Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Secondary Essay
Handbook:
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................3
Baylor College of Medicine .......................................................................................5
Boston University ......................................................................................................6
George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences .................................9
Johns Hopkins Medical School ................................................................................11
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine ........................................14
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine................................................16
University of Pittsburgh ...........................................................................................18
University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences ................................20
University of Washington ........................................................................................22
Washington University (St. Louis) ..........................................................................25
Yale School of Medicine .........................................................................................27
Epilogue ...................................................................................................................29
About the Author .....................................................................................................29
-2 Copyright 2014
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Introduction
The best way to ace your application essays is to ANSWER THE ESSAY QUESTIONS. This
may sound like an easy feat, yet so often applicants go into the essay writing process with
ulterior motives: to write their preconceived essays based only loosely on the given essay topics.
Newsflash: No matter how compelling and well-written your essays are, if they dont answer the
questions as they are presented to you on the application, they will not impress the admissions
committeeor at least not in the way you want them to.
In this admissions report you will receive the guidance you need to a) understand exactly what
each essay question is asking, and to b) answer the question in the most compelling and
impressive fashion.
To make sure you make the most of this guide, I recommend that you keep the following in
mind:
These questions were originally used in the 2014-2015 med school application cycle.
Whenever you read this, dont assume they are unchanged. Check the schools
websites for the current version.
Each school asks different questions; therefore, each essay you draft should be unique
to each essay question and to each program. While it may be tempting to use the same
essay for a few different applications, adcoms can usually tell the difference between
a recycled essay and an essay that was written specifically to answer their question
and they certainly prefer the latter.
In our analyses below, youll find valuable tips on what to include in your answers, as
well as advice on what you should avoid at all costs. Dont stop reading after the
dos; the donts can be just as valuable, if not more so.
Since fit is so crucial to each of these schools, be sure to research each program you
apply to and to envision yourself at that particular schoolon its campus, in its
classrooms, interacting with its professors, etc.while drafting your essay. If you
want the adcoms to believe you will be an irreplaceable fixture in their next class,
then youll have to convince them that your ideals and goals are one with theirs.
Finally, at the end of each section of this report, I provide additional application tips and advice,
as well as how Accepted can further assist you with your application efforts. Our consultants are
standing by, ready to be of service to you.
Enjoy the report and answer those questions directly. Effectively.
-3 Copyright 2014
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Disclaimer: Please double-check the original application on each individual med schools
website to ensure accuracy. Accepted.com is not responsible for any discrepancies in the text or
any changes that may have been made to the original applications since the time of publishing.
Note: As you read through this special report youll find that we formatted it as clearly as
possible so you can easily tell where Accepted commentary begins and ends. Med school
directions and questions are typed in standard font, while Accepted comments are all italicized.
-4 Copyright 2014
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-5 Copyright 2014
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Boston University
BUSMs MD Program offers students the opportunity to work with patients beginning in their
first year of medical school. Students will receive their clinical training at the prestigious Boston
Medical Center, which has the largest trauma center in the Northeast. Students also have the
option of pursuing a Masters Degree in Public Health. The secondary application consists of
five optional essays.
Boston University 2015 Secondary Application Essay Questions
Five optional short essays with varied word limits are requested.
Applicants should use single line spacing and 12 point size font.
Responses should be constructed strategically to highlight an applicants strengths.
Application Tip: Check out the BUSM Viewbook with admissions information.
The following are required in the secondary application:
1. If you did not go to college directly after high school, please explain. (1400 character limit,
approximately 280 words)
Medical schools love non-traditional applicants who have life experience. If this essay prompt
applies to you, provide a brief explanation of how you spent your time before enrolling in
collegedetailing any awards or accomplishments you earned before entering higher education.
If you worked to help support your family, this is admirable and demonstrates that you took on
significant responsibility at a young age. Responding to this prompt will only help your
application.
2. If you are not expecting to go directly to medical school after completing your undergraduate
work, please explain. (1400 character limit, approximately 280 words)
Be honest in this response. If you need to take a break before applying to medical school, write
about how you will use your time. Discuss all volunteer work, extracurricular interests, or
clinical experience that you plan to participate in. If you have a goal for this period, provide it. If
you need to work to save up money to applystate this in your response. Explain where you
intend to work and anticipated responsibilities.
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3. If you have spent more than 4 years as an undergraduate, please explain below. (You may skip
this question if you have graduated within 4 years.)
