best medical school secondary essays

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Our team of physician and medical student editors had the pleasure of helping students craft the following medical school secondary essays. 

“Why This School” Essay

Adversity essay, diversity essay, “how will you contribute to our school” essay, “future goals” essay, “academic lapses or breaks” essay, “why d.o.” essay, why are secondaries important, tell us about any specific reason(s) (personal, educational, etc.) why you see yourself here at the wake forest school of medicine..

The ending of the motto of the Moravian church, which has a strong historical connection with Winston-Salem, is “…in all things, love.” This concluding statement is an apt description of how I attempt to live my life. Wake Forest upholds such values of inclusion and love through the Lovefest tradition and programs such as the student-run DEAC Clinic. After working at free clinics in rural areas, I am committed to becoming a physician that will promote systems of care in the community. With my exposure to rural primary care, I want to use the Rural/Underserved Health experience offered to Wake Forest students through the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians to further my understanding and training in this career path. Furthermore, as an extension of working in primary care, I am interested in being a geriatrician. Wake Forest, as one of the best geriatric hospitals in the country, has a curriculum that aligns with my interests. I am confident that through research, service, and patient care, Wake Forest will shape me into a leader of rural health care for the geriatric community.

Application Status: Accepted |School of choice: Wake Forest School of Medicine | Class of 2024

More Examples and Writing Tips for a Convincing  Medical School “Why Us” Essay | Click Here

Describe a significant challenge you have experienced in your life, share the strategies you employed to overcome the challenge, and what you learned from the experience..

One personal adversity I have overcome is my lack of self-confidence. I was always a quiet child who grew up with two older sisters doing most of the talking. As I aged, I came out my shell to an extent and became more outgoing. I have always struggled in one particular area: public speaking. My passion for medicine grew early as I observed my eldest sister work alongside physicians during her nursing training. However, my shy nature led me to select pre-nursing as my major, since nursing does not require the ability to speak publicly like being a physician often does. I did not truly consider a career as a doctor until my anatomy and physiology professor suggested I do so after recognizing my drive, aptitude, and passion. Even so, it took introspection and time to recognize that I held the potential to become a successful physician.

Over my undergraduate career, I have participated in many group presentations during classes without the benefit of being taught how to successfully prepare. On every occasion, I would become so nervous that I was unable to sleep the entire night prior. By the time I presented, I would be so distracted that I could not think straight, let alone get my point across clearly. This went on until I had the opportunity to participate in a class called Peer Instruction in Laboratory Occupational Training (PILOT), which was an extension of a class that I had succeeded in, Quantitative Biological Methods.

PILOT was designed to expose students to research articles and assist with laboratory techniques and homework. A large part of the grade for the class consisted of teaching a laboratory section of around 40 students for 15 minutes. I almost opted out of the class because of this requirement, but ultimately decided it was a great opportunity to work through my personal fear of public speaking and build my self-confidence.

I set a schedule six weeks ahead of the presentation to begin preparing. A few helpful peers offered advice, telling me that knowing what I wanted to say verbatim was a good way to improve confidence. Thus, I practiced daily until three weeks before the class. I found another tip online: practicing in the actual location of the presentation can help reduce nerves. Subsequently, I approached one of my laboratory teaching assistants and asked if he would let me practice in the laboratory. He was an excellent teaching assistant and took the time to watch me practice and provide feedback.

Ultimately, I felt that I was able to present eloquently and received an excellent grade. Life is full of challenges, and I learned that preparation is key to success. I planned and prepared early, pulled from available resources, and implemented advice from faculty and peers. This experience taught me that I do have the aptitude, strength, and drive to succeed in medical school and overcome any obstacle that I might face. I am eager to embrace more personal growth and realize my full potential as I continue on to medical school.

Application Status: Accepted |School of choice: Nova Southeastern University College Of Osteopathic Medicine | Class of 2024

More Examples and The 6 Steps for Writing the Medical School Adversity Essay | Click Here

“do you consider yourself a person who would contribute to the diversity of the student body of tufts university school of medicine” if yes, briefly explain why..

I am a Muslim, Saudi woman, but I am not the preconceived notions of being close minded, uncultured, or oppressed. I’m a passionate helper, an open-minded extrovert, and a curious explorer of the world. 

Though I grew up attending a school that taught me to be a leader and encouraged competition, and though travelling the world allowed me to explore new cultures, homogeneity was the ‘norm’ everywhere I went until I attended school in the US. George C. Marshall High School showed me how enriching diversity is. There, in a mixture of backgrounds and ethnicities, I was an ‘other’ among many ‘others’. The following year in Nebraska was different, and I experienced the damage of prejudice when I was the only ‘other’. My experiences drove me to work to bring different people together to give back. Years later, at NYU, this personal passion pushed me to create a volunteer tutoring nonprofit organization. 

I believe the ‘other’ in me, with the uncommon background, the unique experiences, and the interesting perspectives, will contribute to the diversity of the student body at Tufts.

