Introduction
A huge part of the medical school admissions process is working diligently on your secondary essay prompts. While the AMCAS application is a piece of work on its own with your personal statement and Work and Activities, medical school secondary essay prompts are just as important. If you’re unfamiliar with the process, we’ve written all about primary and secondary applications. While you only have one primary application for all the medical schools you apply to, you’ll have a secondary application for each school.
Your secondary application is primarily comprised of essay prompts to help the admissions committee get to know you better. They don’t need much more because everything else they need to know is in your primary application.
We’re providing you with every secondary application essay for all the medical schools (both MD and DO) in the United States in this database. While this list is comprehensive and includes the most up-to-date information available, we cannot guarantee its accuracy. Because of this, we strongly recommend contacting the admissions department to ensure that the medical school secondary essays listed are current. Some schools keep the same essay prompts for multiple admissions cycles, but many change up the questions with each admissions cycle.
Here is our complete database of medical school secondary essay prompts.
ALBANY MEDICAL COLLEGE (ALBANY, NEW YORK)
Albany Secondary Essay Prompts:
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ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE OF YESHIVA UNIVERSITY (BRONX, NEW YORK)
If you answer any of the questions below as “yes”, please explain in up to 3000 characters:
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UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA)
Non-Alabama Resident with Ties to Alabama: Describe any ties or meaningful experiences you have had related to the state of Alabama or UAB Medical Center (1500 characters) 750 characters each:
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UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (PHOENIX, ARIZONA)
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UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (TUCSON, ARIZONA)
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UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES — COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS)
LETTER OF STRONG TIES Non-Arkansas residents who have strong ties to Arkansas are given preference over non-residents without strong ties to the state. Therefore, if you have strong ties to Arkansas (you have lived in Arkansas, you have a parent or close relative who resides in Arkansas, you attend(ed) an Arkansas college, etc.), you must describe your ties to Arkansas in a letter to be uploaded using the Upload Documents section of this application. MD/PhD COMBINED DEGREE APPLICANTS The College of Medicine offers a combined MD/PhD degree program. Applicants who selected the MD/PhD program in the AMCAS application and complete the two additional AMCAS application essays should review the program details by copying and pasting the following URL into a browser. MD/PhD Program | College of Medicine Complete the MD/PhD program application form on the website and use the Upload Documents section to include this document with your application. MD/MPH COMBINED DEGREE APPLICANTS The UAMS College of Medicine offers a combined MD/MPH degree program. Applicants may review the program details by copying and pasting the following URL into a browser. MD/MPH Program | College of Medicine To apply to this program, please fill out the “Intent to Pursue Combined Degree Form” and use the Upload Documents section to include the document with your application. |
BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (HOUSTON, TEXAS)
Baylor Secondary Essay Prompt
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BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS)
Boston University Secondary Essay Prompts: 1. Are you expecting to go on to medical school directly after completing your undergraduate degree?* (Post bac work is NOT considered undergraduate. If attending a post bac program prior to entering medical school, the answer is NO and should be explained.) If you took gap year(s), please use this space to explain what you have been doing prior to applying to medical school. 1400 characters 2. If you have spent more than 4 years as an undergraduate, please explain below. (You may skip this question if you have graduated within 4 years.) 1400 characters 3. Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that you think may be of particular interest to us. For example, have you lived in another country or experienced a culture unlike your own, or worked in a field that contributed to your understanding of people unlike yourself? Or, have you experienced advanced training in any area, including the fields of art, music, or sports? This is an opportunity to describe learning experiences that may not be covered in other areas of this application or your AMCAS application. It is not necessary to write anything in this section. Also use this section to explain any impact that COVID-19 may have had on your educational/research/volunteering or employment plans. 2000 characters 4. Why BUSM? Boston Medical Center is the largest safety net hospital in New England, serving primarily people who are publicly insured, people of color, immigrants, and low-income people in the Greater Boston Area. Why are you specifically interested in beginning your medical education in this environment, and how do you feel that your previous experiences will prepare you for this unique learning environment? 3000 characters 5. Optional Essay: Use the space below to provide additional information you feel will provide us with a comprehensive understanding of your strengths as a candidate for a career in medicine. This should include only information NOT already included in your AMCAS or other sections of the BUSM Supplemental Application. Most applicants leave this blank. Yes, it’s really optional. 3000 characters |
BRODY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY (GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA)
ALL PROMPTS ARE 5000 CHARACTER LIMITS OTHERWISE NOTED Academic History 1c: If you are a re-applicant, what have you engaged in and/or accomplished to strengthen your candidacy? (If not applicable, please write N/A) 2: If you are not accepted to medical school for the upcoming academic year, what are your plans? 5: Please briefly describe circumstances regarding any courses with a grade less than a B minus, or any course withdrawals. Additionally, please describe the circumstances if you took any required courses as Pass/Fail rather than graded due to COVID-19, including if you had a choice to take as graded or pass/fail and the context of that decision. (If not applicable, please write N/A) 6: If you are currently participating in an academic program, please outline intended coursework for the academic year. (If not applicable, please write N/A) 7: If you do not expect to spend this academic year in school, please explain how you intend to use this time. (If not applicable, please write N/A) Personal Information 1: Please provide any information regarding hardships that you have overcome. You may wish to include any past achievements, experiences, challenges, family or personal circumstances, interests, etc. that you believe would bring added value and diversity to the learning community at UofSC School of Medicine Greenville. 2: If you are not a South Carolina resident, what relationships, bonds, or other interests or connections do you have to the state? (If not applicable, please write N/A) 3: Is there any additional information you would like the Admissions Committee to consider that has not been previously addressed? (If not applicable, please write N/A) 4: Why have you chosen to apply to UofSC School of Medicine Greenville and how do you think your education at UofSCSOM Greenville will prepare you to become a physician in the future? Essays Please address the following questions. Each essay should be 500 words or less (either type or copy and paste into the text box): Essay 1: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your decision to attend medical school? What did you learn about yourself during this unprecedented pandemic? Comment also on how the pandemic contributed to your understanding of the challenges and rewards of caring for critically ill patients who may themselves represent a risk to your own health as well as that of your family. Essay 2: How do you define community? What role should physicians have in communities in which we live? Question 7: Are there any additional aspects of your personal background or identity that you feel are important to share with the Admissions Committee? Examples might include barriers to access educational opportunities; economically disadvantaged status; or identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. 3000 characters |
UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO – SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES (BUFFALO, NEW YORK)
In 500 words or fewer, please explain your reasons for applying to the University at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine. Please be specific. Also, in 500 words or fewer, please explain how you would respond to a fellow student who muttered a racist or homophobic statement under their breath in your presence and that of other peers. |
CALIFORNIA NORTHSTATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (ELK GROVE, CALIFORNIA)
Please complete the following essay questions. 1. (Required) Why have you chosen to apply to CNUCOM? (250 words maximum)* 0/1785 2. (Required) In the medical profession, you will be exposed to students, faculty, colleagues, and patients of various cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. How has your involvement with diverse populations prepared you for potentially four years in Elk Grove, the greater Sacramento area, and the rest of the Central Valley? (250 words maximum) 0/1785 3. (Required) Did you have a Pre-Health Advisor at your undergraduate institution? If so, please tell us about your experience. How did it help you in your journey to to apply to medical school? If not, please let us know how you worked independently to find out more about applying to medical school and the path of your journey to apply? 0/1750 4. (Required) In which direction would you like to see healthcare progress over the next decade? (250 words maximum) 0/1785 5. (Required) If your education has not been continuous since high school, please explain why. Examples of discontinuities include time taken off while obtaining your undergraduate degree, in addition to gap years. (250 words maximum) 0/1785 6. (Required) If you have previously applied to medical school, what have you accomplished since that time that would warrant your admission now? (250 words maximum) 0/1785 7. (Required) Is there anything you would like the Admissions Committee to know that is not reflected elsewhere in your application? (250 words maximum) 0/1785 8. How do you feel about standardized tests? How did you prepare for the MCAT? What tools or preparatory courses/material did you use and how did you study? Do you feel like your score reflects how you will perform in medical school? From what you have learned, do you think it will help you in the way you will study or prepare for USMLE exams? 0/1000 |
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (CLEVELAND, OHIO)
Required Responses For All Applicants: Greatest Challenge Response: The Admissions Committee is interested in gaining more insight into you as a person. Please describe a significant personal challenge you have faced, one which you feel has helped to shape you as a person. Examples may include a moral or ethical dilemma, a situation of personal adversity, or a hurdle in your life that you worked hard to overcome. Please include how you got through the experience, how you handled the uncertainty or stress, and what you learned about yourself as a result. Please limit your response to 1 page (about 3,500 characters), and leave a blank line between paragraphs. Optional Responses For All Applicants:
University Program (4 yr. MD) Applicants: Optional: 1. Research Response: One of the four pillars of the Western Reserve2 Curriculum is Research and Scholarship. Although research is not a prerequisite requirement for the University Program, if you have participated in research or another scholarly project, please tell us about it. Describe your experience, including the question you pursued and how you approached it, your results and interpretation of the results, and most importantly, any thoughts about what this experience meant to you. Remember that research is broad-based and can include such projects as a senior capstone or a thesis and can include both medical and non-medically-related investigations. If you have not completed research, please indicate that in the text box below. Please limit your response to 1 page (about 3,500 characters), and leave a blank line between paragraphs. ***Note that if you are applying to both the University Program and the CCLCM, the research response will default to the CCLCM required response. 2. Additional Information Response: Is there any further information that you wish to share with the Admissions Committee that may not be captured in the rest of your application? Please limit your response to 3,500 characters. CCLCM (5 yr. MD) Applicants: Essay prompts will not be shared this year. They will be available within the application when applicants receive the secondary application. MSTP (MD/PhD) Applicants: There are no additional required essays for MSTP applicants in addition to the challenge essay listed above for all applicants to CWRU. |
CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE (LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA)
Have you experienced any uneven performance in grades and academic achievement? If so, please explain. (Response limited to 800 characters) If you are currently not a full time student, please list and describe your current activities. (Response limited to 800 characters) Describe the role you play in your immediate family. (Response limited to 800 characters) Describe your community and socioeconomic environment. (Response limited to 800 characters) List the most significant community, public service, and leadership activities you have been involved in over the last six years. (Response limited to 800 characters) Describe how your experience, your community, and family background impact your understanding of the underserved communities. (Response limited to 800 characters) Other than healthcare access, what are some of the most important health care issues confronting underserved communities? How would you address them? (Response limited to 800 characters) Please describe how your experiences and personal attributes contribute to the mission of Charles R Drew University. (Response limited to 800 characters) Have you ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic or parking violation? If the answer is yes, please explain. (Response limited to 800 characters) Please provide any additional information which will give the Admissions Committee greater insight into you as an applicant. (Response limited to 800 characters) How did you hear about our program? (Response limited to 800 characters) |
