Robert Wood Johnson Mission Statement
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School is dedicated to transforming health care for New Jersey and the nation through innovation and excellence in education, research, patient- and family-centered care, and addressing the health of our diverse community.
Highlights:
- State focus: Preference for New Jersey residents, with strong out-of-state applicants considered.
- Situational judgment test: Applicants must complete either Casper (CSP-10111) or AAMC PREview.
- Secondary policy & fee: Secondary sent to applicants who meet baseline academics; $80 fee with AAMC FAP waivers honored.
- Interview style: Seven-station, live video MMI.
RWJMS Vision & State Focus
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School will become the academic engine driving a new healthcare paradigm in New Jersey; the state’s first and largest academic high-value health care system.
Comments: As you can see from both the Mission and Vision Statements, RWJ focuses on improving health care for residents within NJ.
Like most, if not all, state schools, if you are considering applying to RWJ, it is highly recommended that you have a strong connection to the state of NJ.
When considering whether your ties are strong enough to a state school, first think about direct relationships. If you are a resident of the state spent a significant time living there, or have relatives living within the state, those are strong connections that the admissions team likes to see.
If you have a significant other from the state or have other ties, make sure to make a compelling argument about your desire to contribute to and become part of that community. If you have no connections to the state in any way, it is going to be much more difficult to gain an interview or admission.
Before You Apply at Rutgers RWJMS
Give yourself time to build a clean, well supported application. Map your courses against RWJMS requirements, list what is in progress, and note what will be finished before matriculation. Plan your MCAT far enough in advance that your score is posted to AMCAS before the secondary deadline. Schedule your situational judgment test early in the cycle and keep the score delivery timeline in mind so it is on file when your application is reviewed.
Strengthen the qualitative side of your file. Aim for consistent clinical exposure, service to communities, and at least one setting where you had real responsibility. Track hours and impact so your activities section reads as credible and specific. If you have a New Jersey connection or a history of working with local populations, make that visible in your AMCAS and secondary. Prewrite likely secondary themes so you can submit within a week of receiving the invite. Finally, check that your letters, transcript requests, and testing reports are queued up and that your contact information in AMCAS is current.
- Coursework check: confirm labs and sequences; keep syllabi if you studied across multiple institutions.
- Testing plan: target an MCAT date that leaves room to retake only if truly needed; book Casper or PREview dates well ahead.
- Activity depth: show continuity in clinical and service settings; add brief outcomes or skills for each major entry.
- Readiness files: prepare PDFs of your CV and unofficial transcripts for easy sharing with letter writers or advisors.
RWJMS Secondary Application Questions
RWJMS posts the exact wording inside its portal. For 2025–26, applicants report the following prompts (always follow the wording and limits you see in your portal):
- Choose one RWJMS core value (Respect, Wellness, Joining learners with care delivery, Making patients first, Science to advance human health) and reflect on an experience that built your foundation in that value. (two paragraphs or less)
- Pick one value, tell one specific story, then link to how you will add to RWJMS’s patient-first culture.
- Share a life experience, personal attribute, or perspective that will help you contribute to RWJMS’s learning environment. (~250 words)
- Show how your perspective will help teams learn together; tie to service or collaboration, not just demographics.
- Discuss a difficult situation you encountered, how you handled it, and what you learned. (~250 words)
- Outline the moment, what you did, the outcome, and the behavior you changed going forward.
- Describe a time you received feedback you did not agree with, how you handled it, and what you learned. (~250 words)
- Additional information for the admissions committee. (optional)
- Use for true context only (gaps, anomalies, significant responsibilities). Skip if you have nothing substantive to add.
RWJMS posts the exact wording and limits in its portal. Prompts below reflect the current cycle as reported by applicants; verify in your portal before submitting.
Additional RWJMS Application Advice
Interview Overview
RWJMS uses a live video Multiple Mini Interview. You rotate through short stations that probe communication, judgment, teamwork, and ethical reasoning. Interviewers at MMI stations generally do not see your application, so each prompt stands on its own. The best preparation is practice with time-boxed responses and a simple structure that helps you think out loud under time pressure.
Keep answers people-focused. Identify the stakeholders, name the core issue, walk through your approach, and close with how you would measure success. Expect scenarios about resource constraints, bias mitigation, speaking up on a team, and navigating uncertainty. Build a few concise stories that show resilience, cultural humility, service orientation, and collaboration, then adapt them to the situation you get. Since interviews are virtual, test your setup, keep notes off-screen, and arrive early to settle nerves.
- Use a clear framework: Situation → Options → Decision → Rationale → Next steps.
- Show your method: gather facts, seek input, balance patient welfare and fairness, and communicate your plan.
- Mind the clock: practice two-minute answers with a crisp beginning and a clean takeaway.
- Bring it back to NJ patients: when appropriate, connect your approach to the needs of diverse communities you hope to serve.
Letters of Recommendation
Meet the baseline requirement, then think about coverage. A strong set usually includes a science instructor who taught you, a research mentor or supervisor who can speak to your independence and problem-solving, and a clinical or community supervisor who saw you work with people. If you have a committee letter or packet, that is fine; if you are submitting individual letters, keep the total focused and avoid duplicates that say the same thing.
Set your writers up to succeed. Ask early, confirm they can write a strong and specific letter, and share a short packet with your CV, a paragraph on goals, and a few bullet points that remind them of projects you worked on together. Provide the AMCAS Letter ID and a due date that is a week before the real deadline. Great letters include one or two concrete episodes, a comparative statement that helps readers gauge your level, and a brief note on growth. Thank your writers and update them when you receive interviews or decisions.
- Balance the set: academics, inquiry or research, and clinical or service performance.
- Choose observers over titles: close supervision and specific examples beat big names with generic praise.
- Keep it current: prefer letters from the last one to two years unless an earlier mentor oversaw substantial work.
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Application Timeline
Application Timeline (2025–26)
- Interview invitations begin: September Source
- Secondary application deadline: November 17, 2025 AAMC MSAR PDF
- AMCAS primary deadline: December 1 Source
- Offers of admission released: late December and mid-March Source
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