Application Status: Accepted |School of choice: Albert Einstein College of Medicine | Class of 2024

Click here for More Examples and Steps on How to Write an Effective Medical School Diversity Essay

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

From my academic and work experiences, I have frequently worked with people who are different from myself. Working with students and professors from different backgrounds through college helped me appreciate different viewpoints, especially during my bioethics training.  Listening to my classmate, who was a Catholic hospice nurse, explain her differing stance on end-of-life care showed me to appreciate the legitimacy of different opinions. Likewise, I learned from sociology graduate students about the issue of the medicalization of mental illness, which I had not had to consider prior to speaking and working with them. These experiences will help me contribute to the community by enabling me to approach problems from multiple lenses and to listen to and value the input of experts in different fields.

My experiences engaging with different individuals will help me to enrich the community at Virginia Tech. As a tutor, I have been able to work with students of different ages and backgrounds with unique learning goals. For example, my student, Danny, was an adult student taking classes at a community college and had failed his statistics course three times before meeting with me. Even though I had excelled in math classes during school, I was able to listen to his frustrations and identify different ways to help him learn the content and be able to apply it for quizzes and exams. I helped him navigate through the material, and he ended up passing the course comfortably. By working with a wide variety of students like Danny, I have been able to understand the importance of listening actively to individuals’ struggles and unique experiences to learn about how to best help them and I am excited to apply this skill to help future individuals.

In addition to my experiences tutoring, I have been able to interact with individuals different from myself through volunteering. For example, at Judson Park, I volunteered by helping one resident, Ron, participate in art therapy. Ron had suffered two prior strokes and was wheelchair-bound and hemiplegic. I was able to help bring him down to the art room and organize supplies for him. Ron was unique in his needs, which was why he required individualized care to be able to participate in the art therapy. He also struggled with communicating verbally due to deficits from his prior strokes. I adapted by patiently waiting for him to respond at his own pace and looking for body language cues for what he needed at the moment. He was able to make incredible art creations, showing me the resilience of differently abled individuals.

These experiences have shown me the importance of valuing everyone’s unique perspectives and utilizing that consideration and compassion to help others. I can enrich the VTC community by providing this diverse perspective to help my peers and ultimately serve the greater community as a physician.

Application Status: Accepted |School of choice: University of Virginia School of Medicine | Class of 2024

Click here for tips on writing the “How You’ll Contribute” secondary essay.

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After residency, describe the community in which you see yourself practicing medicine..

Currently, I can see myself practicing medicine in a variety of clinical settings: a private specialty care system, a nonprofit medical facility, individual practice, or a different setting. I am open to all of the new experiences that medical school will bring, including exposure to a variety of clinical settings.

I have worked as a medical scribe at the largest non-profit health care provider in Seattle and have also volunteered for a private specialty hospital. Both of these experiences have exposed me to a different type of medical practice, and I have enjoyed both although in different ways. I loved the diversity of patients I encountered at the nonprofit and enjoyed experiencing different clinic visits whether for constipation or throat pain. At the specialty hospital, I was able to encounter unique and rare medical cases that I’ve only read about in books such as spina bifida or hydrocephalus. I was also able to witness the very specialized and personalized care. I am excited to explore the various clinical setting options in medical school and residency, and figure out which environment best suits my strengths and interests!

Application Status: Accepted |School of choice: Stanford School of Medicine | Class of 2024

Use this space if you’d like to address any identified deficiencies in your application.

When I suddenly lost my father to pancreatic cancer shortly before starting college, I was confused and frustrated about my loss. Although I had dreamt of becoming a doctor since I was a little girl, I was newly unsure of whether medicine was right for me. Because I lacked a tangible goal and motivation, my studies and grades suffered during my first years of college. However, once I began volunteering at the Children’s Hospital during my sophomore year, I developed a renewed sense of appreciation and passion for medicine. I started to care a lot more about school and enjoyed learning again. I began working extremely hard in my classes, and slowly but surely, my GPA rose.

Application Status: Accepted |School of choice: Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine   | Class of 2024

How do your professional ambitions align with osteopathic medicine?

My professional ambitions have always aligned with a medical career, ever since I observed my childhood hero and oldest sister, Brittany, work alongside physicians as a registered nurse. At the time, I was only eight years old and not yet privy to the nuances of allopathic versus osteopathic medicine.

Throughout my experiences with the medical profession as a patient and mother, I have found myself disappointed with some of the allopathic medical treatments. I have myself been treated pharmaceutically with medications and became non-compliant with my treatment due to side effects. Several years ago, I was diagnosed with herpetic neuralgia. My neurologist prescription Neurontin, which helped with the symptoms but left me in a fog. I found myself questioning whether there could be a better method.

As an undergraduate student, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to listen to a presentation by a doctor of osteopathy from Lake Eerie College of Medicine in Bradenton, FL. The speaker discussed osteopathic medicine, its principles, and manipulative medicine (OMM). He talked about a time when he bumped into an old friend who had been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. His friend’s condition was so severe that he needed a cane to ambulate independently. The D.O. performed OMM for his friend and provided him with a set of exercises to perform daily at home. Ultimately, the friend did not require the surgery his allopathic physician had recommended.