CHICAGO MEDICAL SCHOOL — ROSALIND FRANKLIN UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE & SCIENCE (NORTH CHICAGO, ILLINOIS)
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CLEVELAND CLINIC LERNER COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (CLEVELAND, OHIO)
Required Essay: Research Please describe the hypothesis of your research, why the methods were selected to answer that hypothesis, your results and interpretation of your results with respect to future findings. If you have not participated in research or scholarly work, please indicate so in the text area below. Please limit your response to 1 page (about 3,500 characters), and leave a blank line between paragraphs. If the 3,500 character recommendation is exceeded, your essay WILL still be saved in its entirety. Required Essay: Small Group Essay If you were working on a small group project and you thought that another student wasn’t carrying his/her load, how would you handle it? Please limit your response to 300-1000 characters, and leave a blank line between paragraphs. If the 1000 character recommendation is exceeded your essay WILL still be saved in its entirety. Optional: Additional Information Essay (University Program Only) Is there any further information that you wish to share with the Admissions Committee? This optional response will only be considered by the University Program. Required for College Program: Areas of Improvement Essay Each year our students target for themselves areas of improvement. Other than the acquisition of new knowledge, what personal area do you think you have that could use strengthening? Design a plan as to how you could improve it. Please limit your response to 500-1000 characters, and leave a blank line between paragraphs. If the 1000 character recommendation is exceeded your essay WILL still be saved in its entirety. Required for College Program: Criticism and Feedback Essay Tell us about a time when you received unexpected criticism or negative feedback. How did you react? What did you do? Please limit your response to 500-1000 characters, and leave a blank line between paragraphs. If the 1000 character recommendation is exceeded your essay WILL still be saved in its entirety. Required for College Program: Career Essay How do you see your career ten years from now? Please limit your response to 500-1000 characters, and leave a blank line between paragraphs. If the 1000 character recommendation is exceeded your essay WILL still be saved in its entirety. Required for College Program: Teaching Essay When were you challenged to teach, coach, or mentor others to learn a new skill or improve an old one? Please describe how it went and what you learned from the experience. Please limit your response to 500-1000 characters, and leave a blank line between paragraphs. If the 1000 character recommendation is exceeded your essay WILL still be saved in its entirety. Required for College Program: Gap Year Essay If you took a gap year, please describe how you spent that time. Please limit your response to 500 characters, and leave blank lines between paragraphs |
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS (NEW YORK, NEW YORK)
For MD/PhD applicants, an additional section asks the following questions:
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COOPER MEDICAL SCHOOL OF ROWAN UNIVERSITY (CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY)
1.Please write a personal mission statement for yourself as a student at CMSRU. How will CMSRU help you fulfill your mission?(1500 characters) 2. Please describe your anticipated educational, employment, volunteer or other activities between completing your AMCAS application and matriculating to medical school.(1500 characters) 3. Describe a challenging situation you faced and what you did to address it.(1500 characters) 4. How has the Covid-19 Pandemic changed your view of medicine?(1500 characters) |
CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (OMAHA, NEBRASKA)
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS – SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA)
Supplemental 1. Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee (This could include explanation of metric trends, institutional actions, legal violations, etc.) Please enter N/A if no concerns to report. (500 characters; spaces count as a character) 2. Do you have a connection to Northern or Central California? If “yes”, please explain (500 characters; spaces count as a character). Activities Please list the activities you would like to be considered in your application to UC Davis. You may use your activities listed in your initial AMCAS application or select/add others that may be relevant to UC Davis. Please only list three. a. Briefly describe this activity and its significance. How did it prepare you for a medical career? Include any supporting information (e.g. your contribution to the project or accomplishment as well as links to any publication, etc) (500 characters; spaces count as a character). Scholarly Pathways Are you interested in applying to the Rural-PRIME (Rural Program in Medical Education) Program? If “Yes” : a. Please describe how your experiences with rural communities make you a good fit for the Rural-PRIME program (500 characters; spaces count as a character). b. Describe your future plans to serve a rural underserved community (500 characters; spaces count as a character). Are you interested in applying to the TEACH-MS (Transforming Education and Community Health for Medical Students) Program? If “Yes”: Please tell us what experiences have shaped your desire to be a primary care physician in urban underserved communities (500 characters; spaces count as a character). Are you interested in applying to the ACE-PC (Accelerated Competency-based Education in Primary Care) Program? If “Yes”: Please tell us what attributes or experiences would make you a good fit for an accelerated program in primary care (500 characters; spaces count as a character). Are you interested in applying to the REACH (Reimagining Education to Advance central California Health) Program in Medical Education? If “Yes”: Please tell us about your ties to Central California and what you have done, or plan to do, to make a positive change in Central California (500 characters; spaces count as a character). Are you interested in applying to ARC-MD (Academic Research Careers for Medical Doctors)? If “Yes”: The UC Davis School of Medicine has an honors pathway, Academic Research Careers for Medical Doctors (ARC-MD), to encourage the development of the next generation of school of medicine faculty. These faculty will be drawn from diverse backgrounds, many committed to research as a foundational aspect of their career. Tell us about how you could see yourself as a faculty of the future and how biomedical research might play a role in your career development (500 characters; spaces count as a character). |
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE – SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (IRVINE, CALIFORNIA)
UC Irvine Secondary Essay Prompts:
———————————————— MD/PhD-specific Essay Prompts:
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE – SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA)
UC Riverside Secondary Essay Prompts:
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO – SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA)
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH This should be a true autobiographical statement. Topics to be included are family, childhood, primary and secondary school years, undergraduate years, and, if applicable, what you’ve done since completing your bachelor’s degree. You should also discuss the motivational factors which led you to a career in medicine, including any disadvantages or obstacles which might put your accomplishments into context. A repeat of your AMCAS statement will not be acceptable. (6000 characters) Please note: if you are applying to the MD/PhD program, please include why you are specifically interested in seeking MD/PhD training at UCSD. If you are an out-of-state applicant, please let us know if there are specific reasons for your interest in the UCSD School of Medicine: (1000 characters) EXPERIENCES The three experiences you identified as “most meaningful” on your AMCAS Application are listed below. We would also like to know if you have had any NEW experiences that you would consider among your “most meaningful” (i.e. experiences you’ve had in the time between submitting your application to AMCAS and working on the secondary application). Adding new experiences is optional. You can add new activities using the fields below. A corresponding letter of recommendation for the new experience is not required. Please enter “N/A” in the “Author of corresponding letter of recommendation” field if you do not have a letter. If you do not have any new activities to add, you can simply click “Save and Continue” at the bottom of the page and this section of the application will be marked as complete. (100 chars) Possible Career Pathway Some medical school applicants are already focused on pursuing a particular career pathway in medicine. While many students will change from this pathway during medical school, knowing of your potential interests does help us to assign interviewers. Your choice below does not influence how the Admissions Committee selects students to interview. Please select from one of career pathways listed below. In addition to this selection, please provide a brief description of your future career goals: (400 characters)
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO – SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA)
UC San Francisco Secondary Essay Prompts:
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UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (ORLANDO, FLORIDA)
For (3.1) here are the more specific instructions; Please list each course you have taken, or are projected to take, in an online environment. We recognize that online courses are evolving and there are several different formats for delivering course content as well as exams. We also understand that there are many variations and we will allow you to use your best judgement with use of the codes we have developed. Our purpose is to gain understanding and in so doing, provide latitude for your answer so as not to be judgmental or punitive in selection of the code. We ask that you provide your answer in a string of 5 fields of information. (1) The first field of your answer will help us understand course content delivery and examinations. Please start a line with: ALL, if all course content was delivered online and exams were also completed online; start a line with TST, if all course content was delivered online and exams were proctored at a test facility or school; or start a line with CLS, if course content was delivered online, required in-class instruction at least three times and exams were proctored either in-class or in a university testing center. (2) Next, an abbreviated school name (e.g. UCF). (3) The course prefix and number (e.g. BIOL101). (4) The abbreviated course title (e.g. General Biology 1). (5) The credit/semester hours for the course (3.0). Here is an example of what your entry should look like: ALL, UCF, BIOL101, General Biology 1, 3.0. Finally, you many add a short comment at the end if there is something that you feel is important for us to know by way of explanation. This would include any courses that were transitioned to online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO – PRITZKER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (CHICAGO, ILLINOIS)
Essay Question 1 Please write a short essay about why you are applying to the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. We suggest that you limit your essay to about 550 words. Essay Question 2 Share with us a difficult or challenging situation you have encountered and how you dealt with it. In your response, identify both the coping skills you called upon to resolve the dilemma, and the support person(s) from whom you sought advice. We suggest that you limit your essay to about 550 words. Optional Additional Information Please feel free to use this space to convey any additional information that you might wish the Committee to know. For example, if you are not currently completing a degree, please share your planned or current activities for this application cycle. You may also wish to include any impact that COVID-19 has had on your educational, research, or extracurricular plans. We suggest that you limit your text to about 300 words. |
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (CINCINNATI, OHIO)
(Optional) Please explain, if applicable, any ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic specifically and negatively impacted and/or caused significant hardship for your academic performance between the months of March 2020 and September, 2021. (2000 Characters) (Optional) We understand that all applicants have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please use the space below to describe any personal (ie, non-academic) life-altering experiences or changes to your plans related to the pandemic between March 2020 and September 2021. (2000 Characters) MD/PhD specifics
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UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (DENVER, COLORADO)
Colorado Secondary Essay Prompts: MD Program, (All applicants write this one) 1. The pillars of our curriculum are Leadership, Curiosity, and Commitment. Tell us about how you have embodied one or more of these attributes in your path to medicine thus far. In which of these areas do you see the most opportunity for personal growth and why? Limit this response to 1000 words. Fort Collins program: *Please note: MSTP applicants CANNOT apply to these programs. 1. Please tell us why you are interested in being a part of the 4-year CUSOM at CSU (Fort Collins Branch campus)? With the background that FCB’s smaller class sizes and unique structure lead to a highly interactive curriculum, please tell us how this campus matches your learning style and personal philosophy. Limit your statement to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words). Rural program: *Please note: MSTP applicants CANNOT apply to these programs. 1. Describe your personal and professional goals in becoming a rural physician. In particular, describe your interest and ability to spend your clinical year in a rural community. You may also include how past experiences living and/or working in a rural area and your ties to or interest in rural Colorado communities aligns with your goals. Limit your statement to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words). |
