Medical School Secondary Essay Prompts (2024-2025)

Shemmassian Academic Consulting

A complete list of med school secondary prompts to help you get ahead and stay organized during your admissions process

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We recommend using this resource alongside our Secondary Essay Premium Example Hub , which includes a sample essay in response to every prompt required by every MD and DO program in the US and Canada. It’s even been featured by outlets including U.S. News & World Report, making it a convenient and reliable tool for your application process.

(Note: This list is continually updated. We are now adding med school secondary essay prompts for 2024—2025. If you notice that a specific school’s prompts need to be updated, please email contact@shemmassianconsulting.com with details.)

Click on the state, territory, or country below to view the med schools there:

*Denotes a school with a time-sensitive guideline for submission (e.g., requirement to submit within 2 weeks of receipt).

Alabama

  1. Describe how specific attributes of ACOM’s mission and core values align with your professional goals and personal attributes? (250 words)
  2. The Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine promotes values and equity from various cultural, social, and economic backgrounds. Discuss the role that diversity played in your decision to become an osteopathic medical school applicant. (250 words)
  3. What are your personal attributes that demonstrate the osteopathic philosophy? (500 words or less)

State of Residence Section:

  1. Non-Alabama Resident with Ties to Alabama: Describe any ties or meaningful experiences you have had related to the state of Alabama or UAB Medical Center (1500 characters)
  2. (All Applicants) If the area you spent most of your life before college differs from where you currently consider your permanent address, please explain (1500 characters)

Essay Section:

  1. Where do you see yourself in your medical career fifteen to twenty years from now? (750 characters)
  2. Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics or experiences that would add to the learning environment for your classmates. (750 characters)
  3. Describe a patient interaction with the healthcare system. This could be a direct patient observation (in person or virtual) during a shadowing/clinical experience or a personal experience within the healthcare system. What did you learn from this experience? (750 characters)
  4. Describe a fulfilling or challenging community service experience and how you grew personally from the experience. (750 characters)
  5. UAB Medicine provides quality health care and compassionate service to every patient, every time, regardless of their individual differences or circumstances. Our academic medical center attracts patients from across the world who represent many cultures, religions, lifestyles, and economic backgrounds. 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? (750 characters)
  6. (OPTIONAL): Describe your identity and how it has impacted the development of your values and attitudes toward individuals different from yourself and how this will impact your interactions with future colleagues and patients. (750 characters)
  7. (OPTIONAL): 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)

Additional Experiences Section (from previous cycles; may apply to 2024—2025 also):

  1. Although interests may change, what areas of medicine are you primarily interested in at the current time? (200 characters)
  2. Out-of-State Applicants: Although our primary obligation is to residents of the State of Alabama, we do consider competitive applicants from neighboring states and applicants with strong ties to the State of Alabama. Please write a brief essay explaining your ties to the State of Alabama. (2000 characters) (optional)
  3. 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. (3500 characters) (optional)

Arizona

  1. ATSU-SOMA’s osteopathic medical education model includes training at one of our partner Community Health Center (CHC) sites. 1) Describe any previous CHC or free clinic experience that you have had. 2) Describe how learning at a CHC will enhance your osteopathic medical school experience. (500 words)
  2. Describe any gaps that lasted longer than three months that may have occurred during or following undergraduate/posttgraduate educational programs. (500 words)
  3. ATSU-SOMA emphasizes self-directed learning in small group sessions. What experiences have you had that will help you be successful in this educational model? (500 words)
  4. Describe any hrs/week of employment that may have coincided/impacted your academic work during each semester. (500 words)
  5. Which field of osteopathic medicine are you interested in pursuing? Explain why you chose this field. (500 words)
  6. Describe what you have learned from your experiences with osteopathic physicians. If you do not have any of the above, please explain why you are applying to an osteopathic medical school. (500 words)
  7. Describe your understanding of SOMA by answering ONE of the following questions: (500 words)
  1. Why do you believe AZCOM would provide you with the type of osteopathic medical education you are seeking? (1500 characters)
  2. Why should AZCOM accept you into this year's class? (1500 characters)

Time-sensitive considerations: "30 days after invitation or December 1st"

  1. What achievement are you most proud of in your life? What aspect(s) of this achievement will you bring to our medical school? (1000 characters)
  2. 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. (1000 characters)
  3. 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? (1000 characters)
  4. Throughout your application you have given us a sense of how you intend to contribute to the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix. We would now like to know about how you anticipate the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix will contribute to your goals and passion for medicine. What aspects of our program and community appeals most to you, and how do you plan to make use of specific resources and opportunities here? (1000 characters)
  5. 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, academic, or COVID-related challenges. Do not repeat any information already mentioned in the primary or secondary applications. (1000 characters)

Time-sensitive considerations: "Submit your secondary application and fee to the College of Medicine – Tucson within 30 days from the date it was initially sent by 11:59 p.m. Arizona time or January 2, 2025 — whichever day comes FIRST."

