# Medical School Secondary Essays: February 2021 List

The following is a comprehensive list of medical school secondary essays. Click on each school name to review the secondary essay prompts for each school. Check out our medical school secondary essay examples devoted to answering the most common secondary essay prompts on this list. 

**_Note:_** If you would like to navigate to specific sections of the article, click "Article Contents" above (on mobile) or on the right (desktop) to see an overview of the content.

**Important** : while we take care to update the list regularly, you are responsible for your own results. That includes checking with the official admissions office to make sure you have the most up to date med school secondary essay prompts.

## Medical School Secondary Essays List:

Albany Medical College (Albany, New York)

If you are interested in obtaining the MD/Ph.D. or the MD/MBA degrees, please check the corresponding box. The application for the Ph.D. is submitted after the second year of the MD program; the application for the MBA is submitted after acceptance to the MD program. Please note that admittance to the MD program does not guarantee admittance to either of these programs.

MD/Ph.D. MD/MBA

If you have previously applied to the Albany Medical College, indicate the year(s) and the disposition of your application. (Check all boxes that apply)

If you have previously applied to medical school, but were unsuccessful, how have you spent your time since then?

(1,000 character limit)

Describe yourself:

(1,000 character limit)

Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores.

(1,000 character limit)

Has your college or university, graduate or professional school attendance been interrupted for any reason? If yes, please explain. Also, please explain any gaps in your post-graduate history.

(1,000 character limit)

Tell us one thing about yourself that would help the Admissions Committee determine if you should be admitted to our program.

(1,000 character limit)

EXPERIENCES

In the “Work and Activities” section on your AMCAS application, you provided the following list of experiences. Please select the experience that you feel has been the most meaningful in influencing your desire to pursue a career in medicine, explain why, and also describe what aspect of that experience best equips you to make an impact in the medical profession.

(1,000 character limit)

The COVID-19 epidemic has changed the landscape of medicine. Please tell us how the COVID-19 epidemic has changed the landscape of medicine from your perspective. (You will have an opportunity to specifically discuss impacts to your coursework/grades in a separate item.) 

(1,000 character limit)  


Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University (Bronx, New York)

Series of yes or no questions. Any ‘yes’ answer requires a brief 100 word explanation.

I have taken time off between high school and college

(Please explain your activities in detail, and your reasons for taking time off, and include dates)

I have taken time off during my undergraduate years

(Please explain your activities in detail, and your reasons for taking time off, and include dates)

I have taken off at least a year since college graduation

(Please explain your activities in detail, and your reasons for taking time off, and include dates)

I plan to take off this year, after just having graduated, while I apply to medical school.

(Please explain what you plan to do this year and please provide confirmation of your plans when they are complete.)

I have taken and received credit for online courses

(Please note that the College does not accept online courses that are not offered by (as opposed to, approved by) your undergraduate or graduate institution. If you have taken online courses, please indicate what courses, where they were taken, and why you elected to take the courses online.)

I have worked part- or full-time, for pay, during the academic year while in college.

(Please indicate when you worked, e.g., freshman year, what months of the year you worked, and how many hours. Briefly describe the work you did.)

I have applied to medical school previously

(Please list schools and year of application, and tell us what actions you have taken to improve your application.)

I have submitted an AMCAS application to Einstein previously

(Please keep in mind that if you completed two prior applications, you are ineligible for reapplication.)

(Please indicate whether you completed the application process for Einstein, the year(s) you applied, and whether you were interviewed.)

I am presently enrolled in the Sue Golding Graduate Division

(Please indicate the year you enrolled, when you plan to take your qualifying examination, and the name of your mentor/department. It is required that your mentor write a letter of recommendation on your behalf.)

I am presently enrolled as an undergraduate student at Yeshiva University

(Please indicate the month and year that you will graduate.)

I had been accepted to medical school previously but chose not to matriculate (Please indicate the name of the school, the year, and your reasons for not matriculating.)

I had been enrolled previously in a medical school

(Please indicate the name of the school, the dates of your enrollment, and your reason for leaving.)

I have not yet completed all of the competencies

(Please indicate what you are missing, and when and how you plan completion.)

I will have a Baccalaureate Degree by the time I matriculate in medical school

(Please indicate why you will not have your Degree.)

I am presently holding a deferred enrollment to a medical/professional school

(Please indicate where you are holding a deferral and why you are applying to Einstein now.)

I have received a grade of “F” during my college/graduate school years

(Please indicate the name of the course and the reason for the failure.)

I have received a grade of “D” during my college/graduate school years

(Please indicate the name of the course and the reason for this grade.)

I have received a grade of “W” during my college/graduate school years

(Please indicate the name of the course and the reason for this grade.)

I have received a grade of “I” during my college/graduate school years

(Please indicate the name of the course and the reason for this grade.)

I have transferred from one college to another during my undergraduate years

(Please explain why you chose to transfer, and indicate the names of the colleges involved.)

I have been the recipient of a warning notice for a non-academic issue that did not result in a disciplinary action

(Please explain when, where and why.)

I have been subject to a disciplinary action and/or an administrative action, expunged or not, while in school

(If yes, please answer the following questions.)

Expunged? No Yes

How many warnings did you receive prior to an action being placed on your record?

(Please explain how all of the above affected you.)

I have disciplinary charges pending

(Please explain in detail.)

I have been convicted of a crime

(Please explain in detail.)

I expect that there will be criminal charges brought against me which are now pending

(Please explain in detail.)

I have been prohibited or suspended from practicing in a professional capacity due to or as a result of alleged misconduct

(Please explain in detail.)

University of Alabama School of Medicine (Birmingham, AL)

1\. Where do you see yourself in your medical career fifteen to twenty years from now? (750 characters)

2\. Please share any information you want us to know about you that is not included in your AMCAS application or in this secondary application. (750 characters)

3\. Briefly indicate how you would add diversity to our medical school class. (750 characters)

4\. Please describe if and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected your preparation for applying to medical school. (750 characters)

5\. Describe an observed patient-physician interaction, what you learned from the experience, and how those lessons will impact your approach to patient care. (750 characters)

6\. Describe a fulfilling or challenging community service experience and how you grew personally from the experience. (750 characters)

University of Arizona College of Medicine (Phoenix, AZ)

The limit is 1,000 characters for each prompt.

1\. I previously applied to any medical school (select yes if you submitted a primary or secondary application).

2\. If yes, please provide specific examples that illustrate how you are a stronger applicant this cycle?

3\. If you were to describe the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix to someone else, what would you share with them?

4\. What achievement are you most proud of? What aspect of this achievement will you bring to our medical school?

5\. The UA College of Medicine – Phoenix practices Inclusive Excellence, which celebrates the differences, talents, and unique qualities of all individuals. Please describe how you will pursue Inclusive Excellence in your studies while contributing to the collaborative environment at the College of Medicine - Phoenix.

6\. Servant Leadership is a Core Value and Attribute we deem essential for our students to possess. To us, it is service to others where one possesses personal humility along with a strong professional will. Describe a time where you have practiced this skill or have seen this in another. What traits were exemplified, and how will you apply these traits to your career in medicine?

7\. Were there any significant disruptions in your academic, volunteer, work, or personal life related to COVID-19 that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee?

8\. Please reflect on your entire application, is there anything you would like to further share with the Admissions Committee? Items to consider: connection(s) to Phoenix and/or our medical community, your plan during this application season, gap(s) in your education, personal and/or academic challenges. Do not repeat any information already mentioned in the primary or secondary applications.

University of Arizona College of Medicine (Tucson, AZ)

1\. Please share a meaningful experience you have had working or volunteering in the health professional field or a time in your past in which you were responsible for the care and well-being of someone else. What did you learn from this as it relates to becoming a physician? (Limit: 350 words)

2\. Discuss a time in your life in which you have failed at something other than an academic experience. How did you confront the failure and what did you learn from it? Please describe how you typically approach challenges that you face in your life. (Limit: 350 words)

3\. "The mission of the University of Arizona College of Medicine Office of Admissions is to select a diverse cohort of students who will become the future leaders in advancing health care to the distinct communities that comprise Arizona and the United States. Consistent with the mission of The University of Arizona College of Medicine, selection of individuals with a demonstrated commitment to serve as care providers, physician scientists, clinical leaders, medical educators and/or public health experts, including advocates for rural and urban underserved populations, is highly valued. Applicants seeking admission should exhibit qualities of altruism, academic excellence, leadership and dedication to becoming lifelong learners through research endeavors and academic development."

4\. Please describe the role(s) you can play in helping the College of Medicine to achieve its mission. (Limit: 350 words)

5\. Describe the effect that your experiences with engaging diversity have had on your own growth and development. Provide an example and describe how it will impact your career in the medical profession. (Limit: 350 words)

6\. Share any disruptions in your academic/volunteer/work/personal life related to COVID-19 that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider.

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences — College of Medicine (Little Rock, AR)

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)

1\. Indicate any special experiences, unusual factors or other information you feel would be helpful in evaluating you, including, but not limited to, education, employment, extracurricular activities, prevailing over adversity. You may expand upon but not repeat AMCAS application information. 2000 character limit.

2\. If you took a gap year there is a 2,000 character “What did you do during your gap year” question.

3\. If you are a career changer there is this: Is becoming a physician a second career for you? If so, what was your first career choice? (2,000 char)

MSTP:

Please describe your primary research Interests for the PhD portion of dual degree training including potential Baylor College of Medicine or Rice University faculty with whom you would like to work. (Will not limit final research project or mentor selection) Limit essay to 2000 characters.

Boston University School of Medicine (Boston, MA)

1\. Are you expecting to go on to medical school directly after completing your undergraduate degree? (1400 characters)

2\. If you have spent more than 4 years as an undergraduate, please explain below (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\. 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\. 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 (3000 characters).

Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University (Greenville, NC)

Please complete this section using the prompt given. Your essay should be limited to 300-500 words and it is strongly recommended that you not copy and paste your AMCAS application essay.

Reflect on your reasons for desiring to study medicine, your future professional aspirations, your most significant clinical experience, and also your most meaningful non-medical experience. (300-500 words) (optional)

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact on everyday life across the world. From your perspective, reflect upon what you have learned or experienced during this time and how will this impact you going forward. (300-500 words)

University at Buffalo – School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (The State University of 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, CA)

(Required) Why have you chosen to apply to CNUCOM? (250 words maximum)

(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)

(Required) What has been your biggest challenge in pursuing medicine? What have you learned as a result? (250 words maximum)

(Required) In which direction would you like to see healthcare progress over the next decade? (250 words maximum)

(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)

(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)

(Required) Is there anything you would like the Admissions Committee to know that is not reflected elsewhere in your application? (250 words maximum)

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (Cleveland, Ohio)

Essay: Greatest Challenge

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 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.

Essay: Gap Year

Did you take a gap year? Yes / No

If you are taking time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation, please tell us in no more than four sentences what you are doing during this gap, and why.