After listening to his presentation, I felt as though I had a breakthrough. I realized that I wholeheartedly supported these principles as the better solution that I had been looking for. With osteopathic medicine, I could practice medicine in a traditional manner while wielding a valuable skill set that could spare patients from invasive surgeries and pharmaceutical therapeutics causing undesired side effects.

Furthermore, while studying for the MCAT a year ago, I developed a constant waxing and waning neck pain that would radiate to my right shoulder and down my arm. This worsened over a period of four weeks, and I took increasing amounts of ibuprofen to calm the symptoms. A good friend of mine is a physical therapist who manipulated my spine and sent me home with instructions for an exercise plan. She also taught me how to self-evaluate my posture, which has been valuable in preventing additional episodes. I was incredibly impressed with the outcome of the treatment that used my own body and its muscles to treat the pain without using pharmaceuticals or leaving me with residual deficits. As such, my personal trust in natural treatments has emphasized to me that osteopathic medicine is the path I am meant to follow. 

The more I learn about osteopathic medicine, the more excited I am to incorporate its principles into my future practice. I am thrilled to learn and practice medicine with a holistic approach to evaluate and treat patients. As a healthcare partner to my future patients, I feel inspired to encourage the implementation of prevention, maintenance, and natural remedies into their treatment plans.

Application Status: Accepted |School of choice: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine   | Class of 2024

Click here for examples and tips on writing the “Why Osteopathic Medicine” secondary essay.

Why are secondary essays important?

• Schools ask these questions for a specific reason
• It’s your final chance to make a strong impression
• When they’re done right, you will lockdown an interview spot

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Meet Some of Your Editors

Ansel N., MD,PhD

The ohio state university college of medicine.

Alexa S., MD

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Harvard Medical School

Yale School of Medicine

George Washington School of Medicine

DUKE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

University of California San Francisco School of Medicine

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Ansel N., MD/PhD

Radiation Oncology Resident Former Medical School: Ohio State

My name is Ansel Nalin. I am a current Radiation Oncology resident at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. I graduated from the Ohio State University College of Medicine MD/PhD program.

While in medical school, I tutored first- and second-year medical students, helping them review lecture material and prepare for block exams. I taught study strategies to first-year students adjusting to the medical school curriculum. I worked individually with students during board exam preparation. I also led a review course for MD/PhD students prior to taking Step 1. In addition to my role as a tutor, I was also selected by the Ohio State College of Medicine Academic Office staff to serve in a leadership role for two years. In this role I led the team of 40 students on the peer tutoring team. I met weekly with College of Medicine staff to plan academic programs benefitting first- and second-year medical students. Together we organized and managed academic resources for medical students including our peer tutoring programs, group review sessions, and student-led review lectures. I coordinated the tutoring assignments for medical students involved in the program; over 100 students utilized the programs. We oversaw the creation of new student-led anatomy review sessions that were incorporated into the medical school academic program.

While enrolled in the MD/PhD program, I completed my PhD in cancer immunology studying natural killer cell development. I also collaborated on translational research projects seeking to identify new cell-based therapies for cancer. I published multiple papers in high impact journals and had the opportunity to present my work at both local and international conferences. I continue to pursue research that develops immune-based therapies for cancer and plan to pursue a career as a physician-scientist.

I joined the team at Motivate MD to help students achieve their goals in medicine. I have benefitted from the support of many outstanding mentors, and I strive to have a similarly positive impact in helping students succeed. My experiences as a tutor and teaching assistant, in both undergraduate and medical school, have helped me develop excellent skills in communication and mentoring. In addition to my teaching and leadership experience, I have developed specific skills to help students with the application and interview process for medical school and residency programs.

Not only am I familiar with what makes a strong application, I am prepared to help students highlight their strengths in their essays and interviews. I have extensive writing and speaking experience from my graduate studies. I have coached other students in communicating effectively. From my own experience in interviewing for medical school and residency, I can help students gain confidence in their communication skills and clearly express their motivations and goals. As a member of the Motivate MD team, I am passionate about helping students work toward their goal of a successful career in medicine.

I am an OBGYN resident and graduate of the University of Cincinnati. Throughout medical school, I engaged in research at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and UCCOM’s OBGYN department. I have a strong background in mentorship. In medical school, I was a part of an organization that would mentor local Cincinnati youths. I was also involved in mentoring medical students in the years below through her medical scholar’s program. I also have a lot of experience editing medical school essays and mentoring my scribes when I was a chief scribe during my gap years. I took two years off prior to applying for medical school. During this time, I completed research at WashU with a neuroimaging lab as a clinical research coordinator and scribed in an emergency department. The medical application process was daunting for me. I went through the process of taking the MCAT multiple times and struggled to figure out where I would be a competitive applicant. I chose to work for Motivate MD to assist students with this intimidating process and help in areas where I felt I was lacking guidance prior to medical school! I am very excited to get the opportunity to work with you!