  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? (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. (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." Please describe the role(s) you can play in helping the College of Medicine to achieve its mission. (350 words)
  4. 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. (350 words)
  5. Share any disruptions in your academic/volunteer/work/personal life related to COVID-19 that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (no limit)

Arkansas

  1. List any significant volunteer, community service and/or mission experiences you have had that is not listed on your AACOMAS application. Provide the organization name, hours/week, duration of experience, as well as a brief description of your duties.
  2. Please tell us about any healthcare experiences you have had that are not listed on your AACOMAS application. Provide organization name, hours/week, duration of experience, and a brief description of your duties.
  3. How do you plan to fulfill the ARCOM Mission in your practice as a physician?
  4. What challenges do you expect to personally face most in the next 10 years as a healthcare professional?
  5. How do you expect to overcome these challenges?
  6. Describe an experience where you interacted with a person or people from a different background than you (ability, religion, gender, race, age, socioeconomic status, citizenship/ nationality, sexual orientation).
  7. How did that interaction impact your mindset of the role of a physician?
  8. If you are in a difficult basic science class and feel you are not fully grasping the information given in lecture, how would you alter your study habits or techniques to better understand the material and complete the course successfully?
  9. What is a recent book you read that impacted the way you think about today's world?
  10. Please explain how this book impacted the way you think about today's world.
  11. How did you hear about ARCOM? (No limit)
  1. 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.

California

  1. CHSU-COM values a diverse student body that reflects our region and our world. Please explain how you personally would contribute to diversity at CHSU-COM. (250 words)
  2. Describe some common healthcare disparities that may be found in a resource-limited area, such as the California Central Valley. How might the presence of CHSU-COM help to alleviate those disparities? (250 words)

Please note: Questions 1 to 6 have a stated limit of 250 words, though the space provided for submitting responses allows 1785 characters. We recommend developing your responses based on the stated limits.

  1. (REQUIRED) Why have you chosen to apply to CNUCOM? (250 words maximum)
  2. (REQUIRED) Did you have a Pre-Health Advisor at your undergraduate institution? If so, please tell us about your experience. How did it help you in your journey to to apply to medical school? If not, please let us know how you worked independently to find out more about applying to medical school and the path of your journey to apply? (250 words maximum)
  3. (REQUIRED) In which direction would you like to see healthcare progress over the next decade? (250 words maximum)
  4. (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)
  5. (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)
  6. (REQUIRED) Is there anything you would like the Admissions Committee to know that is not reflected elsewhere in your application? (250 words maximum)
  7. (OPTIONAL) How do you feel about standardized tests? How did you prepare for the MCAT? What tools or preparatory courses/material did you use and how did you study? Do you feel like your score reflects how you will perform in medical school? From what you have learned, do you think it will help you in the way you will study or prepare for USMLE exams? (1000 characters)
  1. Diversity comes in many forms. How do you think you might contribute to the diversity of the class? (150 words)
  2. Describe the last time you were criticized by a peer or supervisor. How did you handle it? (150 words)
  3. Give an example of when you had to work with someone who was difficult to get along with. Why was this person difficult? How did you handle that person? (150 words)
  4. What would be the best example that shows you are a person of integrity? (150 words)
  5. If given the opportunity to attend medical school, where would you see yourself in ten years? (150 words)
  6. If you were enrolled in fewer than 12 units/credits for more than 1 semester/2 quarters during your undergraduate education, please provide a brief explanation below. (If not applicable, please enter N/A in the box below) (150 words)

Time-sensitive considerations: "28 days after receipt of the supplemental application invitation"