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.

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (Los Angeles, CA)

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, IL)

1\. Please discuss challenges in your journey thus far to medical school. (150 words)

2\. Please specially discuss how, if admitted to our program, your admission would contribute to the diversity of the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science community. (150 words)

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, NY)

1\. If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)

2\. Did you work for compensation during college, during the year, or the summer? If so, how many hours a week? (300 words)

3\. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)

4\. Please describe your most meaningful leadership positions. (300 words)

5\. Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons 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? (300 words)

6\. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (400 words)

MSTP:

7\. What Academic Honors Have You Received? (e.g. prizes, scholarships, fellowships, honors societies). (5000 Characters)

8\. What are your major research interests? (20 words)

9\. PhD Goals (5000 characters)

10\. Additional Information (5000 Characters)

Columbia Bassett:

7\. Columbia-Bassett application adds one essay of “What aspect of Columbia-Bassett has the most appeal to you?”

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (Camden, NJ)

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, NE)

1\. Please state your reasons for applying to Creighton University School of Medicine. (2,000 characters)

2\. In Creighton’s Jesuit, Catholic tradition, the mission of the School of Medicine is to improve the human condition with a diverse body of students, faculty and staff who provide excellence in educating students, physicians and the public, advancing knowledge and providing comprehensive patient care. Please describe the role(s) you can play in helping the School or Medicine achieve its mission. (2,000 characters)

3\. Describe how you have dealt with a personal challenge or major obstacle that you have overcome. Focus on what you learned about yourself and how it will help you during the challenges you might face in medical school. (2,000 characters)

University of California Davis – School of Medicine (Sacramento, CA)

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, CA)

1\. What personal accomplishment are you most proud of and why? (1500 char)

2\. Please describe to the Admissions Committee a challenge you have overcome and what you learned about yourself from that experience. (1500 char)

Do you have a baccalaureate degree? (Y/N)

This essay is only for applicants that have already received their baccalaureate degree. Please clarify for the Admissions Committee your activities (school, work, and/or volunteer, travel, etc.) since receiving your undergraduate degree. You may list them in chronological order or you may incorporate them into an essay, stating why you chose particular activities. (1500 char)

PRIME-LC program essays:

Do you wish to be considered for the Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community? (Y/N)

1\. Please describe how you have served your community (school, neighborhood, city, etc.) and how these experiences have prepared you for PRIME-LC. (1500 char)

2\. Please describe the reason for your interest to be trained as a physician leader for the Latino community. In addition, explain how you intend to utilize the PRIME-LC specialized training to impact community health and health services for the Latino community. (1500 char)

University of California Riverside – School of Medicine (Riverside, CA)

1\. Describe the single MOST important event or non-academic activity in your life and explain why it’s significant.

2\. What activity or accomplishment are you MOST proud of?

3\. What experiences or activities have prepared you to work with medically underserved communities?

4\. Please list any Scholastic Activities that you have been involved with (including honors and awards)

5\. Describe a major problem you have had to deal with at some time in your life. Include how you dealt with it and how it influenced your growth.

6\. Is there any specific hardship to which you would like the committee to give special attention in evaluating your application? Please briefly explain below. (Include any geographic, language, economic, academic, physical, or mental factors.)

7\. What kind of health care setting do you envision yourself working in?

8\. How do you see yourself contributing to the mission of the UCR School of Medicine?

9\. PERSONAL STATEMENT: Your personal statement from the AMCAS application will be used in our admissions process. You do not need to duplicate it here. At your option, you may use this space to provide any further information you may want us to consider in addition to the AMCAS personal statement. THIS IS NOT MANDATORY.

10\. If you click Yes for disadvantaged student -> Describe the manner in which your experiences demonstrate your understanding of, and commitment to, underserved communities . Please limit your response to 250 words

University of California San Diego – School of Medicine (San Diego, CA)

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)

  * Academic Medicine (Working as a faculty member at a School of Medicine either as a clinician, a clinician-educator, or a clinician investigator. This could be in any field of medicine)
  * Primary Care and/or work in underserved communities (Working as a general internist, a pediatrician, or a family medicine physician and/or spending the majority of your time working in a community currently underserved by the medical profession)
  * Public Health, administrative leadership in medicine (Pursuing an MPH and/or working for a public health department or organization; working in health care policy; working as a hospital administrator)
  * Specialist in private practice (Working in a private practice or managed care setting as a subspecialist. Examples include cardiologist, infectious disease specialist, obstetrician, orthopedic surgeon, general surgeon, anaesthesiologist, radiologist)
  * Other/undecided

University of California San Francisco – School of Medicine (San Francisco, CA)

1\. Applicants are interviewed by invitation only. Please note that we do not conduct regional interviews. Interviews are scheduled from September to February (days vary). Please let us know if you will be out of the country during the interview season. (300 words)

2\. If you wish to update or expand upon your activities, you may provide additional information below. (500 words)

3\. If you are 2019 or earlier college graduate, please use the space below to tell us what you have done since completing your undergraduate degree. (350 words)

University of Central Florida College of Medicine (Orlando, FL)

500 characters

1) If you are NOT a Florida resident, please describe any connection to UCF COM, UCF, or Florida.

2) If you do not expect to spend the academic year enrolled in an academic program, please explain how you will use this time.

3) Have you experienced academic difficulties, had any grades below "B minus," or any course withdrawals while in college?

4) Please let us know, by way of a percentage, how you prepared yourself for the MCAT examination using the following three (3) methods. Your response should add up to 100%.(1) A commercial test preparation service (Kaplan/Princeton Review, etc.); (2) A review course created by an undergraduate institution; (3) Self-study with books and or online resources (Khan Academy, AAMC, etc.). *Your answer should look something like: 30/30/40 = 100%

750 characters:

5) What breakthrough in clinical or research medicine would you like to see occur within the span of your career in medicine? Why?

6) The complexity of healthcare delivery increasingly requires interdisciplinary teamwork. What lessons have you learned from sports, music, business or other experiences have prepared you to succeed in this environment?

7) What profession would you choose if not medicine?

8) Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the 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; academic or personal hardships you may have faced as a result of the virus or quarantine, etc.

9) Please share with the Admissions Committee why you are interested in UCF COM.

"No more than 2 pages":

Please provide a short essay to help us understand who you are. This essay should be different from your AMCAS Personal Statement. UCF COM places great value on the broad diversity of our students within the classroom. We believe the diverse characteristics of each individual in the class are important factors in serving the educational missions of this school and of our community. Please discuss any unique, personally important and/or challenging experiences in your background that have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and service to others. These may include experiences such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, cultural background, or other significant events or circumstances that you feel have shaped your character and defined you as an individual. We are also interested on your thoughts about what you can contribute to your class and the medical profession in general.

University of Chicago – Pritzker School of Medicine (Chicago, IL)

Our mission statement is an expression of our core purpose and educational philosophy. In particular, it highlights the value we place on diversity, the creation of new knowledge, service, and leadership. We look forward to learning more about you and your fit for our mission through the following questions.

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, OH)

All have a 2000 character max, COVID-19 has a N/A box if the question does not apply to you.

1\. Please explain both of the following: 1) the specific reason(s) you have chosen to apply to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and 2) how you will utilize the unique features of our curriculum, institution, city, and/our mission to achieve your career goals.

2\. Please describe the reasons that you have chosen to specifically apply your skills to the career of a physician and what specific ways your personality, talents, attributes, etc. will contribute to the practice of clinical medicine.

3\. The University of Cincinnati is highly committed to selecting and cultivating students who can transform the field of medicine through the use of their distinct talents and attributes. Please tell us how you offer “diversity of thought” to our incoming class. Please also consider sharing unique, personally important, and/or challenging factors in your background that represent the diversity that you bring.

4\. 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 and September, 2020.

5\. We understand that all applicants have been affected by the COVID-19 public health crisis. Please use the space below to describe any specific and significant disruptions you experienced which you would like the Admissions Committee to consider while reviewing your application.

University of Colorado School of Medicine (Denver, CO)

Required Colorado Essay

Part A. The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.

Part B. Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. If you are a reapplicant, please include information on how your application has changed.

Please answer both parts in this single essay. Limit the essay to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

Part C. If you are a re-applicant, please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission. Limit this response to 1500 Characters.

Urban Track (only if you select this optional track):

Please answer each of the questions below separately. This statement should not exceed 4500 characters, including spaces (approximately 750 words). Do not repeat the content from your AMCAS or Colorado Secondary Application essays.

● A. Describe the type of urban community health project that would be of greatest interest to you. Try to be as specific as possible regarding a particular culture or population of patients you are interested in and a topic you would like to study.

○ 1. Reasons for your interest in the CU-UNITE Urban Underserved track.

○ 2. If you have had a prior experience in an urban underserved community either volunteer, work-related, and/or personal, describe how this has impacted your decision to apply to this track.

● B. Describe how you plan to incorporate urban underserved health care into your career following completion of your schooling.

● C. You are a student spending your first summer working in an urban-underserved, uninsured community in Denver. You are on a field visit and notice a car that appears to be abandoned, but then on closer observation you notice that there are small children asleep in the back seat wearing dirty clothes with left over fast food on the floor boards. You notice a strong odor of urine and feces coming from the car. A woman is sitting under a tree nearby and is also poorly dressed and unkempt and appears to be in her last trimester of pregnancy. She has visible lesions on her legs and arms. Identify the needs that you see in this family from the perspective of a student working with urban underserved uninsured populations. Please describe how you would attempt to address the needs of this family both in context of their potential health issues and social situation.

Rural Track (only if you select this optional track):

Describe your experience in and commitment to rural Colorado and your vision of working as a primary care physician in rural Colorado. Please limit your rural track essay to 1500 characters or less (about 300 words).

