colorado medical school secondary essays

University of Colorado Secondary Application Essay Prompts

• Cracking Med School Admissions

The University of Colorado secondary application is short, so you can work on this quickly and submit it soon after you receive the official secondary application . The University of Colorado School of Medicine has several tracks for medical school. Most of our students apply to the general MD program, but some students select to also apply to the Fort Collins and Rural program. Make sure to read about each program before applying. 

Whichever program you choose, it is important to highlight WHY you want to go to the University of Colorado. Read our other Cracking Med School Admissions University of Colorado secondary application tips down below! 

Contact us if you have any questions about how to stand out in this secondary application. 

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University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2023 – 2024

University of colorado secondary application essay prompts – md program (for all applicants).

• 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? (1,000 words max)
• Please describe how your background and/or your unique lived experiences contribute to our culture of inclusive excellence.  (300 words max)
• Please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission.  (1,500 characters max)

University of Colorado Secondary Application Essay Prompts – Fort Collins Program

*MSTP Applicants CANNOT apply to this program

• 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. (300 words max)

University of Colorado Secondary Application Essay Prompts – Rural Program

• Describe your personal and professional goals in becoming a rural physician. In particular, describe your interest and ability to spend your clinical year in a rural community. You may also include how past experiences living and/or working in a rural area and your ties to or interest in rural Colorado communities aligns with your goals. (300 words max)

Tips to Answer University of Colorado Secondary Application Essays

University of Colorado Secondaries Pre-Writing Guidance:  We would definitely pre-write the University of Colorado secondaries, especially if you are an in-state applicant! There is one question that has a 1,000 word limit, which is longer than a personal statement! So start this secondary early. 

• Learn how to stand out to the Admissions Committee by downloading our FREE and HIGH-YIELD Cracking Med School Secondary Essays Guide

University of Colorado Secondary Application Tip #1: One thing that will make you a favorable medical school applicant is if you have ties to Colorado. If you have lived in Colorado, conducted community service, or completed any clinical experiences in Colorado, make sure to mention them! Additionally, make sure you discuss “Why University of Colorado School of Medicine.”

• For more information on how to answer “Why University of Colorado?” read our informative blog post Why this Medical School? Secondary Essay Example.

University of Colorado Secondary Application Tip #2: For the University of Colorado secondary application question, “ 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? ” students often write 1 story per pillar. Contact us if you want to brainstorm or check whether your stories for leadership, curiosity, and commitment will help you stand out!

University of Colorado Secondary Application Tip #3: If you are going to apply to a specific track, make sure you talk about your experiences in rural medicine or urban medicine. Specifically, if you have lived or worked in rural / urban Colorado, that would be a great fact to mention! Then, talk about how these tracks will help you in your journey towards practicing in urban or rural areas.

University of Colorado Secondary Application Tip #4: Have questions about how you can stand out? Contact us below. Need editing help on your secondary? We can help you through our secondary essay packages . 

University of Colorado Secondary Application Tip #5: For the re-applicant essay, it is important to discuss the following.

• Reflections about why your application was not as strong last cycle. 
• How you addressed the weaknesses. 
• Clinical opportunities you’ve improved. Reflect on what you learned about patient care. 
• For the University of Colorado Medical School secondary application, any activities you’ve had in to Colorado will be a huge plus, especially patient care experiences!

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Q: Do I need to use the 1,000 words in the Colorado medical school secondary application essay #1 ? You should optimize the space. We recommend using at least 500 words. This is a tough secondary because you have so much space, so contact us if you need help with editing this essay! Make sure your essays complement your primary application personal statement. We are successful in helping students get interview invites and acceptances!
• Q: Can you tell me more about the Fort Collins program and the University of Colorado School of Medicine rural track? Read more about the rural track here and the Fort Collins branch here . The Fort Collins track started in 2021 and medical students receive clinical training in Northern Colorado. The University of Colorado rural track started in 2005 and focuses its clinical training and clinical experience in rural medicine. As stated on the University of Colorado website, “Students in the Rural Program spend the year at dispersed sites in one rural Colorado community or several neighboring towns. Each site typically has one or two learners, so our students have extensive opportunities for hands-on experiences and participation in procedures.”

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University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2022 – 2023

*MSTP Applicants CANNOT apply to these programs

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University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2021 – 2022

University of colorado school of medicine secondary application essay prompts: 2020 – 2021.

• 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. (300 words max)
• Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. (300 words max)

University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2019 – 2020

University of colorado school of medicine secondary application essay prompts: 2018 – 2019.

• 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.
• If you are a re-applicant, please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission. (1,500 characters max – including spaces)

University of Colorado Secondary Application Essay Prompts –  Urban Track

*Only if you selected this optional track

• 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.

University of Colorado Secondary Application Essay Prompts –  Rural 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. (300 words max)

University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2017 – 2018

University of colorado secondary application essay prompts – , university of colorado school of medicine secondary application essay prompts: 2016 – 2017.

• If you are a re-applicant, please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission.  (1,500 characters max – including spaces)
• (Optional) If after reviewing the information for these optional tracks you would like to apply to one of them, complete the essay for the track you wish to apply to in the appropriate box below. (1,500 characters max – including spaces)

University of Colorado Secondary Application Essay Prompts – Colorado Springs

• 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. (1,500 characters max – including spaces)

University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2015 – 2016

• Part A.  The School of Medicine Admissions Committee 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.

University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2014 – 2015

• 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.

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University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts

These are the secondary application essay prompts for University of Colorado School of Medicine. To put your best foot forward and maximize your chance of an interview invitation, visit our secondary application editing page .

about University of Colorado School of Medicine

Secondary Deadline : November 30, 2023 Secondary Fee : $100 FAP Waiver : Full Fee Waived CASPer Required : Yes Screens Applications : Yes Accepts Application Updates : No

The mission of the University of Colorado School of Medicine is to provide Colorado, the nation and the world with programs of excellence in: Education – through the provision of educational programs to medical students, allied health students, graduate students and housestaff, practicing health professionals and the public at large; Research – through the development of new knowledge in the basic and clinical sciences, as well as in health policy and health care education; Patient Care – through state-of-the-art clinical programs which reflect the unique educational environment of the University, as well as the needs of the patients it serves; and, Community Service – through sharing the School’s expertise and knowledge to enhance the broader community, including our affliated institutions, other healthcare professionals, alumni and other colleagues, and citizens of the state.

1. 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. Limit the essay to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

2. 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: Optional

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

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

5. 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.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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).

1. 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.

2. 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.

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

4. 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.

5. (Optional) If after reviewing the information for these optional tracks you would like to apply to one of them, complete the essay for the track you wish to apply to in the appropriate box below. Please limit each essay to 1500 characters, including spaces

Disclaimer: The information on this page was shared by students and/or can be found on the medical school’s website. Med School Insiders does not guarantee the accuracy of the information on this page.

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University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Questions

Here are University of Colorado School of Medicine’s secondary questions.

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.

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. Reapplicant to Colorado: Please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission. (Limit this response to 1500 Characters.)

3. 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. Rural Track: Describe your personal and professional goals in becoming a rural physician. In particular, describe your interest and ability to spend your clinical year in a rural community. You may also include how past experiences living and/or working in a rural area and your ties to or interest in rural Colorado communities aligns with your goals. (Limit your statement to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

MD Program, (All applicants write this one)

• The pillars of our curriculum are Leadership, Curiosity, and Commitment. Tell us about how you have embodied one or more of these attributes in your path to medicine thus far. In which of these areas do you see the most opportunity for personal growth and why? Limit this response to 1000 words.

Fort Collins program:  

*Please note: MSTP applicants CANNOT apply to these programs.

• Please tell us why you are interested in being a part of the 4-year CUSOM at CSU (Fort Collins Branch campus)? With the background that FCB’s smaller class sizes and unique structure lead to a highly interactive curriculum, please tell us how this campus matches your learning style and personal philosophy. Limit your statement to 1500 characters , including spaces (approximately 300 words).

Rural program:  

• Describe your personal and professional goals in becoming a rural physician. In particular, describe your interest and ability to spend your clinical year in a rural community. You may also include how past experiences living and/or working in a rural area and your ties to or interest in rural Colorado communities aligns with your goals. Limit your statement to 1500 characters , including spaces (approximately 300 words).

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.

• Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine

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).

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.

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.

• 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).

Good luck to everyone applying!

(Optional) If after reviewing the information for these optional tracks you would like to apply to one of them, complete the essay for the track you wish to apply to in the appropriate box below. Please limit each essay to 1500 characters, including spaces

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, limiting it to 1500 characters.