If applicable, create a list of all the reasons why you were not able to graduate in four years.
After ranking your list in order of importance, use this as your outline. Having multiple interests
or double majors will only help your application, as the reader will have the opportunity to learn
more about your unique talents and interests.
4. 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. It is not necessary to write
anything in this section. (2000 character limit, approximately 400 words)
Though this essay is also optional, I would strongly recommend responding to it. Use an updated
copy of your resume or CV and work backwards from the most current to oldest experiences.
What are your other interests, outside of medicine? Have you lived or worked in another
country? Did you win any science or non-science awards or fairs in your early education? Focus
this response on educational experiencestalents or skills you developed through training or
learning opportunities (formal education or self-taught).
5. We have found that for most applicants, an extra essay written expressly for Boston University
adds little to the information content of the portfolio. While we no longer require an essay, some
applicants feel that additional information is necessary in order to provide us with a
comprehensive understanding of their strengths as a candidate for a career in medicine. If you
wish, use the space below to offer an essay or any other information, addressing any issue you
feel is of importance. If you choose to use the space, please do not duplicate information
provided elsewhere in this Supplemental Application or in material you have submitted to
AMCAS.
For most applicants, no supplementary essay will be necessary and this space can be left blank.
In this response, you could focus on any clinical, research, or science related experiences that
you have not already covered in detail in your personal statement that would reveal your
commitment to a career in medicine. Again, this essay is also optional, but by responding to it
you will be demonstrating your interest in the BUSM Program. Again, using a copy of your
resume/CV or a timeline of your life experiences could assist you in deciding what to write about
in this response. Be strategic in your selection by covering information that you have not yet
discussed that will highlight your strengths as an applicant.
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-8 Copyright 2014
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Four essays total requestedtwo essays with 750 character limits, one essay with a 1,000
character limit and one essay with a 2,000 character limit.
Applicants should use single line spacing and 12 point size font.
Responses should be constructed strategically to highlight an applicants strengths.
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2. What is your most significant achievement outside the classroom? (750 characters)
What they are really asking you is, What is important to you in your life? They want to
understand your maturity level and priorities. Based on the fact that they emphasize leadership,
community service, and a commitment to life-long learning, you can select an achievement that
1) you are truly proud of, and that 2) allows you to share your dedication to helping others
through leadership and/or education. Its essential to be authentic so do select something that is
important to you. Situations that reveal creative leadership will be most effective.
3. 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)
In responding to this essay prompt, it will be important for you to select a challenge that you
have overcome that will allow you to demonstrate by showing, rather than telling, how you are
a unique individual. For example, if you came up with a unique way to approach an issue that
provided a successful resolution for everyone involved, this would be an effective choice.
Creating an outline will help you ensure that you have selected a subject that will cover all three
questions in the prompt. In identifying what was unique about your approach to the challenge,
you will be answering the third question listed. Many different challenges would work well for
this essay, just be sure to select one that highlights your approach to problem solving.
4. 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)
Do your research for this question. There are lots of wonderful special programs at GW. Create
a list as you read through their website. After youve read through all of their webpages, rank
your list in the order of importance to you. Create an outline based on these rankings. Again, its
essential to be authentic in your response and to demonstrate how you have used similar
opportunities in the past. Its even more helpful if you have visited the school or spoken with
representatives or students.
George Washington SMHS Application Timeline
AMCAS Application Due: December 1, 2014
Secondary Application: January 1, 2014 (Strong recommendation: Submit within two weeks
after receipt.)
School Begins: Early August 2015
Check out our Med School Admissions 101 pages for in-depth resources and tips on these
topics and more!
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Eight short essays are requestedfour are required and the other half are required only if
the situation described applies to the applicant.
Applicants should use single line spacing and 12 point size font.
Responses should be constructed strategically to highlight an applicants strengths.
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4. Briefly describe your single, most rewarding experience. Feel free to refer to an experience
previously described in your AMCAS application. (900 character limit)
While the essay prompt allows you to use an experience shared in your AMCAS application, I
recommend selecting a new anecdote for this essay response. Make a list of your top five or ten
most rewarding experiences. Next to each item, write one or two reasons why you would
consider it the most rewarding. Then, referring back to the tenets of the schools mission
statement, which of these experiences meets the highest number of these areas? Structure your
response according to how your own expectationssense of fulfillmentmatch that of the
schools mission.