University of Connecticut School of Medicine (Farmington, CT)

(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, NH)

1\. Please indicate your plans for the upcoming year. (No indicated word count)

2\. Please share something about yourself that is not addressed elsewhere in your application that you feel might be helpful to our Admissions committee. (No indicated word count)

3\. Geisel School of Medicine values social justice and diversity in all its forms. Reflect on a situation where you were the “other”. (250 words)

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (Los Angeles, CA)

1\. Describe your involvement in the one most important non-academic activity in your life. (800 char)

2\. What has been the one most unique leadership, entrepreneurial or creative activity in which you participated? (800 char)

3\. What has been the one most important volunteer work you have done and why was it meaningful? (800 char)

4\. Has there been or will there be a gap between achieving your last degree (baccalaureate or other degrees post baccalaureate) and the expected time of medical school matriculation? (300 char to explain if yes)

5\. What is the one most important honor you have received? Why do you view this as important? (300 char)

6\. What has been your most scholarly project (thesis, research or field of study in basic or clinical science or in the humanities)? Describe one and give number of hours, dates and advisor. (300 char)

7\. Describe a problem in your life. Include how you dealt with it and how it influenced your growth. (500 char)

8\. Please list any major paid work experience during or since college. (4000 characrers per work experience)

9\. Is there any hardship to which you would like the committee to give special attention in evaluating your application? (500 char)

10\. Where do you see yourself post-graduate education? What experiences have led you to this goal? (500 char)

11\. Describe how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted your pathway to medical school. Include any academic, personal, financial or professional barriers, as well as any other relevant information. (500 char)

MSTP:

1\. What are your specific areas of interest at UCLA (List names of faculty at UCLA whose work is of interest) (4000 char)

2\. What are your specific areas of interest at Caltech (List names of faculty at Caltech whose work is of interest) (4000 char)

3\. Research experience: For each experience, please list the following:

PI of Lab

Name of direct supervisor

Institution

Start Date

End Date

Role in Lab (e.g. paid/volunteer research position. Please include the total number of hours for each project after each description) (4000 characters each)

4\. References (Please list the names of people who submitted a letter of recommendation in support of your MSTP application to AMCAS. For this section, please list ONLY those whose letter is relevant to your research experience/s):

5\. Please list all of your publications and manuscripts in press (please do not include submitted manuscripts), with a full list of authors, title, journal, issue, and page number, and provide a PubMed ID number. Please describe in one sentence your role in that publication (e.g., "I designed and performed the experiments described in Figure X and Y, I analyzed data for Figure Z, and I wrote portions of the manuscript.". If you do not have publications please write "None" (do not list Abstracts or any presentations at research conferences).

6\. Statement of Purpose (Please discuss your motivation for pursuing an MD PhD) (4000 char)

7\. Personal Comments (Is there anything that you would like for us to considered when reviewing your MSTP application) (4000 char)

Drexel University College of Medicine (Philadelphia, PA)

1\. If you are a recent graduate, please tell us what you have been doing since graduation. You may answer "Not applicable". (no limit)

2\. What else do you feel is important for us to know about you? You can use this space to highlight something not addressed in your application, including new experiences not in your AMCAS application. You can also talk about how COVID -19 impacted you. For example, it may have caused disruptions or changes in your plans. If there is something you would like to share regarding how this event impacted you, share that information here. (500 word limit)

Duke University School of Medicine (Durham, NC)

1\. Tell us more about who you are. You may provide additional information that expands your self-identity where gender identification, racial and/or ethnic self description, geographic origin, socioeconomic, academic, and/or other characteristics that define who you are as you contemplate a career that will interface with people who are similar AND dissimilar to you. You will have the opportunity below to tell us how you wish to be addressed, recognized and treated. (500 words)

2\. Describe a situation where you have chosen to advocate for someone who is different from yourself. What does advocacy mean to you and how has your advocacy developed? What risks, if any, might be associated with your choice to be an advocate? (400 words)

3\. Success can arise from failure. What have you gained from your failed experiences and how does this translate in your current way of thinking? (400 words)

4\. What has been your most humbling experience and how will that experience affect your interactions with your peers and patients? (400 words)

5\. Leadership, teamwork, and communication operate synergistically. What do you value most as a leader and member of a team? What attributes do you possess as a leader and how will you apply them every day? (400 words)

6\. Critical thinking involves a number of characteristics. Research experience either enhances or perfects critical analysis skills. Describe any research experience or another situation in which you utilized critical thinking. Why is research or critical thinking important to your future career? (400 words)

7\. Describe your understanding of race and its relationship to inequities in health and health care? (400 words)

8\. How has the COVID-19 pandemic influenced your journey to medical school? Have these events changed your outlook on medicine’s role in society? (400 words)

Optional questions:

9\. If one of the above identities do not best describe you, then what identity do you feel most comfortable with?(optional)

I self-identify as... (50 words)

11\. In addition to the broad categorization of race, ethnicity, geographic origin, socioeconomic status as provided through your AMCAS application, you may use the text box below to provide additional clarifying information that may reflect the impact of any of these parameters on your development thus far as well as the impact that these may have had on your path to a career in medicine and your plans for the future. (optional) (200 words)

East Tennessee State University – James H. Quillen College of Medicine (Johnson City, TN)

The AMCAS application is not designed to capture unique, special, or unusual circumstances. With this in mind, what other information would help the Admissions Committee obtain a more comprehensive picture of your candidacy?

Examples of issues that a candidate might address include, but are by no means limited to, such topics as:

● If there have been breaks in your school attendance since high school, or if you ever carried less than a full-time course load in college, or if you took more than four years to finish college, what did you choose to do with the time and why?

● What endeavors other than medicine have you abandoned or postponed in order to pursue your current path, and how did you make those decisions?

● Why would you be a good fit for Quillen?

These are just examples. You may address any topic that you want the admissions committee to consider. However, please remember that the task is to expand thoughtfully upon the AMCAS application, not to repeat it.

The information provided should, to the greatest extent possible, not duplicate information found elsewhere in the AMCAS application and must be limited to 5000 characters.

Eastern Virginia Medical School (Norfolk, VA)

2000 characters max each

Briefly describe your exposure to medicine:

What do you think you will like best about being a physician?

What do you think you will like least about being a physician?

Describe yourself and your medical career as you see it ten years from now:

Please indicate your reasons for applying to EVMS:

Emory University School of Medicine (Atlanta, GA)

List your entire curriculum plan for the 2018-2019 academic year. If you are not currently in school, please briefly describe your plans for the coming year. (200 Words)

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)

Briefly describe your interest in Emory and the Emory degree program you have selected. (200 Words)

What do you consider to be the role of the physician in the community? (200 Words)

If you have any updates or new information to report since you have submitted your AMCAS primary application, please briefly describe below. (200 Words)

Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine (Boca Raton, Florida)

1\. Whether or not you will be a full-time student, please provide details of your activities/employment for the application year (1200 char)

2\. Tell us why you would like to be admitted to the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at FAU. What makes you a good fit for our College of Medicine? (1600 char)

3\. Tell us about your most meaningful community service experience. How did you grow? What did you learn? What did you enjoy about serving others? (not related to patient care, if none, please write none) (1600 char)

4\. Tell us about your leadership experience(s) and/or key leadership skills. (Organized a fund raiser, club/organization officer role, how do you motivate or influence people, if none, please write none) (1600 char)

5\. Briefly describe a situation where you had to overcome adversity; include lessons learned and how you think it will affect your career as a future physician (if none, please write none) (1600 char)

6\. Diversity means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing our individual differences. Describe what uniqueness you would bring to the Schmidt College of Medicine. We are proud to already have a medical school rich in cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity. What values, skills, talents, and life experiences would you add to our culture? (1600 char)

7\. You may have worked during or after college. Having to maintain paid employment can be challenging, yet it can also develop a number of qualities that can help you succeed in medical school, as well as beyond. Tell us about your most meaningful paid employment. What was it about the experience that made it meaningful? What qualities and skills did the job help you develop and strengthen? What traits do you feel you learned while with that employer and/or the work experience? (Experience does not need to be related to patient care, if none, please write none) (1600 char)

8\. As a community Florida Atlantic University Schmidt College of Medicine has made a commitment to be anti-racist and address systemic racism in education and healthcare (http://med.fau.edu/home/diversity/index.php). Institutionalized racism can be defined as "macro level systems, social forces, institutions, ideologies, and processes that interact with one another to generate and reinforce inequities among racial and ethnic groups." As a future medical student at FAU, how can you play an active role in addressing and dismantling systemic racism (https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/health-equity/racism-and-health)? (1600 char)

9\. One of the values of the Florida Atlantic University Schmidt College of Medicine is to provide the best medical care for all people. A major challenge for all physicians to provide the best medical care are Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). These can be defined as "conditions in the social, physical, and economic environment in which people are born, live, work, and age." What will you as a future doctor do to address SDOH? (1600 char)

Florida International University College of Medicine (Miami, FL)

The character limit for each essay is 1200 (including spaces).

1\. Explain in detail an experience in which you collaborated, worked or were exposed to diverse backgrounds different from your own. Please describe the impact the experience had on you.

2\. Given the unique mission of the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, how do you know we will be a mission fit for you?

3\. Describe how you have dealt with a personal or academic challenge. Focus on what you learned about yourself and how it will help you during the challenges you might face in medical school.

4\. Your patient has a rare disease and would be a great candidate for an experimental new treatment. You are the principal investigator for the research project and you and your Chair would like to pursue this experiment with the patient. The parents of your patient are adamant against the treatment. How would you handle this situation?

Florida State University College of Medicine (Tallahassee, FL)

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, FL)

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, CT)

1\. If you will not be enrolled as a full-time student, how will you be spending/intend to spend your time during your application year? (Limit 150 Words)

2\. What area of medicine do you envision yourself working in at the end of your training? What is shaping your vision? (Limit 100 Words)

3\. Is there anything not captured in your application that you would like to share? (Limit 150 Words)

4\. What non-academic advice would you give to your younger self? (150 words)

5\. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, what adjustments would you see as necessary and beneficial to the delivery of health care? (150 words)

6\. Physicians are often called upon to play a leadership role within a healthcare team. Give an example of how you have developed your leadership skills. (150 words)

7\. Discuss an experience you have undertaken outside your comfort zone and detail why you sought out this particular experience. (150 words)

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, HI)

*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, IL)

In addition to training as a competent physician please select up to two additional areas of interest from the items below that you may want to pursue during your medical studies. Your responses will have no bearing on applications to joint degrees or special programs to which you might also apply.

1\. Simulation

2\. Research in healthcare delivery

3\. Basic science research

4\. Interdisciplinary collaboration

5\. Healthcare disparities

6\. Academic medicine

7\. Global Health

8\. Community Health (urban)

9\. Community Health (rural)

10\. Innovation Medicine

Provide a short, 300-500 words, statement on your interest and how you see it influencing your learning.

Please begin your statement with the letter(s) representing the area(s) of interest enclosed in parentheses as a programmatic queue. Separate multiple areas of interest with a comma. For example, your essay would begin as follows, if you chose Simulation and Research in healthcare delivery: (A,B) …

If you choose just one additional area of interest: (A) …

—–

Describe any advantages and/or complications you encountered during your progression in education. Please include any noteworthy achievements and/or obstacles. (Examples: Acute or chronic illnesses, employment, financial difficulty, managerial role in household, etc.) (Don’t exceed 150 words)

If you did not experience an advantage and/or complication during your education please indicate ‘Not Applicable’

University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine (Iowa City, IA)

1-3 are required, 4-5 are “optional, but should be completed if the situations apply to you”

1500 characters for 1, 2, 4, and 5. 3 has max of 15 entries and 175 characters per entry

Question 1: We understand you may be applying to multiple medical schools. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Carver College of Medicine.

Question 2: Describe any unique personal characteristics and obstacles you may have overcome that will contribute to the diversity of, and bring educational benefits to, the entering class.