  1. The university’s vision statement is “Excellent health and wellness for all in a world without health disparities”. Describe how you envision yourself contributing to the CDU vision statement. (1200 characters)
  2. Describe your commitment to transforming the health of diverse and underserved communities. (800 characters)
  3. Detail the key motivational factors in your decision to apply to the CDU MD Program. (1200 characters)
  4. Please describe a personal experience in which you have encountered discrimination. (800 characters)
  5. How will you utilize your medical knowledge and skills to contribute positively to your community after completing medical school? (800 characters)
  1. During your career as a physician, you will potentially encounter obstacles, and be required to overcome challenges. Please describe your experience with a situation that had an unfavorable outcome, including your reaction, how you might have responded differently, and what you learned about yourself. (250 words)
  2. Kaiser Permanente is committed to advancing equity, inclusion, and diversity for all. How will you contribute to the diversity of the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine? (250 words)
  3. Lifelong learning is an essential process for continued professional development. This includes reflection and being open and responsive to constructive feedback. Please tell us about an area of intellectual exploration you’re passionate about, and your approach to exploring this area. (250 words)
  4. Based on your own experiences, how do you believe an understanding of the social determinants of health can be applied to address social justice issues within healthcare? (250 words)
  5. (OPTIONAL) Have you previously applied to medical school? If yes, please describe your accomplishments since you last applied that would promote your acceptance? (250 words)
  1. What makes LLUSM particularly attractive to you? (275 word limit)
  2. Our medical curriculum integrates spiritual, ethical, and relational issues from the Christian perspective into the practice of medicine. Religion courses and weekly chapel services are part of this program. Please respond to the preceding statements as they relate to your personal educational and career goals. (275 word limit)
  3. What personal attributes make you a desirable candidate for admission to LLUSM? (275 word limit)
  4. Identify experiences in your life that illustrate your service to others. (275 word limit)
  5. Discuss how your spiritual origins, development, and experiences have influenced and been integrated into your daily life. (275 word limit)
  6. Please describe your current involvement (or reason for not being involved) with a church or religious group. (275 word limit)
  7. If you have already graduated, briefly describe your activities since graduation and your planned activities prior to matriculation into medical school. (275 word limit)
  8. Behavioral Expectations. LLU has expectations which include respect for all persons and high standards of personal and professional conduct. This includes abstinence from alcohol, nicotine, cannabinoids, and illicit drugs/substances in all forms. Please describe any use of the above substances within the past year. (No word limit)

  1. Are there any current or pending disputes concerning your academic status? If yes, please explain. (300 character limit)
  2. Was your enrollment status ever interrupted during your undergraduate or graduate program, not including summer term (e.g. medical, personal, or academic reasons, military service, other)? If yes, please explain. (150 character limit)
  3. PRACTICE SETTING
    What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career? Choose the single answer that best describes your career goals and clinical practice setting:

Please describe your motivation for this practice scenario. 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 characters)

There is also a Health Belief and Attitude Survey (15 questions) where you will select your response (from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree).

  1. Are you a TUCOM re-applicant who has previously interviewed? If yes, what was the result of that interview and what changes, if any, have you made which should effect a different outcome? (3000 characters)
  2. Have you attended any TUCOM information sessions on campus, at another location, or virtually? If yes, please list the event(s) in which you participated. (3000 characters)
  3. Please describe your understanding of osteopathic medicine including osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). Please include your personal exposure to osteopathic medicine (if any) and demonstrate your understanding of the osteopathic principles and history of the profession. (3000 characters)
  4. Please describe your hobbies (or non-academic pursuits) and how they will influence your success as an Osteopathic medical student and/or Osteopathic physician in the future. (3000 characters)
  5. Please discuss how your life experiences and personal characteristics will contribute to your future success as an outstanding osteopathic physician. (3000 characters)
  6. When considering medical schools, what criteria are important to you and how does TUCOM align with those criteria? (3000 characters)
  7. Have you graduated or do you plan to graduate from a High School or equivalent (e.g. GED, ATB, etc.) - OR - College whose primary method of instruction is English? (3000 characters)
  8. Have you ever had a criminal conviction (this includes a judge or jury verdict, guilty plea, a plea of no contest or nolo contendere, and/or juvenile offenses), or any criminal conviction that you are currently appealing? (3000 characters)
  1. (Optional) 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)
  2. (Optional) Do you have a connection to Northern or Central California? (Yes/No) Please explain. (500 characters)
  3. Activities: Please list the activities you would like to be considered in your application to UC Davis. The secondary activities may be used to highlight your experiences specifically relevant for UC Davis. You may use your most meaningful experiences listed in your initial AMCAS application or select/add others that may be relevant to UC Davis. Please only list three. The admissions committee will review all AMCAS application activities as well; this an opportunity to highlight your most meaningful and/or relevant to UC Davis School of Medicine. Prompt for activities: 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 each activity)

Scholarly Pathways questions:

  1. Rural-PRIME:
    1. Are you interested in applying to the Rural-PRIME program? [yes/no] Please describe how your experiences with rural communities make you a good fit for the Rural-PRIME program.
    2. Describe your future plans to serve a rural underserved community.

