Admissions Interview

Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University does not conduct “stress” interviews. The interviewers will make every attempt to put you at ease to give you the opportunity to express the “real you.”  Katz seeks candidates:

  • with strong interpersonal skills
  • who have the ability to listen and take another’s point of view
  • who possess self-confidence
  • who are compassionate
  • who are socially conscious

You will be considered for admission at the campus you select on the supplemental application. Your campus selection is binding. In making admissions decisions, we will make every effort to honor your selection.  

Interviews are held from September through April.  The interview day opens with a welcome from an Admissions office representative who provides an overview of the medical curriculum as well as clinical, service learning and extracurricular opportunities.

Candidates interviewing at both the North Philadelphia and St. Luke’s campus participate in three interviews. A primary interview with a physician or PhD faculty member who is on the Admissions Committee, a secondary/blind interview with a faculty member or a student member of the admissions committee who is blinded to the application materials, and a Community interview with a member of the local community.

The interview day also includes a virtual tour of the campus and an information session with current medical students where the applicant will be able to learn more about student life.

For applicants under consideration for the St. Luke’s Regional Campus, interviews will be held with St. Luke’s faculty members in Bethlehem.

Applicants interviewing for the MD/PhD program will have two additional interviews on their interview day with the Director of the MD/PhD program and a faculty member from the MD/PhD program. MD/PhD applicants must first be accepted by the MD program before they can be considered by the MD/PhD Advisory Committee.

After interview, applicants are notified of the Admissions Committee decision in either November, December, February or at the end of the interview season. Some candidates may be placed on the continuing candidate list after interview and will be considered after April 30th through matriculation. Each application cycle is unique so the number of students taken off the wait-list varies from year to year. Katz encourages applicants on the continuing candidate list to send letters of interest starting in April.