Question 3: Please list and briefly describe all medically related experiences (paid/volunteer) you have completed during the past 5 years. Do NOT forecast future hours. Please include experiences listed on your AMCAS and also provide any additional experiences NOT listed on your AMCAS.

Question 4: If you are a reapplicant to the Carver College of Medicine, how have you strengthened your application?

Question 5: If you are not currently in a degree-seeking program, please indicate what you will be doing from the time you complete this secondary application to the start of medical school.

Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University (Huntington, WV)

5000 character limit on each.

Why did you decide to apply to Marshall?

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Where do you want to serve or practice medicine?

If you are not presently attending school, indicate your employment or other plans for the time prior to your planned enrollment in medical school.

Please share any disruptions in your academic, volunteer, work, and/or personal life relatd to COVID-19 that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider.  


They do also ask for moving/traffic violations and give a couple boxes to explain any ties to WV, Marshall, or the School of Medicine.

Nonresidents won’t start being reviewed till November, with interviews starting in January.

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Baltimore, MD)

1\. Briefly describe your single, most rewarding experience. Feel free to refer to an experience previously described in your AMCAS application. (2500​ characters)

2\. Are there any areas of medicine that are of particular interest to you? If so, please comment. (2500​ characters)

3\. Briefly describe a situation where you had to overcome adversity; include lessons learned and how you think it will affect your career as a future physician. (2500​ characters)

4\. Briefly describe a situation where you were not in the majority. What did you learn from the experience? (2500​ characters)

5\. Wonder encapsulates a feeling of rapt attention … it draws the observer in. Tell us about a time in recent years that you experienced wonder in your everyday life. Although experiences related to your clinical or research work may be the first to come to mind, we encourage you to think of an experience that is unrelated to medicine or science. What did you learn from that experience? (2500​ characters)

Optional: The Admissions Committee values hearing about each candidate for admission, including what qualities the candidate might bring to the School of Medicine if admitted. If you feel there is information not already addressed in the application that will enable the Committee to know more about you and this has influenced your desire to be a physician, feel free to write a brief statement in the space below. You may address any subject you wish, such as being a first generation college student, or being a part of a minority group (whether because of your sexual orientation, religion, economic status, gender identity, ethnicity) or being the child of undocumented immigrants or being undocumented yourself, etc. Please note that this question is optional and that you will not be penalized should you choose not to answer it.

Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)

The following questions allow the Admissions Committee to become acquainted with you as an individual. Please answer the questions in 3-5 sentences.

1\. What is the most fun you’ve had lately?

2\. If you had to give yourself a nickname, what would it be?

3\. If you had enormous wealth, how would you allocate your charitable donations?

4\. Describe a situation in which you didn’t get something you felt you deserved.

Essay

5\. What do you see as the physician's role in Public Health? Please answer the question in 150 words or less.

6\. Optional: Is there anything else you would like us to know? If yes, please answer the question in 200 words or less.

University of Kansas School of Medicine (Kansas City, KS)

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, KY)

For everyobody:

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, CA)

1\. What makes Loma Linda University School of Medicine (LLUSM) particularly attractive to you?

2\. Describe the extent and source of your knowledge of LLUSM.

3\. What personal attributes make you a desirable candidate for admission to LLUSM?

4\. Identify experiences in your life that illustrate your service to others?

5\. Discuss how your spiritual origins, development, and experiences have influenced and been integrated into your daily life.

6\. Do you regularly attend or participate in the services of a church or religious group? (yes/no)

6a. Please comment

6b. Name of clergy or religious leader

6c. Telephone number of clergy or religious leader

6d. What is your religious affiliation? (drop-down menu)

7\. As a Christian educational institution the medical curriculum integrates a spiritual, ethical, and relational issues from a Christian perspective into the practice of medicine. Weekly chapel services and religion courses are part of this program. Please respond to the above as it relates to your personal educational and career goals.

8\. Loma Linda University is a Seventh-day Adventist institution that has lifestyle expectations that include abstinence from alcohol, nicotine, cannabinoids, and illicit drugs/substances in all forms. Describe any use of these substances within the past year.

9a. If accepted to LLUSM, are you willing to abstain from alcohol, nicotine, cannabinoid, and illicit drug/substance use? (yes/no)

9b. Please explain

10\. If you have already graduated, describe your activities since graduation and your planned activities prior to matriculation into medical school.

11\. Added prompt to discuss if COVID-19 interrupted employment, research, anything significant.

Louisiana State University HSC – School of Medicine at New Oreleans (New Orleans, LA)

If you wish, you may attach a letter of reasonable length which contains comments that you feel will enable the Admissions Committee to better assess your qualifications for medical school.

Loyola University Chicago – Stritch School of Medicine (Maywood, IL)

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 you 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. Inherent human dignity is an essential dimension of Jesuit education at SSOM. What have you learned from your concrete social justice experiences? How do 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 you 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?

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, KY)

1\. Why are you choosing to apply to the University of Louisville School of Medicine? (500)

2\. How well did your high school prepare you for college? (500)

3\. What determined your choice of college(s)? (500)

4\. How do you assess your college record? (500)

5\. Please describe any circumstances adversely affecting your academic performance while in college. (500)

6\. Describe your most significant personal accomplishments and/or experiences and how these may relate to your potential to contribute to the medical community. (1000)

7\. What has been your most significant contribution to your community, through service or volunteerism? What was its impact on the community and on you? (1000)

8\. How have your cultural experiences shaped the way you see yourself contributing to the medical field and strengthened your ability to provide equitable care for a diverse patient population? (1000)

9\. List and describe any additional experiences, interests, hobbies, or skills not included in other areas of your application or that you have completed since submitting your AMCAS application. (500) (Optional)

10\. How has the pandemic affected the way you view the healthcare system and/or see yourself contributing to the medical field? (1000)

11\. Discuss briefly why you have decided to pursue medicine and how your personal characteristics align with those you believe are most needed by physicians. (500)

12\. Practice after residency: How do you see yourself practicing medicine after residency training? (Please include choice of medical practice and location). (500)

13\. What career(s) would you consider if you could not be a physician and why? (500)

Mayo Medical School — Mayo Clinic College of Medicine (Rochester, MN)

ESSAYS: Submit answers to the following questions (500 words or less each)

1\. Why are you specifically interested in pursuing your medical education at Mayo Clinic School of Medicine even if you gain acceptances to other highly ranked medical schools?

2\. We are all unique in different ways. Explain how your personal diversity manifests in your personal and professional activities.

3\. Share with us your thoughts about the relevance – or not – of diverse learning environments in which you wish to learn medicine.

Medical College of Georgia – School of Medicine (Augusta, GA)

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, WI)

Our secondary application prompts are as follows, with a character count of 2,000 each.

Explain how your unique background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the MCW learning community and how MCW will uniquely prepare you for your future goals.

Recount a time when you made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Describe your motivation for pursuing a primary care focused, community-based medical education program. Focus on how a MCW regional campus educational experience will prepare you for your unique future career in medicine. Include the influence of key experiences with rural or medically under-served communities.

Describe the community in which you envision yourself ultimately living and practicing medicine. Address the benefits and challenges of life in your specified community.

The last two prompts are only required for applicants who have applied to either MCW-Central Wisconsin or MCW-Green Bay.

Medical University of South Carolina – College of Medicine (Charleston, SC)

Each has a 2,000 character limit:

What are your medical practice goals?

If it has been more than six months since you completed your bachelor’s degree, please describe your employment status since that time (part-time, full-time, and dates).

In what region of the country do you want to practice medicine? Why?

What areas of medicine are you interested in at this time, or what areas do you plan to pursue?

Do you have any accomplishments or experiences that make you a unique applicant?

Meharry Medical College (Nashville, TN)

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, GA)

1\. Please provide below an alternate e-mail address (different from the one listed on the Primary AMCAS Application) to which we can send you correspondence related to your application. (Required)

2\. Please provide a cell phone number at which you can be contacted in reference to your application. (Required)

3\. Please address any institutional action, including honor code or conduct code violations, from your time as an undergraduate and graduate student. (Required)

4\. If you wish to discuss your perceptions of your academic readiness for the rigors of a medical school curriculum or explain poor grades in college coursework or MCAT scores to the Admissions Committee, please do so below (230 words max)

5\. What is your understanding of the practice of rural medicine? (230 words max)

6\. Do you consider yourself to have been raised or to be residing in an area that is medically underserved or in a county that consists of medically underserved populations? By medically underserved we mean populations vulnerable to poor health due to difficulties accessing adequate health care services. This may be due to factors including but not limited to: education level; poverty; being uninsured or underinsured; lack of a usual source of care other than the emergency department; belonging to a socially marginalized group with poorer health outcomes; cultural or language barriers to receiving quality medical care; distance or lack of transportation to needed medical care. Please explain. (230 words max)

7\. The mission of Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM) is to educate physicians and health professionals to meet the health care needs of medically underserved and rural areas of Georgia. Summarize your work and learning experiences that you believe reflect congruence with this mission. Based on your understanding of our mission, where and what do you envision yourself doing after completion of medical school and residency? (230 words max)

8\. If you wish to, please briefly explain below to the Admissions Committee experiences, attributes or qualifications you believe are unique to you that can add to the diversity of the educational environment at MUSM. (230 words max)

9\. Please explain to the Admissions Committee factors that you could not highlight above that would help the Admissions Committee better understand your unique circumstances. If you would like to briefly highlight any substantial updates with regard to your application (example, volunteer experiences) that have occurred after you submitted the Primary AMCAS Application, please summarize them below. (230 words max)

Morehouse School of Medicine (Atlanta, GA)

1) What percent of your professional time do you anticipate devoting to: 1. Administration 2. Teaching 3. Patient Care 4. Research. (999 characters)

2) Briefly explain the reasons for your selections in the Perceptions of Your Medical Career Section (regarding community size you want to practice in). (999 characters)

3) If the answer to any part of this section (Personal Data) is 'Yes', give specific details below. If the answers are 'No', please enter Does not apply: (with respect to optional questions regarding previous med/dental school attendance, dismissals and/or convictions). (999 characters)

4) Type a brief statement setting forth the key motivational factors in your decision to apply to Morehouse School of Medicine and any information about yourself you feel would be of interest to the Committee of Admissions in the consideration of your application. (999 characters)

Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York, NY)

Have you previously applied to the MD or MD/PhD Program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai/Mount Sinai School of Medicine (including an Early Assurance Program such as FlexMed)? Y/N

Have you, in the past years, applied to any other medical school? Y/N

Are there significant gaps in time that are unaccounted for in your application? Y/N

If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year. (100 words)

Were there any adverse circumstances in your premedical preparatory journey including but not limited to recent impact from COVID-19? 100 words to explain if yes

Are you submitting your application with a future MCAT date that was rescheduled because of COVID19? Y/N

If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity or a commitment to a particular community, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Aspects might include, but are not limited to significant challenges in or circumstances associated with access to education, living with a disability, socioeconomic factors, immigration status, or identification with a culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional. (100 words)

Secondary Prompt:

What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it? (250 words)

Describe a situation that you have thought to be unfair or unjust, whether towards yourself or towards others. How did you address the situation, if at all? (200 words)

University of Maryland School of Medicine (Baltimore, MD)

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, MA)

Q1) You are asked to highlight specific examples of 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...).