Optional Colorado Springs Essay: 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. (1500 char)

Please answer both parts in this single essay, limiting it to 2000 words.

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The University of Colorado School of Medicine is a member of the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) and requires all students interested in attending medical school in Colorado to apply through the AMCAS based in Washington, DC. 

The application is open to applicants on June 1. Normally there is a three- to four-week delay before the school receives the application from AMCAS due to transcript verification. Students are encouraged to apply EARLY. The University of Colorado School of Medicine secondary application fee is $100.

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University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts

Below are the secondary prompts for University of Colorado School of Medicine.   Want to maximize your chances for an interview invite? Work with our expert medical school admission consultants to put your best foot forward through our secondary application editing services.

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 floorboards. 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) .

Ready, Set, Apply — Let’s Talk Secondaries

By: Alessandra Santiago

Let’s talk secondaries. If you’ve followed the Ready, Set, Apply series until this point, you’ll be aware that the primary application opens on May 4, 2020 and you can submit your primary application as early as May 28, 2020 . 

After you have submitted the primary application, it typically takes 4-6 weeks for AMCAS to review and verify the information you have submitted to the medical schools to which you have applied. Once the verification process is complete, the secondaries will start rolling in as early as the end of June . 

Most schools for which you have passed their minimum acceptable GPA and MCAT scores will send you essays to complete. You may receive all of your secondaries at once, or they may trickle in. These essays are reviewed on a rolling basis once you submit them, so be sure to complete them in a timely manner. 

Side note: as soon as you receive your secondary essays, you may want to gently nudge any letter writers who have not completed your letters at this point.

The purpose of a secondary essay is for medical schools to receive supplementary information about you as an applicant in order to assess your fit for their school. There can be quite a bit of work involved with secondaries and the cost can be high ($85-125 per submission), so these essays can be viewed as a means to gauge your interest in that particular school. If you complete the secondary and submit it as quickly as possible, you appear as a more interested candidate than an applicant who takes a month to respond.

The advised turn around time when responding to a secondary is two weeks . After you have received the secondary request, the clock begins, and it is to your best interest to establish an essay writing strategy to answer the most important secondaries you receive first. For instance, a student who applies to 30 schools might receive 30 secondary essays! This can lead to a staggering number of essays to complete in a very short turn-around.

So, think now about how you will choose to approach this. Do you have a list of a few top schools that you will commit to writing full-fledged, well-composed essays? Or, do you not have a preference, and will you try to duplicate effort as much as possible to maximize your chances on getting in anywhere? Sometimes, it comes down to choosing between time and effort vs. quality: spending a lot of time on two or three secondaries at the expense of your other secondaries can hurt the likelihood of getting into the other schools you do not prioritize.

That said, you can take advantage of the fact that some secondaries utilize similar prompts. You can check out a database of secondary essay prompts to see what types of questions are typically used. Be advised: each of these questions might be asked in a different context depending on the school from which you receive the secondary request, and you may have different character counts for the same prompt from different schools.

Some examples of common secondary essays are as follows:

• What personal accomplishment are you most proud of? Why? (Max: 1500 characters)
• Why are you interested in attending our school? What factors are most important to you in choosing a medical school? (Max: 1000 characters)
• Discuss how socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, or life experiences have influenced your goals for a career in medicine. (Max: 500 characters)

Your secondaries are a chance for you to tie into other themes and/or activities you’ve mentioned elsewhere in your application. Try to add to what you have already written about, but take care not to repeat information. The secondaries provide glimpses into your character and background that an admissions panel may not have seen from your personal statement and activities sections, so do your best to write concisely and sincerely.

Check back in two weeks for our next article, where we will cover when to consider re-applying if you haven’t heard back from any med schools.

If you want to learn more about navigating the Pre-Med journey, check out our Getting Into Med School: Tips and Tricks Blog .

We also have some upcoming pre-med Wilderness Medicine courses during Spring Break (just in time for application season!). For West Coast pre-meds, check out our Channel Islands Wilderness First Responder Course !

The Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine is a university-based enterprise to promote research, clinical best practice,education, and outreach to advance health and wellness in extremeor austere environments.

Copyright © 2022 University of Colorado Department of Emergency Medicine 

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March 24, 2020

What Med School Applicants Need to Know About the University of Colorado School of Medicine [Episode 359]

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A conversation with Dr. Nichole Zehnder, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs at the University of Colorado School of Medicine [Show summary]

Dr. Nichole Zehnder, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, shares an overview of the school’s unique offerings and admissions process for prospective med school applicants.

Get to know the University of Colorado School of Medicine [Show notes]

Today’s guest, Dr. Nichole Zehnder , earned her MD at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in 2006. She did her residency in internal medicine and is a practicing physician affiliated with the University of Colorado Hospital, and she’s also an Associate Professor of Hospital Medicine at the University of Colorado. More importantly, for purposes of this interview, she is the Assistant Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Can you give an overview of the Colorado School of Medicine’s program, focusing on the more distinctive elements? [1:37]

The University of Colorado School of Medicine is a four-year MD/PhD program. We’re LCME accredited and affiliated with AAMC. We offer spots for 10 MSPP students, so 10 MD/PhD students in each of our intern classes, and then 174 MD spots.

I think there’s a few different distinct parts of our curriculum, some of which are just blooming on the horizon, which I’d love to feature here, as well as some things that are already in existence. Some of the more notable parts of our school and our curriculum as it exists right now are our longitudinal interprofessional curriculum. We’re fortunate to be on one of the biggest healthcare campuses in the United States. We have our medical school, our dental school, our PA school, our pharmacy school, and our nursing school all here on our campus. And with that, we think that we should take that geographic advantage and have our learners learn together in a true interprofessional environment. That starts here at CU in the first year, continues all the way through the fourth year or the senior year of medical school. That’s one of our really distinct opportunities that our students can take advantage of. And that’s true for both MD and MD/PhD students.

I think a few other parts of our curriculum really deserve a shout out. One is, we have quite a few developed, longitudinal, integrated clerkships in our clinical year. Our students who will be entering in this year’s intern class, so the 2020 intern class, have the opportunity to, if they want, participate in five different longitudinal integrated clerkship models. Everything from urban underserved care at our Denver Health site to our C-CLIC, which is our rural and community longitudinal integrated clerkship.

The longitudinal clerkship model is a model that’s been done for decades. Here at CU, we’ve been doing it for about the past six or seven years. And that’s done in the clerkship phase of training, so the clinical phase of training, which for some schools is the third year, for some schools it’s earlier. For us right now, it’s in the third year, and I’ll get to that part here in a second. But the students have the opportunity to do the entirety of their clerkship or clinical year at this specific site.

The Colorado School of Medicine has a branch in Colorado Springs, although most of your campus is outside of Denver. What is the advantage of that? Why would a student choose that? [4:09]

Our main campus is located at the Anschutz Medical Campus. That’s in Aurora, which is east of the Denver Metro area. Colorado Springs is about an hour south of the Denver area, and we have 24 of our students do their clinical training down in Colorado Springs.

One might think with Colorado Springs that they may be more interested in mountain medicine or rural medicine, but actually we have students who are interested in all of those things. I think the big focus for Colorado Springs is really about the community. For the community, specifically the ability to engage meaningfully in the community and be able to partner with organizations locally in the Colorado Springs area to provide different types of care and to do quality and patient safety in that community. Many of the students who elect to go to Colorado Springs have some sort of tie to that community prior to entering medical school.

Is there a preference at the Colorado School of Medicine for in-state residents? [5:19]

What I can say is that we have a higher percentage of students from Colorado, if accepted to our school, that ultimately choose to come here. Students from Colorado, if accepted, are more likely to come to our medical school than students who are from out of state. That said, last year we had a record 10,435 applicants for 184 spots.

As you can imagine, the vast majority of our pool is actually from out-of-state. Each year, we end up with a class that’s around 50/50.

We don’t have any legislative mandate in terms of number of slots filled, so it can vary from year to year. Sometimes it’s 55% in-state, sometimes it’s 50%. It does vary a little bit. This actually isn’t a preference from the Admissions Committee; the in-state tuition is much cheaper than the out-of-state tuition.

Click here to check out the In-State vs. Out-of-State Acceptance Rates Tool! >>

What is the Mentored Scholarly Activity at Colorado? [6:30]

Some schools, as I’m sure you know, have a research requirement or a senior capstone requirement. We call ours the Mentored Scholarly Activity. Our students though come from a hugely diverse background and set of experiences, and we want them to foster a lifelong curiosity in an area of their choosing. It doesn’t have to be a research project. If they want to have a community engagement project or make a focus in the arts and humanities, they’re able to do so.