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT)
(1800 characters/each) 1. Highlight your experiences in the health care field. What insights have you gained about potential problems you will face as a physician? 2. How will the University of Connecticut School of Medicine best serve your needs of becoming a physician or physician scientist? 3. Please take a moment to explain how the COVID-19 pandemic directly and personally affected you as it pertains to preparing for medical school. (e.g. MCAT test date delay, financial impact, research/clinical experiences, self-quarantine, etc.). |
DARTMOUTH MEDICAL SCHOOL (HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE)
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DAVID GEFFEN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT UCLA (LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA)
UCLA (Geffen) Secondary Essay Prompts: 1. At the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, students are provided with curriculum and experiences enabling them to become an “Outstanding Physician, AND…,” dedicating themselves to important societal missions. What missions do you want to embrace? What have you done toward your missions? (800 characters) 2. Respond to the following and indicate how these areas of experience have impacted your progress toward your future career goals in relation to becoming an “Outstanding Physician, AND…”. A-Describe your most unique leadership, entrepreneurial, or creative activity. (800 characters) B-Describe your most important volunteer work and why it was meaningful. (800 characters) C-Describe your most scholarly project (thesis, research or field of study in basic or clinical science or in the humanities) and provide the total number of hours, dates and advisor. (800 characters)3. Describe how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted your pathway to medical school. Include any academic, personal, financial or professional barriers, as well as other relevant information. (800 characters) If you answer yes to this question, 4. Do you identify as being part of a group that has been marginalized (examples include, but are not limited to, LGBTQIA, disabilities, federally recognized tribe) in terms of access to education or healthcare? then you also have this prompt: -Describe how this inequity has impacted you or your community and how educational disparity, health disparity and/or marginalization has impacted you and your community. (800 characters) |
DREXEL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA)
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DUKE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (DURHAM, North Carolina)
Duke Secondary Essay Prompts:
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EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY – JAMES H. QUILLEN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE)
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EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL (NORFOLK, VIRGINIA)
2000 characters max each
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EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (ATLANTA, GEORGIA)
Emory Secondary Essay Prompts: 1. List your entire curriculum plan for the current academic year. If you are not currently in school, please briefly describe your plans for the coming year. (200 words). 2. Briefly describe your health-related experiences. Be sure to include important experiences that are in your AMCAS application, as well as any recent experiences. (200 words). 3. Briefly describe your interest in Emory and the Emory degree program you have selected. (200 words). 4. What do you consider to be the role of the physician in the community? (200 words). 5. If you have any updates or new information to report since you have submitted your AMCAS primary application, please briefly describe below. (200 words). —————————————- Extra Dual-degree questions: Optional: Please describe your interest in public health and how you wish to combine this interest with a career in medicine (500 words or less). Optional: Please describe your interest in bioethics and how you wish to combine this interest with a career in medicine (500 words or less). |
FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY CHARLES E. SCHMIDT COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (BOCA RATON, FLORIDA)
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FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (MIAMI, FLORIDA)
Florida International University Secondary Essay Prompts:
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FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA)
A. Applicant Profile Please limit your answers to 500 words per question. Travel: Indicate your significant travel experiences and include the circumstances. Optional Fun and Diversion: Indicate what you do for fun and diversion (hobbies, special interests, etc.) Optional Miscellaneous: Identify any other traits, habits, experiences, interests, etc., that a professor advisor would not normally learn about you. Optional Parents: Please provide a brief description of your parents. Optional Siblings: Please provide a brief description of your siblings. Optional Practice Vision: In what field of medicine do you envision yourself working ten years from now? Optional ACT/SAT Scores (if any): Please enter your ACT and SAT scores if you have taken these exams. Optional B. Pre-Medical Course Requirements Choose YES or NO for each of the courses below that you have completed, are currently enrolled, and/or anticipate completing prior to matriculating to medical school. English (or other writing intensive course): 6 credit hours College Mathematics (Statistics is recommended): 6 credit hours Biology with Lab: 8 credit hours Organic Chemistry with Lab: 4 credit hours Physics with Lab: 8 credit hours Biochemistry (MUST require at least one Organic Chemistry course as a pre-requisite; lab is recommended): 3 credit hours C. Self-Critical Analysis Please limit your answer to 500 words per question. Write a critical analysis of your personal and scholastic qualifications for the study of medicine, the realization of your professional ambitions, and why you are choosing to apply to the FSU COM. D. Additional Questions Please answer the following additional questions. Did you grow up in a rural area? If yes, please explain: Optional I hereby declare my intent to participate in the courses and associated activities of the FSU COM. I also authorize the use of my personal data file for continuing longitudinal studies of the FSU COM if all personal identification is removed. Information derived from all test procedures, both cognitive and non-cognitive, will be considered confidential and will be part of the personal data file usable only in aggregate data studies. Have you ever been charged with a violation of the law which resulted in, or is still pending could result in, probation, community service, a jail sentence, or the revocation or suspension of your driver’s license (including traffic violations which resulted in a fine of $200 or more)? If yes, please explain: Optional Have you ever been or are you now under investigation for any academic or legal/conduct problems at any undergraduate or graduate institution? If yes, please explain: Optional E. Florida Residency The Florida State University College of Medicine accepts very few out-of-state applicants. Except under rare circumstances, out of state applicants are considered for admission only if their county of residence is geographically contiguous with the State of Florida, or if they can demonstrate significant ties to the State of Florida. Is Florida currently your legal State of residence? If Florida is not currently your legal State of residence, has it ever been your legal state of residence? If yes, please briefly explain: Optional If no, please briefly describe any significant ties that you have to the State of Florida (Examples of significant ties include- but are not limited to- attending college within Florida; having close relatives who are residents of Florida; spending substantial amounts of time in Florida): Optional |
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA)
Please limit your response to 250-500 words 1. If you are not a full-time student during this application cycle, in particular at any time between September 2018 and May 2019, please detail your current and planned activities below. Please limit your response to 250-500 words 2. The medical profession is frequently described as being both a science and an art. One could summarize this by saying that patients must “be well cared for” (science) but they must also “feel well cared for” (art). Indeed, the late physician, writer and ethicist, Dr. Edmund Pelegrino affirms both the science and art of medicine. But when discussing the nature of the physician/patient relationship he says the following, “The act specific to medicine, that which makes it medicine and thereby distinguishes it from both science and art, is the decision about what is right and good for a particular patient now, with this set of needs, arising out of this particular illness…It is the practical decision, taken in the best interest of a particular person, not in the interest of new knowledge, of society or of the physician.” We work to teach our students not only the scientific principles of medicine, but also the core values of medicine, often called “professionalism”. Toward this end we keep patients at the center of our education and often reflect on their stories with our students. The exciting advances in our understanding of the biological basis for disease have led to the emergence of a host of targeted therapies and amazing technologies improving the duration and quality of our patients’ lives. The better a physician knows his/her patient, the better decisions they will make together as they approach important healthcare related questions. This so-called shared decision-making model is one key feature of patient centered care. Practicing the art of medicine in this way yields a physician patient relationship (PPR) that is both therapeutic and mutually enriching. However, many of these same technologies have the unintended consequence of separating us from our patients, both literally and figuratively. In addition, the industrialization of medicine and use of electronic health records have led to a decrease in the time physicians spend with their patients further eroding the strength of the PPR. At the UFCOM, we have numerous strategies to equip our students to preserve their own humanity and that of their patients. As students make connections with and get to know their patients, they begin to experience the joy in medical practice. They also have the chance to consider ways that the forces mentioned above can rob a physician of that joy. As they share their stories, they encourage one another to make deliberate choices to preserve what we might call the heart or soul of the profession. Read these reflections from two third year students, one about a memorable encounter with a patient and the patient’s daughter and the second a very moving poem where a student explores the importance of taking time to be quiet and alone despite the busyness of our lives. She also considers the potentially dark consequences of neglecting this important practice. After reading and reflecting upon them, write an essay about what you will do to “never lose the human side of yourself,” treat your future patients as you would a family member, and thereby preserve the soul of medicine. Current Word Count: 0/500 3. Many hours in medical school are appropriately spent pursuing knowledge and skills needed to practice medicine. Medical students must master an enormous amount of information, synthesize it into a workable understanding of the human body, and then discern the best way to translate such knowledge into decisions with individual patients. However, governing this process are larger philosophical questions such as, “What does it mean to be human?” In his 1748 work, “Man as Machine”, French physician and philosopher Julien Offray de La Mettrie argues that humans are nothing more than complex animals. In contrast, many others would suggest there are psychological, social, emotional and spiritual dimensions to being human that are no less important than the biological, and perhaps even more important. Whatever our answers to these questions, those answers will have an impact on what we think it means to be a healthy human. Below are two brief quotations, one from the Greek philosopher Plato and the other from Sir William Osler (1849-1919), widely regarded as one of the fathers of modern medicine. Read and reflect upon them and then choose one for an essay. Please address whether or not you agree with the author, why you do or do not, and how your conclusion might affect the way you practice as a physician. “Variability is the law of life, and as no two faces are the same, so no two bodies are alike, and no two individuals react alike and behave alike under the abnormal conditions which we know as disease.” -William Osler “The greatest mistake in the treatment of diseases is that there are physicians for the body and physicians for the soul, although the two cannot be separated.” -Plato Current Word Count: 0/500 |
FRANK H. NETTER MD SCHOOL OF MEDICINE – QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY (NORTH HAVEN, CONNECTICUT)
Quinnipiac Secondary Essay Prompts:
And these extra questions in Demographic Information section:
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GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES (WASHINGTON, DC)
1. Please provide the Admissions Committee with a brief summary of your activities, academics, employment or other occupations to account for full-time activity (approx. 30-40 hours/week) from the point of application through matriculation in 2021. (750 characters) 2. The MD Program includes substantial content in Clinical Public Health (population health, health systems science, health policy, and community health) to prepare GW graduates for an expanded scope of practice required to be successful 21st century physicians. What are your specific interests and experiences related to that aspect of the MD Program? (350 characters) 3. What is your most meaningful clinical experience to date, involving direct patient contact? (350 characters) 4. What makes you a unique individual? What challenges have you faced? How will these factors help you contribute to the diversity of the student body at GW? (1000 characters) 5. What is your specific interest in the MD Program at GW? What opportunities would you take advantage of as a student here? Why? (2000 characters)am at GW? What opportunities would you take advantage of as a student here? Why? (2000 characters) |
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (WASHINGTON D.C.)
