Preparing for the Xavier University College of Osteopathic Medicine interview

A new school: what to know about accreditation

XUCOM is in pre-accreditation status with the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). Xavier's site says its inaugural class (the Class of 2031) will begin in Fall 2027, and that it "will be in pre-accreditation status with COCA until the first class of D.O. students graduate in 2031." That is a normal path for a new DO school, and it is worth understanding before you interview, both because interviewers may ask about your reasons for choosing a new school and because you'll want your own questions ready. Good questions to prepare:

• What are the steps from pre-accreditation to full accreditation, and what does the school say about timing?
• How are clinical rotations secured? (Xavier says it has guaranteed clinical rotations in the Greater Cincinnati area with partners including TriHealth, Mercy Health, The Christ Hospital and Cincinnati Children's.)
• What is the planned class size? Xavier's site gives a projected range of 90 to 180 students.

What XUCOM is looking for

Xavier describes a holistic process "that aligns with Jesuit values and the COM's mission to produce graduates who are relentless in pursuit of compassion, excellence, and service to their patients." The AACOM profile says competitive candidates "embody and show a commitment toward Xavier's Jesuit Catholic mission" and are encouraged to show a genuine understanding of osteopathic medicine. Xavier's mission statement is to "establish and grow a reflective and discerning medical community that educates osteopathic physicians in the Jesuit Catholic tradition to be fully alive intellectually, morally, and spiritually."

Xavier's admission requirements page adds that it "highly values hands on patient care experience," that direct experience with an osteopathic physician is highly encouraged, and that it highly recommends "significant clinical, volunteer, and experience that aligns with XUCOM's mission and commitment to underserved and rural service."

If you aren't sure what "Jesuit values" means, read Xavier's mission, vision and values page and ask the admissions office how they define it. Be honest about how it connects to your own life. Don't claim a tradition or belief you don't hold.

What Xavier states	How it might show up (our suggestion)
Whole-person care (mind, body and spirit)	A time you cared for someone's situation, not just their problem
Compassion, excellence and service	A service commitment that went beyond what was required
Reflective and discerning	A decision where you stopped and thought, and what changed because of it
Underserved and rural care	Experience with a community with limited access to care
Hands-on patient care	A specific clinical moment and what you did in it
Understanding of osteopathic medicine	What you observed from a D.O., in your words

Timeline for the current cycle

• AACOMAS opened in 2026. The primary deadline is April 15, 2027, and Xavier recommends applying before January.
• Secondary applications were sent starting in July 2026 to qualified applicants. The fee is $50, with waivers for Xavier alumni and AACOMAS or AMCAS fee-waiver recipients. The secondary deadline is May 1, 2027.
• To be eligible for the secondary, Xavier lists: U.S. citizen or permanent resident, two or more letters on letterhead or signed, and an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.8 or above. It also considers graduate coursework, GPA trend and the depth and breadth of clinical experiences with osteopathic physicians.
• Letters: two required. One from a physician (preferably an osteopathic physician) and one from a pre-health committee or a Ph.D. science faculty member.
• Xavier says competitive applicants have a GPA of 3.5 or above, a science GPA of 3.5 or above, and an MCAT of 500 or above, with CPBS and BBFL of at least 125. It says it sets no minimum qualifications.
• The deposit is $1,500, following the AACOMAS traffic guidelines.

What the school says about its program

• Facilities. A new 130,000 square foot building with a simulated hospital, a 50-table OMM lab, a cadaver lab and a teaching kitchen for nutrition education.
• Curriculum. Problem-based and team-based learning, interprofessional education with Xavier nursing students, and a dedicated 4-week COMLEX-USA Level 1 preparation block.
• Clinical years. Six core clerkships in the third year, with call-back days, plus required emergency medicine, geriatrics and primary care selectives. Xavier describes a Rural/Underserved rotation in fourth year.
• Tracks. Xavier says the program has eight specialized tracks.

How to prepare for an MMI-style interview

1. Practice stations, not speeches. If XUCOM uses an MMI, each station is short and separate. Practice reading a prompt, taking 20 to 30 seconds to plan and answering with a clear structure.
2. Prepare an honest "why a new school" answer. Link it to something real, such as the Cincinnati clinical partners or the underserved focus.
3. Know the Jesuit connection to your own story. Have an authentic answer to what the mission means to you and how you've acted on related values.
4. Prepare for in-person logistics. Plan travel, professional dress and arrival time. Practice answering in a room with people watching you.
5. Reset between stations. Don't let one weak answer affect the next.

Practice questions (written by us, not Xavier)

Xavier doesn't publish its interview questions. We wrote these around its stated mission and criteria. Since AACOM lists an MMI, some are scenario prompts. They are for practice and don't predict what you'll be asked.

1. Why osteopathic medicine, and why Xavier?
2. Xavier is opening a new college. What does that mean to you, and what concerns would you have?
3. Our mission talks about being "fully alive intellectually, morally and spiritually." What does that mean to you?
4. Tell me about a time you cared for someone's whole situation, not only their immediate need.
5. Describe a time you served a community whose needs you didn't understand at first.
6. Tell me about a time you made a decision after careful reflection that you later changed.
7. A patient asks you to pray with them, but you don't share their beliefs. How do you respond?
8. You are shadowing a physician who tells a patient something you think was inaccurate. What do you do?
9. Describe a clinical or care-giving experience and what you did in it.
10. Ohio has regions with too few primary care physicians. What would draw you to one of them?
11. Role-play: a family member is angry about the length of a wait to see their relative. Talk with them.
12. What question were you hoping we would ask today?

Our free question bank preview has more medical school interview questions, and the full bank has over 500. Our MMI practice questions and MMI timer help with station practice.

A 30-minute practice run

1. Recruit two people. One reads prompts and keeps time, the other plays the interviewer or the role-play character.
2. Pick six prompts from the list above: two personal, two scenario or ethical, one role-play and one about Xavier's mission.
3. Give yourself 30 seconds to read, then answer for about five minutes. Reset for two minutes between prompts.
4. Record it. Afterward, watch two answers and check whether you had a clear opening, a direct answer and a closing sentence.
5. Repeat the weakest station the next day with a different prompt of the same type.

Practicing alone? Confetto's AI mock interviews run traditional and panel-style interviews as well as MMIs, ask follow-up questions based on what you said, and give rubric-based feedback afterward. You can start with a 7-day free trial.

XUCOM interview FAQ

Is the XUCOM interview an MMI?
AACOM's profile lists Multi-Mini Interviews. Xavier's own pages don't describe the format, so confirm it in your invitation.

Is it in person?
Yes. Xavier's pages refer to an in-person interview, and AACOM lists in-person only.

Is XUCOM accredited?
XUCOM is in pre-accreditation status with COCA. Xavier says that status continues until its first class of D.O. students graduates in 2031.

When does the first class start?
Xavier says its inaugural class, the Class of 2031, begins in Fall 2027.

Do I need to be Catholic?
We found no religious requirement stated on Xavier's admissions pages. Xavier does say competitive candidates show commitment to its Jesuit Catholic mission, so ask the admissions office how it assesses that.

Do I need Casper or PREview?
Neither appears on Xavier's admissions pages or its AACOM profile.

Applying to other Ohio and Midwest DO schools? See our guides to the Ohio University Heritage College and Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine interviews, or our medical school interview prep page.

Confetto isn't affiliated with Xavier University. Details about the school come from XUCOM's public admissions pages and its AACOM Choose DO Explorer profile as of October 2026. Formats can change between cycles, so go by what your invitation says.