The USD Sanford School of Medicine interview format

The University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine runs one-on-one interviews. Its how to apply page says interviews are conducted "in a one-on-one setting with each of two members of the admissions committee (open file), and one student (closed file)." That is three interviews: two with committee members who have your file and one with a student who does not. The AAMC's MSAR report for the 2027 class says "currently, one on one virtual interviews," with a virtual morning of presentations and one-on-one interviews in the afternoon, and tells applicants to check for updates.

Item	What USD Sanford and the AAMC say
Format	Three one-on-one interviews: two committee members (open file) and one student (closed file)
Setting	Virtual per MSAR ("please check for updates")
Day	Presentations in the morning, interviews in the afternoon (MSAR)
Season	School: generally September through February; MSAR: invitations mid-August to early September
Who is interviewed	South Dakota residents; non-residents with strong ties to the state are reviewed
Screen for interview	Cumulative GPA of at least 3.1 and an MCAT of at least 496; below 3.1 may be considered individually with an MCAT of 496 or higher and recent, stronger coursework
Casper or PREview	Not mentioned on the how to apply page

The school and MSAR give slightly different timing. The school says interviews generally run September through February, while MSAR says invitations go out from mid-August to early September. Go by your invitation.

Who USD Sanford admits

The how to apply page says you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and a South Dakota resident or non-resident with strong ties, such as graduating from a South Dakota high school, completing 90 credits at a South Dakota college, a parent living in South Dakota, being a child of a Sanford School of Medicine alumnus, or being a member of a U.S. federally recognized tribe from a bordering state. The MCAT must be within three years of the November 1 AMCAS deadline.

After AMCAS verification, admissions staff screen eligibility and send a supplemental application (with a $35 fee) only if you are invited. When all supplemental materials arrive, the committee decides who is invited to interview. After the interview the committee evaluates the complete application at its next meeting, and applicants not accepted are "pended" until the final meeting of the year, when the class is filled and a ranked alternate list is made.

The INMED track

The page also describes an INMED (Indians into Medicine) track with two seats for enrolled members of U.S. federally recognized tribes. For these applicants it says interviews are held in December after an informational session, in the same one-on-one setting with two committee members (open file) and one student (closed file).

How to prepare for the USD Sanford interview

Prepare for open and closed file. Two interviewers know your file; the student does not. For the student, tell the story fresh and briefly.
Know your ties to South Dakota. The school screens on them, so have a specific, honest account of yours.
Practice three back-to-back one-on-ones. Your energy should be the same in the third as in the first.
Learn the state's health needs. Rural access, workforce and tribal health are fair topics for a state school.
Ask the student real questions. A closed-file student interview is also your chance to learn what training is like.

USD Sanford practice questions (written by us, not the University of South Dakota)

USD Sanford does not publish its interview questions. We wrote these around its format and mission. Keep each answer to about two minutes.

Why do you want to be a physician?
What are your ties to South Dakota, and what do you want to do with them?
What do you see as the biggest health care challenge for a rural state?
Tell me about a time you worked with people from a very different background.
Describe the most meaningful experience you have had with a patient.
Tell me about a time you failed and what you did next.
How would you handle a classmate who is not doing their share of a group project?
What would you do if a patient asked you to keep a risk from their family?
Tell me about a leadership role you had and what it taught you.
What would you want a patient in a small South Dakota town to say about you?

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

A drill for three one-on-ones

Have a partner interview you with your full application for 25 minutes, then a second partner with no file for 25 minutes, then a third for another 25.
In the closed-file interview, tell the same story you told earlier without repeating it word for word.
Record the "South Dakota ties" answer and cut it to 90 seconds.
Practice a rural health question with two supporting facts you can name.
Prepare two questions each for faculty and the student.

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.

USD Sanford interview FAQ

Is the USD Sanford interview an MMI?

No. It is three one-on-one interviews: two with committee members and one with a student.

Is it in person or virtual?

MSAR says currently virtual and to check for updates; the school page does not give a setting.

Do all interviewers see my file?

No. The two committee members are open file and the student is closed file.

Do I need to be a South Dakota resident?

You must be a resident or a non-resident with strong ties, per the how to apply page.

What GPA and MCAT are needed for an interview?

The page says at least a 3.1 GPA and a 496 MCAT. Applicants below a 3.1 may be considered individually if they have an MCAT of 496 or higher and recent, significant coursework with higher performance.

Applying to other Upper Midwest schools too? See our guides to the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nebraska College of Medicine and University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine interviews, or our medical school interview prep page.

Sources: USD Sanford School of Medicine how to apply, AAMC MSAR interview procedures (2027).

Confetto isn't affiliated with the University of South Dakota. 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.