Secondary: Why have you chosen to apply to the Georgetown University School of Medicine and how do you think your education at Georgetown will prepare you to become a physician for the future? (1 page, formatted at your discretion) Other Questions: 1. The Georgetown University School of Medicine strives to ensure that its students become respectful physicians who embrace all dimensions of caring for the whole person. Please describe how your personal characteristics or life experiences will contribute to the Georgetown University School of Medicine community and bring educational benefits to our student body. (1000 characters) 2. Is there any further information that you would like the Committee on Admissions to be aware of when reviewing your file that you were not able to notate in another section of this or the AMCAS Application? (1000 characters) |
HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL (BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS)
1. If you have already graduated, briefly (4000 characters max) summarize your activities since graduation. 2. If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Many applicants will not need to answer this question. Examples might include significant challenges in access to education, unusual socioeconomic factors, identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine.(4000 character maximum) 3. Our interview season runs from mid-September through January. Please indicate any significant (three or more weeks) restriction on your availability for interviews during this period. If none, leave blank. HST Essay: ESSAY FOR APPLICATIONS TO THE HARVARD-MIT DIVISION OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY (HST) Instructions: The HST MD program draws on the combined resources of Harvard and MIT to provide a distinct preclinical education tailored to preparing students for careers as physician-scientists across the full spectrum of disciplines including biological, physical and engineering sciences. HST classes are small, commonly include graduate students and have an emphasis on quantitative and analytic approaches, centered on understanding disease mechanisms and preparing students to solve unmet needs in medicine ranging from novel diagnostics and therapeutics to applications of ‘big data’ and systems engineering as they relate to healthcare. Please focus on how your interests, experiences and aspirations have prepared you for HST (rather than identifying specific HST faculty or research opportunities). Limit your comments to the equivalent of one page of single spaced text with a font size of 10 or 12. (4000 Char) MD/PhD 1. Briefly list your research interests/areas; use keywords only. This information is not binding. (100 character limit) 2. Please list publications, indicating for each whether it is published, submitted/under review, or in preparation 3. For PhD’s in the social sciences only, please complete the following and upload where indicated: Statement of Purpose: Describe your reasons and motivations for pursuing a graduate degree in your chosen program of study at Harvard. What experiences led you to your research ambitions? Concisely state your past work in your intended field of study and in related fields. Briefly indicate your career objectives. Your statement should not exceed 1,000 words. Health Policy applicants should indicate the concentration(s) and policy area(s) of interest. Please see Program Details to determine whether the program to which you are applying requires a writing sample, CV, or other documents. Please follow departmental requirements on type and size of writing sample. Unless noted, writing sample is limited to 20 pages. |
HOWARD UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (WASHINGTON, DC)
All 250 words or less 1. Have you lived (for three years or more) in communities which are medically underserved, or where the majority of the population is economically and/or educationally disadvantaged? Please explain/describe briefly: 2. After residency, do you plan to practice medicine in an underserved or disadvantaged community? Please explain/describe briefly: 3. Have you worked (volunteer or paid employment) with medically underserved, economically disadvantaged and/or educationally disadvantaged populations? Please explain/describe briefly: No character limit 4. Please provide below any additional information you believe is important in evaluating your application (e.g. additional coursework, problems with academic record; disadvantaged, etc.) There’s also a section to explain any discrepancies with your pre-requisite coursework. |
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA – JOHN A. BURNS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (HONOLULU, HAWAII)
*No assigned word limit A) Describe in detail how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted you. (600 word limit) B) Describe a personal experience that has demonstrated your resilience. (600 word limit) C) Describe any personal connection to JABSOM and/or Hawaii and the Pacific that you may have. (600 word limit) D) If you are a re-applicant to JABSOM, please complete the following additional essay. Describe what efforts you have made to further improve your application to the MD Program. (600 word limit) Optional |
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (CHICAGO, ILLINOIS)
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UNIVERSITY OF IOWA ROY J. AND LUCILLE A. CARVER COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (IOWA CITY, IOWA)
(1500 characters each)
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JOAN C. EDWARDS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MARSHALL UNIVERSITY (HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA)
Marshall Secondary Essay Prompts:
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JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (BALTIMORE, MARYLAND)
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KECK SCHOOL OF MEDICINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA)
Answer the following prompts in 3-5 sentences:
Essays
These are all the normal MD prompts, plus these three:
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UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (KANSAS CITY, KANSAS)
Provide relatively brief (1,000 character maximum) answers to the following questions. Use Notepad or other non-formatting text editors if you would like to copy-paste your answers from drafts prepared elsewhere. If you copy-paste more than 1,000 characters into a text box, you will lose your answer when you click the button. Required fields are marked with an asterisk.* 1. Describe your health care experiences that involved direct exposure to physicians’ clinical duties and how they have shaped your desire to apply to medical school. 2. Describe examples of leadership experience in which you have significantly influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time. 3. Beyond academics (grades and MCATs), describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to address this challenge. 4. Give an example of what you have done to make your community a better place to live. 5. Describe how you relate to someone who is very different from you. Examples of differences may be cultural, racial, religious, economic, gender/sexual orientation, lifestyle. 6. If you are not a Kansas resident, what is your specific interest in applying to the University of Kansas School of Medicine? 7. If necessary, update the information contained in your AMCAS application. Indicate grades earned, alterations in your proposed course work or graduation time, additions to your extracurricular activities, or other pertinent information. 8. If there are discrepancies in your application that have not been explained in your personal statement, use this space to clarify. Examples may include unexplained gaps in time, multiple undergraduate institutions attended, multiple course withdrawals, inconsistent academic performance, inconsistency between academic performance and MCAT scores. 9. If you are currently enrolled, or plan to be enrolled during the next academic year, in a graduate or professional degree program, please describe your status within the program and your intention to complete the program. You must also request a letter from your graduate program advisor or from the dean of your professional school. This letter must include acknowledgement of your application to medical school and a description of your status in the program. 10. If you are no longer a full-time student, briefly describe your current employment, community, medical, and/or educational activities. 11. For Repeat Applicants Only: Since your last application, note any relevant academic, employment, and personal experiences that enhance your ability to be a better physician. 12. For Combined MD/PhD Program Applicants: Do you also want to be considered as an “MD-only” applicant? *13. Have you ever been convicted for violation of a regulation or law relating to controlled substances (answer YES or NO)? If yes, provide appropriate explanation(s), including the date(s) of conviction, case number(s), and the jurisdictional court(s) involved. *14. Have you ever been convicted of a felony (answer YES or NO)? If yes, provide appropriate explanation(s), including the date(s) of conviction, case number(s), and the jurisdictional court(s) involved. |
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY)
For everybody: 1. Please elaborate on why this is your preferred campus. (750) (Choose which campus you want to go to) 2. What competencies and qualities do you feel a physician should possess? (1500) 3. Describe the most significant community service activity in which you have participated. What did you learn from that experience? (2000) 4.Describe an experience or situation which made you feel grateful? (1500) 5.In providing patient care, should physicians maintain emotional distance or empathize with patients’ emotional state? (1500) 6. It is impossible to have predicted the drastic impact caused by the novel coronavirus identified as COVID-19. Describe the impact you have witnessed of this pandemic on those around you. (1500) 7. Please share unique, personally important, and/or challenging facts in your background, such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, or life/work experiences. Please discuss how such factors have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine. (2000) OOS Prompts: In the individual assessment of each applicant, the UK College of Medicine prioritizes attributes that reflect our mission. Although not essential, certain applicant characteristics will enhance potential to contribute to the college and to the profession of medicine: Commitment to the State: As a state medical school, the UK College of Medicine gives preference to Kentucky residents, and non-residents who have strong ties to the state, including previous attendance at a Kentucky college or university. Commitment to Underserved Populations: Certain geographic areas (rural counties) and patient populations (non-majority) have challenges in receiving safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable health care. The UK College of Medicine values individuals who have demonstrated interest in serving these areas or populations in the future. Diversity: A diverse educational environment enriches both medical education and patient care. The UK College of Medicine strives for each class to represent the people of the Commonwealth, and therefore considers each applicant’s educational background, life experiences, cultural identity, and socioeconomic background. The University will not discriminate based on race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, or age. Why have you chosen to apply to the University of Kentucky College of Medicine? (1000 characters) Please elaborate on personal characteristics and any accomplishments and experiences that you feel help to demonstrate your potential to contribute to the college and to the profession of medicine. (1000 characters) Please elaborate on any Kentucky ties: personal, familial, etc. (750 characters) |
LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (LOMA LINDA, CALIFORNIA)
(275 words max each)
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LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY HSC – SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT NEW ORELEANS (NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA)
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LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO – STRITCH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (MAYWOOD, ILLINOIS)
(Maximum 500 words) 1. Explain how you know that you want to spend your life studying and practicing medicine. Describe how the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine (SSOM) can help you develop into the kind of person and physician you hope to become. Minimum 100 Words 2. Social justice in the Jesuit tradition, justice due each person by virtue of their own inherent human dignity, is an essential dimension of education at SSOM. Describe what you have learned about yourself from your concrete social justice experiences. Explain how you plan to sustain your efforts to advocate for current social justice issues as a medical student and as a physician. Minimum 100 Words 3. Serving underserved and under-resourced communities is an expression of social justice. Describe an impactful experience in working with and for under-resourced communities. Explain what you have learned about yourself through this service OR what has hindered your efforts to serve others in these environments. Minimum 100 Words 4. Describe your leadership style. Provide a specific example of how you have applied your leadership style. Minimum 100 Words 5. Describe a non-academic personal/professional challenge or conflict that you have experienced. Explain what skills, resources and/or strategies you employed to resolve the problem. Minimum 100 Words *******COMPLETE QUESTIONS 6-12 IF APPLICABLE******* 6. Please indicate additional grades earned, amendments to your proposed coursework or graduation date, address changes, additions to your list of experiences, and anything else you feel we should know. 7. Please explain in more detail (in less than 1500 characters) anything that would help us understand any gaps or delays in your education, academic missteps, or personal challenges not listed elsewhere. 8. If you have not been enrolled in coursework for over two years, please let us know what you have been doing since your coursework ended. 9. Have you applied to SSOM prior to this application? If so, please list the years of your previous application submissions to SSOM and tell us how your application has improved since your previous submission. 10. Are you currently, or have you been, enrolled in any of the following programs? (listed on app portal) 11. Have you ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic or parking violation? If the answer is yes, please explain below. 12. If you did not submit an advisor or committee letter, please tell us why. |
UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY)
Louisville Secondary Essay Prompts:
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MAYO MEDICAL SCHOOL — MAYO CLINIC COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA)
Mayo Clinic, Rochester (Alix) Secondary Essay Prompts: (500 words each max)
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MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA – SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (AUGUSTA, GEORGIA)
1) Please discuss your primary interest in attending the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. 2) Please describe your motivation for becoming a physician. What contributions do you feel that you could make to the medical profession in the future? 3) The Admissions Committee regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of our school. The Admissions Committee strongly encourages you to share personal challenges that you have overcome and that are unique to you. These challenges may include the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, region of residence with respect to its health professional needs, ties to MCG, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or life and/or work experiences. Please discuss how such factors have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine. 4) Please describe the geographical area in which you would most likely practice medicine and why. Please include the country, region, state, city and/or town in your response. 5) Please explain any inconsistencies in your academic record. This may include below average course performance, grade trends, MCAT scores, etc. 6) Please explain any disruptions to your medical school application this cycle that the admissions committee should consider, as it relates to COVID-19 (Examples include: academics, volunteer/clinical experiences, personal life, etc.) |
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN (MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN)
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MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA – COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA)
No character limit for any question.