They are partnered with a mentor in their first year; and if they don’t know who they want to work with, we help figure out who would be a good partner for them. And then they get the opportunity to work on a project that’s meaningful to them. They most often present some sort of scholarly output at the end and create some work, whether it’s a written work or an app platform or a community program that is able to satisfy that requirement.

It starts in the first year. There are some didactic components, but largely this is experiential learning. The students are out in the lab or in the community doing actual work, and then come back and present their work at the end of their four years.

Let’s turn to the medical school application. What is the Colorado secondary like? [8:00]

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you the actual question, but I think many savvy applicants utilize Google. (I’m not naive enough to think that it’s not out there.) The Colorado secondary is one required question and then optional questions if students are interested in joining one of our tracks or participating in the Colorado Springs branch. The optional questions aren’t part of the admissions decision. We just hold onto those bank posts for later. If a student’s accepted, then we use that data to help figure out their customized curriculum. It doesn’t give an applicant an advantage or doesn’t give them a disadvantage if they are or aren’t interested in a track or the branch.

Colorado requires the CASPer. What does it provide you that the primary and secondaries don’t? [8:47]

What we hope to get out of that is a better glimpse into some of the attributes, the non-cognitive attributes that an applicant is bringing into a medical school. As the applicants know, right now the CASPer is scored as Z score. We get a Z score, its norms compared to test takers at that time. And so we have a sense as to how the applicant did related to the non-cognitive attributes that they were assessing during those video scenarios. And we wouldn’t necessarily get that from an essay or from experiences in a way that’s standardized and validated. We’ll be entering our second year using CASPer.

Does Colorado screen secondaries? In other words, are they sent out automatically assuming that somebody is above a certain GPA and MCAT without any automated screening, or is a human being looking at them before? [9:40]

When I first took this job back in 2014, we were a school that automatically sent secondaries to every applicant who sent us an AMCAS application. I’m a true believer in holistic review, and I don’t think that that’s fair to either the applicant or the school. If there’s a candidate that we wouldn’t consider interviewing, we shouldn’t ask for their money or their time. We do screen, and we have some automated features. So students above certain thresholds automatically get a supplemental application. But every single person who doesn’t meet that threshold gets a human review, and the human decides whether or not that applicant would be someone that we would want to send a secondary application to, and we do that every year.

Is there a GPA threshold also?

There’s not, no.

If the applicant is below the AMCAS threshold for the automated secondary, then a human will review the application and make a decision?

You said that in a previous year you received 10,000 primary applications. how do you winnow it down what makes an applicant jump off the page for you and be worthy of an interview [11:19].

This is such a hard question, Linda, and this is one I struggle with specifically because we have so many qualified applicants, and I think the nature of the beast is that there’s something that we’ll miss, quite honestly. That’s hard because of the volume of applicants. But getting to your question about what makes an applicant exceptional, I get asked all the time, what is the right formula, or what’s the magic? What do I need, what are my scores, and what kind of activities do I need to do? And there’s no one right applicant.

What I try and tell our applicants is to be the best version of them that they possibly can be. Most students who are wanting to enter the profession of medicine are kind , altruistic. They’re empathetic. They really want to be of service, and I like to see the applications that really mirror those values. If they feel like they’re devoted to vulnerable populations, to truly do work with vulnerable populations and to do so in a way that’s meaningful and deep and rich over a large amount of time, and when I say large I mean that they’ve done this for a year or more, as opposed to kind of doing these drop-in activities.

If you say that you want to work with homeless populations and this is something you’re passionate about, I want to see evidence that you’ve done that and you’ve done it for a while, and you’ve done it in a way that is meaningful, and that you can reflect on that and know why that experience will make you a better provider in the future.

We don’t have “boxes” to check in our screening rubric. I think there are schools that may say you need to volunteer for this amount of time or you need to shadow for this amount of time. But every applicant comes with their own unique story and their own unique passions. And I would much rather have an applicant who is able to dive deep into their passions and is clear about their values and has the stuff that we need in medicine as opposed to someone who’s checked all the different boxes because that’s what they need to get in.

What is interview day like? [14:44]

Interview day for us starts with a welcome, and I do a quick 15-minute introduction, talking a little bit about the profession of medicine, talking about our institution, explaining the overview of the day, how the day will flow. We then split the group essentially into two halves. We interview 60 applicants on each interview day and that number is fixed at 60. And so half of the group will go on to do a group activity, and the other half will stay in the room that they’re in and get an overview of our curriculum.

The group that’s doing the group activity will do something together. I’ve kindly asked our applicants who have interviewed not to share that, and I think they’ve honored that. We also have the longest-standing honor code in the United States for medical school, so we think that’s something we take pretty seriously, and so I have not seen that activity disseminated broadly. And I appreciate, applicants, if you interviewed with us, thank you for not sharing.

But what we’re really looking to get a sense of is how do our students work in teams . We’re truly a collaborative team environment here. We believe in team science; we believe in team learning. We do a lot of small group learning, and medicine is a team profession now, right? When you’re out there practicing, you’re working with other healthcare colleagues in a way that you have to be able to communicate with them and play nicely in the sandbox and understand mutual goals, and do this all with the patients benefit at the back of your mind that we’re all working together towards that collaborative common goal. We like to see how they do together. It’s short, it’s really fun, and it actually opens up the day in a quick and really just exciting, fun, innovative way.

Then those two groups flip flop. The group that was getting curriculum would then go on and do the group activity. After that, the students then have a small group interview, which is for each applicant they’re partnered with two other applicants, different then they worked with previously. 

And then they have a short interview with two of our interviewers. It’s a little bit traditional, but there’s some situational judgment in there, some kind of, “What if you are confronted with this situation, what would you do in this kind of scenario?” So half of the group will be doing that. And then the other half is learning about financial aid, learning about our Colorado Springs branch, learning about more of our infrastructure here in our programming. Then they again flip.

After that, our students get the opportunity to have a panel with our current students. We step out of the room, and the students drive this. I tell our current students to be honest, we’re not perfect, but it’s an incredible place. But it’s okay to talk about things that you would like to see changed because that matters to us as well. They go on a tour with the students and then they finish out the day with individual interviews. That’s one applicant with two interviewers, and that’s more of a traditional interview.

We do not have MMIs. We’ve explored it. I really liked the format that we’re doing now. I think it allows applicants to shine from a variety of different backgrounds, introverts, extroverts. I think it gives us the information that we need, and it’s also comfortable and fun for the applicant.

Do you want the students that you admit to have both research experience and clinical exposure? [18:24]

The answer to that is not necessarily, but what I will say is that most of our students who are accepted actually do have both. That’s the most common thing. I also recognize though that as an undergraduate, particularly if you’re working, you’re working to support yourself or your family, that those are nearly impossible choices and someone may not get the opportunity to do both in depth. And so that wouldn’t necessarily disadvantage a student, but most frequently, we see people who have done both clinical work and research work.

Do you weigh letters of intent? [19:18]

We actually don’t accept any letters of intent at all, or updates. We take the application as we get at when it’s complete with the supplemental and the CASPer. And then we get letters of intent. Even though we don’t consider them, we can kindly thank them or discourage them from sending them. Because the reality is that if we got one from every single applicant in our pool, we would be overwhelmed with just reading these. And the other part of it is, we don’t know what sort of advice that applicants are getting. Some applicants may be getting the instructions, “Oh, follow their directions, don’t submit anything.” And then some applicants, many have connections or may submit those letters, and I don’t feel comfortable giving those applicants necessarily a competitive advantage because they send something in supplemental when someone else may very well want to come here just as bad. And I don’t know if there’s a right way, but this is our philosophy that we’ve adopted. We thank them for it, but it doesn’t go to the Admissions Committee. It’s not part of the decision either to accept them or not accept them or to have them come in off the alternate list.

Let’s say I’m a junior or senior in college right now, or perhaps I’ve taken a gap year and I’m looking forward to the 2021 application cycle. What advice would you have for me? [20:47]

The advice that I would have would be to apply broadly. We know that our students across the United States are applying to more than a dozen medical schools on average. The other thing that I would strongly encourage students to do is to make sure their application is complete and in early . This should go without saying, but there’s thousands of applicants, and I think you do have an advantage getting in early and making sure that it’s complete. There are sometimes students who wait until the very end and then even the next day or the day after they say, “Oh, Dr. Zehnder, I almost made the deadline, but I didn’t quite,” and we don’t consider those applications.