Jisoo is a medical student at Harvard Medical School. She has a background in neurobiology wet-lab research, and has a strong interest in mentorship, especially of underserved populations. Everyone has a unique journey to medical school, and Jisoo is committed to helping applicants present their own unique journeys in a meaningful and comprehensive manner. She has lots of experience working with individuals that have diverse pathways to medical school and closely collaborates with applicants from the beginning to the end of their application process, providing individualized support for each applicant.

Hi! My name is Rhys (pronounced like “Reese’s Pieces”) and I am a medical student at Yale School of Medicine.

I have upwards of 9 years experience mentoring peers, most recently aiding students through the premedical path at my undergrad. I also have worked as an executive function/planning tutor for Los Angeles area high school and college students. Earlier in college, I worked as a research aide/teaching assistant helping students leverage “writing-to-learn” in order to improve their understanding of complex concepts.

After graduating  Summa Cum Laude  with a Bachelors of Science in Biomedical Engineering and Health Policy from the University of Southern California in 2021, I took a gap year primarily to scribe at a pediatric clinic to boost my clinical experience hours and to continue to work on a philanthropic start-up I co-founded while at USC.

At USC, I had multiple research experiences ranging from biomedical device research in a hybrid wet lab to policy analysis. I also was heavily involved in pro-bono consulting for non-profits and social enterprises.

I have personal experience approaching the common “Why Medicine?” question from a non-traditional angle (engineering major/activities and low clinical hours compared to non-clinical), tying in a non-standard major “X factor” extracurricular into the overall theme of an application, and expressing interest in dual degrees/interdisciplinary medical careers (policy, public health etc).

I look forward to helping you plan for and execute your unique path to medical school!

George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Hi Everyone! My name is Anthu Gnanakumar and I am a medical student at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences. I majored in neuroscience and minored in English at the University of Virginia prior to taking a gap year and attending medical school. During my gap year, I worked as a medical assistant (MA) at endocrinology and pediatric primary care practices. I really value the hands-on experience I got through being an MA and would highly recommend taking a gap year if you are at all considering it!

I remember being daunted by the significant uptick in medical school applications during the pandemic and can empathize with the ever-increasing competitiveness of getting into medical school. I have mentored and advised multiple peers and friends from high school and college as they navigated the application process and look forward to extending that mentorship to many of you. It is my hope that we can work together to shape your narrative into meaningful essays and interview responses!

Duke University School of Medicine

Hi all! My name is Arthi and I’m a medical student at Duke. I am originally from New Jersey and went to Duke for undergrad where I was able to discover interests in medical humanities, global health, and peer mentorship. Having previously taught in an art studio, I found ways to engage with medical humanities through storytelling and creative arts with elders with dementia. In medical school, I help run a program that allows admitted patients to share their life story and with cartoon creations to simplify medical diagnoses. I also majored in global health and worked on projects in based in Uganda and India during undergrad that focused on studying how evidence-based interventions actually function in practice. I spent my gap year as a global health research assistant which allowed me to gain experience with all stages of project initiation, management, and dissemination. I’m working towards spending Duke’s MS3 research year engaging with global health implementation research on site. I don’t have any family in medicine so I asked for a lot of advice from upperclassmen and medical students throughout. I was a peer tutor for over 3 years and during my senior year, I started a peer advising program that’s goal was to reach beyond just academics. During that time, I mentored many premed students on course choice, finding research and volunteering experiences, applying to summer program and gap year jobs, MCAT, and building a school list. I continued many of these relationships since graduating and have been able to provide continued support through brainstorming and editing primary and secondary applications, interview prep, and ultimately decision making. One thing I’ve come to learn from my process and that my classmates is that there isn’t one right way to do things and it can be valuable to talk through and understand your priorities and the things that make you the most excited and craft your application around those. I know how stressful and draining each step of the application process can be and I would love the chance to provide some of guidance and support I received at whichever turn you need.

NYU Grossman School of Medicine Admissions Committee Experience

Hi! My name is Kate and I’m a current medical student at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City! I’m originally from Kingsport, Tennessee and attended Clemson University where I completed my undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering and a master’s degree in Applied Health Research. I have many years of experience as an advisor and mentor, mainly through working as study abroad ambassador and as a peer tutor and peer mentor through a Women in Engineering organization at my school. Later in college, I also worked as a teaching assistant for a challenging chemical engineering course in my degree. I also volunteered my time as a tour guide and was able to provide loads of advice and guidance to future students through that role. While finishing my master’s degree at Clemson University, I worked as a scribe at a gastroenterology clinic to boost my clinical experience hours. During this time, I also served as a mentor and health coach for a local volunteer organization with a mission to help people get off of government assistance. At Clemson, I had multiple research experiences ranging from social psychology to OB/GYN clinical research. I was also heavily involved with STEM outreach at local schools, ran a pitch competition, and volunteered as a conversational partner for international students who were learning English. I also spent the summer after I graduated college working at Interlochen Arts Camp as a camp counselor and reigniting my passion for theatre and the arts. I have had a slightly more non-traditional path to medicine (engineering degree/extracurriculars, taking a year to do a master’s, working at an arts camp), and I have a lot of experience in how to best weave together your own unique story in order to stand out to admissions committees. As a current medical student, I now spend my time working as an Admissions Ambassador and serving as a mentor to incoming students. I also currently interview for my medical school and so I can provide a lot of insight as I’ve sat on both sides of the Zoom interview screen. I look forward to helping you put your best foot forward in your applications and interviews for medical school!