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MEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE (NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE)
Why do you wish to attend Meharry Medical College, School of Medicine? Please describe a personal situation of failure, significant challenge or a major obstacle that you have overcome. Include a description of your coping skills and lessons you learned about yourself from that situation. |
MERCER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (MACON, GEORGIA)
Mercer Secondary Essay Prompts: (230 words each, maximum)
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MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (ATLANTA, GEORGIA)
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MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (NEW YORK, NEW YORK)
MD/PhD Secondary Prompts:
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UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (BALTIMORE, MARYLAND)
The following questions have a 1,000 character limit (some are yes/no questions which then open a new text box) 1. Please describe and explain below any academic problems which you might have had while in college and/or graduate or professional school. Please include withdrawals, incompletes, poor grades, etc. (If you feel that you have not had any academic problems please state that) 2. If a specific medical school application activity was impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, please describe the activity, the time period during which it was to take place, and any relevant contact information. 3. Have you done independent research or study? (We are looking for research that you did outside of the course/classroom requirement) 4. Have there been any gaps in your education from high school to college, while in college, or after college? 5. Please explain what you will be doing during the 2020-2021 academic year. If you graduated/will graduate in 2020, what are your plans during this gap year? ~Following questions have a 1,500 character limit~ 6. Briefly describe your most important exposure to clinical medicine. 7. Briefly describe your most satisfying experience related to community service. 8. Without limiting the discussion to your own identity, please describe how you envision contributing to the core values of diversity and inclusion at our School of Medicine, and in the medical profession. 9. What does it mean to you to enter into a profession? |
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS)
Q1) We would like to learn how you developed and demonstrated core professionalism competencies that are required of entering medical students. Please respond to the first prompt (#1; Diversity). Then select three of the other six prompts (#2-#7). Each response should be 150-200 words. Use the text box below for your answer. Separate each of your four responses by writing the competency above/before your response (example: Teamwork – All teams have their struggles, but they can be overcome…).
Q3) If you have participated in UMass SOM or UMass Memorial Health Care, or UMass Medical-Baystate sponsored programs (SEP, Summer Research Program, Worcester Pipeline Collaborative, AHEC, BaccMD, HSPP, Academic Internships, BSEP, Summer Scholars) please describe how these programs helped you decide to apply to UMass SOM. (200 word limit) Q4) Why did you apply to UMass SOM? (200 word limit) Q5) If you are currently taking a gap year, in what activities are you engaged? (200 word limit) |
UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY OF NEW JERSEY OF RUTGERS (NEWARK, NEW JERSEY)
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UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY OF NEW JERSEY – ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON MEDICAL SCHOOL (PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY)
Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Essay Prompts
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UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI – LEONARD M. MILLER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (MIAMI, FLORIDA)
APPLICANT NARRATIVES: (All narrative responses should be less than 500 words each).
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UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDICAL SCHOOL (ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN)
SECONDARY APPLICATIONS All applicants will receive a Secondary Application, regardless of whether they have an MCAT score or not. Please note that the secondary application fee is waived for those approved for the AAMC-Fee Assistance Program. We recommend keeping the following in mind when completing your Secondary Applications: 1. Write essays about who you are, not what you think Admissions wants to hear. 2. Communicate clearly about what you have found in your life to help you become the person you want to be. 3. Know the school’s mission. Ours is: “To transform health through bold and innovative education, discovery and service.” 4. Know the medical school’s vision for its graduates. Read ours. M.D. SECONDARY APPLICATION PROMPTS We understand this is a particularly stressful time for applicants so we have published our Secondary essay prompts early this cycle to allow more time for reflection. To ensure applicants have plenty of opportunity to share their unique stories and to enhance our holistic review as we shift to virtual interviews, we have also added two additional questions. Essay 1 Comment on how you hope to impact medicine in the future. If examples are needed, feel free to refer to our eight Paths of Excellence. Do not exceed 1500 characters (about 250 words). Essay 2 At the University of Michigan Medical School, we are committed to building a superb educational community with students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions, and backgrounds. What would you as an individual bring to our medical school community? Do not exceed 1500 characters (about 250 words). Essay 3 Tell us something you are passionate about and why. Do not exceed 1500 characters (about 250 words). Essay 4 Describe your experience in a leadership position, the challenges that presented themselves in that position and what you did to contribute to the success of the team or project. Do not exceed 1500 characters (about 250 words). Please note you do not need to use the entire word count. |
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MEDICAL SCHOOL (MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA)
Each question has a limit of 1500 characters, except for #9 which has a limit of 900 characters. 1. Tell us about a time when you recovered from a non-academic setback. How did you identify the setback and what steps did you take to recover? 2. Tell us about a time when you played a role in improving a process. How did you identify the areas for improvement and what steps did you take to change the process? 3. Tell us about a time when you observed, personally experienced, or acted with implicit or explicit bias. If you observed or personally experienced implicit or explicit bias what did you do to address this situation or what would you do in the future? If you were implicitly or explicitly biased how did you become aware of this and what did you do to address the situation or what will you do in the future? Through either situation we are interested in what you learned. 4. Please tell us about your identity. How has your identity impacted the development of your values and attitudes toward others, particularly those with values different from your own? Please include how your values and attitudes will foster a positive learning environment during your training and benefit your future patients through the practice of medicine. 5. Why do you want to go to medical school in the state of MN? (This question seeks to understand why you are interested in the state of MN not the University of Minnesota.) 6. What other pertinent information would you like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee? This is an opportunity for you to discuss an aspect of your journey to medicine that you have not already presented in your application. You may also update us with any current experiences that were not included in your AMCAS application. (900 char.) OPTIONAL 7. If you are not submitting an MCAT score with your application briefly explain why. This question is required of any applicant who will ultimately not include an MCAT score in their application. OPTIONAL 8. 2020 has proven to be unprecedented times and uncharted territory in global health. Please feel free to share with us your thoughts and experiences with navigating Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). This could include the barriers you have faced in applying to medical school this cycle, feelings of complicated grief and loss, thoughts on the role of health care professionals, challenges associated with racial health inequities as more Black and Brown people are disproportionately impacted, or other reflections on living through a global pandemic crisis. OPTIONAL 9. Right now is a watershed moment in American history and this country’s reckoning with race, racism, racial injustice, and especially anti-Black hatred. If you feel comfortable, we welcome you to please share with us your reflections on, experiences with, and greatest lessons learned about systemic racism that is receiving international attention with the murders of numerous Black, Indigenous, and People of Color including but not limited to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Vanessa Guillen, Rayshard Brooks, and Elijah McClain. OPTIONAL |
UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI)
1. Please describe your motivation for pursuing the medical degree. (3000 characters) 2. Please discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic affected your academic preparation for medical school or opportunities for shadowing, volunteering, research, etc. Please also discuss any other impact of the pandemic that you would like the admissions executive committee to know. (2500 characters) |
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI – COLUMBIA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (COLUMBIA, MISSOURI)
1) Please describe any element within your candidacy not fully addressed on the AMCAS application that you want the Admissions Committee to consider. 1,200 max characters 2) Please let us know information regarding how you heard about our school, and any factors (programs, people, mission, geography ect.) that led you to apply. 1,200 max characters 3) Please discuss (e.g. using specific personal traits, education, life experiences, etc.) 2,000 max characters – how you will add to the overall diversity of the medical school and the practice of medicine AND – how you will contribute to an inclusive learning environment at the medical school and the practice of medicine. 4) Has COVID-19 significantly impacted your 2021 medical school application? (This question is optional, and if your application wasn’t greatly impacted by the pandemic, then don’t feel like you have to answer.) 2,000 max characters. |
NEW YORK COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE (OLD WESTBURY, NEW YORK)
1. Which NYITCOM campus/site are you interested in attending? (The NYITCOM Admissions Committee reserves the right to recommend the best campus fit for you based upon your complete application.) 2. Would you consider attending either campus? 3. Briefly describe the reasons for your campus/site choice and comment on one or two factors that are most important to you in choosing where you wish to pursue your medical education. (Max. 1000 characters) 4. Describe an experience you have had in interacting/relating with people whose backgrounds are different than your own. What did you learn from it? How did it change your perspective? (Max. 1000 characters) 5. Describe a challenge you’ve faced and the steps you took to overcome it. (Max. 1000 characters) 6. After residency, describe the community in which you see yourself practicing medicine. (Max. 1000 characters) 7. Have you previously applied to NYITCOM? 8. If yes, what specific steps have you taken to strengthen your credentials for the current application year? (Max. 1000 characters) 9. Do you have any immediate family members (ONLY grandparents, parents, brothers/sisters, spouses) who have graduated from NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine? 10. If you do, please provide their name, relationship, and year of graduation from NYITCOM. (Max. 200 characters) 11. How and where did you learn about NYITCOM? (Max. 250 characters) |
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (NEW YORK, NEW YORK)
MD: 1. If applicable, please comment on significant fluctuations in your academic record which are not explained elsewhere on your application. 2. If you have taken any time off from your studies, either during or after college, please describe what you have done during this time and your reasons for doing so. 3. The Admissions Committee uses a holistic approach to evaluate a wide range of student qualities and life experiences that are complementary to demonstrated academic excellence, strong interpersonal skills and leadership potential. What unique qualities or experiences do you possess that would contribute specifically to the NYU School of Medicine community (2500 characters max)? 4. The ultimate goal of our institution is to produce a population of physicians with a collective desire to improve the health of all segments of our society through outstanding patient care, research and education. In this context, where do you see your future medical career (academic medicine, research, public health, primary care, business/law, etc.) and why? Your answer need not be restricted to one category. If your plans require that you complete a dual degree program, please elaborate here (2500 characters max). 5. Please answer only one of the following three questions (2500 characters max): ○ The most meaningful achievements are often non-academic in nature. Describe the personal accomplishment that makes you most proud. Why is this important to you? ○ Conflicts arise daily from differences in perspectives, priorities, worldviews and traditions. How do you define respect? Describe a situation in which you found it challenging to remain respectful while facing differences? ○ Describe a situation in which working with a colleague, family member or friend has been challenging. How did you resolve, if at all, the situation as a team and what did you gain from the experience that will benefit you as a future health care provider? MSTP: Dropdowns to choose 5 faculty with whom you could see yourself working with in the future. Space to put how many hours of full-time research you’ve done. From the form: “How many months of full-time research experience have you completed? When estimating this amount, you may convert part-time research into its full-time equivalent. For example, if you conducted part-time research for 1 year for ~50% of the time, this would equal 6 months of full-time research. Please do not include lab experiences associated with a course (e.g., organic chemistry course with lab).” 3 YR MD Tertiary: The Three-Year MD Pathway provides an accelerated track for a select group of eligible students. All students graduating from the Three-Year MD Pathway will be offered acceptance into the NYU Langone Medical Center residency program they selected at the time of admission by way of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). You can apply to the Three-Year MD Pathway at any time during your initial application to medical school. The application deadline is November 15, 2018 at 11:59 PM EST. That said, your application will only be reviewed by the admissions committee and the residency programs if you are first accepted into the Four-Year MD Pathway. Please note that we have an additional entry point into the Three-Year MD Pathway. Should you decide you are not ready to enter the pathway at this time, we have provided our matriculated first year medical students with the opportunity to opt into the Three-Year Pathway in available residency programs towards the end of their first year of medical school at NYU. Finally, we are piloting an addition to our Three-Year MD Pathway for those applicants to medical school who already have a PhD and wish to obtain their MD to facilitate their research endeavors. This Three-Year PhD-MD Pathway is linked to research-focused residency tracks in some of our residency programs and provides unique benefits to those who wish to develop tomorrow’s biomedical discoveries as our future physician scientists. 1.) Please select the residency program you wish to apply to: 2.) Please describe your motivation for pursuing a residency, detailing how past experiences have shaped your desire to pursue this career path. (2500 char) 3.) What do you believe the three most important qualities are that make for not only a successful resident, but ultimately an ideal physician in this field? (2500 char) |
NORTHEASTERN OHIO UNIVERSITIES COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (NORTHEAST OHIO MEDICAL UNIVERSITY) (ROOTSTOWN, OHIO)
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NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY – FEINBERG SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (CHICAGO, ILLINOIS)
