Podiatric medical schools interview before they admit, and most let you choose a campus visit or a virtual interview. Interviews run on a rolling basis, so early applicants are interviewed first. Here is what named DPM programs say about their interviews, from their own admissions pages.
From DPM programs’ own admissions pages2026-27 cycle (Fall 2027 entry)Checked October 28, 2026
Practice with a mock interviewOne-on-one on Zoom with Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP.
Interview formats at named programs
Applications go through AACPMAS. Western University’s 2027 application window, July 31, 2026 to June 29, 2027, shows how long the cycle runs (Western University).
| Program | Format | What their page says |
|---|---|---|
| Kent State College of Podiatric Medicine | Campus visit, open file | Kent State “requires a personal interview with all candidates who are being seriously considered for admission”. The visit includes “an open file interview with one to two faculty members and member of Enrollment Management division”. “Competitive candidates typically receive an invitation to interview within one to two weeks of submitting an application.” Source |
| Temple University | In person or remote | “Applicants may attend an in-person, on-campus interview or choose to participate in a remote interview.” On campus, candidates spend an hour at the clinic shadowing faculty. Source |
| Des Moines University | On campus or virtual | “Our interview process is designed to accommodate you, with on-campus and virtual options available.” Both include an interview with faculty and time with current students. Source |
| Midwestern University (Arizona) | Panel, scored | “Applicants who accept interviews will be individually interviewed by an interview panel, which is selected from a volunteer group of basic scientists, clinicians, and Office of Admissions officials.” Panelists “rate applicants on a standardized evaluation form”. Source |
| LECOM | Virtual | “Interviews are virtual, but applicants are welcome to schedule visits to the LECOM main campus.” Source |
| Western University of Health Sciences | Rolling | The 2027 application opened July 31, 2026 and closes June 29, 2027. “Interviews are conducted on a rolling basis throughout the admissions cycle.” Source |
What “open file” means for you
Kent State’s interview is open file: the interviewers have read your application. Expect questions about specific lines in it, such as a grade, a gap, or an experience you listed. Midwestern says its panel members “question students about their preparedness for AZCPM” and score them on a standardized form (Midwestern).
Timing matters too. Kent State typically invites competitive candidates within one to two weeks of application, and Midwestern typically notifies applicants of their status within one or two weeks of the interview. On a rolling cycle, applying in late summer gives you more seats to compete for.
Practice questions
Most programs don’t publish their questions. These are my practice prompts, not questions any program has published:
- Why podiatry, and why not MD or DO?
- What did you see while shadowing a podiatrist?
- Which part of podiatric practice interests you most: surgery, sports medicine, diabetic limb care, or something else?
- Walk us through a line on your application we should ask about.
- Tell us about a time you worked through a setback in a science course.
- How would you talk with a diabetic patient who isn’t following foot care instructions?
- Why our school?
How to prepare
- Know your file. Kent State interviews open file, so be ready to discuss anything you submitted.
- Decide campus or virtual early. Temple and Des Moines let you choose. A campus visit shows you the clinic; Temple’s includes an hour of shadowing.
- Have a clear “why podiatry” answer that names what you saw while shadowing.
- Apply early. These programs interview on a rolling basis.
- Do a mock interview on video if you choose a remote interview.
Your interviewers may have your application in front of them, so reread your own podiatry personal statement before the interview. If you haven’t submitted yet, see our podiatry personal statement examples, or work with Lauren Hammond, PhD, our personal statement editor.
For audiology, perfusion, chiropractic, and other professions, see our allied health interview guide. Also applying to medical school? See our medical school interview guide.
For interviews with more than one interviewer, see panel interview tips from Julie Cunningham, a licensed speech-language pathologist.
Practice with a real interviewer before the real one. My wife, Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist who runs mock interviews on Zoom for podiatry school applicants. She coaches every format: one-on-one, panel, MMI, and recorded video interviews such as Kira Talent. She works on how your answers come across: clear key words, pace, voice, filler words, organizing an answer so it has a point, staying steady when you’re nervous, and how you look and sound on camera. It’s $250 an hour.
Frequently asked questions
Do podiatry schools require interviews?
Yes, at the schools on this page. Kent State requires a personal interview with all candidates seriously considered for admission, and Midwestern interviews each invited applicant with a panel.
Are DPM interviews virtual or in person?
Both. LECOM interviews virtually, and Temple and Des Moines let you choose in person or remote.
What is an open file interview?
The interviewers have read your application before they meet you. Kent State’s campus visit includes an open file interview with one to two faculty members and a member of its enrollment management division.
How soon will I hear about a podiatry interview?
Kent State says competitive candidates typically receive an invitation within one to two weeks of submitting an application.
Related guides: Dental school, Dental residency, Pharmacy school, Pharmacy residency, Vet school, Optometry school, and Chiropractic school. See all interview guides by program.
Every date and quotation on this page comes from the program’s own admissions page or catalog, linked where it appears. Some of these pages give no cycle year; we used them only where they describe the program’s current process. Last checked October 28, 2026.