    Time-sensitive considerations: "Applicants have one month from the date of the invitation email to complete the secondary application."

    1. What personal accomplishment are you most proud of and why? (1500 characters)
    2. Please describe to the Admissions Committee a challenge or disappointment you have overcome and what you learned about yourself from that experience. (1500 characters)
    3. (Optional) Do you identify as being part of a marginalized group socioeconomically or in terms of access to quality education or healthcare? If so, please describe how this inequity has impacted you and your community. (1500 characters)
    4. 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. If you have just received or will receive your undergraduate degree this year, please discuss your plans for current year. (1500 characters)

    MSTP prompts

    1. What research accomplishment are you most proud of and why? (1500 characters)
    2. Please describe to the Admissions Committee a research challenge you have overcome and what you learned from that experience. (1500 characters)
    3. What does it mean, to you, to be an MD/PhD? (1500 characters)
    4. Please list all posters, manuscripts (published or planned) you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (1500 characters)

    Time-sensitive considerations: "2 weeks from the date and time of invitation"

    1. At the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, students are provided with curriculum and experiences enabling them to become an "Outstanding Physician, AND. " dedicating themselves to important societal missions. What missions do you want to embrace? What have you done toward your missions? (800 characters)
    2. Respond to the following and indicate how these areas of experience have impacted your progress toward your future career goals in relation to becoming an "Outstanding Physician, AND. ".
      • A. Describe your most unique leadership, entrepreneurial, or creative activity. (800 characters)
      • B. Describe your most important volunteer work and why it was meaningful. (800 characters)
      • C. Describe your most scholarly project (thesis, research or field of study in basic or clinical science or in the humanities) and provide the total number of hours, dates and advisor. (800 characters)
    3. Describe how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted your pathway to medical school. Include any academic, personal, financial or professional barriers, as well as other relevant information. (800 characters)
    4. Did you experience or are you anticipating time between graduating from college and matriculating into medical school? (Yes/No)
      • If yes: Describe the activities in which you participated or are planning to participate. Examples include additional schooling, employment, or caring for a loved one. (800 characters)
    5. Do you identify as being part of a group that has been marginalized (examples include, but are not limited to, LGBTQIA, disabilities, federally recognized tribe) in terms of access to education or healthcare? (Yes/No)
      • If yes: Describe how this inequity has impacted you or your community and how educational disparity, health disparity and/or marginalization has impacted you and your community. (800 characters)
    6. Are you re-applying to DGSOM? Global Heath Equity Pathway Application Questions 1. Please describe why you are interested in the Global Health Equity Pathway and any experiences that have informed your decision to apply for this Pathway. 2. How do you think participation in the Pathway will contribute to your future career plans and career development? 3. What additional skills would you like to develop as part of the Pathway? What strengths do you currently have that may contribute to a global health or health equity project? (i.e., language, writing skills, advocacy work, monitoring and evaluation experience, data management/cleaning/analysis, website development, etc.) 4. What are the major challenges you might face as medical student working in global health or health equity? How might you overcome these challenges? 5. Optional question: Please let us know if you have a mentor or organization with whom you would be excited to work as part of the Pathway and why you would like to work with this individual and/or organization. Mentors and organizations may be affiliated with DGSOM/UCLA or may be pre-existing relationships you developed prior to medical school. Note that you are not expected to have a DGSOM mentor and/or partner organization identified prior to arrival at DGSOM. Urban Health Equity Pathway Questions 1. Please describe how your experience, community and family background impact your understanding of medically underserved/under-resourced communities. 2. Other than healthcare access, what are some of the most important health care issues confronting medically underserved/under-resourced and vulnerable communities? How would you address them?

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    1. The mission of the UCR School of Medicine is to improve the health of the people of California and, especially, to serve Inland Southern California by training a diverse workforce of physicians and by developing innovative research and health care delivery programs that will improve the health of the medically underserved in the region and become models to be emulated throughout the state and nation. What experiences, skills, and abilities will you bring to the class to fulfill this mission? (250 words)
    2. The values of the UCR SOM are integrity, innovation, inclusion, excellence, accountability and respect. Please choose one of the values and tell us how you have personally experienced it or have seen it emulated in a clinical setting. (250 words)
    3. In what type of healthcare setting do you see yourself practicing medicine? (250 words)
    4. Tell us about a personal challenge you have faced in your life thus far and how you demonstrated resilience and grit to overcome it. [Please do not write about studying for or taking the MCAT.] (250 words)
    5. (Optional) If there is anything you would like the committee to consider about your candidacy that is not explained elsewhere in your application, please use this space to tell us. (250 words)
    6. (Only if you are non-California resident) If you answered Yes, please explain your connection to Inland Southern California and the mission of the UC Riverside School of Medicine (100 words)