1. Given the distinctive educational philosophy and integrated curriculum at FSM, describe how your personal characteristics and learning style would fit the institution. (Limit your response to 200 words) 2. Describe the steps you take to reduce your personal stress when confronted with difficult situations. (Limit your response to 200 words) 3. Feinberg’s mission is to impact the practice of medicine through discovery and education. With consideration of FSM’s goal to train future leaders in medicine, please describe your career plans and goals. Be as specific as your current thinking will allow. (Limit your response to 200 words) 4. (if applicable): If you have (or expect to have) a year or more between college graduation and medical school matriculation, describe your activities and/or plans. For REAPPLICANTS: Please also address steps taken to improve your application for medical school. (Limit your response to 200 words) 5. Everyone has their own narrative. Please provide more detail about your selections above and how you would enrich the Northwestern community. (Limit your response to 200 words) MSTP Why did you choose your undergraduate major? How does the subject appeal to you? (200 W) Name a scientific paper that you have read recently that had a strong impact on you and describe what impact it had. (200 W) Discuss a current unanswered question in biomedical research that you find particularly interesting and what research you would like to see done to address it. (200 W) What is the most gratifying research experience you have had to date and why? What was the greatest obstacle you had to overcome in research and how did you overcome it? (200 W) Everyone has their own narrative. Please provide more detail about your selections above and how you would enrich the Northwestern community. (200 W) How do you envision your career after you complete your training, including residency and fellowship? What aspects of your life and career will be most satisfying? What frustrations can you envision in your future career, and how do you hope to handle them? (200 W) Please describe your current research interest as you plan your research training. (200 W) |
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER – COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (OMAHA, NEBRASKA)
Nebraska Secondary Essay Prompts:
Re-applicant questions:
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UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (RENO, NEVADA)
1. Describe your primary motivation for applying to UNR Med, your most important connection(s) to the state of Nevada and any plans for using your career in medicine to support our vision of a healthy Nevada. 2. Describe a time when you were faced with a significant life crisis, a personal struggle, or an academic or professional failure. How did you respond and how did your experience impact your future actions? 3. Nevada faces health care challenges that include racial and ethnic health disparities, a shortage of physicians in our rural communities, and inadequate medical services for our LGBTQ community and for non-English speakers. Describe how your prior experiences have prepared you to deliver care to underserved patients. 4. Describe and share what you learned from an experience providing direct patient care. |
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (LAS VEGAS, NEVADA)
Each question has a 250 word limit. 1. Describe how your background and future goals will contribute to the mission of the UNLV School of Medicine. 2. Briefly discuss how you envision yourself contributing to the care of our growing and diverse population in the state of Nevada. 3. Provide a BRIEF chronological summary of your time since graduating from high school up to the point of applying to medical school. 4. You are welcome to share with the Admissions Committee any disruptions or impact to your application components, the application process, and/or your personal life due to COVID-19. This field is not required 5. If you have any other information you believe is important for the Admissions Committee to consider, please include it here. Do not restate information already in your primary AMCAS application. |
UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO)
1. At the UNM School of Medicine we are committed to building a community of diverse learners that will go on to contribute to the diversity of the medical field. Are there any aspects of your experience that you are most proud of or that you feel you have been unable to highlight with your application materials already submitted? If so, please explain how this will contribute to the diversity of a learning community and your future medical community. (2000 characters) 2. What do you see as the most important characteristics of a physician? How do you plan to cultivate them during your training? (2000 characters) 3. While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges. Identify what you think is the most significant issue the medical profession will face in the next 20 years, and walk us through the process of solving this problem at a local or national level. Explain your reasoning along the way. 4. Clinical outcomes are often the downstream outcome of broader policies that impact health inequities. What is a public health policy that has impacted the health outcomes of our community for better or worse? (2000 characters) 5. Please tell us about a situation in which working with a team was challenging. What was your role? What was challenging? How was it handled? What did you learn? (2000 characters) 6. Please describe how COVID-19 has effected your preparation for applying to medical school. Describe any academic, personal, financial, or professional barriers/disruptions that COVID-19 may have triggered. (2000 characters) |
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA – CHAPEL HILL SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA)
1. Give an example of how you made a difference in someone’s life and explain what this experience taught you about yourself. (500 words) 2. What motivates you to apply to UNC School of Medicine? (500 words) 3. UNC School of Medicine values diversity and inclusion across the institution. We believe that education and professional development are enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe how your background and/or experiences would contribute to the UNC SOM community? (500 words) 4. Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the COVD-19 public health crisis. Possible topics might include: your biggest lessons and insights from the pandemic, creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis, hardships you may have faced as a result of the virus, and/or quarantine. (750 words) |
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA – SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES (GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA)
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OAKLAND UNIVERSITY WILLIAM BEAUMONT SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (ROCHESTER, MICHIGAN)
1. How have your experiences serving others contributed to your personal growth, and how would your experiences contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in our community? (400 words) 2. Describe your motivation to attend OUWB. (250 words) 3. Optional: Is there anything you want the admissions committee to know about your qualifications for medical school that are not already represented in your application materials? For example, if you have already graduated, briefly summarize your activities since graduation. Note: This space is provided for new information only, not to promote qualifications already highlighted in your other materials. (400 words) 4. Optional: If you are a reapplicant to OUWB, please describe improvements you have made to your current application from previous cycles (please include academics, experiences, and/or personal characteristics). (400 words) 5. Please describe how the COVID-19 epidemic has impacted your preparation for medical school (positively and/or negatively). (400 words) |
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (COLUMBUS, OHIO)
*REQUIRED ESSAYS FOR THOSE APPLYING TO REGULAR M.D., M.D./PhD AND THE PRIMARY CARE TRACK:
ADDITIONAL REQUIRED ESSAYS ONLY FOR THOSE APPLYING TO THE PRIMARY CARE TRACK:
OPTIONAL ESSAY
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OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (PORTLAND, OREGON)
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UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA)
It’s all biographic checkboxes unless you’re applying to the Tulsa track. Tulsa SCM track only:
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PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (HERSHEY, PENNSYLVANIA)
Penn State Secondary Essay Prompts:
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PONCE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (PONCE, PUERTO RICO)
List/describe: Academic honors Research experience/ Publications Community service/ volunteer work Essay: Explain your interest in graduate studies and your long-range professional plan. |
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, PERELMAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, (PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA)
1. Were there changes to your academic work and/or personal circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic that you would like to share with the committee? Y/N If Y, Please describe these changes during this time in 500 characters or less. 2. If you were offered an option to continue courses with a standard grading system or switch to Pass/Fail, and you chose Pass/Fail, please describe the reason(s) for your decision here. (500 Char) 3. Have you taken any online courses for credit? (not due to the COVID-19 pandemic) (lets you list the courses) 4. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization? (allows you to list them) 5. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? If so explain in 500 characters or less 6. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? If so, explain in 1,000 characters or less 7. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.) Yes/No – Please explain and limit your response to 1,000 characters. 8. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? Y/N then 1,000 characters again 9. Have you been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a Penn faculty mentor? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty, and start/end dates 10. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters: 11. Anonymous sexual and gender identification questions for diversity data |
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA)
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RUSH MEDICAL COLLEGE OF RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER (CHICAGO, ILLINOIS)
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SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI)
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SANFORD SCHOOL OF MEDICINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA (SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA)
Given the mission statement of the school, please explain how your experiences and long term goals would help meet the mission. Given the diversity statement of the school, explain how your background and experiences with diversity will bring value to the school. Describe how your experiences in health care or social care activities will help you become a good physician. Briefly describe a crisis or significant challenge in your life, how you have worked through the crisis or challenge, and what you have learned from this experience. What are your career plans in the event that you are not admitted to a medical school this year or after several applications? |
STONY BROOK SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER (STONY BROOK, NEW YORK)
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SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS)
Essay question #1: SIU School of Medicine uses a holistic approach to identify and select a diverse student body best suited to fulfill its mission: to assist the people of central and southern Illinois in meeting their health care needs through education, patient care, research, and service to the community. In what ways do you believe you would contribute to this mission? Please limit your answer to 300 words or less. Essay question #2: To be successful as a student at SIU School of Medicine and as a practicing physician, you must be flexible and committed to cultivating and employing critical interactive and learning skills. Describe your experiences that demonstrate: contribution in a teamwork setting; engagement in self-directed and life-long learning (taking personal initiative to identify and address your learning goals and needs); and exposure to the small group tutorial process used in a problem-based learning environment. Please limit your answer to 500 words or less. Essay question #3: If you have previously applied to SIU School of Medicine, please describe how you feel you have strengthened your credentials since that application. Please limit your answer to 300 words or less |
STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (STANFORD, CALIFORNIA)
1. The Committee on Admissions regards the diversity (broadly defined) of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. The Committee on Admissions strongly encourages you to share unique, personally important and/or challenging factors in your background which may include such discussions as the quality of your early education, gender, sexual orientation, any physical challenges, and life or work experiences. Please describe how these factors have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and may help you to uniquely contribute to the Stanford learning environment. (2000 c) 2. Choose the single answer that best describes your career goals and clinical practice setting:
Why do you feel you are particularly suited for this practice scenario? What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path? (1000 c) 3. How will you take advantage of the Stanford Medicine Discovery Curriculum and scholarly concentration requirement to achieve your personal career goals? (1000 c) 4. Please describe any lessons, hardships, challenges, or opportunities that resulted from the global COVID-19 pandemic. Include any impact on your medical school application preparation in the areas of academics, research, employment, volunteer service, and/or clinical experiences. (1000 c) 5. Please include anything else that will help us understand better how you may uniquely contribute to Stanford Medicine? (OPTIONAL) (1000 c) |
SUNY DOWNSTATE MEDICAL CENTER – COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (BROOKLYN, NEW YORK)
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SUNY UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY – COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (SYRACUSE, NEW YORK)
SUNY Upstate Secondary Essay Prompts:
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (MOBILE, ALABAMA)
Out-of-State Applicants Although our primary obligation is to residents of the State of Alabama, we do consider competitive, out-of-state applicants with strong ties to the State of Alabama. Please write a brief essay explaining your ties to the State of Alabama. Optional Essay – 500 words maximum The learning community at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine benefits from the inclusion of students with broad life experiences, as well as students from diverse backgrounds. The Admissions Committee encourages you to share life experiences that you may have had and/or important factors in your background that illustrate your readiness for practicing medicine in a multicultural society. |
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (TAMPA, FLORIDA)
Do you believe the competitiveness (i.e. course requirements, experiences, academic performance, etc.) of your application for medical school has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic? If yes, please provide specifics as to how your competitiveness was impacted. If no, type “N/A”. (1500 characters) The USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations program aims to support the educational development of medical students by providing opportunities for academic endeavors in areas of special interest. This program facilitates self-directed learning, enhances interactions between students and fosters relationships between students and faculty. Scholarly concentrations provide a forum where diversity of ideas and perspectives are valued. Each concentration includes elements of course work, practical application and scholarly presentation. Please review our Scholarly Concentrations website to determine which concentration would be of interest to you and answer the following question: (Scholarly Concentrations Program | USF Health) a. How would the USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations Program help your personal career goals? (1500 characters, optional) The USF Morsani College of Medicine strives to educate a very diverse set of students who bring a variety of strengths and interests to the field of medicine. The definition of diversity is broad and includes (but is not limited to) lifestyle, race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status and distance traveled through life. The definition of strength is also broad and includes (but is not limited to) humanism, scholarship, intellectual curiosity, research, and leadership. How do you feel your particular experiences, interests, and passions will add to the strength and diversity of the USF class and ultimately to the field of medicine? (2000 characters) If you have experienced academic difficulties, please explain the situation and how it was resolved. (Please explain all grades less than a “B”, including B-, or any “withdrawal” on your transcripts). (2000 characters) Please choose one of the following options. For more information, copy and paste the corresponding URL which will bring you to a new webpage. You can find more information on the programs here: Educational Programs | USF Health Please select the MD program for which you would like to be considered.