5. Are there any areas of medicine that are of particular interest to you? If so, please comment.
(1100 character limit)
To demonstrate the realistic knowledge you have gained of the medical field through your
clinical experience and volunteer work, I recommend focusing this response on the areas of
medicine that you have developed an interest in based on your personal experience. A broad
response that highlights how long term and extensive your exposure is to the various fields of
medicine would be appropriate.
6. 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. (900 character limit)
To formulate your response to this question, choose a professional experience and show how you
directly changed or improved on a process or system to benefit the community you worked with.
What was the situation? How did you learn from it and improve the outcome? How will this
knowledge serve you in your patient interactions or level of engagement with your patient
community?
7. If applicable, describe a situation where you were not in the majority. What did you learn from
this experience? (1100 character limit)
Provide a variety of examples to demonstrate your success in working with individuals from
diverse backgrounds and cultures. Examples could include travel to countries in which you do
not speak the language, participation in cultural or religious activities that are different from
your own, and engagement with communities of different ethnicities or cultural backgrounds
from your own.
8. If applying to the dual MD/MBA program, please describe your reasons for wishing to obtain
this degree. (1100 character limit)
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To determine your interest in the program, review their website. How will the combination of
these two degrees enable you to meet your life goals? Why not apply only for an MD? How will
an MBA inform or improve your influence on the health of a community?
Johns Hopkins Medical School Application Timeline
AMCAS Application Due: October 15, 2014
Secondary Application: December 1, 2014 (Strong recommendation: Submit within two weeks
after receipt.)
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The adcom wants to determine what you value by what you find rewarding in your life. Its
important to be authentic. I recommend choosing something that is truly fulfilling for you but
that also will demonstrate how well you will fit in with the culture of service created at
MSUCHM. A response that focuses on any form of service that you have most enjoyed will fit
this response nicely. Alternatively, any personal achievements that you have worked towards
may also workas long as they benefited more than one person.
3. If you could present yourself to the Committee on Admissions, what would you want to make
sure they knew about you? (350 word limit)
For such an open-ended question, I recommend that you review your AMCAS application in
detail to see if there is anything that you didnt cover. Other important topics to consider
discussing may have occurred before college or after you submitted your AMCAS application
that you can share with the adcom. Its important to take the time and effort to respond to this
question as thoughtfully as possible. If youre really struggling for a topic, consider any hobbies
or talents outside of school that will help you maintain your balance and focus in medical
school.
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Application Timeline
AMCAS Application Due: November 1, 2014
Secondary Application: November 30, 2014 (Strong recommendation: Submit within two weeks
after receipt.)
Create a secondary essay that expands the school's image of who you are, while seamlessly
complementing the other parts of your application. Delve into the tips on our Secondary 101
advice page.
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Two essays are requiredthe first essay has a 550 word limit and the second essay has a
400 word limit.
An additional optional essay is requested, with no word limit.
Applicants should use single line spacing and 12 point size font.
Responses should be constructed strategically to highlight an applicants strengths.
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For this response, it would be appropriate to discuss a death in the family or serious illness of a
family member or friend. This essay would demonstrate your level of maturity and highlight
healthy coping mechanisms you have developed. Or you could use a professional example. In the
latter case, be sure to select an example that has a clearly positive outcome as a direct result of
your efforts. Once you have selected the situation, explain how you were able to identify a
successful approach and create a positive outcome, even if only to gain closure.
(Optional) Additional Information. Please feel free to use this space to convey any additional
information that you might wish the Committee to know. We suggest that you limit your text to
about 200 words.
Use this essay to update the adcom on your recent activities and publications. If you have
already covered all significant experiences in your primary application and in the essays above,
discuss how you have spent your time since submitting the primary application.
Pritzker SOM Application Timeline
AMCAS Application Due: October 15, 2014
Secondary Application: December 1, 2014 at 11:59 PM CST (Strong recommendation: Submit
within two weeks after receipt.)
Interviews Conducted: August 19, 2014 January 29, 2015
Rolling Admissions Begins: October 15, 2014
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University of Pittsburgh
UPSOM places special emphasis on their collaborative problem-based curriculum and the fact
that their medical students begin interacting with patients in their first year of medical school.
Providing the best care to patients through research, education, leadership, and diversity is
central to their mission. In your own background, how can you demonstrate your commitment to
service? Have you experienced the patient side of medicine yourself or through family members?