    (Suggested reading: How to Get Into UCSD Medical School, which contains a sample secondary essay)

    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)

    PRIME - HEq

    The goals of PRIME - HEq are: To increase the number of clinicians, research scientists, and advocates addressing minority health and health disparities; to create a diverse community of scholars that develop, transmit, and apply new knowledge in minority health and health disparities; and to promote a multidisciplinary community/university partnership to eliminate health disparities. The program utilizes existing opportunities to allow enrollees to obtain a master's degree emphasizing minority health and health disparities, tailored to student's interest (MPH, MBA, MAS, MS) Applicants indicating an interest in PRIME are required to write an additional essay detailing their qualifications and reasons for interest in the program.

    GHAC

    Applicants to the UCSD School of Medicine may apply for admission to the GHAC. This track is available to five medical students per class per year, and will provide mentored research and clinical experiences in Global Health. The GHAC has four goals: 1) to prepare young physicians to engage with the global community to address health disparities; 2) to provide experiences and training in academic Global Health research; 3) to provide field experiences in Global Health delivery; and 4) to facilitate education about structural and social factors that create and propagate health disparities. Students in this concentration will undertake an additional curriculum that exposes them to Global Health topics throughout all four years of medical school. This track is appropriate for applicants hoping to pursue an academic medical career in Global Health. Students accepted into the GHAC will be provided with financial support for two international rotations (up to $5000 for both). Applicants interested in applying for the GHAC are required to write an additional essay detailing their qualifications and reasons for interest in this program.

    PRIME-TIDE​

    Applicants to the USCD School of Medicine may apply for admission to the Program in Medicine - Transforming Indigenous Doctor Education (PRIME-TIDE), which is available to six medical students per class per year. The educational objectives of the PRIME-TIDE are to: 1) teach medical students the appropriate management and treatment of diseases common in AI/AN communities with a focus on culturally sensitive care via a mentored clinical experience in local, regional or national tribally-operated Indian Health Service (IHS) ambulatory clinics; 2) understand the opportunities for community-based research with AI/AN communities through the California Native American Research Center for Health (CA-NARCH); 3) engage in preventive medicine and public health in a tribal healthcare setting; and 4) understand the social, environmental, economic and political issues related to providing healthcare to tribal communities, as well as the limitations/adaptations to the delivery of IHS care. These objectives will be met by completing didactic coursework, as well as mentored research and clinical experiences.

    TAN FAMILY SCHOLAR PROGRAM

    Applicants to the UC San Diego School of Medicine may also apply for admission to the Tan Family Scholar Program, into which they are selected after being accepted to the School of Medicine. This is an academic concentration available to up to five medical students a year, in which selected medical students are provided support to partake in course work designed to develop specific knowledge about empathy and compassion in medicine, participate in research in this area, and travel internationally for inter-institutional exchanges of knowledge regarding empathy and compassion in medicine. Applicants interested in being considered for the Tan Family Scholar Program are required to write an additional essay detailing their qualifications and reasons for interest in this program.

    MEMBER OF A MARGINALIZED GROUP

    Do you consider yourself to be a member of a group that is marginalized in a way that systemically affects access to quality education or healthcare?

    MOST MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES (FROM AMCAS)​

    On your AMCAS Application, you were asked to identify your three “most meaningful” experiences. These activities have been auto-filled in your secondary application.

    In addition to the information you provided on the AMCAS application, we would like to know if there are any additional activities you would consider among your most meaningful. This may include activities that you’ve already completed but couldn’t include as you were limited to three selections on the AMCAS application, or it may include a new activity that began after your initial AMCAS application was submitted. Use the “Add” button below to enter a new activity.