1\. UMass Medical School strives to be a diverse community mindful that diversity makes our community stronger and benefits the patients we serve. Each person in our community brings a unique set of strengths, experiences and perspectives. Describe an example where you contributed to the diversity of a group, team or class. Connect this to how you will contribute to the diversity of the UMMS community. (Diversity)

2\. Describe a time when you have made a decision that was not popular and how you handled this. (Leadership competency)

3\. Describe a time when you were on a team that was dysfunctional in some regard. How did you address the situation? (Teamwork)

4\. Describe a meaningful interaction you have had with a person whom you have helped at work, school or another activity. (Empathy/Compassion)

5\. Describe a situation where poor communication had a negative impact. What did you do to improve it? (Communication)

6\. Describe a time when you have used your ingenuity to solve a problem. (Inquiry)

7\. Describe a time when you suffered a setback. How did you respond to this challenge? (Persistence/Grit)

Q2) Please discuss any part of your application that you feel requires further explanation. For example, discuss grades or MCAT scores that do not reflect your true ability, and/or a gap in time that is not explained elsewhere in your application. Discuss any impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on your academic, service, extracurricular or employment experiences.If you are reapplying to UMass SOM, highlight how you have strengthened your application.(250 word limit)

Q3) If you have participated in UMass SOM or UMass Memorial Health Care, or UMMS 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) What is your greatest strength? What are you going to contribute to the UMMS community?

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 (Rutgers Biomedical & Health Sciences ) (Newark, NJ)

1\. We seek students who are self-aware, resilient and adaptable. Discuss a personal or professional challenge you’ve experienced and how you resolved it. Please include insight on what you learned about yourself as a result:

2\. We are committed to an environment which fosters collaboration, cohesiveness, equity and social justice. With this in mind, how will you contribute to the NJMS community?

3\. If you will not be a full time student between June 2020-August 2021, please describe in detail your planned activities, including projected time commitment for each activity:

4\. If you chose to pursue one or more gap years prior to applying to medical school, please share insight on your decision:

5\. If you are a re-applicant, what have you done to enhance your re-application?

6\. Please discuss any additional information you feel may help us in our review of your candidacy:

7\. Please elaborate on any academic challenges (including MCAT), institutional actions, and/or personal difficulties not thoroughly addressed anywhere else in your application:

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (Piscataway, NJ)

1\. How has COVID 19 impacted your expectations for your medical education experience and your future work as a doctor?

2\. Were you, or are you, employed during the school year? If so please let us know the type of work, hours worked, etc.

3\. If you have taken time off during your undergraduate training or if you have already graduated, please provide information to explain this time by providing a bulleted list of activities or explanation delineated by month/year to month/year.

4\. If you would like, feel free to explain any impact that COVID-19 may have had on your educational/research/volunteering or employment plans.

5\. If applicable, please comment on any science grade(s) listed on your application for which you received grades lower than a B. If applicable, please comment if there is a downward trend in your science and/or total grade point average (GPA).

6\. Please let us know how you prepared for your most recent MCAT. If you have taken the MCAT more than once let us know if you prepared differently for prior tests.

7\. If you are applying with a state of legal residence that is not NJ, please indicate your connection to NJ (mark all that apply) and explain this connection: (checkbox and then a box to explain further)

8\. Please indicate if you and/or your parents are/were employed by RWJMS or other connections to Rutgers University.

9\. Have you ever been subjected to disciplinary action by any college or university? Have you ever been charged or convicted of a criminal offense? Are there any disciplinary or criminal charges pending against you? If the answer is yes, please specify the details.

10\. Is there anything you would like to share or anything you would like to clarify on your application?

University of Miami – Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine (Miami, FL)

All applicant narratives should be less than 500 words.

1\. Briefly describe the one clinical experience you have had that has most significantly influenced your decision to study medicine. Do not replicate your AMCAS personal statement.

2\. Why have you selected the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine for your medical education? Please be as specific as possible.

3\. Please provide a chronological list with dates of your clinical experiences/shadowing.

4\. Please provide a chronological list with dates of your community service/volunteering.

5\. Please discuss a situation where you had to use your leadership skills.

6\. Please briefly discuss your research experience.

7\. Please provide a chronological list with dates of your employment.

Optional Questions:

8\. Please provide a description of any activities involving the FINE ARTS (dance, drama, music, art, photography, etc.)

9\. Please provide a description of any activities involving SPORTS (organized team sports, recreational activities that you play, watch or follow)

10\. Describe your most meaningful involvement in STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS.

11\. Please provide a description of your most memorable TRAVEL experience.

12\. Please provide a description of your HOBBIES and what you do for fun and relaxation.

There’s an option to choose between different joint and dual degrees and there are different secondary questions that vary.

University of Michigan Medical School (Ann Arbor, MI)

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.

2020 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)

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, MS)

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, MO)

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

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, NY)

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, OH)

Each questions has a 200 word limit.

1\. Given the distinctive educational philosophy and integrated curriculum at FSM, describe how your personal characteristics and learning style would fit the institution, and how Feinberg School of Medicine will help you achieve your professional goals.

2\. Describe the steps you take to manage your personal stress when confronted with difficult situations.

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.

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.

5\. Everyone has their own narrative. Please provide more detail about how your experiences would enrich the Northwestern community.

6\. Describe how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted your pathway to medical school. Include any academic, personal, financial or professional barriers, as well as any other relevant information.

Northwestern University – Feinberg School of Medicine (Chicago, IL)

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, NE)

1\. What is your personal rationale for applying to the UNMC College of Medicine? (1000 Characters)

2\. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected you professionally and personally? (1000 Characters)

University of Nevada School of Medicine (Reno, NV)

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, NV)

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, NM)

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, NC)

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, ND)

Each question has a 600 character limit.

1\. The primary purpose of the UND SMHS is to educate physicians and other health professionals for subsequent service in North Dakota and to enhance the quality of life of its people." Given the purpose of the School, please explain how you will fulfill this mission.

2\. Reflect on personal experiences of resilience and emotional intelligence throughout life and how has this prepared you in your pursuit of medicine.

3\. Describe your experiences with diverse populations. Examples include a summary of a volunteer experience, study abroad, employment, or a formal course on diversity that includes direct interaction with individuals or groups from socio-economic, cultural, geographic, rural, or other backgrounds different from your own.

4\. Describe your research or creative activity. Examples include the outcome of a formal research experience, course-dependent undergraduate research, thesis, capstone, senior recital, performance, debate, product creation or any other major production or installation.

5\. Expand and reflect on medical and/or clinical experience as it relates to the mission of the School of Medicine & Health Sciences. This may include a summary of physician shadowing, clinical observation, community service, volunteer work, and/or employment. Examples include, but are not limited to, work in a clinic, hospital, as a first responder, clinical lab, public health, home health visits, assisted living, nursing home care, youth camps, or relevant military duty.

What are your career plans if you do not ever get admitted to medical school?

Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine (Rochester, MI)

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, OH)

REQUIRED ESSAYS for those applying to the Regular M.D., M.D./PhD, and the Primary Care Track:

1\. The mission statement of The Ohio State University College of Medicine is to “improve peoples lives” through innovation in research, medical education, and patient care. Please describe how your past experiences predict your potential to contribute in two of these three areas (250 words or less).

2\. The OSU COM Admissions vision statement states that the admissions committee will assemble a class that displays “diversity in background and thought”. Why is “diversity in background and thought” a desirable characteristic for a medical school’s student body? (250 words or less) 

REQUIRED ESSAYS only for those applying to the Primary Care Track:

1\. Describe past experiences that have shaped your decision to choose a Family Medicine specific accelerated training track. (250 words or less).

2\. “Health is Primary” is a communications campaign to advocate for the values of family medicine, demonstrate the benefits of primary care, and engage patients in our healthcare system. The aim is to build a primary care system that reflects the values of family medicine, puts patients at the center of their care, and improves the health of all Americans. How do you plan to reflect the values of Family Medicine in your future career? (250 words or less)

OPTIONAL ESSAY for those applying to the Regular M.D., M.D./PhD, and the Primary Care Track:

1\. The OSUCOM Admissions Committee understands that everyone may have been impacted by the COVID 19 public health crisis. Please use the space below to communicate anything you would like to share with the admissions committee related to the pandemic. 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; or hardships you may have faced as a result of the virus or quarantine.

Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine (Portland, OR)

1\. What experience have you had that has given you insight into the patients you hope to eventually serve? (1550 characters)

2\. Other than work-life balance, what will be your greatest challenge in becoming a physician? (1550 characters)

3\. Discuss a time in your life that demonstrated your resilience. (1550 characters)

4\. Please describe your path through the OHSU UME Admissions Recommended Premedical Competencies, with special attention to experiences that are not reflected in your transcript. Do not include specific grades or test scores in your response. AAMC's Core Competencies for Entering Medical Students & OHSU Recommended Prerequisites (2050 characters)

5\. Give an example of personal feedback in the last few years that was difficult to receive. How did you respond? (1550 characters)

6\. Please discuss how your personal experience demonstrates the ability to overcome adversity and contributes to diversity in the provision of healthcare. Please include any insight into the diversity that you would bring to OHSU School of Medicine and the profession of medicine in the context of OHSU's definition of diversity: Diversity at OHSU requires creating and sustaining a community of inclusion. We honor, respect, embrace and value the unique contributions and perspectives of all employees, patients, students, volunteers and our local and global communities. Diversity may include age, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. We respect diversity of thought, ideas and more. Diversity maximizes our true potential for creativity, innovation, quality patient care, educational excellence and outstanding service. (1550 characters)

University of Oklahoma College of Medicine (Oklahoma City, OK)

It’s all biographic checkboxes unless you’re applying to the Tulsa track.

Tulsa SCM track only:

1.) Please submit an essay (450 words or less) that explains your interest and commitment to Community Medicine.

2.)Please explain (in 250 words or less) how you expect the SCM track to enhance your medical education.

3.)Please enter any additional community or volunteer experience not included on your AMCAS application. (no word limit)

4.)Please enter any other relevant life experience that you feel might have an impact on your application to the SCM track. (no word limit)

Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine (Hershey, PA)

1) Is there a unique aspect of your application that should be considered by the admissions committee? (Maximum 75 words)

2) Explain why you decided to apply to the Penn State College of Medicine. (Maximum 75 words)

3) Write a short paragraph describing a significant experience you have had working in a team setting. (Maximum 250 words)

4) Write a short statement describing how you envision using your medical education to advance care for under-represented or marginalized populations. (Maximum 250 words)

For the University Park program

1) Please briefly describe (maximum 250 words) a past experience where you were immersed in a situation in which you needed to adapt, collaborate, and grow as an individual and a team member in order to succeed.