Hello! I am a medical student at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons planning to apply into neurology this upcoming fall. I have extensive mentoring and advising experience both prior to medical school, when I served as a peer advisor for my undergraduate institution’s pre-health club, and as a medical student, continuing to advise undergraduates on essay writing, interview preparation, and general application and career advice. I also work as a mentor in the local community, tutoring and advising 8 th grade and high school age students interested in the health sciences. I have significant research and publication experience beginning as an undergraduate and continuing throughout medical school, having published four first-author manuscripts while contributing to multiple others. Prior to medical school, I spent a gap year as a National Institutes of Health Post-baccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award fellow, a role in which I studied Alzheimer’s disease proteomics and metabolomics. Currently, my research focus has shifted towards neuroinfectious diseases and contributions of infectious exposures to lifetime dementia risk. In addition to clinical medicine, I have a strong interest in public health and anthropology that informs my research and clinical pursuits. 

Hello! My name is Jessica, and I am a medical student at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine. I completed my undergraduate degree in Molecular & Cellular Biology at Johns Hopkins University, along with a minor in Entrepreneurship & Management. At Hopkins, I played on the varsity tennis team, served as a peer tutor, and volunteered at the JHH Sickle Cell Infusion Center. After graduating from college, I took on a full-time position at the Sickle Cell Infusion Center as a clinical research coordinator. I stayed in this role for one gap year, where I ran the largest registry of sickle cell disease patients in the United States, helping to characterize disparities faced in health outcomes and access to care. Since starting medical school, I have become heavily involved in cervical cancer research, volunteering at the Chinese Hospital in downtown San Francisco, and advocating for vulnerable populations. As a first-generation medical student, I understand how overwhelming the application process is and how vital near-peer guidance can be. I’ve helped several applicants through their application writing and interview process, who will all be matriculating to medical school this upcoming fall. I look forward to helping you curate your own story, put your best foot forward, and pursue your dream career!

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Medical School Secondary Essay Prompts: The Most Common Questions to Prepare For

Padya Paramita

June 12, 2019

You’ve uploaded your transcript, MCAT score, extracurricular information, personal statement, and finally clicked the submit button on the AMCAS . You might want to use the next couple of weeks to relax. I wouldn’t recommend it, considering your medical school secondary essays are right around the corner. Schools cut off a big portion of the application pool between the secondary and the interview stages, so don’t take the medical school secondary essay prompts lightly!

Although medical schools don’t typically begin sending out secondary applications until early July, you shouldn’t just sit around and start reading a 400-page novel for fun while you wait. Rather, prepare yourself to have common essay topics ready for the minute the prompts are sent out. Below, I’ve outlined the general timeline of secondaries, how to keep yourself organized in the process, the most common medical school secondary essay prompts and how to approach them, recent secondary questions at MD programs, and overall dos and don’ts when writing your medical school secondaries.

How to Prepare for Secondaries: The Basics

Secondary essay prompts are demanding and ask you questions that allow you to reflect on your experiences, career goals in medicine, and challenges that you have overcome. Medical schools want to know why you’re interested in their program and how they might be a good fit for you and vice versa. The number of applicants who receive secondaries varies from school to school. Most schools automatically send out secondaries upon submission of the primary to all applicants, while others ensure students have passed an initial screening and met the GPA and MCAT cutoffs (typically set at a 3.0 GPA and 500 MCAT score) before sending out secondary essays.

First and foremost, you should not put off submitting your secondaries, because your application is not considered complete without them. At most schools, your AMCAS will not even be read until you’ve submitted this portion as well, so don’t delay. Medical schools don’t usually state a deadline for the secondary essays but if they do, absolutely adhere to it, or all your hard work will go to waste.

Second, medical schools view the time you take to turn in your secondaries as a direct reflection of your interest in their program. If there’s no deadline, you should be looking to complete them and send them back within two weeks of receiving them. The two week turnaround time is long enough to be meticulous, but short enough to show eagerness. If you sit around and take over a month to send back your secondaries, don’t expect an interview. But if you take time to think about possible medical school secondary essay prompts and how you might prepare for them in advance, you won’t be scrambling at the last minute.

Secondaries Organization & Game Plan

In order to keep yourself organized and monitor the secondaries for each school, start a spreadsheet. It should detail whether you’ve received the prompt, whether you’ve paid the secondary application fee ($50 or $75, depending on the school), the method to submit, the essay topic(s), and whether you’ve submitted the essays or not. This way, you can keep track of your progress and what remains to be covered for each school, avoiding additional stress during this high pressure period.

