Which Medical Schools Do Not Automatically Send Secondaries

What are some common secondary essay prompts?

Why our medical school?

Good Example Response:

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Growing up in Alabama has connected me with the culture and people in the Southeast United States. Living here my whole life has strengthened my ties to the region and its various opportunities. My college career has been focused on understanding the medically underserved from volunteering over 200 hours at Birmingham Central Hospital, witnessing healthcare in South Sudan, especially in the circumstance that led to my grandmother’s death, and my medical mission trip abroad to the Dominican Republic. Though my experiences have been international, empathy and benevolence are prevalent emotions that push physicians to help the medically underserved, which can be witnessed even in the localities of AL. These incidents caused me to reflect upon the underserved in this world and take a step to help those in need by volunteering at food banks and homeless shelters. All these experiences in which I volunteered, shadowed, and learned have allowed me to reflect on what kind of doctor I want to be in the future, and I believe that (insert medical school)’s mission statement and goals will help fulfill my future endeavors of serving the medically underserved in my home state. (This example ties the student’s experiences and home state affiliation with the medical school’s mission – to help rural/underserved and ideally be an in-state student. Pay attention to a school’s mission statement and do your best to relate some answers to them)

Weaker Example:I would like to attend a medical school in either an underserved or rural environment. If I were to become a physician, I would most like to practice medicine in these regions due to a general lack of available doctors and medical attention. I am particularly interested in Southern states due to my background and personal comfort with the region’s society and culture. The program at (mention medical school) satisfies this requirement of mine and will make me a happy student if I get accepted to attend. (This response is vague all around. You can specifically mention your direct ties to the state in which the program is located and/or the medical school itself. Always give anecdotes and specific details instead of blanket generalizations. There are many medical schools in the Southern United States, as opposed to only a few in a particular state and even fewer in a specific city/town. The more granular you can get, the better your connection will be with the intended reader/interviewer.

• Why are you interested in pursuing medical school specifically (as opposed to other health fields like nursing, PA, PT, etc.)?
• Good ExampleResponse: Originally, I had never entertained the thought of being a doctor. I was an engineer at heart, so I figured I would become an engineer. I came to Virginia Tech with that mindset, not medicine. I just did not believe that it was the right path for me, but I knew I wanted to be involved in the sciences, so I chose to do BME. I naively believed that I could make a quick and lasting impact in the world through my engineering degree. I became involved with the Engineers Without Borders chapter here at Virginia Tech. I quickly became a project lead for the South Africa program and had the opportunity to travel twice to the community for whom we are building a solar-powered water distribution system. I witnessed my impact upon the community and how grateful they were for our support. My mere presence made a lasting impact. It was also in South Africa when I visited my first orphanage. Most of the children had a cleft lip or, in the case of one young girl, a dietary restriction, but those medical issues were enough for prospective parents to turn away from them. This experience highlighted the importunate of personal connections, and my shadowing and volunteering opportunities have solidified that notion. Currently, I am in an engineering position, and I see what I lack. Each day is unfulfilling as I am unable to form a bond with those who I help. This proves that medicine is my calling.

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  What motivated you to become a physician?

• Please select the experience that has been the most meaningful in influencing your desire to pursue a career in medicine

• Good Example Response: Volunteering at Northside Hospital’s Cancer Resource Center greatly moved me to pursue a medical career. I worked with prostate cancer patients and helped them secure resources offered by the hospital. My most memorable experience was with my first patient, a young man clearly unwilling to discuss personal matters with a volunteer. I told him I was there to help, and he gradually opened up to me. After we discussed upcoming movies, he told me he desperately needed help. Once I signed him up for a support group and financial aid, he thanked me and relaxed. This experience was extremely meaningful because it was the first time I had strongly connected with a patient. I had actually helped him, and this sense of gratification made me feel truly passionate about joining the medical community. Because of this experience, I learned to actively listen to patients and understand their problems beyond their medical issues. I hope to use this knowledge and empathy to effectively treat patients and further enrich the efforts of a medical unit moving forward.

• • Describe a challenging situation you have overcome.

• • How can you add to the diversity of our program? What have you learned from your experiences?

• • Address any weaknesses and how you overcame them.

• • If you have any academic inconsistencies you would like to address, please do so here (MCAT, grades, etc.).
  • Good Example Response: The transition from a high school to a college curriculum was challenging. In my experience, high school classes relied on memorization skills, while my college curriculum required memorization and a more comprehensive understanding of application within these subjects. I was also struggling with time management as I was working two jobs while taking challenging classes. Unfortunately, I did not learn my lesson until the end of my sophomore year. Despite spending endless hours on classes and extracurricular activities, I saw my grades plummet because I had not been focusing my limited time on truly understanding the material. To succeed, I turned from the easier route, cleared up my schedule, and dedicated my time towards comprehensively learning the problems before me. The changes did not happen overnight, but I believe I turned my life around. I have made great strides in terms of academic achievement, and I am confident that through this experience, I understand what is necessary to succeed in medical school.
  • Weaker Example Response: I scored very poorly in my earlier undergrad classes because they were different than what I anticipated. It took me a long time to adjust but eventually, I was able to bring my grades up. Hopefully, I will not repeat these mistakes in medical school and will put my best put forward.(This response leaves loopholes in your character and is not detailed enough to be worth mentioning at this level. Try to be specific about the setbacks, how you resolved any weakness, and anyway you can reassure they will not hinder your performance moving forward. You use “hopefully” as if you can
    • not control and prevent the mistake again)

• • Address other things you would like to talk about that are not available in the rest of your application
    • Good way to add updates since secondaries can be submitted weeks to months after submitting your primary AMCAS application

• • If you have already graduated, what have you done since undergrad?

• • If you have previously applied to our medical school, what is new to your application?

• • Describe a significant leadership position you had and what you learned from it or what it meant to you.

• • Describe how the COVID-19 pandemic may have interrupted activities on your application and what you learned from it.

• • Where do you see yourself in 5 years after graduating from medical school?

• • What is your greatest non-academic achievement?

• • Tell me about yourself (sometimes asks for an interesting fact that someone would be surprised to know).
  • What characteristics do you think are important for a physician to have? Pick one and give an example of a time you embodied it.

• • What will be your support system in medical school?

• • Where do you see yourself most likely practicing medicine?

• • What do you believe is a physician’s role in the community?
  • ** There will sometimes be questions specific to those doing a dual degree such as MD/PhD or MD/MPH etc.
  • Please describe your interest in public health and how you wish to combine it with your career in medicine.

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Category: WHICH