    This section is optional –you can enter any number of additional experiences including zero. If you have no experiences to add, simply click save and continue and this section will be marked as complete

    We would also like to know if a letter of recommendation has been submitted on your behalf by somebody you worked with through this experience. If you do not have a letter from this experience, simply type N/A. This information allows Admissions Committee members reviewing your application to more readily match your letters to your experiences and thus facilitates the review of your application." (Yes/No prompt. If yes, additional basic information and a 100-character box appear. )

    POSSIBLE CAREER PATHWAY (Required, with a 400-character box)

    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 the career pathways listed below. In addition to this selection, please provide a brief description of your future career goals:

    1. If you wish to update or expand upon your activities, you may provide additional information below. (500 words)
    2. If you are 2023 or earlier college graduate, please use the space below to tell us what you have done since completing your undergraduate degree. (350 words)
    3. Do you identify as being part of a marginalized group socioeconomically or in terms of access to quality education or healthcare? Please describe how this inequity has impacted you and your community. (500 words)
    4. UCSF PRIDE values serve as a guiding light for institutional life and activities. Briefly describe how you will contribute and support one of our PRIDE values that is consistent with your goals or life experience. (500 words)
    1. What is the most fun you’ve had lately? (65-word limit)
    2. If you had to give yourself a nickname, what would it be? (65-word limit)
    3. What are three things you don't care about at all? (65-word limit)
    4. Describe a situation in which you didn’t get something you felt you deserved. (65-word limit)
    5. Have you previously applied to or attended medical school (M.D. , D.O., international)? Yes/No
    6. If you answered yes, please provide an explanation on what occurred with your application process or previous matriculation to medical school.
    7. Is there anything else you would like us to know? Please respond in 200 words or less (max. 1,400 characters)

    Additional questions for MD-PhD applicants:

    1. List your publications and papers submitted including one or two sentences describing your role on each publication. (250 word, max. 1,800 characters)
    2. Please indicate fields of study for which you have a special interest. For example: Anatomy, Biostatistics, Molecular Biology, Systems Biology, Epidemiology, Bioengineering, Human Genetics, Neurosciences, Biochemistry, Immunology Nutrition, Microbiology, Pathology, Pharmacology Biophysics, Physiology, Cancer, Other
    3. Please provide the names of faculty with whom you would like to meet, if invited for an interview. For each faculty member suggested, provide a sentence or two explaining why you would like to meet that person. (250 word, max. 1,800 characters)

    Questions are the same for the Pomona and Northwest campuses.

    1. What experience observing a DO solidified your desire/ambition to become an osteopathic physician? (This could be a formal shadowing experience (one-on-one with a physician), scribing, observing your own physician, friend, or family member who is a DO). (500 words)
    2. If you have not had the opportunity to shadow/observe a DO why is it important to you to become an osteopathic physician? (500 words)
    3. What was your most memorable community service activity and how did your activity benefit the community? (500 words)
    4. How does the COMP Mission statement align with your values? (500 words)
    5. Why do you want to attend COMP? (500 words)
    6. What does diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to you and why are they important? (500 words)
    7. Have you participated in research? (Yes/No)
      • If yes, briefly describe your role and what skills you gained from participation in the research. (500 words)
      • Please provide us with the link to the publication or abstract if possible.
      • Did you contribute to the published work as an author/coauthor? (Yes/No)
    8. Briefly discuss any extenuating circumstances which you feel are pertinent to your application (poor grades, course withdrawals, lapse in your education, etc.). (500 words)
    9. If you have not taken any coursework for over 3 years, please explain why and what you have been doing during that period of time. (500 words)
    10. Are you a transfer applicant? (Yes/No)

    Canada

    1. Describe your personal experience in community service, volunteer work or service/help to another. What did you learn from this experience?
    2. Describe your strongest quality and provide a specific example of this quality. How does this quality relate to the study and practice of medicine?
    3. The Dalhousie Medicine curriculum uses case-based small group learning. Describe one or more examples of your experiences with small group learning or teams and what you have learned from it.
    4. What does being a physician mean to you? How did you come to this understanding?
    5. Health care professionals work with people from diverse and broad populations and experiences. Cultural competence and sensitivity are important skills to develop. How would you describe your own level of cultural competence/sensitivity? What steps could you take to further build cultural competence/sensitivity?
    6. Out-of-province applicants: In 250 words or less, please describe your knowledge of any connections to and past experiences with the Maritime Provinces and how these have contributed to your selection of Dalhousie University as your preferred choice of medical schools.

    Autobiographical Sketch questions:

    1. Considering NOSM University’s self-directed, small group, distributed learning environment, select ONE (1) entry from your autobiographical sketch and describe how it has specifically prepared you for being a medical student at NOSM University.
    2. Select ONE (1) entry from your autobiographical sketch that has had a significant impact on your personal growth and describe how this experience has influenced your development and prepared you to be a medical student at NOSM University.
    3. Considering NOSM University’s social accountability mandate, select ONE (1) entry from your autobiographical sketch and describe how this experience has prepared you to learn and work in Northern Ontario and/or rural/remote settings.