My final other advice that I may have for applicants would be to make sure their letters are truly strong. At least here at University of Colorado, we would much rather have a letter written by somebody who knows you well than somebody who may be a bigger name and actually doesn’t know you well at all. We want to know who you are as a person. We can read the rest of your AMCAS application. They don’t need to reiterate your CV. They don’t need to tell us about your GPA. We get that from the MCAT, but we want to know about fit. Culturally, will you do well here? Are you the kind of person we want to rotate with on our board teams? Are you the kind of person who would do well in our labs. Twenty years from now, are you going to be an alum who we’re proud to say graduated from our institution? And so letters should really reflect those sort of interpersonal qualities.

What would you have liked me to ask you? [22:23]

We’re right now undergoing curriculum reform. We’re doing some really innovative things. The entering class of 2021 should be on the lookout for a newly launched website. But as a sneak-peak, we’re doing what a lot of schools around the country are doing. We’re shortening our preclinical phase so that we can get students into the clinical environment earlier. We’ve made the decision to move USMLE Step 1 until after the clinical year, particularly since the eight schools that did this initially found at least if not better scores, less anxiety around USMLE Step 1. I would want students to know that coming into our curriculum.

The other thing that we’re doing is we’re moving towards an all longitudinally integrated clerkship here for our entire medical student body. We’ll be the first school in the nation who truly is an all LIC model. In the traditional model, when students do their clinical year, they’ll do surgery, then OB/GYN and then maybe pediatrics. The students here really get the opportunity to do patient-centered care; and on any given day, they may be an OB/GYN and the emergency department and rounding on the internal medicine boards in a way that they can facilitate both longitudinal relationships with preceptors, but more importantly with patients.

For instance, if I was the patient and I went into the hospital and I needed my appendix out, my student who I saw in the primary care clinic would be alerted that I was in the emergency room. Then maybe when I went to surgery they would scrub into the surgery, see me in the hospital after, visit me postoperatively, then go to my surgery follow-up. It allows for the student really to get to know the patients in a meaningful way across the year.

The other thing that I would want students to know is how welcoming our culture is here. We truly want every single one of our students to succeed, and they’re like family. Our doors in our Office of Student Life are always open. We’re meeting with students into the evening, sometimes on weekends. We want to celebrate their successes, whether it’s personal or professional, but also get the opportunity to help support them in some of the tougher times of medical school. Medical school is hard, and we don’t follow the philosophy that we’re going to weed you out if you’re not going to succeed. We want to help create an environment that’s going to help you succeed so that you can be the best physician possible.

The USMLE just became pass/fail. Is that going to influence your decision at all? [25:27]

As of right now, the answer is no. I don’t know for sure if that will change in the future. But at least for the intern class of 2021, we’ll keep it there after the clinical year.

Related links:

• University of Colorado School of Medicine
• Applying to Medical School: Selecting Extracurricular Activities
• Teamwork in Medical School Admissions: How to Show You’ve Got It
• Accepted’s Medical School Admissions Advising

Related shows:

• How to Apply to the Best Med Schools for You
• How to Get Accepted to Geisinger Medical and Graduate Debt Free
• UC Davis SOM’s Clear Message in its New Coaching Program
• Kaiser Medical School: State-of-the-Art, Patient-Focused, and Free
• Apply at Your Best: Advice from a Med School Admissions Expert

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• February 24, 2024

Elevating Your Medical School Application: The Ultimate Guide to Secondary Essays

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• Medical School

Recent Posts

Navigating the amcas application: a step-by-step guide for medical school hopefuls, navigating the aacomas application: a step-by-step guide for osteopathic medical school aspirants, navigating the amcas work and activities section: a practical guide, navigating the tmdsas application: a comprehensive guide, amcas personal statement: a step-by-step comprehensive application guide.

Introduction

Understanding the Purpose of Secondary Essays

– The Specific Role of Secondary Essays in Medical School Applications

-How Secondary Essays Differ From Primary Applications

– Frequently Asked Questions About Secondary Essays

Identifying Common Themes in Secondary Essay Prompts

-The “Why our school?” Question

-Cultural Competency and Its Relevance

-Addressing “Overcoming Challenges” 

-Discussing “Future Goals”

Navigating Academic Lapses or Breaks

-Addressing Gap Years in Your Secondary Essays

-Demonstrating Growth and Learning During Breaks

Strategies for Effective Secondary Essays

– Timeliness in Submitting Secondaries

– Understanding the Number and Scope of Secondaries Required by Each School

– Planning Your Secondaries Without Exact Prompts

Crafting a Standout Secondary Essay

-Building on Your Primary Application: Strengthening Your Narrative

-Showcasing Your Fit: Aligning with the School’s Mission

-Fine-tuning Your Essay: The Importance of Editing and Review

INTRODUCTION 

Navigating the labyrinth of medical school applications is no easy task. As you juggle GPAs, MCAT scores, and primary applications, you may find yourself confronting an often underestimated but crucial component of the process: the secondary essay. While the primary application showcases your academic prowess and general experience, the secondary essay delves deeper, offering medical schools a window into your unique journey, values, and compatibility with their program.

This important tool in your medical school application arsenal requires careful handling. Crafting a compelling secondary essay for some medical schools involves more than a demonstration of your academic accomplishments; it’s an artful balance of personal narrative, future aspirations, and a dash of persuasion. This is your opportunity to let admissions committees know why you are not just another aspiring medical professional, but a future physician with a distinct voice and a dream that aligns seamlessly with their mission.

Whether you’re discussing a personal challenge, portraying your cultural competency, or illustrating your fit with a particular school, each word you inscribe adds color to your application, transforming you from a list of grades and scores to a vibrant, three-dimensional candidate. With strategic planning, thoughtful reflection, and a little creativity, the secondary essay can become your secret weapon in getting the acceptance letter. 

In the demanding journey to medical school, the secondary essay often gets overshadowed by other application components. However, understanding its purpose and the pivotal role it plays in admissions is key to crafting an application that resonates with the admission committee.

The Specific Role of Secondary Essays in Medical School Applications

The primary function of secondary essays in medical school applications is to showcase your unique character and motivations that extend beyond academic achievements. While your GPA and MCAT score demonstrate your intellectual aptitude, the secondary essay allows the admissions team to connect with you on a personal level. These essays are an opportunity to spotlight your journey, your obstacles, and the lessons learned along the way. They also serve to highlight your understanding of the medical profession and your commitment to the school’s specific mission. 

Crafting a powerful secondary essay is more than just answering a question; it’s about constructing a narrative that underlines your dedication, resilience, and suitability for the medical profession. From discussing a significant challenge to showcasing your cultural competency, these essays offer a platform to prove your readiness for the rigors of medical school and your potential contribution to the field.

How Secondary Essays Differ From Primary Applications

The key difference between primary applications and secondary essays lies in their focus. While primary applications broadly outline your qualifications and experiences, secondary essays dive deeper into the particulars. They aim to unveil the person behind the test scores and grades, giving insight into your character, values, and aspirations. 

In contrast to the more general questions in primary applications, secondary essays tend to be school-specific, asking you to connect your goals and experiences with the mission and values of the institution. These prompts can range from exploring your understanding of a school’s specific approach to healthcare, such as community-focused care, to your plans of utilizing their unique resources or programs. 

Through your secondary essay, you have the chance to demonstrate why you are a fit for medical school in general and why you are a perfect match for their particular program. To do this effectively,you must have a well-researched understanding of the school’s ethos, curriculum, and community initiatives.

Frequently Asked Questions About Secondary Essays

There are a number of frequently asked questions about secondary essays. One of the most common is about timing. While there isn’t a hard and fast rule, it’s recommended to submit your secondary essays within two weeks of receiving them. This shows your keen interest and commitment to the school. 

Another common query relates to the number of essays required. The number can vary from one school to another, with some schools requiring just one or two essays while others might require up to ten. It’s advisable to check the specific requirements of your chosen schools well in advance. 

Another popular question is about what happens if you miss the deadline. This could significantly impact your application, as it may be interpreted as a lack of dedication. Most schools prefer to see a commitment to their institution, which is demonstrated by submitting your secondary essays promptly and of high quality. 

Understanding the purpose and significance of secondary essays in your medical school application is the first step towards crafting a narrative that paints a comprehensive picture of your candidacy, revealing not just a future doctor, but a future leader and innovator in the healthcare field.

In the intricate labyrinth of medical school applications, decoding secondary essay prompts may seem like a challenge. By identifying recurring themes in these prompts, you can strategically prepare your responses to effectively articulate your suitability for a medical career.

The “Why our school?” Question

The “Why our school?” query is one of the most common themes in secondary essay prompts. This question provides the admissions committee with insight into how you resonate with their school’s mission, values, and program specifics. It’s crucial that your response reflects a genuine understanding and alignment with their ethos.