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, PA)

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, PA)

1\. Tell us about a challenging problem you faced and how you resolved it. (Limit your response to 250 words or less.)*

2\. UPSOM is committed to building a diverse and talented community that will train physicians in delivering culturally competent, person-centered care, and promoting a supportive, collaborative learning environment. To achieve this, we want our fellow students to recognize health disparities and advocate for health equity. We are interested in combating all forms of systemic barriers, and would like to hear your thoughts on opposing specifically: systemic racism, anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, and misogyny. How will you contribute? (Limit your response to 250 words or less.)*

3\. Please write about anything else you would like to add to your application, or anything you would like to emphasize to the Admissions Committee. Limit your response to 250 words or less.)*

Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center (Chicago, IL)

1\. Describe personal attributes you possess or life experiences you have had that will enable you to better understand patients with a culture different from your own. Please include your self-reflection on how this experience has changed your insights, beliefs, and/or values. (1000 characters)

2\. Describe a challenging situation in which you did not agree with a directive/rule and how you handled this. (1000 characters)

3\. Reflect on a time in which you personally gained more from an experience than what was expected. (1000 characters)

4\. What do you hope to gain from your Rush Medical College experience that will make you a better/different physician? (1000 characters)

5\. Were you employed during the time you were enrolled in your undergraduate studies?

6\. Do you have direct patient care/contact experience? Answering "yes" demonstrates you have had active interactions with patients beyond shadowing/observing.

(1000 character)

7\. If applicable, describe how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted your application to and/or preparation for medical school. (1000 characters)

Saint Louis University School of Medicine (St. Louis, MO)

Is any member of your family a student or graduate of Saint Louis University School of Medicine?

Will you be a full-time student for the 2020 - 2021 academic year?

Given the disruptions caused by the pandemic, some universities issued P/F grades for Spring Semester 2020. Would you please provide details regarding how your university implemented that policy.

If you wish, you may also add any comment you desire regarding access to letters of recommendation or MCAT challenges you encountered.

Do you wish to include any comments, other than your AMCAS personal statement, to the Admissions Committee?

Were you ever the recipient of any action (e.g. dismissal, disqualification, suspension, etc.) by any college for unacceptable academic performance or conduct violations?

Would you like to apply for the MD/PhD program?

Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota (Sioux Falls, SD)

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, NY)

ESSAY QUESTIONS (Please limit your responses to 500 words per question)

1\. Will your education be continuous between college and medical school matriculation? YES NO

If YES, please tell us about your proudest accomplishment to date.

If NO, please explain what you have done or plan to do during the gap period and why.

2\. DESCRIBE AN OBSTACLE YOU’VE OVERCOME AND HOW IT HAS DEFINED YOU.

MSTP:

Please describe the basic and/or clinical research fields that you think you might like to explore and/or develop expertise in during your MSTP training. To the extent that you have defined potential specific future clinical interests, please describe the type(s) of medicine that you might be interested in pursuing once you have completed the MSTP. (500 words).

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (Springfield, IL)

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, CA)

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:

  * Academic Medicine (Clinical)
  * Academic Medicine (Physician Scientist)
  * Non-Academic Clinical Practice
  * Health Policy
  * Health Administration
  * Primary Care
  * Public Health/Community Health
  * Global Health



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, NY)

1\. Are there any periods longer than 3 months, from the time you graduated from high school to now, when you were not employed full time or in college full-time?

2\. If you are not from the 5 boroughs of New York City, describe what personal, urban experiences prepare you to live and study in New York City, and what will be your personal support system. If this question does not apply to you, enter "not applicable" in the text box below. (Limit 150 words)

3\. If you had a completed application to the College of Medicine in a prior application cycle, please highlight any changes since your previous application in a list with dates. If this question does not apply to you, enter "not applicable" in the text box below. (Limit 150 words)

4\. If you have a specific reason why you wish to attend SUNY Downstate or a medical school in New York City, please explain. If this question does not apply to you, enter "not applicable" in the text box below.

SUNY Upstate Medical University – College of Medicine (Syracuse, NY)

1\. We understand that the COVID-19 crisis in Spring 2020 disrupted many aspects of our lives. Please share if you had any curricular impacts during this time, for example, change to pass/fail courses or to online coursework or if you anticipate any deficiencies in experiences as a result of COVID-19. (No character limit)

2\. Are there any areas of weakness in your application that you would like to clarify for the Admissions Committee? If yes, please describe (no character limit)

3\. If you earned your baccalaureate degree prior to this past June, please indicate your plans for the upcoming academic year (1800 character limit)

4\. Which medical specialty are you thinking about pursuing at this point? (1800 character limit.)

University of South Alabama College of Medicine (Mobile, AL)

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, FL)

1\. 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)

2\. What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career?

  * Private Practice
  * Academic Medicine
  * Public Health
  * Health Care Administration
  * Health Policy
  * Other



3\. Describe the knowledge, skills, and attributes you have developed in preparation for the career path you have chosen in the previous question. (1500 characters)

4\. 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? Optional (1500 characters)

5\. The University of South Florida, 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 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)

6\. 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)  


7\. 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, PA)

What is the nature of your interest in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine?

Note: 2,000 character limit per essay question, including spaces.

How do you plan on contributing to the Lewis Katz School of Medicine Community?

LKSOM seeks an engaged student body with a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and interests to enhance the medical school experience for everyone. Please use the space below to describe what makes you unique as an applicant, an obstacle that you had to overcome, or how you will contribute to the LKSOM community. Note: 2,000 character limit per essay question, including spaces.

Tell us about your special interest in the campus you selected.

Note: 2,000 character limit per essay question, including spaces.

What are your plans for the current year - June 2020 until June 2021?

Note: 2,000 character limit per essay question, including spaces.

The Coronavirus pandemic has affected all of us in one way or another.

Please use this space to describe to us how you were impacted academically, personally or professionally by COVID-19. Note: 2,000 character limit per essay question, including spaces.

Texas A & M Health Science Center – College of Medicine (College Station, TX)

1\. Describe briefly any experiences and/or skills that have made you more sensitive or appreciative of other cultures or the human condition. (3500 character maximum)

2\. The Texas A&M College of Medicine embraces the Aggie Core Values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service. Briefly discuss what activities demonstrate best that you would be a good custodian of these core values. (3500 character maximum)

3\. Describe any circumstances indicative of some hardship, such as, but not limited to, financial difficulties, personal or family illness, a medical condition, a death in the immediate family or education disadvantage not mentioned in your primary essays; OR describe any key academic, personal, or financial barriers that COVID-19 may have posed on your or your immediate family. (3500 character maximum)

4\. OPTIONAL QUESTION: List the area (or areas) of medicine that appeals to you and briefly explain. (50 words or 200 characters for each area of interest you list)

Texas Tech University HSC – Paul L. Foster School of Medicine (El Paso, TX)

1\. The mission of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso Paul L. Foster School of Medicine is to provide an outstanding education and development opportunities for a diverse group of students, residents, faculty, and staff; advance knowledge through innovation and research; and serve the needs of our socially and culturally diverse communities and region.” Recognizing the components of this mission and that PLFSOM is located on the US/Mexico border, please describe why you are interested in applying to our school. (300 words or less)

2\. The Foster SOM student honor code states “In my capacity as a Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso School of Medicine medical student, I will uphold the dignity of the medical profession. I will, to the best of my ability, avoid actions which might result in harm to my patients. I will protect the dignity of my patients and the deceased, and will protect their confidential information in accordance with the prevailing standards of medical practice. I will not lie, cheat, or steal. I will enter into professional relationships with my colleagues, teachers, and other health care professionals in a manner that is respectful and reflective of the high standards and expectations of my profession. I will not tolerate violations of this Code by others and will report such violations to the appropriate authorities.” Please describe past experiences or personal attributes that reflect your affinity with this honor code. (300 words or less)

3\. Please describe any unique personal experiences or disadvantage (educational, financial or otherwise) and their significance to you in your pursuit of a medical degree. (300 words or less)

Texas Tech University HSC School of Medicine (Lubbock, TX)

Questions are broken down into two main sections:

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. There is a 100 word limit for each selected area:

•Practicing in an underserved area

•Rural health

•Medical Research

•Medical Academics

•Primary Care

•Border Health

•Other (please describe below)

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. (300 words or less)

2\. What do you like or dislike most about the area you are from; your hometown? (300 words or less)

3\. Please describe what you would see as the "ideal" practice for you. (Where, what type of practice - clinic, hospital, specialty, who would be your patients, etc.). (300 words or less)

4\. If you are applying to a dual degree program, please briefly describe your motivation to pursue this program and any other pertinent information. (e.g. research interests, steps taken to prepare yourself) (350 words or less)

5\. Have you experienced any hardship or adversity; personally or professionally?

5.1 If yes, please share your experience with us.

6\. Are you applying to FMAT?

6.1. What motivates you to participate in the FMAT program? (300 words or less)

6.2. What experiences have you had that would prepare you for this intensive program? (300 words or less)

6.3. What, in your opinion, distinguishes Family Medicine from other medical specialties? (300 words or less) 

7\. Please tell us about your favorite recreational/leisure activities. (300 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)? (200 words or less)

Thomas Jefferson University — Jefferson Medical College (Sidney Kimmel Medical College) (Philadelphia, PA)

1\. Explain any impact that COVID-19 may have had on your educational/research/volunteering or employment plans. (2000 characters)

2\. Do you have any additional information that hasn't been covered? (4000 characters)

Tufts University School of Medicine (Boston, MA)

1\. Do you wish to include any comments (in addition to those already provided in your AMCAS application) to the Admissions Committee at Tufts University School of Medicine? (If yes, 1000 characters)

2\. Please briefly describe your plans for the coming year. Include in this explanation if you will be a student, working, conducting research, volunteering, etc. (1000 characters)

3\. Do you consider yourself a person who would contribute to the diversity of the student body of Tufts University School of Medicine? (If yes, 1000 characters)

4\. Given how the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the world this year, please contextualize how your experiences have been affected which might include your personal, professional and educational journey. (1000 characters)

5\. Do you have any withdrawals or repeated coursework listed on your transcript(s). (If yes, 1000 characters)

6\. Did you take any leaves of absence or significant breaks from your undergraduate education? (Do not include time off after graduation.) (If yes, 1000 characters)

Tulane University School of Medicine (New Orleans, LA)

1\. Briefly describe the reasons for your interest in Tulane University School of Medicine: (150 Words)

2\. Tulane University School of Medicine’s mission statement states: We improve human health and foster healthy communities through discovery and translation of the best science into clinical practice and education; to deliver the highest quality patient care and prepare the next generation of distinguished clinical and scientific leaders. Briefly describe how community service contributed to your education and your passion for medicine? (150 Words)

3\. List any leadership positions, in clubs or organizations, you may have held: (100 Words)

4\. Please list your hobbies and major non-academic interests: (150 Words)

OPTIONAL ESSAYS

5\. Tulane University School of Medicine values the diversity of its patients, faculty, staff, and students. Do you identify with a particular group that you believe is underrepresented among medical professionals? These include groups oriented around, but not limited to: ethnicity, race, sexuality, religion, disability, and economic background. (60 Words)

6\. In what ways did the COVID-19 pandemic alter/interrupt your medical school application? (No maximum)

University of Texas at Austin (Dell Medical School) (Austin, TX)

From the “Applicant’s Guide to Admissions” on the Dell Admin page, info about Dell’s unique ‘video secondary’:

In an effort to give a greater number of applicants the opportunity to present themselves to the selection committee in their own voice, Dell Medical School utilizes a unique video secondary application. Applicants selected for the Full Review will be sent an invitation to complete the video secondary application. This invitation e-mail will include a link to the application portal, as well as instructions on how to prepare for the interview. There is no fee for completing the video secondary which consists of 3 short questions. Candidates will have two minutes to record their responses to each question. These questions address specific attributes related to the mission of Dell Medical School and give the candidate an opportunity to highlight how they feel their experiences complement this mission

University of Texas Medical School at Houston

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 courses, 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?

