Preparing for the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine interview

To excel in your Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine interview, you’ll need more than textbook answers—you’ll need a nuanced understanding of Ohio’s healthcare ecosystem, its policy battles, and the social fabric shaping Dayton’s communities. 

This guide equips you with hyper-local insights and actionable strategies to demonstrate your alignment with Boonshoft’s mission of serving underserved populations through community-driven care.

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

Boonshoft employs a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format, blending ethics scenarios, role-playing, and collaborative problem-solving to assess adaptability, empathy, and critical thinking. 

Key details:

• Format:

  • 6–8 timed stations (8–10 minutes each), including:

    • Ethical Dilemmas: E.g., “A patient in rural Ohio refuses a lifesaving treatment due to mistrust of the healthcare system. How do you respond?”

    • Role-Play: Collaborate with an actor (e.g., a community health worker) to address a patient’s social determinants of health.

    • Collaborative Stations: Work with another applicant to design a resource-limited intervention for Dayton’s opioid crisis.

    • Policy Analysis: Critique Ohio’s Medicaid work requirements or debate their impact on underserved populations.

  • 1–2 traditional interview stations focused on “Why Boonshoft?” and personal narrative.

• Core Competencies:

  • Community-Centered Problem-Solving: Stations often mirror real challenges faced by Boonshoft’s clinical partners, such as Dayton Community Health Centers or Project DAWN (naloxone distribution).

  • Cultural Humility: Expect scenarios involving Appalachian populations, immigrant communities, or patients with disabilities.

  • Advocacy in Action: Propose solutions tied to Ohio-specific programs, like the OneOhio Recovery Foundation or Healthy Ohio 2.0.

Insider Tip: Practice structuring MMI responses using the SPIES framework (Situation, Perspectives, Interventions, Evaluation, Self-awareness). For role-play stations, prioritize active listening—Boonshoft values candidates who center patient autonomy, especially in marginalized communities.

2. Ohio’s Healthcare Policy: Battleground for Equity and Innovation

Ohio’s policies reflect a microcosm of national debates, with unique local stakes:

Medicaid Expansion & Sustainability:

1. Ohio expanded Medicaid in 2014 under the ACA, covering 1.4 million residents. However, GOP-led efforts to add work requirements (blocked in 2022) and rising costs ($26B annual budget) dominate 2023 debates. Governor DeWine’s Healthy Ohio 2.0 proposes incentives for preventive care—critical in counties like Montgomery (Dayton), where 14% remain uninsured.

Opioid Settlement Reinvestment:

2. Ohio receives $808M from national opioid settlements, managed by the OneOhio Recovery Foundation. Funds target harm reduction (e.g., naloxone distribution in Dayton’s overdose hotspots) and recovery housing—key areas where Boonshoft students train at clinics like Project DAWN.

Rural Hospital Crisis:

3. 10 rural Ohio hospitals have closed since 2005, with 15 more at risk. Boonshoft’s Rural Health Initiative places students in regions like Adams County, where patients travel 50+ miles for OB-GYN care.

Tip: Cite Boonshoft’s Community Health Advocacy Program (CHAP) when discussing policy solutions—it shows familiarity with their hands-on approach.

3. Current Events & Social Issues: The Ohio Lens

Local Flashpoints:

• Abortion Access Post-Issue 1: Ohio’s 2023 ballot measure enshrined abortion rights, sparking debates on maternal care deserts. Boonshoft OB-GYNs lead research on delayed prenatal care in low-income Dayton neighborhoods.

• Mental Health in Schools: Ohio’s 2023 budget allocated $100M for school-based mental health services. Boonshoft partners with Dayton Public Schools to staff clinics where 30% of students report depressive symptoms.

• Environmental Health: The 2023 East Palestine train derailment highlighted Ohio’s industrial health risks. Boonshoft’s Environmental Health Track trains physicians to address toxin exposure in manufacturing-heavy regions.

National Issues with Ohio Impact:

• Health Worker Shortages: Ohio ranks 44th in primary care providers. Discuss Boonshoft’s 3+ Primary Care Pathway, which fast-tracks trainees to underserved areas.

• Racial Disparities: Black Ohioans die from diabetes at twice the rate of white residents. Reference Boonshoft’s Urban Leaders Project, addressing barriers in Dayton’s West Side.

Tip: Link national issues to local solutions—e.g., “Telehealth expansion under Ohio’s Broadband Expansion Authority could bridge rural mental health gaps.”

4. The 5 Questions Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine is most likely to ask during your medical school interview

1. “Why Boonshoft, and how does our mission align with your goals?”

2. “Describe a time you worked with a diverse population. What challenges arose?”

3. “Dayton’s infant mortality rate is 30% above the national average. Propose an intervention.”

4. “How would you handle a colleague who dismisses a patient’s socioeconomic concerns?”

5. “Ohio ranks 47th in mental health provider access. How can medical schools address this?”