Epic Systems (the EHR giant behind MyChart / Cosmos / Aura) runs the most distinctive recruiting loop among SDE employers: online OA + cognitive / logic test + two Skype interviews + a mandatory in-person Madison onsite. This guide breaks down the 5-stage process from 2026 community reports with signals and an OA assist / VO assist playbook.
Epic Loop Snapshot (2026)
| Stage | Format | Duration | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application + eligibility | Online | — | GPA ≥ 3.0, fluent English |
| Online OA | In-house | 90 min | Coding + math + logic |
| Cognitive Test | In-house | 60 min | Abstract reasoning / pattern |
| Skype Interview 1 | Video | 60 min | Behavioral + project + culture |
| Skype Interview 2 | Video | 60 min | Technical + systems thinking |
| Madison Onsite | On-site | 1 day | Team fit + business cases |
Stage 1: Online OA (90 min)
Distribution
- 3–4 coding problems: LC Easy / Medium style
- 2 math problems: probability + simple linear algebra
- 2–3 logic problems: sequence reasoning + abstract diagrams
Real Question: Patient Record Deduplication
"Given records[(id, name, dob, mrn)], merge all records with the same dob and name but different mrn. Return the deduplicated list keeping the earliest id."
Python Solution
from collections import defaultdict
def merge_records(records):
groups = defaultdict(list)
for r in records:
key = (r['name'].lower(), r['dob'])
groups[key].append(r)
result = []
for group in groups.values():
group.sort(key=lambda x: x['id'])
merged = dict(group[0])
merged['mrns'] = sorted({r['mrn'] for r in group})
result.append(merged)
return result
Traps:
namecase sensitivity (half of hidden cases are "John Smith" vs "john smith")dobstring vs date comparison- Same
mrnrequires deduplication
Stage 2: Cognitive Test (60 min)
Epic's unique round. Unrelated to coding but heavily weighted.
Question Types
- Abstract diagram sequences: predict the 4th from 3
- Number / letter patterns: 3, 5, 11, 23, ? → 47 (×2+1)
- Spatial visualization: 3D cube rotation / folding
- Logic word problems: "If A implies B, B implies C..."
Preparation
- Raven's Progressive Matrices style training sets (free online)
- GRE / GMAT abstract reasoning
- Timed sets: 50 problems in 60 min, target ≥ 80% accuracy
- Skip strategy: anything over 60 seconds, skip
Bar
Community reports: ≥ 75% advances; ≥ 85% scores extra credit.
Stages 3 & 4: Two Skype Interviews
Skype 1: Behavioral + Project + Culture
- "Walk me through your proudest project"
- "Why interested in healthcare?"
- "Are you willing to live in Madison, Wisconsin?" (hard requirement — Epic forces Madison on-site)
Skype 2: Technical + Systems Thinking
- "Design a simplified MyChart appointment system"
- "Epic's database suddenly got slow — how do you debug?"
- "Write SQL to find departments with increasing readmission rate in the last 30 days"
Real Question: MyChart Appointments
WITH apt AS (
SELECT patient_id, doctor_id, appt_time,
LAG(appt_time) OVER (PARTITION BY patient_id ORDER BY appt_time) AS prev_time
FROM appointments
WHERE appt_status = 'scheduled'
)
SELECT patient_id, doctor_id, appt_time
FROM apt
WHERE prev_time IS NULL
OR appt_time - prev_time >= INTERVAL '30 days';
Signal: explain LAG window boundaries (first appointment has prev_time = NULL).
Stage 5: Madison Onsite
Flow
- 9 am arrival at the Madison campus (Epic covers flights + hotel)
- 5 rounds: technical × 2 + behavioral × 2 + hiring manager × 1
- Lunch + campus tour: Epic's campus is famous (underground tunnels, themed buildings)
Focus
- Business literacy: what MyChart / Cosmos / Aura / Cogito each do
- Cross-functional communication: explain technical trade-offs to non-technical clinicians
- Learning velocity: Epic uses an in-house language MUMPS — show you can ramp fast
Epic Loop Timing
| Step | Median |
|---|---|
| Apply → OA | 5–7 days |
| OA → Cognitive | 3–5 days |
| Cognitive → Skype 1 | 5–7 days |
| Skype → Madison | 1–2 weeks |
| Madison → verbal | 1 week |
| Total | 5–7 weeks |
OA Assist + VO Assist Playbook
What oavoservice gives you
- OA timed simulation: 90-minute, 7-question (coding + math + logic)
- Cognitive Test training set: 200 Raven's + GRE abstract reasoning problems
- Skype double-round mocks: mentor presses "Madison commit" + systems thinking
- MyChart / Cosmos crash course: explain Epic's 5 main products in an hour
What's hard about Epic loops
Interviewers explicitly weight Madison commitment. We've seen technically perfect candidates wash out at Skype 1 by saying "not sure about Madison". VO assist drills the honest-but-firm Madison commit phrasing.
Add WeChat Coding0201 for pricing and scope.
FAQ
Is Madison really mandatory?
Yes. Epic is fully on-site Madison with no remote options — even seniors must relocate.
Can I retake the Cognitive Test?
No. Epic's review cycle is 12 months with no early retake.
MUMPS — can I learn it?
Yes. Epic provides a 6-week paid onboarding. Community reports the curve is steep but manageable by week 6.
How does the comp package stack up?
Starting base around $80K (lower than FAANG NewGrad), but low Madison cost-of-living + generous relocation + solid 401K matching makes the total package competitive.
Preparing for Epic Systems / Medidata / Veeva / Datavant?
oavoservice tracks healthcare / clinical software companies (Epic / Cerner / Medidata / Veeva / Datavant). Mentors come from live EHR / clinical informatics teams and deliver OA timed simulation, Cognitive Test training set, Skype double-round mocks, and Madison-commit phrasing drills.
👉 Add WeChat: Coding0201 for the Epic Systems full loop + OA assist + VO assist plan.
Contact
Email: [email protected]
Telegram: @OAVOProxy