Your answer should reveal a well-researched understanding of the school’s unique features, whether it be their cutting-edge research opportunities, community-focused healthcare programs, or distinctive curriculum. Your goal is to clearly express why you’re a perfect fit for their school and how their resources align with your career aspirations. A tailored response emphasizing your alignment with the institution’s mission is more likely to impress than a generic statement.

Cultural Competency and Its Relevance

Cultural competency is another common theme within secondary essay prompts. Given the global nature of healthcare and the increasing diversity of patient populations, demonstrating your ability to navigate different cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles is vital.

When addressing cultural competency in your secondary essay, consider examples from your personal or professional life where you’ve dealt with diverse groups or managed cultural barriers. Discuss your learnings from these experiences and how they have prepared you to be a more compassionate and effective healthcare provider.

Addressing “Overcoming Challenges”

The theme of “overcoming challenges” is frequently included in secondary essay prompts. Admissions committees are interested in understanding how you react in the face of adversity, as it’s a reflection of your resilience, a trait essential for a demanding career in medicine.

Addressing this theme, focus on a situation where you faced significant adversity, how you approached it, and most importantly, what you learned from it. The emphasis should be on growth and resilience rather than the hardship itself. This gives the admissions committee an insight into your problem-solving abilities and your potential to deal with the rigorous demands of medical school and beyond.

Discussing “Future Goals”

Another recurring theme in secondary essays is “future goals”. Here, you’re expected to  describe your career ambitions clearly and how the specific medical school can help you achieve them.

While discussing future goals, remember to strike a balance between being specific and being flexible. For instance, while you may have a strong interest in oncology now, it’s important to acknowledge the diverse range of experiences that medical school can offer, and that your interest could evolve. Always link your future goals to the specific opportunities the school offers, thereby demonstrating that your plans align with their academic mission.

In summary, a well-crafted secondary essay is an opportunity to express your fit for a specific medical school and the profession at large. By recognizing common themes and understanding how to address them, you’re able to stand out in the competitive medical school application process.

At first glance, academic lapses or breaks might seem like obstacles on your journey to medical school. However, with a strategic approach and well-crafted secondary essay, these seemingly negative points can be turned into areas of growth, learning, and resilience, painting a powerful picture of your medical school candidacy.

Addressing A Gap Year/Gap Years in Your Secondary Essays

The concept of taking a gap year is becoming increasingly common among prospective medical school students. Gap years can provide you with experiences and skills that can ultimately strengthen your application, provided they are communicated effectively in your secondary essay.

When addressing a gap year, honesty and clarity are crucial. Whether you spent your time traveling, volunteering, conducting research, or working, it’s important to articulate why you chose to take a gap year, what you did during this time, and how these experiences have contributed to your personal and professional development. Avoid negative language, focusing instead on the skills acquired, insights gained, and how these experiences have solidified your commitment to a career in medicine.

Remember, medical schools are not just looking for students who have excelled academically; they are looking for well-rounded individuals with diverse experiences and life skills. A gap year can demonstrate your initiative, maturity, and ability to step out of your comfort zone, all of which are valued in the medical profession.

Demonstrating Growth and Learning During Breaks

Apart from gap years, there might be other breaks or lapses in your academic career. Rather than shying away from discussing these periods, it’s crucial to address them head-on in your secondary essays. Whether it be a health issue, personal circumstances, or a decision to pursue other interests, every break has the potential to show your resilience, adaptability, and capacity for growth.

When discussing academic breaks, the focus should be on what you’ve learned from the experience and how you’ve grown during this period. Did you develop new skills? Did you gain a different perspective? Perhaps, you discovered a new area of interest or further cemented your commitment to medicine. Be candid about the circumstances, but place a greater emphasis on your learnings and how they’ve made you a stronger candidate for medical school.

In conclusion, academic lapses or breaks are not red flags in your application if they’re addressed effectively. By focusing on the skills and experiences you’ve gained, your secondary essay can transform these periods into compelling narratives of growth and perseverance, making you stand out in the competitive medical school application process.

Crafting a compelling secondary essay can feel like a daunting task, but it’s an essential component of your medical school application. By strategically approaching this process, you can increase your chances of leaving a lasting impression and making you stand out. 

Timeliness in Submitting Secondaries

In the fast-paced and competitive world of medical school applications, time is of the essence. It’s no different when it comes to secondary essays. Medical schools employ a rolling admissions process, meaning the sooner you submit your secondary essays, the sooner your application can be reviewed.

Being prompt can demonstrate your interest and commitment to the medical school, giving you an edge in the application process. To ensure timeliness, start working on your secondary essays as soon as you receive the prompts. Aim to submit them within two weeks of receipt while ensuring that the quality of your writing is not compromised. While speed is important, it should not overshadow the need for a thoughtful, well-written secondary essay.

Understanding the Number and Scope of Secondaries Required by Each School

Each medical school has its unique requirements for secondary essays, varying in the number and nature of prompts. Understanding these requirements is crucial to tailor your responses effectively. 

Invest time in researching each medical school’s specific needs for secondary essays but also do a lot of self-reflection about your values. Some schools might have a few straightforward questions, while others might present more complex prompts requiring deeper reflection. Some may even offer optional essays, providing an extra opportunity to showcase your qualities and commitment to medicine.

By understanding the scope of what each school expects, you can align your secondary essays with their particular values and expectations, thereby increasing your chances of a favorable outcome.

Planning Your Secondaries Without Exact Prompts

While it’s ideal to have the exact prompts in hand before you start writing, it’s not always possible due to the unpredictable nature of the application process. However, don’t let this uncertainty paralyze you. 

Drawing from past prompts and common themes can help you plan your secondary essays. Reflect on your experiences, lessons learned, and future aspirations in the context of these themes. This preparation will help you respond more quickly and effectively when you receive the actual prompts.

In conclusion, a successful secondary essay requires strategic planning, a clear understanding of each school’s requirements, and timeliness in submission. By focusing on these key areas, your secondary essay can truly enhance your medical school application, showcasing your unique experiences and dedication to the field of medicine.

Understanding how to create an impressive secondary essay is essential in the medical school application process. With the right approach, you can leverage this opportunity to further strengthen your application and leave a lasting impression.

Building on Your Primary Application: Strengthening Your Narrative

The secondary essay is not an isolated piece; it should weave seamlessly into your primary application’s narrative. This gives you the chance to elaborate on critical points in your primary application and bring attention to areas you may have glossed over initially. The secondary essay provides an additional platform to further outline your passion, commitment, and suitability for medical school. You can even discuss your motivations for medicine in a more profound and unique manner, strengthening your overall narrative.

Showcasing Your Fit: Aligning with the School’s Mission

One of the essential aspects of a secondary essay is demonstrating how you align with the medical school’s mission and values. Medical schools aim to admit students who will become excellent doctors, contributing positively to their community and profession. Thus, it is crucial to research the school’s values, culture, and academic offerings to understand what they seek in their students. Then, frame your experiences, interests, and future plans to match these elements, showcasing that you are an excellent fit.

Fine-tuning Your Essay: The Importance of Editing and Review

Finally, putting together a secondary essay is not just about writing; it’s equally about revising, refining, and making sure your narrative is clear, compelling, and error-free. Make use of available resources like essay editing tools, peer reviews, and mentor feedback to refine your essays. This can help you eliminate any grammatical errors, enhance the clarity of your argument, and ensure that your tone resonates with the target audience, in this case, the medical school admission committees.

Creating a well-rounded and engaging secondary essay is no small feat, but the investment of time and effort can significantly boost your chances of admission. By following these strategies, you can create an impressive and persuasive secondary essay that stands out in the competitive landscape of medical school admissions.

Check out our database of medical students/resident physicians who can help you achieve the 4th quartile by clicking below:

Navigating the medical school application process can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to mastering the intricacies of the secondary essay. This essential piece of your application serves as a crucial platform for you to highlight your strengths, align yourself with the mission of the school, and present a compelling narrative about your journey and future aspirations in the field of medicine.

To create an exceptional secondary essay, it’s critical to understand its purpose, identify common themes in the prompts, and strategize effectively for timely submission. It’s also essential to tackle any challenges or gaps in your academic journey with honesty and maturity, showcasing your ability to learn and grow from experiences. 

Remember, the most standout secondary essays are not just well-written but also demonstrate a clear understanding of the school’s values, highlighting the applicant’s fit and potential contribution to the institution. Moreover, they reflect a cohesive narrative that builds on the primary application and enhances the candidate’s profile.

By applying the strategies discussed in this article, you can turn your secondary essay from a daunting hurdle into a powerful tool that elevates your medical school application. Remember, the journey to medical school is a marathon, not a sprint, and every part of your application, including the secondary essay, plays a pivotal role in crossing the finish line successfully. Good luck with your application journey!