If you have chosen the SELECT program or BOTH, please explain how your experiences and career goals match with the mission of the SELECT program. (MD SELECT Program | USF Health) (1500 characters) |
LEWIS KATZ SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY (PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA)
(Each 2000 characters max including spaces)
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TEXAS A&M HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER – COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS)
DIFFERENT/EXTRA QUESTIONS FOR A&M EnMed 2021-2022 (NOT the same as last year’s)
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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY HSC – PAUL L. FOSTER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (EL PASO, TEXAS)
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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY HSC SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (LUBBOCK, TEXAS)
Areas of Interest: 1. Select your area(s) of interest (please check all that apply). For each selected area, please list related activities; completed, current or planned. “Please indicate the area(s) of medicine you are interested in and briefly describe your significant activitiesfor each respective interest in the available text box.” There is a 100 word limit for each selected area:
Supplemental Information: 1. Have you experienced any road bumps in your academic career? (low academic performance, dropping, retaking, or failing courses, etc.) 1.1 If yes, please explain your circumstance. (250 words or less) 2. Please share any lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic that you would like the admissions committee to consider – either regarding yourself or your community – about any or all of the topics below? (300 words or less)
4. Are you applying to our MD & E program? 4.1 Please list the highest-level math/chemistry/physics course you have taken or are currently taking. 4.2 What programming language are you most comfortable using? 4.3 Describe your motivation to pursue this program, be sure to include how you expect to benefit from this program. 4.4 How do you anticipate this program making you a more efficient caregiver? 5. Are you applying to FMAT? 5.1. What motivates you to participate in the FMAT program? (200 words or less) 5.2. What experiences have you had that would prepare you for this intensive program? (200 words or less) 5.3. What, in your opinion, distinguishes Family Medicine from other medical specialties? (200 words or less) 6. Have you experienced any hardship or adversity; personally or professionally? 6.1 If yes, please share your experience with us. (200 words or less) 7. Please tell us about your favorite recreational/leisure activities. (200 words or less) 8. Do you consider yourself from West Texas or as having West Texas ties? 8.1 If yes, what town or county did you reside in, or what other factors would you cite? (100 words or less) 9. Have you participated in any special programs offered by a medical school to help prepare yourself for medical school and a career in medicine? 9.1. If yes, what was the name of the program and where was this program hosted (sponsoring school)? (100 words or less) |
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY — JEFFERSON MEDICAL COLLEGE (SIDNEY KIMMEL MEDICAL COLLEGE) (PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA)
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TUFTS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS)
Tufts Secondary Essay Prompts
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TULANE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA)
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UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN (DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL) (AUSTIN, TEXAS)
Dell Med does not use a written secondary application, but will screen applicants and offer those they are interested in an invitation to complete a video-response secondary. |
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL SCHOOL AT HOUSTON (HOUSTON, TEXAS)
UT Houston (McGovern) Secondary Essay Prompts: Question 1: Please discuss one of the following: **A challenging situation or obstacle you have faced in the past **Any academic road bumps in your academic career (low academic performance, failing course, dropping/retaking of courses) Why was it challenging? How did you handle it? Knowing what you know now, would you do anything differently? What did you learn? Question 2: Describe a time or situation where you have been unsuccessful or failed. What did you learn from this experience and how have you applied this learning to your work and/or life? Question 3: What would you like to contribute and be remembered for in medicine? |
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SMC AT DALLAS – SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL SCHOOL (DALLAS, TEXAS)
UTSW MSTP Secondary Prompts (500 characters each)
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UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (EDINBURG, TEXAS)
PART 1: Required A situation in which you interacted with individuals who were different from you. (150 words) Below are the instructions for the VIDEO Mission at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School Of Medicine (UTRGV SOM) is to educate a diverse group of medical students and future biomedical scientists; to develop physicians who will serve across all disciplines of medicine; bring hope to patients and communities by advancing biomedical knowledge through research. Our goal is to provide a forward-thinking medical education experience dedicated to scientific, evidence-based, patient-centered medicine to serve all communities, including those underserved. Submit a 2-minute video that answers one of the questions below. To submit a video of your response, please upload the video to YouTube as either Public or Unlisted. Do not upload it as Private. Enter the URL of the uploaded video into the text box below.
Now more instructions for the final 2 essays: PART 2: Select 2 out of the 4. Briefly describe the experience, state the circumstances of the experience (why you participated), what you learned about yourself through that experience (please put N/A in the text box for the 2 questions you chose not to answer before you submit)
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UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (TOLEDO, OHIO)
Essays 1. One of the AAMC Core Competencies for entering medical students involves cultural competence. The competency involves several distinct domains, including: a. Demonstrating knowledge of socio-cultural factors that affect interactions and behaviors; b. Showing an appreciation and respect for multiple dimensions of diversity; c. Recognizing and acting on the obligation to inform one’s own judgment; d. Engaging diverse and competing perspectives as a resource for learning, citizenship, and work; e. Recognizing and appropriately addressing bias in selves and others; f. Interacting effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. Discuss a specific experience from your life that you feel demonstrates your level of competence in one of the above domains. (Clearly indicate which of the six domains above that you are responding to.) As part of your discussion, explain how you feel this experience will impact your future contribution to the culture of diversity and inclusion at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences and later in your career as a physician. Max word count: 600 2. One of the AAMC Core Competencies for entering medical students involves resilience and adaptability. This competency involves the ability to tolerate stressful or changing environments or situations and adapt effectively to them. Additional characteristics of this competency are persistence and the ability to recover from setbacks. Discuss a specific experience from your life that you feel demonstrates your level of competence in resilience and adaptability as described above. As part of your discussion, explain how you feel this experience will help you meet new challenges you may face in medical school. Max word count: 600 3. (Optional) Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health crisis. Possible topics might include, for example: your biggest lessons and insights from the pandemic; creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis; hardships you may have faced as a result of the virus or quarantine. (You will have an opportunity to specifically discuss impacts to your coursework/grades in a separate item). Max word count: 600 Affiliations and Experiences 1. We invite you to briefly discuss any other connections you may have to The University of Toledo, the UToledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, the city of Toledo, or the region of Northwest Ohio or to provide additional information about the affiliations you noted above. Max word count: 500 2. Will one or more years have passed between your graduation from college/university (bachelor’s degree) and your expected matriculation to medical school? YES/NO If ‘YES’, please briefly describe what activities you are/have been engaged in during the period between undergraduate and medical school. Max word count: 300 3. Are you a re-applicant to the MD program at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences? If you indicated ‘YES,’: Please briefly describe how your application has changed since applying previously to our program. Max word count: 300 4. If you feel you have any aspects of your record that may potentially negatively influence your application to our medical school, we encourage you to use this space to discuss them in order to provide the admissions committee with further context about your application. (Examples of possible topics include MCAT scores lower than our class average, low grades, withdrawn course, institutional action/student conduct violation.) Max word count: 500 |
UNIFORMED SERVICES UNIVERSITY OF THE HEALTH SCIENCES – F. EDWARD HEBERT SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (BETHESDA, MARYLAND)
1. Medicine and Officership are time-honored professions that unite at “America’s Medical School” in rewarding and challenging ways. What are your thoughts and impressions about serving as a uniformed medical corps officer, and why do you want to pursue this career path? (1500 character limit) 2. The Uniformed Services University features a unique curriculum that prepares students to care for those in harm’s way. Please describe what in your research about our school and its values attracts you to our institution’s mission and approach. (1500 character limit) 3. USU strives to be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community. Our Admissions Committee assembles classes of students with a wide range of backgrounds, skills, experiences, and talents. Please describe how a special quality or experience of yours will help you participate effectively in this environment. (1500 character limit) |
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE)
We understand the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a particularly stressful time for many applicants. To allow applicants more time for reflection when completing our secondary application, we are publishing our secondary application essay prompts in advance. Please note that the MSTP and MIDP programs may have additional essay prompts for you to respond to.