The best way to prepare for your secondary essays is to simply start writing about yourself. While there’s no way to figure out the secondary essay prompts in advance for all your schools, you can generate tailored, well-written essays far more easily if you go ahead and tackle traditional essay topics. Medical school secondary essay prompts often follow a general pattern that you can readily get a sense of. The word or character limit for the secondary essays is set by each school, and could range anything from 2000 to 4000 characters.

The secondaries ask for essays about you , so keep in mind your most impressive qualifications, why you want to attend medical school, and how each school might be able to help you achieve your goals. You want to choose topics which bring out the best version of yourself. Remember, the people reading your applications are humans. You don’t want to bore them. You want to stand out as a unique individual in the process. It can come in handy to keep a separate document outlining your reasons for pursuing medicine and the unique opportunities at each medical school that resonate with your passions within the field. This can help you get the ball rolling so you’re ready to conquer medical school secondary essay prompts .

Examples of Common Medical School Secondary Essay Prompts

You should put approximately 25-30 medical schools on your list to stay on the safer side of the intensely competitive medical school admissions process. Schools often have a range of 2-9 secondary questions for you to answer. Take a moment to do the math. This means that you could end up answering over seventy medical school secondary essay prompts . You only had to write one personal statement in the primary, so the number of essays you have to write for the secondary stage can seem like a massive mountain to climb.

The good news is, there will be some overlap in the kinds of prompts among the schools. That said, you should expect each school’s essays to need quite a bit of tweaking to adjust to specific prompts. And don’t expect to be able to reuse every essay you write! But preparing for typical prompts is a strategic starting point. Listed below are a number of secondary essay prompts which are common among many medical schools:

• Explain why you wish to attend this particular medical school.
• What diverse or unique element will you bring to this medical school community?
• If you graduated before you applied, summarize your activities since you graduated.
• Describe a challenge you overcame or a time when you faced an ethical dilemma and how you learned and grew from that experience.
• Who is the most influential person in your life and why?
• Describe a meaningful leadership position.
• What are your goals as a physician?
• What research or independent academic work have you completed, and what did you accomplish or learn?
• What do you think is the role of a physician in a community?
• Describe a humbling experience and what you learned from it.
• Elaborate on an area of interest outside of medicine (e.g., hobbies).
• Describe the characteristics that make you who you are. How will they impact your success as a medical student and physician?
• From the list of activities and experiences listed in your AMCAS application, please select one that has most impacted your decision to enter medicine.
• Is there any other information you would like to share with the admissions committee?

Medical schools often send some combination of these prompts, or similar questions relating to your identity, meaningful experiences, or goals. So even if you don’t know exactly which medical school secondary essay prompts to expect, the list above should give you a clearer picture of what to prepare for.

How to Tackle the Most Common Prompts

Now that you’ve seen the classic questions medical schools ask for secondaries, it’s time to analyze how to answer them. Generally, if you look at the pattern of the prompts, admissions committees want to know who you are, why you’re motivated to pursue medicine, and how you would fit in at their school.

To further break down the ways schools specify what they’re looking for, let’s look at some questions based off of the common medical school secondary essay prompts :

“Why This School” Essays

Take a look at the following “why this school” prompts from three different medical schools in 2018, and the way they framed their questions:

• Georgetown University - Why have you chosen to apply to the Georgetown University School of Medicine and how do you think your education at Georgetown will prepare you to become a physician for the future? (1 page, formatted at your discretion)
• Mayo Clinic - Why are you specifically interested in pursuing your medical education at Mayo Clinic School of Medicine even if you gain acceptances to other highly ranked medical schools? (500 words or less)
• University of Toledo - Briefly describe why you wish to attend medical school at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences. As part of this essay, please discuss, if applicable, any personal connection you may have to The University of Toledo, the UT College of Medicine and Life Sciences/former Medical College of Ohio, the city of Toledo, or the region of Northwest Ohio. (300 words)

Success with these questions lies in actually taking the time to do research on your school list. Make sure you know exactly what the programs offer - you’ve applied to the school for a reason. What are the things you like the most about it and how will it help your goals? Emphasize your demonstrated interest in the school as specifically as possible - detail what about the program’s mission appeals to you the most and fits your personality and plans. Finally, make sure you carefully read the entire prompt and answer all parts. While the objective of the questions is the same (to find out why you have chosen the school), each school puts its own unique spin to the question.

In the past, Georgetown has wanted to know how your training as a physician would benefit from a Georgetown education. To tackle this prompt, jot down specialties only Georgetown offers - faculty, courses, research opportunities - which appeal to you. Don’t pick every single thing off the website. Select a special few details relevant to your interests within medicine and talk about how learning from a certain professor, for example, aligns with your goals.