1. What are secondary essays for medical school?

   Secondary essays for medical school serve a unique purpose. They offer applicants a chance to provide the admissions committee with more detailed insight into their character, experiences, and aspirations, thereby complementing the primary application.

2. How long should a medical school secondary essay be?

   The length of a medical school secondary essay can vary, but most schools prefer concise, focused essays. While there is no exact word limit provided in the inserted chunks, keeping the essay to about 500 words or less would be generally advisable.

3. Does everyone get secondaries?

   Not all applicants are sent secondary applications. Some medical schools screen applicants before sending secondaries. However, the specifics can vary between schools, and the inserted chunks do not provide further details.

4. How do you make a secondary essay stand out?

   To make a secondary essay stand out, ensure that it is tailored to each specific school’s mission and values. Show how you fit into their program by providing clear examples and narratives that build on your primary application. Also, make sure to edit and review your essay thoroughly.

5. How late is too late for secondaries?

   Timeliness is crucial when submitting secondary essays. While there is no concrete deadline mentioned in the inserted chunks, it’s generally recommended to submit secondaries as soon as possible after receiving them, while ensuring the quality of your responses.

6. Do secondaries have to be perfect?

   While perfection may not be possible, it’s crucial that secondary essays are of high quality. They need to be well-structured, free of errors, and provide compelling narratives that build upon the primary application.

7. Can you get secondaries without MCAT scores?

    While MCAT scores are a key component of the medical school application, the inserted chunks do not specify if schools send secondary applications without receiving these scores. The process may vary between schools.

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Medical School Secondary Essay Examples from Accepted Applicants!

Plus tips for answering the 5 most common med school secondary essay prompts.

Before we jump into medical school secondary essay examples, you need to know that the main purpose of the secondary medical school application is to determine whether you are a good “fit” with the mission and values of the school you are applying to. Medical schools send out secondary essays to further assess the unique characteristics of each applicant that have not been addressed in the  AMCAS Work and Activities  section or your medical school personal statement . This post will go over medical school secondary essay examples from students who were accepted, and tips for writing strong essays that application committees will love. 

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Article Contents 16 min read

Medical school secondary essays: "why our school" prompt.

The most important component of answering this prompt is doing your research. Do you have a thorough understanding of the school's mission statement and values? What population or populations are they most interested in serving? How do they describe their student body? What curriculum-enriching activities are available to their students? Do they have a strong research program? Is their curriculum a good fit for your learning style? Are all of these things in line with your own values, career goals, and learning needs?

Being informed will demonstrate an interest in the program, allowing you to write a response showing that you will be a genuinely good fit for the school.

“Questions like these are an opportunity for you to shine and show the faculty what sets you apart from the other candidates … In your response, it is important to highlight things that are relevant to the institution’s mission and values while also explaining qualities that would make you a great asset to the program … it is important to always tailor your response to the school and program you are applying to, including for this question.” – Dr. Neel Mistry, MD, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine.

Would you like us to help you with your medical school secondary essays ","buttontext":"free strategy call","buttoncolor":"#ffffff","addtrustpilot":"false","bannerundertext":" ","belowbuttontext1":null,"belowbuttontext2":null,"trustpilot":false}" :url=""https:\/\/bemoacademicconsulting.com\/contact-schedule-free-strategy-call"" code="banner1" background-color="#000066" button-color="#ffffff" banner-image> to answer this prompt, it can be useful to think about how to choose a medical school and what you’re looking for. “my main priority [in choosing a med school] was location. since i knew i was going to spend four years there, i wanted it to be in a location that i could see myself having support and enjoying. beyond that i looked at opportunities for research support, patient population diversity, and locations where students matched. i also thought about where rotations occur during third year as i wanted to focus on hospitals where rotations were not scattered and centralized to a main hospital center.” – dr. monica taneja, md, university of maryland school of medicine..

What are you most excited about when you think of attending this school? Research? Global health? Community outreach? "}]" code="timeline1">

Medical School Secondary Essay Example: Why Our School?

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 our school.

When I was in kindergarten, I was playing tag with my friends when I noticed a kid sitting on the bench. He seemed visibly anxious and left out of the fun so I felt compelled to invite him to play with us. This sense of compassion lay the foundation for my desire to study medicine. As I grew older, I became more inquisitive about the natural world and wanted to know how everything worked and fit together. I started to become passionate about chemistry, mathematics and biology, finding that those subjects gave me the tools to understand my surroundings. I felt empowered with every new concept I would learn; however I never quite felt as though I knew enough. It was only when my friend asked for help with her mental illness that I realized just how much I did not know and how unequipped I was to help someone in this situation. The clash between my sense of compassion and my lack of knowledge and ability to help drove me to want to study medicine.

As I ventured into college, my knowledge-seeking tendencies manifested in an interest in biomedical engineering. I chose this degree for its ability to teach me about the design and manufacturing of groundbreaking medical technologies such as skin-grafts, medical imaging devices, and prostheses. I dreamt of pushing clinical innovations and finding the next technology to revolutionize patient care. Aside from educating myself in medical technology, my college years gave me a lasting perspective and understanding of the Hispanic community’s struggles. I once accompanied my friends to volunteer in a mobile clinic. It was early in the morning when a nurse told me to put up a sign that read: “We do not check IDs.” At first, I was confused, but after careful consideration, I realized that it was to not deter illegal immigrants from seeking medical aid. As the day went on and patients came in, I noticed that most did not have the means to afford regular health and dental care. Most of them prayed that their illnesses would go away on their own because they did not have the means to get professional help. This experience really opened my eyes to the plight of underserved communities and reinforced my decision to pursue medicine so that I could help serve those who were unable to help themselves.

I applied to X University for its opportunities to allow me to work with underserved communities and develop the technical and interpersonal skills to provide patients from these communities the best care. I hope to combine my experience within medicine and engineering to push clinical technologies and advancements further to provide cheap and effective alternatives to current medications and treatments to drive down the cost of healthcare so that it can become available to more people.  

Questions surrounding cultural competency delve into your ability to interact with people whose culture, beliefs, or values are different from your own. Are you able to help people in a way that is in line with their values and belief system, even if these values and beliefs are not in line with your own? It is also important to realize the vital role that effective communication plays in bridging cultural differences.

Similar to the TMDSAS personal characteristics essay, your essay should focus on the barriers you encountered, the communication strategies you employed to overcome these barriers, how you helped the person in a way that respected their beliefs, and how you will apply this lesson in the future.

Great ideas for narratives that could address the diversity secondary essay prompt include:

• A time when you used your problem-solving skills to help someone from a socio-cultural background different from your own.
• A time you advocated for someone from a different socio-cultural background from your own.
• How you used your communication skills to overcome a language barrier and help someone.
• A reflection on what you learned from working with people with a different background from your own.
• A reflection on communicating with people with a different background from your own.
• A reflection on learning about and accepting the difference in beliefs of people with a different background from your own.
• A reflection on an interaction with an individual whose values were different from your own.

Medical School Secondary Essay Example: Diversity Essays

A. 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.

The world is so diverse and it can be easy to resign to only care for and be informed of one’s own personal interests. To connect with someone else is to choose to forgo ignorance and aim to understand other people and their backgrounds. This is a choice that is made every day when we decide how to interact in society.

In my first year of university, I roomed with a person who immigrated from Colombia. I saw how difficult it was for her to transition to a new country and to overcome cultural barriers. Instead of accepting the fact that our cultures rendered us incompatible, I decided to educate myself on her culture. I started to read of the political unrest in Colombia, I found Latin music we could listen to, and I utilized my basic Spanish to try to make her feel at home. Five years later, we still live together and are the best of friends. It's clear that a little effort trying to understand the life and journey of someone else can go a long way to building connections and trust.

Would you rather watch a video? Here are the most common medical school secondary essay prompts:

B. Please discuss the diversity that you would bring to our school of medicine and the profession of medicine.

The challenges I faced as a first-generation immigrant has taught me several valuable lessons, which have influenced my pursuit of medicine. Here in the States, I am granted liberties that are otherwise unattainable in Vietnam- specifically access to quality healthcare and opportunities for growth and enrichment. My first exposure to medicine did not transpire in a hospital but instead took place in a small tent affiliated with a roaming clinic.

The significant gap in healthcare accessibility, advancement, and quality between the States and the developing countries were increasingly apparent when I returned to Vietnam to visit my family. In time, I also realized that these similar circumstances and situations exist in my local community as well. This has inspired me to advocate for the underserved population because I, myself, can identify with their struggles. During our financial crisis, my family received overwhelming support and generosity from several neighborhood communities. I wish to return the kindness. Now more than ever, in a time where immigrants are restricted access, I must fight to give them a voice.

