Preparing for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine interview

Applying to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine (UTHSC COM) in Memphis is no ordinary challenge. Not only must you showcase academic grit, but you’ll also need to demonstrate nuanced understanding of Tennessee’s dynamic healthcare landscape—including local policies, social issues, and cutting-edge regional health initiatives. 

This deep-dive guide leverages local knowledge and recent events, preparing you to dazzle your interviewers and prove you’re ready to serve Tennessee’s communities.

1. The UTHSC Interview: Structure, Themes, and What They’re Really Assessing

UTHSC conducts traditional one-on-one open-file interviews where faculty interviewers review your entire application beforehand. 

Key details:

Format: 45–60 minute conversations with 2-3 faculty/physicians who’ve studied your essays, experiences, and letters. Expect deeply personalized questions like:

• “Your AMCAS entry mentions volunteering at Rural Health Services of TN. How would you apply those lessons to improve prenatal care in Fayette County, where 37% of OB clinics closed last year?”

• Themes:

  • Rural Health Innovation: Interviewers often probe your grasp of TN’s 13 rural hospital closures since 2010. Be ready to discuss solutions for counties like Haywood (1 PCP per 3,800 people).

  • Health Equity: Prepare to analyze Memphis-specific data (e.g., Black mothers’ 3x higher maternal mortality rate) using your public health coursework or volunteer experiences.

  • Interprofessional Gaps: Interviewers may ask how you’d leverage UTHSC’s “One Health” model to address specific care gaps (e.g., diabetes management in Shelby County’s food deserts).

Hidden Agenda: They’re assessing whether you’ve done “Tennessee homework.” One 2023 interviewee reported being asked:

• “Our College of Nursing partners with Church Health to staff mobile clinics. How would you expand this model to address Knoxville’s opioid crisis?”

Insider Tip: Open-file means NO generic answers. If your personal statement mentions health policy, expect detailed follow-ups about TennCare’s block grant. Always connect responses to UTHSC’s existing initiatives like their Street Psychiatry Program for homeless veterans.

2. Tennessee’s Healthcare Policy: Block Grants, Opioid Wars, and the Medicaid Maze

1. TennCare III Block Grant (2021)

Tennessee is the only state with a Medicaid block grant, allowing flexibility in spending federal funds. Critics argue it risks $2.6B in annual funding for 1.4 million enrollees, but proponents praise its $120M reinvestment in mental health crisis centers.

• Impact: Waitlists for developmental disability services grew by 37% in 2023.

• UTHSC Connection: The college’s Center for Health System Improvement partners with TennCare to train providers in value-based care.

2. Opioid Settlement Reinvestment

TN will receive $613M from opioid lawsuits by 2038. Funds are earmarked for:

• Telemedicine Addiction Clinics: 12 new sites in counties like Sullivan (overdose rate: 48/100k).

• Recovery High Schools: First program launched in Knoxville (2024).

3. Rural Emergency Hospital Designation

To stem closures, 8 TN hospitals converted to emergency-only models in 2023 (e.g., Jamestown Regional). Critics warn this exacerbates “OB deserts”—43% of rural counties lack maternity wards.

Tip: Reference UTHSC’s Center for Health in Justice-Involved Populations when discussing addiction policy—they’re piloting MAT programs in 14 county jails.

3. Current Events & Social Issues: The Tennessee Lens

Local Flashpoints

• Maternal Mortality: TN’s rate is 30.6/100k (vs. 23.8 nationally). UTHSC leads the TN Maternal Fetal Medicine Consortium, deploying OB-GYNs to 15 critical access hospitals.

• Diabetes Epidemic: 13.6% of adults have diabetes (3rd highest U.S.). Memphis’s “Food Pharmacies” (prescribing veggies via clinics) reduced A1C levels by 1.2% in pilot studies.

• Climate Health: 2023’s record heatwaves spiked ER visits for CKD patients in Memphis by 22%.

National Issues with TN Stakes

• Abortion Access: TN’s near-total ban led to a 78% drop in abortions. UTHSC OB-GYNs now train residents in “miscarriage management” to navigate legal risks.

• Vaccine Hesitancy: Only 58% of rural TN adults are COVID-vaccinated. UTHSC’s “VaxFacts” mobile units increased rates by 19% in Hardeman County.

Tip: Mention UTHSC’s Street Medicine Program (serving Memphis’s unhoused) to highlight hands-on community engagement.

4. The 5 Questions University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine is most likely to ask during your medical school interview

1. “Memphis has the highest infant mortality rate among major U.S. cities. Design an intervention using UTHSC’s resources.”

2. “A rural patient refuses insulin due to cost. How do you respond?”

3. “How should Tennessee balance opioid pain management with addiction risks?”

4. “Describe a time you adapted to a resource-limited setting. How does this prepare you for TN’s rural health challenges?”

5. “Why UTHSC over other schools with strong rural medicine programs?”