How have these unique life experiences and the communities you have served contributed to your
unique development and identity?
University of Pittsburgh 2015 Secondary Application Essay Questions
Application Tip: Check out the UPSOM admissions committee procedures and criteria.
The following are required in the secondary application:
1. Tell us about a challenging problem you faced and how you resolved it. (250 word limit)
Given UPSOMs focus on one-on-one patient interactions, use an experience in which you were
able to resolve a professional conflict. Emphasize the role that you played in finding a solution
and the skills you employed to identify and implement a positive outcome that was mutually
beneficial for all parties involved. I recommend using an issue that has a clear positive
resolution and one that is not personal in nature.
2. UPSOM is a culturally diverse and talented community. How would you enrich/enliven the
UPSOM community? The essay should discuss material that is not included in the rest of your
application. (250 word limit)
To best address this essay, take your time to make a long list of your unique qualities, talents,
and experiencesthe longer the better. Cross out those items that you have already included in
your personal statement. Identify your top three on the listas they relate to UPSOMs mission
and goals. Explain how those three identifiers will allow you to connect with the community and
how they represent you as an individual.
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University of Washington
Given UWSOMs top ranking in primary care, they will be looking for applicants with a strong
interest in patient education and community health. This secondary application will require that
you provide an autobiographical essay and answer three to four short essay questions. In
constructing your responses, focus on highlighting those life experiences that will demonstrate
your commitment to community service and leadership and reveal the depth of your maturity,
compassion, and integrity. If you are from a rural background or Washington, Wyoming, Alaska,
or Montana, be sure to reference your life experiences in these areas since UWSOM has a
special program called WWAMI that is designed to serve the needs of these communities.
University of Washington 2015 Secondary Application Essay Questions
One autobiographical essay, with no character limit, and three short essays with 250 word
limits are requested.
One additional short essay is required for reapplicants with a 250 word limit.
Applicants should use single line spacing and 12 point size font.
Responses should be constructed strategically to highlight all of an applicants strengths,
especially since the application will be reviewed holistically.
Application Tip: Check out this application advice from the Dean of Admissions at UWSOM.
The following are required in the secondary application:
1. An autobiographical statement which should include:
The Personal Comments section of the AMCAS application may be used to satisfy this
requirement, or an additional autobiography may be submitted with your secondary materials.
Your AMCAS personal statement will already be on file with our office.
This essay is optional. However, to demonstrate your interest in their program, you may submit
this additional autobiographical statement. Be strategic in your approachfocus on clinical or
research experiences that you have not discussed in your personal statement. It may be helpful to
draft a timeline of your life experiences and to focus on those that you have not yet covered in
detail. Is there anything that you would like the admissions committee to know about how your
interest in medicine developed or about your approach to patient care in your clinical
experience? How will a medical education influence your life goals? What unique experiences or
talents do you have that will influence how you practice medicine?
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Three essays are requested: two essays with a 3,000 character limit and one essay with a
1,800 character limit.
Applicants should use single line spacing and 12 point size font.
Responses should be constructed strategically to highlight an applicants strengths.
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Use an updated copy of your resume or CV to help you create a comprehensive response.
Capture the diversity of your activities and interests. Include all work experiences or volunteer
activities. Review a copy of your transcript to be sure that you have covered all significant gaps
in your education. If there were increases or decreases in your GPA before or after these breaks,
explain.
WUSOM Application Timeline
AMCAS Application Due: December 1, 2014
Secondary Application Due: December 31, 2014 (Strong recommendation: Submit within two
weeks after receipt.)
Interviews Conducted: October 2014 March 2015
Rolling Admissions: November 2014 April 15, 2015
School Begins: August 11, 2015
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Epilogue
Thank you for downloading this exclusive Accepted special report. We hope you will use the
valuable tips in this report to optimize your medical school applications by writing compelling,
thoughtful answers to the essay questions.
If you are still not confident about your ability to write effective application essays, or just want
to save time, please contact Accepted.com. While our experienced professional editing staff
wont write your essays for you, we can help you from the beginning, as youre defining your
topics and themes, or we can edit your essays to ensure that your application is as strong as it can
be.
If you have any questions about this report, or questions about med school admissions in general,
please feel free to post them to our Facebook wall, or LinkedIn group.
We look forward to hearing from you!
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