I also bring with me the traditions and culture of a Vietnamese American. I have developed my own understanding of the diverse facets of the Asian American identity and the ripple effect it has on the community. Through lion dancing and partnering with the Vietnamese and Chinese communities, I grasped the important role that communities play in providing resources. To become one of the few Vietnamese doctors in the area would allow me to address the needs of the community and give me a platform to collaborate with other communities of color. One of my goals is to break down the language barriers and stigmas surrounding the older Asian community and help them achieve their health goals.

I bring a steadfast mindset of advocating for the underserved in my community and as an immigrant Vietnamese American, I aim to use my position to influence decisions that will benefit the entire community.

Medical School Secondary Essays: "Overcoming Challenges" Prompt

This prompt is looking at what medical schools typically refer to as “resilience”. The reality is that you will be faced with a wide variety of challenges during your medical training. Medical schools are looking for candidates who are equipped with mature coping strategies, enabling them to proficiently navigate whatever life, or medical school, decides to throw at them.

You can use any example from your own life to address this prompt. Ideas include:

• A time when things did not go according to plan.
• Overcoming a setback.
• Overcoming an illness or injury.
• Dealing with the illness of a loved one.

The important thing to remember with this prompt is to keep it positive. Focus on the strategies you used to overcome the hurdle that presented itself to you, and what you learned from the situation. Review some adversity essays for medical school for inspiration.

“It is not only important to highlight the situation in detail but to also reflect on your actions. Drawing upon lessons from this experience and how you used what you learned to make changes the next time around is key to demonstrating a growth mindset.” – Dr. Neel Mistry, MD.

Describe a challenging situation you faced and what you did to address it.

My sister was diagnosed with epilepsy at 3 months old, and it has been a continual learning experience. She never qualified for an autism diagnosis, but her behaviors resembled an autistic or neurodivergent individual. As an 8-year-old, I did not notice public reactions to my sister’s behaviors.

But, as we both grew older, I became embarrassed when people would stare at her, or notice her behavioral differences. Behavioral incidents continued to occur throughout my time in high school and college. However, I have grown into a more empathetic person who better understands the difficulties my sister faces. I won’t deny that sometimes it is still embarrassing, but I remind myself that she struggles to control her behaviors and it is not her fault.

The best way I can help her as a sister is to be there for her and try to help her through the emotions she may not be able to express all the time. Understanding my sister has made me into a stronger, more confident and empathetic woman.

Medical School Secondary Essays: "Future Goals" Prompt

It’s okay not to know exactly what kind of doctor you want to be or what medical specialty you want to pursue. For this prompt, reflect on the experiences that cemented your decision to pursue medicine.

• What was it specifically about these experiences that made you want to become a doctor?
• What fascinated you the most? Why?
• What patient population did you enjoy working with the most? Why?

You can then go on to say what kind of doctor you would like to be, or, if you haven't decided, suggest more generally which direction you would like to see your career take (i.e. mention a patient population you think you would like to work with). Many students change their minds once having been in medical school a couple of years, so it’s reasonable to say that you will keep your eyes open and continue to explore every opportunity!

Medical School Secondary Essay Example: Your Future Goals

Professionalism and the ability to gain respect in the community in which you live is of utmost importance as you embark upon a career as a physician. What three professional qualities do you feel a Student Doctor must be able to demonstrate as he/or she makes the transition into the study and practice of medicine? How will you demonstrate those qualities as a medical student at RowanSOM?

There are many valuable attributes a student doctor must possess, but the three of which I consider the most valuable are self-discipline/reflection, open-mindedness/sensitivity, and teamwork skills.

Possessing self-discipline and self-reflection skills are key for any student doctor planning on tackling the arduous medical courses that will come their way. Through my undergraduate career, I have constantly improved upon my academic study strategies to adapt to the rigors of upper-level biological courses. I realize that when one way does not work it is crucial to consult peers, advisors, and professors to improve my approach. Such changes included recording my lectures, attending more office hours, and even seeking resources outside of my lecture material to supplement my knowledge. I use this principle in my personal health goals as well. For example, my favorite hobby that I use to keep me grounded is going to the gym, where I attempt to break my fitness plateaus by researching and consulting peers. It is this drive to constantly improve myself that will allow me to overcome the many obstacles that will come my way during my medical pursuit.

In addition, it is important for student doctors to be open-minded and sensitive when understanding patients from diverse backgrounds. My research experience at the Center for Addiction, Personality, and Emotion Research enriched my understanding of the socioeconomic and environmental factors that are involved in developing addiction disorders. Learning about the neurobehavioral and psychological processes that underlie addictive behavior reinforced my awareness of the health disparities that arise from environmental and social systems in my local community. It is imperative to understand the patient outside of their symptoms in order to realize the other factors involved in their diagnosis. I aim to one day use this knowledge to inform my future patients of preventative measures and how to overcome their environmental strains.

Lastly, it is crucial for student doctors to develop teamwork skills when entering the field of medicine. Physicians have to be prepared to engage and work within different teamwork structures or environments with other specialists to provide high-quality care for their patients. My experiences as an EMT taught me firsthand how critical it is to build long-lasting relationships based on trust with your team. I have spent countless hours getting to know my EMS crew to ensure that we built a sense of camaraderie that would allow us to work well together during calls. I remember one occasion when my partner was flustered during a stressful call and could not remember the next step in delivering a treatment protocol to a patient. I noticed he was frustrated and subtly reminded him of the next step. Based on our relationship and trust, he acted on my advice and later thanked me for the assistance. Knowing that we always had each other’s back gave us the reassurance and confidence we needed to handle the many unpredictable calls that came our way. I hope to strengthen this same sense of teamwork as a future physician.

If you have an academic lapse or took a break that you wish to explain to the admissions committee, you may want to prepare this prompt in advance. The most important things to focus on are:

• Clearly, yet briefly, explain the situation that led to the break or lapse.
• Outlining how you moved past the situation.
• Outlining what you learned from the situation, and how you will manage similar situations going forward.

“The best way to address red flags is to be open and honest … and provide open reflection on how you grew from the experience.” – Dr. Monica Taneja, MD.

“what i would do in these situations is talk about the red flag/gap in an open and honest way without sounding closed off or confrontational about it … essentially, you are taking something that would normally be considered a negative and spinning into a positive.” – dr. jaime cazes, md, university of toronto temerty faculty of medicine., medical school secondary essay example: academic lapses or breaks.

If you have taken a gap year(s), please explain what you have been, or will be, doing since graduating from your undergrad institution. 

I threw myself into the medical school application process during my final year of my undergrad degree. Realizing that my application was lacking, I have spent the time since graduation gaining volunteer and leadership experience, improving my MCAT score, and taking science prerequisite courses.

Taking post-baccalaureate classes proved advantageous. I was thrilled when my MCAT score improved significantly, going from 505 to 517. My score was a testament to the hard work and dedication I put into my organic chemistry and molecular biology courses, and to the time management, accountability, and work ethic I refined in studying for the MCAT.

While pursuing post-baccalaureate science courses improved my academics, volunteering at a seniors’ care center has opened my eyes to the issues facing seniors and those who care for them. Once, upon entering the facility, I heard a patient calling for help; he had fallen and could not get back into his wheelchair. Per volunteer protocol, I cannot physically assist the residents into their chairs. However, after determining that he was not physically hurt, I calmly reassured him that I was getting help and informed the nurses of his situation. This incident and other experiences at the center allowed me to develop and practice skills such as enforcing appropriate boundaries, working with others, and handling unexpected and stressful circumstances with poise.

From my various experiences, I have developed and refined my belief system and skill set. I've developed a greater sensitivity to those facing physical or mental limitations, and a dedication to serving my community in overcoming such challenges. I’ve learned the value of being empathetic and showing compassion in the process. I've developed the critical traits and values that I am certain this school would be proud of, whether as a student or as a physician.

Pre-writing your secondaries for med school is key! Here's how:

Medical School Secondary Essays: Tips from Our Experts and Students

1. submit your essays as soon as you can.

Submitting your essays early means you can take advantage of medical schools’ rolling admissions process. As soon as medical school secondary essays are received, decisions about interview invites are made. Submitting early means a better chance of securing an interview, and therefore an acceptance letter. Being delayed with your secondaries can cost you both! One of our students, Rishi, had to reapply after submitting his secondaries too late and receiving zero interview invites.

“[One of] the things that really I think prevented me from getting in the first time around is I was just very delayed with my secondaries … I didn't even get any interviews that first cycle because I was so late on my secondaries.” – Rishi, current student at Carver College of Medicine.