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?

3\. What would you like to contribute and be remembered for in medicine?

University of Texas SMC at Dallas – Southwestern Medical School (Dallas, TX)

Required Questions (2500 Character Count)

1\. Describe a group project or activity that you are most proud of.

Consider the following in your response: What aspect makes you most proud? How was it accomplished? How did you deal with disagreement or conflict in the group? How did you get fellow group members to embrace a position or view your perspective?

2\. Describe a time that you have witnessed someone acting unethically or dishonestly, or an experienced behavior of harassment or discrimination. 

Consider the following in your response: What did you do? What made the situation difficult for you personally? Describe your reaction and what you might do differently now in retrospect.

3\. Describe an example of a very difficult assignment, task, or situation that you did not think you could accomplish.

Consider the following in your response: How did you approach it? If you were tempted to quit, why did or didn’t you? What made you stay the course despite obstacles? What did you learn from the experience?

Optional Questions (2500 Character Count)

4\. Have you engaged in any public service activities for a duration of one year or greater in length (examples: Military, Peace Corps, Teach for America, etc.). Yes or No? If so, please describe the experience and impact on your personal and professional development.

5\. Please explain any academic discrepancies or extenuating circumstances that you feel the Admissions Committee should know.

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine (Edinburg, TX)

List three adjectives that characterize the community in which you grew up.

Briefly describe the community you anticipate practicing medicine in post-residency: (100 word max)

In the event you are accepted to two or more medical schools, what factors would be most important in determining which school would be the “best fit” for you. (150 word max)

The UTRGV SOM educates future physicians with the following values in mind:

Patient Advocacy, Community-Focus, Cultural Awareness, Collaborative Leadership Style, Lifelong Problem Solving.

Choose TWO (2) of these values and explain their importance to you and how they integrate with each other. Please explain how this integration will impact your medical school education.

DESCRIBE EXPERIENCES YOU HAVE HAD UNRELATED TO SCIENCE OR MEDICINE.

PART 1: Required

PART 2: Select 2 out of the 3*

briefly describe the experience

state the circumstances of the experience (why you participated)

what you learned about yourself through that experience

*Experiences may be used more than once to address each category. Limit your answers to the space provided.

A. A situation in which you interacted with individuals who were different from you: (150 words)

B. Our 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 the question 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.

How does your background and/or experiences align with UTRGV SOM Mission?

Part 2

A community service experience: 150 words

A position of responsibility/authority in which others depended on you for direction: 150 words

A creative endeavor (anything that required you to be creative in your approach, such as fine arts, computer programming, web design, writing, etc.): 150 words

University of Toledo College of Medicine (Toledo, OH)

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. (500 words)

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.) (500 words)

The Admissions Committee considers a wide variety of factors in evaluating applicants, including fit between applicants and our program’s mission, goals, and culture. In the essays below, we invite you to share information about yourself with regard to two aspects of our program. We encourage you to provide information and insights that may not be easily gleaned from other aspects of your medical school application. In responding to the essay prompts below, you should interpret the questions to the best of your ability.

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. (600 words)

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. (600 words)

(Optional) Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the corona virus (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.) (600 words)

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences – F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine (Bethesda, MD)

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, TN)

Autobiography

Write a brief autobiography. As completely and precisely as possible, give a picture of yourself, your family, and events you consider important to you. In doing so, identify the values that are of greatest importance to you. If you have completed your undergraduate education, please comment on what you have done or have been doing since graduation. (1200 words)

Challenge

Please discuss a challenging situation or obstacle you have faced in the past. Why was it challenging? How did you handle it? Knowing what you know now, would you do anything differently? What did you learn? (500 words)

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine (Richmond, VA)

You are living in a world experiencing the ravages of the Corona Virus which has impacted millions of people since December 2019. Please discuss how the COVID 19 pandemic has affected you personally. What have you learned from your experiences? Please discuss what you perceive may have been some realities that others may have experienced. How has COVID 19 experience influenced your desire to become a physician? (2000 characters)

Please briefly explain any lapses in your undergraduate education; include any in enrollment during your undergraduate education and/or any gaps between undergraduate education and applying to medical school. (example: poor grades, multiple withdraws, health reasons, etc.)

Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (Roanoke, VA)

1\. Tell us about constructive criticism you have received, or a personal challenge you have experienced, that you found particularly impactful. Please describe how that experience has advanced your development as a future physician thought leader.

2\. Explain how interactions with people who are different from you have shaped your world view and relate how you would enrich the VTC community.

3\. Describe three aspects of VTCSOM and how those align with your philosophy of medicine.

4\. If funding were no object, describe how you would direct medical inquiry.

600 words max, and 0 min for all questions

University of Virginia School of Medicine (Charlottesville, VA)

(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, VT)

1\. Please reflect on a difficult and challenging non-academic experience you have faced. Include a description of the stressful event, how you dealt with it and what you have learned about others and yourself through this process.

2\. The Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont recognizes that diversity extends beyond chosen and unchosen identities and encompasses the entirety of an individual’s experiences. Reflect on a time you learned something from someone or a group of people who are unlike yourself.

3\. Please use this box to describe how the COVID19 pandemic may have adversely impacted your application. (Optional)

4\. Additional Comments (Optional):

Wake Forest University School of Medicine – Bowman Gray Campus (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)

1\. We seek to train physicians who can connect with diverse patient populations with whom they may not share a similar background. Tell us one experience that enhanced your ability understand those unlike yourself and what you learned from it. 200 Word Limit

2\. Describe a non-academic challenge you have faced and explain how you overcame it. 200 Word Limit

3\. From your list of "most meaningful experiences" on the AMCAS application, choose one that has been the most formative in terms of your desire for a career in medicine. Why did that experience have such meaning for you in your decision-making process? 200 Word Limit

4\. Tell us about any specific reason(s) (personal, educational, etc.) why you see yourself here at the Wake Forest School of Medicine. 150 Word Limit

5\. Please tell us an interesting fact about yourself that a casual acquaintance may find surprising or interesting. 50 Word Limit

OPTIONAL QUESTIONS:

If you have received a C+ grade or lower in any coursework, please explain. 200 Word limit

If there is anything specific that you would like for us to know regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected you and your application you may do so here. (200 words or less.) (Please note that this is optional. Also, please do not repeat any information provided in your previous required responses.)

The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University (Providence, RI)

1\. NOTE: Interviews occur on Thursdays and/or Fridays beginning in mid-September and finishing in February. Please detail any significant limitations on your availability during this time, such as international travel, work or courses. You may use the text box below to explain your limited availability. (if none, leave blank) (500 characters)

2\. Summarize your activities during the 2018-2019 academic year. Describe how your activities are preparing you for a medical career. (2000 characters)

3\. How will your unique attributes (e.g., cultural or socioeconomic background, lifestyle, work experiences) add to the overall diversity of the Alpert Medical School community? (2000 characters)

4\. What are your aspirations for your medical practice? Fast-forward to 15 years in the future: where do you imagine yourself? (3000 characters)

Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (Spokane, WA)

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, MO)

1\. Have you already completed your undergraduate education, have you had your college or graduate education interrupted, or do you plan not to be a full-time student during your application year? If yes, Describe in chronological order your activities during the time(s) when you were not enrolled as a full-time student. (2000 characters)

2\. Describe a time or situation where you have been unsuccessful or failed. (3000 characters)

3\. Is there anything else you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions? (optional)

Some applicants use this space to describe unique experiences and obstacles such as significant challenges in access to education, unusual socioeconomic factors, and/or identification with a particular culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity and/or possibly challenges related to COVID or other issues in preparation for medical school. (3000 characters)

Wayne State University School of Medicine (Detroit, MI)

Each question has a 1000 character limit:

1\. During the stress of the pandemic, what was the one thing you learned about yourself? How has that affected your outlook on the role of medicine?

2\. Are empathy and sympathy the same? Please discuss their importance in the practice of medicine.

3\. Describe what specific opportunities/resources are offered at Wayne State University School of Medicine that you plan to utilize as a medical student, and why?

Weill Cornell Medical College (Manhattan, NY)

Each question has a 1500 character limit:

1\. Please write a brief statement giving your reasons for applying to Weill Cornell Medical College.

2\. Please describe a challenge you faced and how you addressed it.

3\. If applicable, please tell us about any special circumstances related to COVID-19 that could help us understand you better. (Optional)

4\. If you are not attending college during the upcoming (2020-2021) academic year, what are your plans? (Optional)

West Virginia University School of Medicine (Morgantown, WV)

1\. Why did you choose to apply to West Virginia University School of Medicine?Maximum word count should be 150 words.

2\. The mission statement of our School mentions that we prepare our learners to be "resilient." However, every incoming student is expected to already have some degree of resilience as described in AAMC Pre-Professional Competencies. Please describe how you have demonstrated resilience and adaptability.Maximum word count should be 150 words.

Please Choose TWO:

3\. Tell us one unique fact about yourself.Maximum word count should be 150 words.

4\. What is your theme song and why?Maximum word count should be 150 words.

5\. Students are a crucial part of the medical team, and often students bring innovative ideas to challenging situations. Please provide a creative solution to a major health issue in West Virginia.Maximum word count should be 150 words.

6\. Every accepted student to the Class of 2025 will bring varied experiences to enhance the learning environment. If accepted, what can you teach your classmates, and in turn, what are you hoping to learn from them?Maximum word count should be 150 words.

Western Michigan University School of Medicine (Kalamazoo, MI)

The supplemental application includes three essay questions. Each question has a 2,000 character limit. The questions are:

1\. Describe why you wish to enroll at WMed. You should describe any connection that you have to Southwest Michigan.