    Supplementary questions:

    1. Describe how you have developed resilience and coping mechanisms. How will you utilize these skills to support yourself during your medical training in making informed and rational decisions when faced with difficult circumstances?
    2. Describe an experience you have had interacting with individuals from backgrounds different from yours. How would this experience translate to working within a health care environment and/or with patients?
    3. Provide a specific example of when your work or performance was criticized. Explain how your responded to the criticism and how this experience contributed to your personal development/growth.
    4. NOSM University’s Social Accountability mandate is to improve the health of the people and the communities of Northern Ontario. Describe how you plan to embody this mandate as a medical student and future physician, and how this has factored into your decision to apply to NOSM University.
    1. List and describe your top two personal achievements/experiences. (750 characters per)
    2. Share a life experience where you encountered challenges and describe how you addressed the situation(s). You may include a different experience that you have not previously addressed in your application which will further serve the goal of learning more about you as an applicant. (2000 characters)
    3. Please share an experience that you have had which was significant enough, potentially even life altering, that helped you become a better person. (1500 characters)
    1. Detailed Autobiographical Sketch: Write about an impactful experience from your Autobiographical Sketch that demonstrates your personal growth, character, and values. How did this experience prepare you for medical school? (500 words)
    2. The COVID-19 pandemic imposed obligatory changes in all our lives. What have you learned and how has this changed you as a person? Are there ways that you adapted that you would keep going forward? (250 words)
    3. What is the purpose of a mentoring relationship? What are the 3 most important elements of a mentoring relationship? Discuss a mentoring situation that you experienced in relation to these qualities. (250 words)

    Abbreviated Autobiographical Sketch

    (Note: These questions allow you to expand on activities described in your OMSAS Autobiographical Sketch; however, you may include up to two activities that are not in your Autobiographical Sketch.)

    1. Teamwork and Leadership: We are interested in extracurricular activities or experiences (employment, volunteering and/or other extracurricular activities) that demonstrate your teamwork and leadership skills. Please highlight a minimum of 1 activity and a maximum of 2 activities that highlight your teamwork and leadership skills. Note: Leadership does not mean being the boss or having a formal title. Instead, it refers to someone who is engaged and takes the initiative to contribute in a collaborative way toward sustainable and positive change. Please ensure that in whatever activity you choose, you demonstrate a clear link to these skills. Maximum points are allocated if you can link to both skills of teamwork and leadership, as defined above. Please provide a brief description of how this activity demonstrates your teamwork and leadership skills, outline concretely what you have learned (3 items) and how this will be helpful to your career in medicine. (Max. 2,400 characters/activity)
    2. Respect for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Please list your top 1 to 2 activities (employment, volunteering, or other extracurricular activity) that demonstrate your respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion. As an example, this core value can be demonstrated through interactions and exposure to those who may have perspectives different from our own (e.g. different age, skill level, educational background, gender identity, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religious beliefs, etc.). These activities and experiences do not necessarily have to be international/global and the definition of diversity is broad. The activities can be local or regional, and do not necessarily have to be volunteer-related. In whatever activity you choose, you must clearly articulate the link between the activity and diversity. Please provide a brief description of how this activity demonstrates your respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Please also outline concretely what you have learned (3 items) and how this will be helpful to your career in medicine. (Max. 2,400 characters.)
    3. Self-directed Learning, Problem-solving, and Critical Inquiry: Please list your top 1 to 2 activities (employment, volunteering, research or other extracurricular activity) that demonstrate your capacity for self-directed learning, problem-solving, and critical inquiry. Note: You may choose any activity as above, so long as you can articulate well where you demonstrated these higher learning skills in that activity If you have done research in any capacity (undergraduate, Master’s and/or PhD), one of your activities must be related to your research experience. If your research led to any notable awards and/or publications, please provide enough information so that it may be corroborated. The verifier you choose must be able to confirm any publications and/or awards. If you do not have any research experience, that is acceptable so long as you can clearly link your activity to how you problem-solved, demonstrated intellectual curiosity and how you worked towards improving your performance in that activity. Please provide a description and examples of how this activity concretely demonstrates your problem-solving, critical inquiry, and self-directed learning skills and how they will be helpful to your career in medicine. (Max. 2,400 characters.)
    4. Social Accountability and Responsibility: Please list your top 1 to 2 activities (employment, volunteering, other extracurricular activity) that highlight your commitment to serving other individuals or your community and that speak to your ability to advocate for others. Please note: No preference will be given for formal volunteering compared to other activities, so long as the activity demonstrates a commitment to your community and advocacy of others. For example, this could include helping a neighbor as long as you can. Clearly articulate the connection between the activity and the commitment to helping and advocating for others and have someone who can verify this activity. Please provide a brief description of how this activity concretely demonstrates your commitment to helping others, advocating for others and serving your community's needs. Please comment on what you have learned (3 items) and how this will be helpful to your career in medicine (Max. 2,400 characters.)