Mayo’s prompt last year was similar, but asked why you would choose them despite acceptances to other top schools. You definitely need to be as specific as possible in your response. Admissions committee members obviously want accepted students to enroll. They want to know that you’re not applying just for the sake of trying to attend a highly ranked school. So this is the time to demonstrate your knowledge of the program and to feature the opportunities you can take advantage of only at Mayo

Toledo’s “why this school” prompt in 2018 wanted to know about personal connections to the school, the city of Toledo, or the entire region of northwestern Ohio. Public medical schools pay special attention to in-state applicants, and love to see candidates convey interest in the regional appeal of the school. Whether you’ve learned fun facts from a relative who’s an alum or you have a strong connection to the food in the area, expressing concrete details about what you love about the medical school’s environment can help admissions committee members gain an added perspective on you.

“How Will You Contribute to Our School” Essays

Check out a couple examples of medical school secondary essay prompts from last year which ask about how you will contribute to MD programs:

• New York University - The Admissions Committee uses a holistic approach to evaluate a wide range of student qualities and life experiences that are complementary to demonstrated academic excellence, strong interpersonal skills and leadership potential. What unique qualities or experiences do you possess that would contribute specifically to the NYU School of Medicine community (2500 characters max)?
• University of Nevada - Describe how your background and future goals will contribute to the mission of the University of Nevada School of Medicine.

To answer the “how will you contribute to our school prompts,” you need to think about the theme of your own application, and the theme of the institution itself.

Your essay could follow an application persona, or a recurrent theme throughout to help you stand out from other applicants. For example, your application persona could be that you are an aspiring surgeon who was motivated to be a doctor after helping victims of a natural disaster. Keeping your persona in mind can help you decide which of your qualifications and experiences to highlight in such an essay. What do you bring to the table that other applicants don’t? What are you passionate about? What parts of medicine excite you?

Admissions committees want to understand how they’ll specifically benefit from your unique contributions. Think about what each school is known for. How does its mission align with what you hope to achieve from an education in medicine? Don’t get carried away, just talk about your perspective.

“Describe a Challenge You’ve Faced” Essays

Often, medical schools want to know about how you respond to challenges, as shown in the prompts below:

• University of Chicago - Share with us a difficult or challenging situation you have encountered and how you dealt with it. In your response, identify both the coping skills you called upon to resolve the dilemma, and the support person(s) from whom you sought advice. We suggest that you limit your essay to about 550 words.
• Harvard University - If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Many applicants will not need to answer this question. Examples might include significant challenges in access to education, unusual socioeconomic factors, identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. (4000 characters maximum)
• University of Kansas - Beyond academics (grades and MCATs), describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to address this challenge.

When answering prompts that fall under the “challenge” umbrella, you should do a little bit of self-reflection. The applicants you’re going up against may have faced far greater adversity than you have - whether in the loss of their home or facing prejudice of some kind in society. This type of question may be optional, for example, in the case of Harvard’s 2018 secondaries. But, if the question is not optional, and you’re not sure that you’ve really faced many challenges, do not exaggerate your adversity . Grasping at straws for adversity will backfire and show that you lack perspective.

Medical schools want their classes to be comprised of exceptional individuals, each of whom should bring something different to the class. Instead of telling stories that aren’t yours, focus on challenges you might have faced in a unique passion or avocation. Try talking about an obstacle you faced in your clinical adventures or while leading a project for your work or internship.

Dos and Don’ts

Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with what you can expect out of your medical school secondary essay prompts , it’s time to go over some dos and don’ts to make sure you avoid common mistakes and stay on track to write standout secondaries.

Think About Your Primary Application

When answering medical school secondary essay prompts , it’s important that what you wrote in your primary application stays in the front of your mind. You definitely should not repeat experiences that you already outlined in your personal statement or activities list. But, if there’s something you didn’t get to talk about in depth - such as an important part of your cultural background or an impressive research internship, this is the place to write about it!

Ensure That You’ve Followed All Directions

A good place to start the secondary process is to read the prompts very carefully. Identify the task at hand and ask yourself: what is the question really asking? You can treat the task as a to-do list, and elaborate on each point on the list to form an outline of your essay. Look through the prompt guidelines - word limit, page limit, formatting requirements - and ensure you stick to them.

You might be reusing bits and pieces from one school’s essay for another. That’s okay. But make sure you’ve edited it to fully answer the latter school’s question and formatting requirements. If admissions committees see that you haven’t completed all parts of the prompt, or that you’ve crossed the limit or format guidelines, it’s an automatic red flag. You will not receive an interview if you fail to meet schools’ instructions. It might seem like a minor thing, but such mistakes definitely happen, especially when you’re writing so many applications.

Leave Yourself Plenty of Time to Edit

You must appear professional on your medical school application, and secondaries are an important part of that. Once you’ve finished writing your essays, edit them as much as possible. There will be a lot of essays to go through and you’ll be under a time crunch, but you need to read and reread them to ensure quality. Make sure you avoid run-on sentences and that you’ve made each word count. Careless errors such as grammatical or spelling mistakes will not reflect well on you.