Planning your secondaries well ahead of time also ensures you’re not rushing to write, proof, rewrite and finalize your essays.

“It is advisable to start preparing for secondaries as early as possible so that you have enough time to revise and go through multiple iterations of edits prior to submitting. Also, getting a fresh pair of eyes to have a look is never a bad idea.” – Dr. Neel Mistry, MD.

2. pre-write your med school secondary essays.

Some of you may be realizing at this point that you’ve applied to 10-20 schools and that each will likely send somewhere between 2-10 prompts. That’s a lot of essay writing! To get on top of this, we recommend pre-writing your secondary essays.

“Secondaries were a lot of work especially after completing all of the primary application materials. I tried to pre-write secondaries starting in mid-June as there aren’t many changes year to year in prompts, which are easily found online. For each school I read their mission statement and tailored my answers to their priorities. Since many essays also overlap between schools, I was able to morph different essays based on length to reduce overall writing. Pre-writing allowed me to have [less than] 1 week turn around on all of my secondary application returns.” – Dr. Monica Taneja, MD.

If you check out our comprehensive list of medical school secondary essay prompts , you can pull out common themes for the schools you are most interested in applying to. You should then create an essay outline or rough essay that addresses each of these themes.

“A lot of these prompts, they might be worded a little bit different … but there's some broad [question] types. If you compare a couple of schools, there will be some overlap and that's helpful because you can write what are these common skeletons that will allow you to be more efficient.” – Rishi, BeMo student.

Though schools may change their prompts from year to year, pre-planning at least some of your essays will make you much more efficient with your writing, allowing you to create consistently well-thought-out essays. 

Just like with your medical school personal statement, your personal stories will help your secondary essays stand out and be more memorable to the admissions committee.

“These application readers are reading a large volume of essays and sometimes they're not spending as much time as you might think. They are kind of glancing over every word so you have to think like what they are going to remember from this when they read it.” – Rishi, BeMo student.

As part of your pre-writing plan, start brainstorming personal experiences or influences you can talk about in your secondaries to make your points and keep your readers’ attention.

Medical school secondary essays are meant to provide medical school with more specific information about your candidacy and fit for their programs. The questions are geared towards the missions, requirements, and goals of each program. They are usually sent out once primary applications have been submitted.

Some schools will list a deadline (UCLA secondary essays are due after fifteen days). If the school does not specify a deadline, you should aim to submit your secondaries no later than 2 weeks after receiving the invites to complete them.

Some of the most common med school secondary prompts include "Why our school?", "Cultural Competency", "Overcoming Challenges", and "Future Goals". Pay attention to the wording of the prompts, as they may not include this direct terminology, but you should approach them with specific strategies to answer them.

Each medical school will have its own secondaries requirements. Some may ask for 1 or 2 essays, while others may require 10. Check the requirements of your schools of choice to make sure.

Yes, there are some medical schools without secondary essays , but these are rare. Check with the programs of your choice to make sure.

Many med schools recycle their secondary prompts from year to year. Plus, there are some common themes that all secondaries explore. Check out the old prompts from your schools of choice to start planning general outlines for your essays.

Most likely, you will be eliminated from the applicant selection pool right away. Med schools will want to see your dedicated and commitment to their school, which secondaries demonstrate. If you are late or do not submit them at all, you will no longer be considered for a position in their medical school.

If you applied to many med schools, there is a chance you will have trouble completing all the secondaries on time. If this is your position, you should certainly try to complete all of them on time and of good quality. Focus on the schools you want to attend and where you have the highest chance of acceptance and complete their secondaries first.

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Wynne Milhouse

Hello! Would it be okay to write about how not getting into medical school the first time was a time of adversity, even if it was on a secondary for a school I didn't apply to last time (or if it was)? I feel as if this prompt may show up for schools that I did and did not apply to two years ago, but not getting into medical school the first time WAS a big hurdle, and I have made significant changes to combat this. Is it okay to talk about that, or will that reflect poorly on me? Thanks! Best, Wynne Milhouse

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hello Wynne! Thank you very much for your question. Absolutely, you should write about not getting into med school the first time even if you are writing secondaries for a school you did not apply to last time. You can even mention that you are now applying to this school because you improved your research and found that this would be a more suitable choice for you. Let us know if you have any other questions!

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Secondary Essay Prompts for Allopathic Schools

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Advisor Corner: Preparing for Secondary Applications

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Secondary applications are specific to each school and focus on their specific values and interests. We asked three prehealth advisors to offer their best advice for applicants on how to approach your secondary applications

Once you submit your AMCAS application and it has been processed and verified, the AAMC will send your application to your selected medical schools on your behalf. At that time, you will begin to receive requests directly from schools to complete secondary applications. Unlike the AMCAS application, secondary applications are specific to each school and focus on their specific values and interest. So it’s not surprising there are many questions about how to approach these supplemental essays. To help get you started, we asked three prehealth advisors for their best advice on how to approach secondary applications.

Celeste Crowe, Director, Health Professions Advising Office at Appalachian State University:

Before you apply, it is helpful to discuss or outline with your prehealth advisor the ways that you have developed skills and knowledge based upon the AAMC core competencies . Many schools will look for evidence of these competencies, so it’s important to incorporate them in your secondary essay responses. Here are examples of prompts we give to applicants to help them as they prepare for their secondary application:

To highlight the competency of Teamwork: 

• While leadership is an important aspect of becoming a health care provider, so is teamwork. Describe a time or situation where you were not the leader or could not be. What was your role within the team? What did you learn from that experience?

To highlight the competency of Cultural Competence

• Describe an experience or time interacting with people who are different from you or adhere to a different set of cultural norms. What did you learn about yourself from that experience?
• If you have had limited opportunity to experience different cultures or work/serve with diverse populations, discuss how you plan to develop skills and experiences to become a culturally competent health care provider. 

Mariella Mecozzi, Senior Assistant Director of Pre-Professional Services, University of Michigan:

• Be ready to receive secondaries as soon as you submit your primary application and beyond.   AMCAS immediately notifies the schools designated by an applicant about that individual's intention to apply there. Many medical schools send secondaries automatically to all applicants;  some  even send secondaries to applicants as soon as they receive this notification from AMCAS. This explains why some of you  may  receive secondary applications from certain schools even though your AMCAS application status indicates that your application is still queued for processing.
• Wait until you’re formally asked to submit your secondary application before you do so.  Some applicants find links and questions listed on online forums and submit secondaries early in an unwise attempt to push their application forward. Submitting a secondary before being invited is poor application etiquette, and such a practice is frowned upon by medical schools. This is the equivalent of showing up to a party uninvited. You do not want to be that person.
• Stay on top of all your correspondence, both mail and email.  Medical schools tend to send email messages to applicants in large batches, which may be interpreted by servers' email filters as spam.   It seems like a hassle, but while you are applying, we recommend getting in the habit of checking your spam folder periodically. Also, make sure that your mailbox does not reach its capacity limit, which causes email messages to bounce back.

Alex Tan, Director of the Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program at Johns Hopkins University:

Because your primary application sends the same message to every school, it is inherently limited in its capacity to act as your envoy. In contrast, your secondary essays afford you the opportunity to send a tailored, unique ambassador to each and every school. Yes, this is more work. Yes, schools often ask deceptively similar questions. Nonetheless, you must resist the urge to take that similarity as an invitation to send the same answer.

Why send different answers to the same question? Imagine you go on a series of first dates. Your dates ask you similar questions. Would you answer each with a memorized answer you recite on cue? No, not if you want a second date. I am not suggesting that your answers should be completely different, but, while the meat of your answers remain the same, you should emphasize different details about the experience or give different examples entirely. For example, there are lots of things I like about my favorite book, and I could be completely honest while taking different approaches to talking about that book so that I am answering the questions AND actively engaging my companion in a meaningful way.

Similarly, meaningful experiences are meaningful for many reasons. One experience may help me cultivate teamwork skills, allow me to practice leadership, help me better understand how to create a meaningful patient-caregiver relationship, learn to advocate for those in my care, and problem-solve issues of access and limited resources. In writing about it, I can help schools understand how I fit with what the medical school values by emphasizing the aspects of my experience that best illustrate how my values, passions, and goals overlap with those of each individual school. More general questions, as with discussing a challenge I have faced, are even easier to tailor. I face challenges constantly, so I can easily pick whichever one best helps me communicate my perspective.

Unquestionably, this is more time-consuming than recycling your answers, but I’ve never heard a student who was unsuccessful report their gratefulness for saving all that time nor have I heard a successful one regret the time they dedicated to their success. 

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