medicine interview format

The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) invites selected MD applicants to an interview day held in person on its main campus. Its review and selection page says "virtual interview options are not available." The AAMC's MSAR interview procedures report for the 2027 entering class agrees: in-person format, invitations in August, in Reno at the medical school, and no video interview.

UNR Med does not publish how many interviews you will have, how long each lasts or who conducts them. The page says only that the day lets you "demonstrate their interest in medicine and readiness for medical school," learn about the school, connect with community members and tour campus facilities. Treat the exact structure as unknown until your invitation arrives.

Item	What UNR Med and the AAMC say
Format	In-person interview day on the main campus in Reno; no virtual option
Number and length of interviews	Not published
Interview season	August through March; invited applicants receive an email with scheduling instructions
Day includes	Learning about UNR Med, connecting with community members, a tour of campus facilities
Casper or PREview	AAMC PREview exam required by October 16 (new for 2026-27); the page also mentions Casper and Duet in a fee-waiver line, so confirm what applies to you
Class size	70 students

UNR Med timeline for 2026-27

The application requirements page lists two tracks. Early Decision applicants complete AMCAS (with three letters, an eligible MCAT and PREview by October 16) by August 1; those who also complete the secondary hear about an interview by September 1, and decisions come between September 15 and October 1. Regular MD applicants apply by October 1 and "will be notified by December 1 if selected for an interview." Final decisions for applicants who were not offered early admission are sent by February 20.

Applicants who clear AMCAS verification receive a secondary application with a $75 fee, which UNR Med waives for AAMC Fee Assistance Program approvals.

Who UNR Med is looking for

UNR Med describes a "mission-based, competency-focused and holistic" review and strongly encourages applications from Nevada residents and from groups underrepresented in medicine or from medically underserved, rural or low-income communities. It lists the characteristics of an ideal applicant:

A commitment to improving the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities
A mature passion for medicine informed by clinical experience and patient interactions
A record of service to vulnerable and underserved populations with compassion, respect and cultural sensitivity
Academic readiness, including problem-solving, communication and being teachable and willing to ask for help
Maturity, humility, self-awareness, reliability, adaptability, teamwork, ethical responsibility and integrity

What the secondary essays tell you about the interview

The secondary application asks for 300-word answers on why UNR Med (including connections to Northern Nevada), a team that struggled to meet its objectives, an experience with populations facing healthcare disparities, a failure or crisis, and a creative solution to a hard problem. UNR Med does not say interviewers use these prompts, but they show what the school cares about, and you should be able to tell each story out loud.

How to prepare for the UNR Med interview

Plan for a full in-person day. UNR Med has no virtual option, so budget for travel to Reno if you live outside Nevada.
Build a "why Nevada" answer. Know the state's rural and underserved needs, and tie them to something you have done, not to general statements.
Rehearse the five secondary stories. Teamwork under pressure, disparities, failure, creative problem solving and your own connection to Nevada communities.
Prepare for both a conversation and a scenario. The format is not published, so practice a standard interview and short ethical or interpersonal prompts.
Show teachability. The school lists being "willing to ask for help" as a trait; have an example of when asking for help made something better.

UNR Med practice questions (written by us, not the University of Nevada, Reno)

UNR Med does not publish its interview questions. We wrote these around the characteristics it lists. Keep each answer to about two minutes.

Why do you want to practice medicine, and what experiences have confirmed that?
Why UNR Med, and what is your connection to Nevada communities?
Tell me about a time you cared for someone from a vulnerable or underserved population. What did you learn?
Describe a time your team struggled to meet its goals. What did you do?
Tell me about a failure and how it changed your approach.
What is one health challenge facing rural Nevada, and what could a physician do about it?
Tell me about a time you asked for help and what happened.
How would you respond if a patient declined a treatment you believed was the right one?
Describe a creative solution you developed to a hard problem.
What would your classmates say is the most important thing you would add to a class of 70?

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

A drill for a full in-person day

Do three 20-minute mock interviews back to back with different partners, one after another, to practice resetting your energy.
Give one partner your secondary essays and have them ask follow-ups on the failure and disparities stories.
Record the "why Nevada" answer and cut every general statement; keep one concrete connection and one concrete plan.
Practice a short scenario prompt: you have two minutes to respond to a patient who refuses care.
Prepare two questions for faculty and one for students about community-based learning.

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.

UNR Med interview FAQ

Is the UNR Med interview virtual?

No. UNR Med says all interviews are on campus and virtual options are not available. The MSAR report says the same.

Is it an MMI?

UNR Med does not say. It describes an interview day without naming a format, so check your invitation.

Does UNR Med require PREview or Casper?

Its requirements page says the AAMC PREview exam is a new requirement for 2026-27 and must be completed by October 16. A fee-waiver line on the same page also mentions Casper and Duet fees, so confirm with the admissions office.

When are interview invitations sent?

Regular applicants are told by December 1 if selected; Early Decision applicants by September 1. Interviews run August through March.

Do I need to be a Nevada resident?

No, but you must fit one of two categories. Out-of-state applicants qualify as legal residents of Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington or Wyoming, or through certain Nevada family residence or having lived in Nevada before. Applications that fit neither category are not considered.

Applying to other Nevada schools too? See our guides to the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Roseman University College of Medicine and Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine interviews, or our medical school interview prep page.

Sources: UNR Med review and selection process, application requirements, secondary application, AAMC MSAR interview procedures (2027).

Confetto isn't affiliated with the University of Nevada, Reno. 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.