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VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (RICHMOND, VIRGINIA)
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VIRGINIA TECH CARILION SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (ROANOKE, VIRGINIA)
(600 words each)
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UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA)
(all have a limit of 350 words or less): 1. Why are you interested in attending the University of Virginia School of Medicine? What factors will be most important to you in choosing a medical school? 2. How will you contribute to the diversity of your medical school class and the University of Virginia School of Medicine? 3. Describe a situation which you found challenging. How did you manage it? For MSTP applicants, there is also a fourth essay of 350 words or less with the following prompt: Below, please briefly discuss: a) the areas of biomedical research that interest you the most and why. b) the discovery in your laboratory experience that excited you the most and why. |
UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (BURLINGTON, VERMONT)
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WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE – BOWMAN GRAY CAMPUS (WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA)
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THE WARREN ALPERT MEDICAL SCHOOL OF BROWN UNIVERSITY (PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND)
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WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY ELSON S. FLOYD COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (SPOKANE, WASHINGTON)
Please respond to each essay below (each <300 words): 1. How will you contribute to the mission and vision of the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine? Support your response with your experiences and/or attributes. 2. What experiences have you had with rural and/or underserved communities/populations? What have you learned from these experiences? 3. Describe your connections to Washington communities and your interests in practicing medicine in Washington. 4. How have you built your resilience? 5. Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics or experiences that would add to the educational environment for your classmates. 6. If you are a re-applicant to WSU ESFCOM, describe what you have done since last applying to strengthen your candidacy for our medical school. If you are not a re-applicant to WSU ESFCOM, please leave blank. 7. “Please share any disruptions in your academic/volunteer/work/personal life related to COVID-19 that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider (not required). “ |
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS – SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI)
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WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (DETROIT, MICHIGAN)
(1250 characters each essay)
5b. If you are NOT a US citizen or Canadian citizen, upload a copy of current US visa(s), including Permanent Residency card (Green card). |
WEILL CORNELL MEDICAL COLLEGE (MANHATTAN, New York)
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WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA)
All have a word count max of 150. There is also an optional question on how the pandemic adversely affected your application. Max word count of 100. |
WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN)
“Please answer the three essay questions. You will be limited to 2000 characters for each essay question. This section is not timed. You may want to work on your responses offline in a word processor and then paste your responses in the answer box. If you are reapplying, please replace your previous essays with an updated response. DO NOT BE CONCERNED WITH WORD WRAPPING AND PARAGRAPH SPACING
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WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY – BOONSHOFT SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (DAYTON, OHIO)
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UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SCHOOL OF MEDICINE / ALASKA WWAMI
Autobiographical statement Autobiographical statement that includes (250-word limit):
Please do not repeat what you wrote in your AMCAS Personal Comments (this will already be on file with our office). If you have already covered all of the above topics in your AMCAS application, use this space to let the Admissions Committee know more about who you are in addition to being someone who wants to be a physician. Additional essays 4 additional short essays (250-word limit each)
For re-applicants: From your most recent application until now, how have you strengthened your application? |
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH (MADISON, WISCONSIN)
(4 Optional Essays)
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YALE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT)
Please submit answers to the following questions. Please limit your responses to approximately 500 words each. Required Essay 1: Yale School of Medicine values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician? Required Essay 2 (please select one of the following): MD applicants: Please answer either one of the following questions MD/PhD applicants: Please answer question 2 as it pertains to your proposed PhD research. 1. While there is great emphasis on the physician-patient relationship, Yale School of Medicine also emphasizes the importance of training future physicians to care for communities and populations. Describe how your experiences would contribute to this aspect of the mission of the Yale School of Medicine. 2. Research is essential to patient care, and all students at Yale School of Medicine complete a research thesis. Tell us how your research interests, skills and experiences would contribute to scholarship at Yale School of Medicine. This section is optional. It should be used to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee any important information (personal, academic, or professional) not discussed in other sections of your Yale Secondary Application. Please limit your response to 500 words. additional MD/PhD essay: Write a statement (approximately 500 words) concerning: ● Your reasons for wishing to undertake the combined MD/PhD program, rather than the MD program alone. ● The specific PhD program that you propose to follow at Yale. ● The strengths of that Yale graduate program and its faculty as they relate to your career goals. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to complete my medical school secondary essays?
The answer to this question is entirely dependent on the school. There will be a deadline listed on the application, so look closely for it. Some schools only give you a couple of weeks, while others allow up to a month or longer to answer the prompts.
We highly recommend submitting your medical school secondary essay prompts within two weeks, even if a month is allowed. How quickly you respond tells the admissions committee how much you care. But it can take time to brainstorm how you want to respond to a medical school secondary essay, which is why many students look up secondary writing prompts long before writing the essays.
Why do I need to write secondary essays?
Your personal statement should feel like enough, right? After all, it’s long, and you spent weeks writing it and perfecting it. And paired with your complete AMCAS application, you’ve provided a lot of information.
But that information is all generalized. The purpose of your medical school secondary essays is to help the admissions committee get to know you beyond your application. Sure, you volunteered at your local children’s hospital, but why? What was your purpose? Why did you want to work with children? Did that experience influence your desire to become a pediatrician?
There’s so much more to you as a person than your AMCAS application shows. Writing personalized medical school secondary essay prompts will help you stand out from the crowd and show the admissions committee why they should admit you.
I applied to 20 schools. How do I write up to 100 essays in two weeks?!
The secret to submitting essays in that two-week time frame is to begin your essays long before receiving your secondary applications. You see, it takes AMCAS up to a month to process your application, and it can take a couple of weeks for individual medical schools to send you the secondary essay.
Instead of anxiously waiting for six weeks for your secondaries, you can get busy creating outlines and working on the first drafts of your essays. Start by reaching out to the schools you’ve applied to in order to ensure you have the correct secondary essays. You’ll impress them with your drive and set yourself up for success.
Then, write your essays. You can write the same essays for different schools. For example, if you talk about overcoming a difficult challenge, you can change a few details and tailor them to each school. Many schools have the classic adversity question. Don’t feel like you have to write an entirely new essay for each school! Medical schools don’t compare the essays you write for them to the essays you’ve written for the other schools to which you’ve applied.
By the time your medical school secondary essays arrive, you’ll be well on your way to submitting them within two weeks.
I applied to 20 schools. Will I receive 20 secondary applications?
This entirely depends on the schools to which you’ve applied. Some schools automatically send medical school secondary essay prompts to every applicant. Other schools use the secondary application as part of their vetting process. Not receiving an application could mean you weren’t selected for the current admissions cycle. You can apply again next year if you really want to attend that school.
If you’re unsure whether an application is late or isn’t coming, visit that school’s website. They should tell you whether they automatically send out secondaries in the section for prospective students / applicants.
Does not receiving a secondary essay mean I’ve been rejected?
Nope. You haven’t been officially rejected from a medical school until you’ve received a rejection letter. If you don’t receive the medical school secondary essays, this might seem confusing. But nothing is stopping them from pulling out your application and sending you your secondary application later on. They might choose other applicants over you but then have a few seats left for the next incoming class. They want to fill those spots, so you’re now being considered. Of course, it’s up to you if you want to be a school’s second choice, but that’s not the point. You haven’t been rejected until you’ve received a rejection letter
Are secondary applications free?
Unfortunately not. You’ll pay an application fee for each secondary application you submit. Most schools charge an application fee to cover the cost of processing your application. Most of the time, that fee ranges from $50 to $100.
The exception is if your AMCAS application fee is waived due to financial hardship. If you can prove to AMCAS that you can’t afford to pay for your application, most medical schools will honor that and waive their fees.
Should I write the “optional” secondary essays?
This depends on the question. Some schools will ask you to explain any gaps in your education. If you don’t have any gaps, you don’t need to answer the question. But if you read a question like, “If there is anything else you’d like to admissions committee to know, you may include it here,” you should write it.
Even though the essay is “optional,” your response (or lack thereof) will be used to evaluate you and determine whether to invite you to an interview. You can explain an issue on your application, a gap in your education (if there’s not a separate question for that), an experience that helped shape you, etc. Simply put, we recommend writing optional essays.
But please don’t write an essay just to write it. There should be substance to your essay. Writing something weak and un-meaningful will hurt your application instead of helping you impress the admissions committee.
I have a lot to say. How do I stay within my word count?
This can be challenging! But we have a solution for you. Simply format your essay with the following format, and then write the least amount that you can for each section.
- Introduction: Start with a meaningful sentence that catches the reader’s attention.
- Body: Describe three experiences to respond to the prompt.
- Show what your experience was like. Don’t tell. Describe what the weather was like instead of saying it was hot. “Even though it was over 100 degrees outside and I couldn’t stop sweating, I thoroughly enjoyed…” is stronger than “It was hot outside, but I thoroughly enjoyed….”
- Conclusion: Tie your experiences back to the essay prompt. Include enough details to flesh out your essay, but leave room for the admissions committee to get to know you better.
Reach out to us if you’re having a hard time with one of your essays. Our medical school admissions consulting includes support for your medical school secondary essay prompts. We can help you nail down what’s important, so you can remove what can be left out. We promise it’s possible to stay within your word count!
How long does it take to write a secondary essay?
If you’ve been writing essays for years, it won’t take you very long. But if writing isn’t your strength, it could take you a while. But don’t panic. Many medical school secondary essay prompts are only 250 to 500 words long. If you have five to write for one school, that’s only 2,500 words. That might seem like a lot, but that’s better than five 2,500-word essays!
We recommend writing all your essays within two weeks. The latest you should start writing your essays is when you submit your AMCAS. This will give you enough time to submit all your essays on time.
Nothing is stopping you from writing multiple essays at once or writing essays for different schools simultaneously. You’ll find your flow and what works best for you as you write.
Can I use the same essay for different schools?
Yes. You don’t need to worry about plagiarizing yourself. But make sure you carefully read the essay prompt first. The essay might not be asking the same question. It’s essential to provide an answer on par with the question being asked.
If you use the same essay twice, tailor it to each school. Change a few details to make it original. Submitting the same essay word for word is never a good idea.
Can I re-use an experience from my AMCAS?
We know it’s tough to keep all your content fresh, but it’s imperative to try. Many secondary applications prohibit re-using an experience you’ve already listed. Ideally, you should have enough experiences to talk about something new each time. One way to accomplish this is only to discuss one experience per essay. You might have several experiences that work well in response to an essay prompt. But picking one will save the other experiences for other essays. If you genuinely can’t think of something to write about, reach out to us. We can help you brainstorm essay topics.
What are the most common secondary essay prompts?
The essays topics we most often see include diversity, adversity, future goals, educational gaps and program choice.
What if I have gaps in my education? How do I explain what happened?
We understand being nervous about answering this question, especially if you just had a bad semester. Maybe your mental health was suffering from COVID, and you just couldn’t handle online classes. That could make you feel inadequate for medical school, when in reality, it just means that you do better with classroom settings and interpersonal communication.
We recommend taking anything negative and sharing what you learned from it and how it will help you in the future with your education or career. Creating a positive spin on a negative experience will show your ability to work through challenging circumstances while keeping your head up. Just make sure you’re honest in your answers and that you’re taking responsibility for your actions.
Help! I don’t know what I want to specialize in!
That’s totally fine. Most medical school applicants don’t know what they want to study. And many who think they know change their course of study as they progress in their education. If you have an idea of what you want to study, you should include that interest in your essays. But if you don’t know, just focus on why medicine matters to you. Include what interests you. Share what you want to learn.
Maybe you want to work with underserved populations or in a rural area. Perhaps you want your MD / PhD, so you can split your time between medicine and research. You should include these things, even if you can’t include all the details. Admissions committees will understand that the details will evolve as you progress in your education.
I’ve never faced a significant challenge before. How do I write an adversity essay?
Some applicants will have faced far greater struggles than others. But don’t fall into the trap of thinking you can’t write about a minor challenge. What’s inconsequential to you could be significant to someone else, and vice versa. If the adversity you faced helped forge your path in medicine, you should absolutely write about it. Write about genuine experiences that have helped you pursue medicine. That’s what the admissions committee wants to see.
Are you overwhelmed with writing your medical school secondary essays? We understand. Applying to medical school involves a ton of writing. If you were an English undergrad, you might have things under control. But otherwise, it’s natural to need help. And while friends and family can be helpful, sometimes you need a professional set of eyes to review your application and help you improve your essays.
International Medical Aid offers medical school admissions consulting, including support for your medical school secondary essays. We can help you brainstorm topics for essay prompts. We can help you create an outline, revise your essay, and proofread it before submitting it. The only thing we can’t do is write it for you.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need help with your essays! It’s what we’re here for you. Let International Medical Aid help you succeed.