2\. Describe what you bring to the practice of medicine - your values, skills, talents, and life experiences - and how you add to the cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity of the medical profession.

3\. New for the 2021 cycle: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the world in an unprecedented way. If COVID-19 impacted you, your academic plan, or your planned experiences, and you haven't noted elsewhere, please tell us about your unique circumstances.

4\. WMed Re-Applicants Only: Describe the changes to your application from previous cycles - include academics, experiences, and/or personal attributes.

This section of the supplemental application is not timed. You can work on your responses offline and then submit your essay responses when you are ready.

Wright State University – Boonshoft School of Medicine (Dayton, OH)

250 characters each

1\. Was there a gap between achieving your last degree and expected matriculation into medical school? If so, please describe how you used this time. If not, please enter “not applicable”.

2\. Would you describe yourself as a non-traditional candidate for medical school (For example, a career change)? If so, please explain why. If not, please enter “not applicable”.

3\. What ties do you have to the state of Ohio in general, Dayton, Ohio or Wright State University in particular? If none, please enter “not applicable”.

4\. Briefly describe any extenuating circumstances (ie. Poor grades, withdrawn courses, life events) which you feel may be pertinent to your application. If none, please enter “not applicable”.

University of Washington School of Medicine / Alaska WWAMI

Autobiographical statement

Autobiographical statement that includes (250-word limit):

  * The origin and development of your motivation to be a physician
  * Your prior experiences in healthcare
  * Steps taken to explore a career in medicine
  * Your eventual goals as a physician
  * Personal attributes that would make you a good physician



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)

  * How have your experiences prepared you to be a physician?
  * What perspectives or experiences do you bring that would enrich the class?
  * What obstacles have you experienced and how have you overcome them?
  * How have societal inequities in the U.S. affected you or patients you have worked with?



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, WI)

Both optional:

1\. In a paragraph (200-300 words), please share how COVID-19 impacted your application in the following domains:

  * Academic
  * Volunteer
  * Research
  * Work
  * Personal Life



Topics to address might include the public health lessons and health care insights learned from the pandemic, creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis, or any hardships (economic, health, or other) you faced due to the virus or its mitigation efforts (e.g. social distancing, quarantine).

2\. The Admissions Committee takes many factors into consideration when reviewing your application. A successful applicant is frequently one who communicates what makes them exceptional and why they will become an outstanding physician. You are invited but not required to provide additional information in this essay. Some applicants tell us about hardships and challenges that they have faced in their lives and how these experiences have helped them become caring and compassionate individuals. Other applicants use this space to emphasize a particular passion they have related to their future career in medicine. If you are not a resident of Wisconsin, you may want to tell us why you are interested in the University of Wisconsin or about a special connection that you may have to our state or people who live here. Our goal is to gain insight into you as a unique applicant. You may include anything in this essay that you feel is relevant. (Limit response to 500 words.)

Reapplicants:

Individuals who are reapplying are required to submit a statement indicating what has changed since the previous application to the UW School of Medicine and Public Health MD or MD/PhD program (e.g., additional academic work, new letters of recommendation, work and volunteer experience, life changes, etc.). Please limit your response to 500 words.

Yale University School of Medicine (New Haven, CT)

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.

See an error? Click here to learn how to get a free gift for letting us know!

As this information changes frequently, we encourage you to verify these details with the program(s) to which you are considering applying. If you see an error here, please notify us with the updated information, and we’ll send you a FREE copy of a BeMo book of your choosing! You can receive our Ultimate Guide to Med School Admissions, our Ultimate Guide to MMI Prep, or our Ultimate Guide to CASPer Prep! Please email our Student Support Team with any corrections, and we’ll arrange to send you your free book upon confirming the information: info [at] bemoacademicconsulting.com  


Would you like us to help you write compelling medical school secondary essays?

**Check out our med school secondary essay tips in this video:**

##  FAQs

**1\. How much time do I have to complete my secondary essays?**

This completely varies from one school to the next – some secondaries are due back within two weeks, others within a month, so it's important to review your secondary essay deadlines and adhere to them strictly. Most importantly, you should not take longer than two weeks to submit your completed essays. Medical schools correlate the speed in which you submit your essays with your level of interest in their program, so it's important to ensure a prompt submission. With this said, do not rush your secondaries at the expense of quality.

**2\. What is the purpose of secondary essays?**

Secondary essays provide admission committees with a chance to get to know you further to help them determine whether you will be a suitable candidate for their program. Through a variety of questions, admission committee members will learn more about your personal and professional characteristics, values, and unique skill set to see if they are in line with their core values and mission statement. The information you provide should not be copied from your AMCAS work and activities section and in general, should expand or provide new information that isn't found elsewhere in your application materials.

**3\. I have applied to 20 medical schools, how can I possibly complete all secondaries within a 2-week or 1-month timeframe?**

You can certainly submit all secondaries on time; the key is to begin writing your secondaries before you have even received your secondary applications. Using the list we have provided above, you can begin creating an outline or a first draft responding to each prompt at the schools in which you applied. Keep in mind that secondary essay prompts can change from one year to the next, but more often than not, the theme of the essay remains the same. For example, one year a secondary essay prompt may ask: “How will you contribute to the diversity at our school?”. The following year it may ask: “Please share a unique, personally important, and/or challenging factor in your background, such as socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, gender, etc, and explain how this factor has influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.” What's important here is to recognize that both prompts are asking for you to write a diversity essay.

**4\. Will every medical school I apply to send me secondary applications?**

Not necessarily; while some schools send out secondary applications to all students who apply, other schools use primary applications as a way to weed out applicants. In these cases, schools will send secondaries to those they'd like to see continue in the admissions process.

**5\. If I didn't receive a secondary application, does that mean I have been rejected?**

You haven't faced medical school rejection until you receive a rejection letter. Some schools will still consider applicants during a second round of admission review and interview invitation, so even though you did not receive a secondary application, you may still be considered for admission at a later date.

**6\. Are secondary applications free?**

Not usually. In most cases, schools charge a fee that must be included when you send in your secondary essays. On average, this fee ranges from $50-$100, but some schools may charge more and some may charge less.

**7\. Some of my secondary essay prompts are optional, should I include something in this section?**

It's common to see questions such as “is there anything else you'd like the admissions committee to know about you” in your secondary applications. First, it's important to know that even though a certain section may be optional, it could still be used in the overall scoring of your application materials. With this said, it's always important to remember quality over quantity. If you really do have something meaningful to add that could benefit your application, such as explaining any gaps or academic lapses, then it's a good idea to include this information here. An optional section doesn't have to only address a potential weakness in your application, it may also be suitable to use an optional essay to discuss a significant experience or a personal achievement. If on the other hand, you don't have anything else to include that would be beneficial, it's best to leave the prompt blank.

**8\. I am only allowed 300 words to create my essay. Help!**

No matter the length of your secondary essay, your format should remain the same:

  * Introduction, body paragraph (s) and conclusion
  * Begin with an interesting, memorable opening sentence
  * Use 1-3 main experiences to address the prompt
  * Show, don't tell
  * Finish with a strong conclusion that will leave the reviewer wanting to know more about you
  * Ensure your essay is free from any grammatical errors or typos



**9\. How long will it take me to write a secondary essay?**

These are typically shorter than your medical school personal statement, averaging 250-500 words. However, you can have more than one essay to write per school. The average number of secondary essays sent out by schools is 4. So, altogether, you may have to write 1000-2000 words! Remember, you want to use a similar process to writing your personal statement: create an outline, brainstorm ideas, write, edit, revise, and finalize your draft. This whole process will take 2-4 weeks (count on closer to 4 weeks if you are working, taking classes, or have other obligations), although you can work on multiple programs’ secondary essays concurrently. So, ensure you begin preparing your secondary essays either before or right after submitting your primary application to give yourself enough time.

**10\. Can I use the same answer for more than one program?**

If more than one program asks the same or extremely similar question on a secondary essay and has the same word or character limit, yes, you can re-use an answer. However, do ensure you actually read the prompt carefully and adhere to the character limit instead of rushing and just trying to re-use answers. Even if you are re-using an answer or a portion of an answer, ensure you do read through it very carefully to make sure it meets all the requirements of the prompt.

**11\. Can I re-use an experience I mentioned in my personal statement or sketch?**

It’s better to use different experiences if you can. However, if you really wish to, you can re-use an experience, but do not just regurgitate what you wrote word for word on your personal statement or sketch. Programs have most likely already reviewed your primary application so they do not need to read the exact same thing again, and repetition will likely hurt your chances at the program. Instead, think about the experience you want to re-use. Is there a different specific example you can use that is more suitable for the secondary essay? Alternatively, are there different lessons you can highlight that you learned? This way, even if you re-use the same experience, you are using different content to show a separate aspect of it, so it actually deepens the experience and what you gained from it, furthering what you discussed in your personal statement or sketch. Follow this link to find some excellent medical school personal statement examples.

**12\. What are the most common secondary essay prompts?**

1\. Why our school or program specifically?

2\. Diversity

3\. Overcoming challenges (adversity essay)

4\. Future goals

5\. Academic lapses/breaks

**13\. How do I address academic lapses, failures, or gaps?**

Many students are scared of this type of secondary essay, but there’s no need to panic! This is actually an opportunity for you to address any shortcomings in your application. The key is to take a proactive and positive approach. You should clearly highlight what happened, and any mitigating factors (ex. stress, illness, family situation) but note that these are merely mitigating factors and NOT excuses. You must take responsibility for your shortcomings and end by addressing what strategies you have put in place to ensure this type of situation will not occur again. Be specific when you mention strategies, as this tells adcoms how you will hold yourself accountable.

**14\. I have no idea what area of medicine I want to pursue. What should I say when the prompt asks about future plans?**

Medical schools do not expect you to know exactly what you want to do. It’s quite common for plans to change during medical school, as you gain more experience in the different fields of medicine. If you do have inclinations for a specific field, make sure you give examples to state why that field interests you. If you don’t have any concrete ideas, you can state that you are open to learning more about the different fields of medicine, but don’t leave it there; instead, use the space to talk about what aspects of medicine you do want to include. For example, do you want a purely clinical role? In what type of setting: clinical, hospital, rural, or urban? Do you want to incorporate research or teaching in your role? And why are you so inclined? This way, your answer is still quite in-depth and well thought out, even if you are not sure of the exact area you want to go into.

**15\. I feel I have only overcome minor challenges in my life. Can I use those experiences in my secondary essays?**

Students are often concerned whether their experiences are “good enough” or “important enough.” The important thing to ask yourself is: did the experience truly impact me and did I learn and grow? Did the experience somehow push me further along the journey to pursuing medicine? If so, it does not matter how “big” or “important” your role was. The best experiences to include are those that genuinely impacted you. If you choose these types of experiences, they will genuinely come across strongly in your writing.

To your success,

Your friends at BeMo