    Optional questions

    1. Please tell us about a unique (non-academic/non-research) personal life experience(s) and/or challenges that are relevant to your application to medical school. Please also outline how you overcame those challenges, if applicable. If none, please state “none”. (Max 2,400 characters.)
    2. Please outline whether there are any gaps and/or unusual circumstances to your file/application. If none, please state “none”. (Max. 2,400 characters)

    Colorado

    1. What noteworthy characteristics, abilities, or skills do you possess that will help ensure RVU achieves new heights in medical education? (No limit mentioned.)

    Please do not repeat content from your AMCAS personal statement in these essays. To the extent that there is overlap in the personal statement to what you want to write here, please choose a different approach to discussing the issue(s), such as influence on your values and beliefs, changes you made in your life, reflections that are from a different perspective. The committee utilizes this important information in the selection process.

    1. The pillars of our curriculum are Leadership, Curiosity, and Commitment. Tell us about how you have embodied one or more of these attributes in your path to medicine thus far. In which of these areas do you see the most opportunity for personal growth and why? Limit this response to 500 words.
    2. Please describe how your background and/or your unique lived experiences contribute to our culture of inclusive excellence. Limit the response to 300 words.
    3. (OPTIONAL) Fort Collins Track: Please tell us why you are interested in being a part of the 4-year CUSOM at CSU (Fort Collins Branch campus).? With the background that FCB’s smaller class sizes and unique structure lead to a highly interactive curriculum, please tell us how this campus matches your learning style and personal philosophy. Limit your statement to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).
    4. (OPTIONAL) Colorado Springs Branch: Please submit a short statement regarding your interest in the Colorado Springs Branch. You may address characteristics of the Branch that would be a fit for your strengths, experiences, and/or career plans. You may also note your ties to or interest in Colorado Springs or other similar communities. Limit the essay to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).
    5. (OPTIONAL) Rural Track: Why are you interested in being a rural physician? How will rural life and work fit your personal goals? You may include your past experiences and ties or interest to rural Colorado. Limit your statement to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).
    6. (OPTIONAL) For applicants interested in the Aerospace engineering dual degree: Describe your career path up to this point and how that has led to your interest in human spaceflight. What is your motivation for seeking a dual degree in Aerospace Engineering and how does this fit into your vision for your career.

    Connecticut

    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? If you are a re-applicant, please address steps taken to improve your application for medical school. (200 words)
    2. Why is it important to you to go into medicine and become a physician? (200 words)
    3. Tell us about your lived experiences that will enable you to provide quality care to all patients. (200 words)
    4. As a medical student and future physician, you will be faced with many uncertain situations. Please describe a situation when you were asked to do something that was beyond your capabilities. How did you handle the situation? Please provide a specific example. (400 words)
    5. Netter SOM is a diverse and inclusive community, and we believe that each person brings their own unique experiences and attributes. Our students also serve and interact with diverse patient populations and communities. Please share how you have made efforts to work with people from a different background than you. What did you learn from these efforts? (400 words)
    6. If applicable, please address any withdrawals, repeated courses, leaves of absence or breaks in your undergraduate education that are not explained in your application. (250 words)

    Time-sensitive considerations: "Regardless of when the secondary is received, applicants should aim to complete their secondary applications within two weeks."

    1. Highlight your experiences in the healthcare field. What insights have you gained about potential problems you will face as a physician? (1800 characters)
    2. How will the University of Connecticut School of Medicine best serve your needs of becoming a physician or physician scientist? (1800 characters)
    3. The University of Connecticut School Of Medicine realizes that each applicant brings a unique perspective from a broad range of experiences that have been influential in leading to a career in medicine. How will your own life experiences and unique identity enhance the UConn SoM classroom and community? (1800 characters)

    Essays (Required)​

    Please submit answers to the following questions. Please limit your responses to approximately 500 words each.

    Required Essay 1:

    Required Essay 2 (please select one of the following):