The Virginia-Maryland veterinary interview format

The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech selects through four phases, and the interview is the fourth. Its evaluation criteria page says interviews are in-person Multiple Mini-Interviews, a series of timed scenarios, and that admission offers are based on interview results. Its requirements page adds that the MMI is done asynchronously and virtually through Kira Talent for out-of-state candidates.

Item	What Virginia-Maryland says
Format	Multiple Mini-Interviews: a series of timed scenarios
Delivery	In person per the evaluation page; asynchronous and virtual through Kira Talent for out-of-state candidates per the requirements page
Attributes the scenarios assess	Communication skills, ethical and moral judgment, management of team and self, problem solving and critical thinking, creativity, resiliency and cultural bias (evaluation page); the requirements page lists growth mindset, resiliency, cultural awareness, teamwork, critical thinking, decision making, empathy, self-awareness and oral communication
Scientific knowledge	Not tested, per the requirements page
Before the interview	Pre-interview ranking: academics 60%, non-academic activities 40%. At the time of interview, pre-interview ranking scores are set to zero
Situational Judgement Test	Select applicants are invited to complete an online SJT on a rolling basis
Number of stations, minutes per station, scoring rubric	Not published

The two pages describe the delivery differently, so confirm your own format in your invitation. Our general guide to the Kira Talent interview explains how recorded responses work if you are out of state.

What Virginia-Maryland looks for

The college uses a competency-based, mission-aligned approach, effective for the class entering in 2025. Its requirements page groups competencies into four domains: interpersonal, intrapersonal, scientific, and humanities, social and behavioral science. It says the MMI and SJT assess teamwork and cultural awareness, and that ethical responsibility, reliability, resilience and reflection or growth mindset are assessed through letters, SJTs and MMIs. Resilience is also assessed through a college-specific resiliency essay.

The description of each competency is a useful preparation checklist. For example, teamwork means working collaboratively, sharing information and knowledge, giving feedback and putting team goals ahead of individual goals. Cultural awareness includes recognizing and addressing bias in yourself and others and engaging competing perspectives as a resource. Resilience and adaptability means tolerance of stressful or changing situations and recovering from setbacks.

The cycle in brief

Deadline: the VMCAS application and supplemental fee were due September 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern for this cycle.
Pools: final rankings are made separately for Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia and out-of-state pools, and invitations to interview go to qualified candidates after that.
Letters: at least three and no more than six through VMCAS. A veterinarian letter is not required but adds value.
Experience: no minimum requirements for particular experiences, though the college seeks a good understanding of the profession and broad experience.
Non-academic review: a holistic review, the SJT, experience hours, letters, essay responses and committee review make up the 40% non-academic share.

How to prepare for Virginia-Maryland

Prepare around the listed attributes. Take growth mindset, resilience, cultural awareness, teamwork, critical thinking, decision making, empathy, self-awareness and oral communication and write one example for each.
Do not study science for the MMI. The college says the scenarios do not assess scientific knowledge.
Practice the SJT mindset. The SJT presents realistic scenarios and may ask what you would do and why. Practice explaining a choice in one or two sentences.
Prepare for either format. Practice live with a timer and also on camera with a recording, in case you are asked to record.
Use the MMI guides. Our MMI practice guide and MMI questions with answers cover timed stations and scenario structure.

Virginia-Maryland veterinary practice questions (written by us, not the college)

The college does not publish its scenarios. These are ours, built from the listed attributes. Answer each aloud in about five minutes.

A client cannot afford the recommended treatment for their dog. What options do you offer, and how do you talk about cost?
You see a classmate cut a corner on animal handling during a lab. What do you do?
Tell me about a time you worked on a team where someone's perspective was very different from yours.
A farmer wants to treat a sick calf at home against your advice. How do you proceed?
Describe a setback that changed how you work. What did you change?
A veterinary technician corrects you in front of a client. How do you respond?
How would you adapt your communication for a client who speaks little English?
What is one bias you have had to work on, and how did you notice it?
You are asked to euthanize a healthy animal at the owner's request. What is your response?
Tell me about a time you learned something from feedback you did not want.

For a wider set, see our vet school interview questions guide.

A drill for timed scenarios

Pick five prompts. Give yourself two minutes to think and five to answer.
Say your first move and one reason within the first 30 seconds.
Have a friend add a complication halfway through, such as a new fact or a different stakeholder.
Record one answer and check whether you named the other person's point of view.
Repeat later in the week with new scenarios.

Confetto's vet school interview prep uses AI mock interviews, including timed MMI-style stations, that 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.

Virginia-Maryland veterinary interview FAQ

Does Virginia-Maryland use an MMI?

Yes. Its evaluation page says interviews are Multiple Mini-Interviews, a series of timed scenarios.

Is it in person or virtual?

The evaluation page says in person. The requirements page says the MMI is asynchronous and virtual through Kira Talent for out-of-state candidates. Check your invitation.

Is there a situational judgement test?

Yes. Select applicants are invited to complete an online SJT on a rolling basis.

Do interview results matter?

Yes. The college says pre-interview ranking scores are set to zero at the time of interview and that admission offers are based on interview results.

Is science tested in the MMI?

No. The college says the scenarios do not test or assess scientific knowledge.

Applying to other veterinary schools? See our guides to the Texas A&M and University of Arizona interviews, or our vet school interview prep page.

Sources: Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine evaluation criteria and requirements and prerequisites pages.

Confetto isn't affiliated with Virginia Tech or the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Everything here about the program comes from its public admissions pages, checked in October 2026. Formats and dates can change between cycles, so go by your invitation email.