Think Strategically

The medical school application process is notoriously cutthroat. You have to pick and choose your battles. When answering medical school secondary essay prompts , you should not answer all your reach schools first. You should focus on the schools you’re most likely to attend in order to demonstrate interest, but don’t be too ambitious. Check to see which of the schools on your list - especially schools you’re more likely to get into - have secondary prompts that can be easily answered with solid responses that you have already prepared. You definitely want to be smart in the balance of submitting secondaries both promptly and strategically.

Provide Mixed Messages

Remember, you need to keep your primary application in mind when filling out your secondaries. If some bit of information in your secondary application doesn’t match what you’ve already said in your primary application, admissions committees will notice. Don’t write something in your essays that contradicts what you’ve stated as a value or credential previously.

Writing about a topic you can’t speak in depth about might lead to trouble on multiple fronts. If you do so in your essay and you’re asked about it in an interview, you will be in trouble. In a similar vein, you shouldn’t highlight something that was a minimal experience. You will be competing against brilliant students who have versatile stories to tell. Talking about a minor burn you got three years ago might not be a great way to fill up the space allotted for your secondaries.

Write About a High School Experience  

You’re an adult now. You’ve gone through years of life experiences that have greatly impacted your motivation to become a doctor. Unless it was something extremely formative and absolutely integral for your medical school application, don’t waste your secondaries reliving your high school glory days.

Use Flowery Language

This is not a poetry competition and neither are you studying for the SAT. There’s no need to be pretentious and show off your vocabulary on your medical school secondaries. While it’s good to mix up your word usage and not repeat, don’t go all out with the metaphors or thesaurus.com. Admissions committees want to know more about you and what you’ll bring to their program. Don’t take the attention away from the story by adding too many long words that ultimately don’t make sense.

Medical school secondary essay prompts offer you the challenge of answering specific questions about yourself and your career interests within a short span of time. But, if you anticipate the kinds of questions headed your way and prepare in advance, with a stroke of luck, you might even have a few first drafts before the secondaries even come out. You’ve got a lot of writing coming up, so the sooner you start working on the common medical school secondary essay prompts , the better. And if you get an interview, and eventually accepted into medical school, the extra effort you put into working on your secondary essays will all be worth it.

General FAQ

Do all applicants get secondaries.

The number of applicants who receive secondaries varies from school to school. Most schools automatically send out secondaries upon submission of the primary to all applicants, while others ensure students have passed an initial screening and met the GPA and MCAT cutoffs.

When is the right time to turn in my secondary essays?

Medical schools view the time you take to turn in your secondaries as a direct reflection of your interest in their program. If there’s no deadline, you should be looking to complete them and send them back within two weeks of receiving them.

What are some common secondary essay prompts?

Some of the most common prompts include: “explain why you wish to attend this particular medical school,” “what diverse or unique element will you bring to this medical school community,” and “if you graduated before you applied, summarize your activities since you graduated.”

How many prompts do I have to answer per school?

Schools often have a range of 2-9 secondary questions for you to answer.

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• February 24, 2024

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

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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.

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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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Why are secondary essays important and what should you be doing to make sure you have the best chance of getting into your school of choice?

The medical school application process starts with your primary application, whether that’s thought AMCAS, AACOMAS, or TMDSAS. Secondary essays come after you submit your primary application. It is a way for schools to learn more about you. It helps the medical schools determine your fit to their mission and it helps you do some research to see if you truly want to go there.

All the normal essay writing stuff is important here: grammar, typos, etc. Turning them around quickly is also important so you don’t miss any deadlines and to show your interest in the school.

[00:50] Is There Screening Involved?

Some schools will screen based on stats and what they’re looking for to determine if they want to send you a secondary essay.

Most schools do not screen and they will just send you a secondary essay whether or not you’re a qualified candidate or not. 

Therefore as an applicant, it’s important for you to figure out and determine where you have a shot among the schools you’re applying to because the secondary essays cost a lot of money.

[01:20] Things to Prepare For

The average is probably around $75 and if you multiply that with, say, 20 schools you applied to then that’s a lot of money for secondary essays. To get an estimate of the cost, check out our Medical School Applications Cost Estimator .

Time & Effort

Depending on the school, you may get very simple questions, or maybe just one question. Prepare for questions like what you did during the gap year if you’re not in schoo or how you’re going to add diversity to their class.

Some schools also have very in depth questions. They do that to determine if you’re going to be a good fit for their school and to see if you’re really motivated to go there because it’s going to take a lot of time to fill out those secondary essays.

[02:32] When Do Schools Send Out Secondary Essays?

If you’re submitting your primary application early on in this process, you’re not going to get secondary essays for a little bit of time. And that’s because the application services will hold the applications until they send that first wave out either mid to late June, depending on the application service. So you have some time between when you submit and when secondary essays come. Hopefully, you submit early because of the rolling admissions.

[03:06] Pre-writing Your Secondary Essays

To take a look at all of the essays for the schools you apply to and so you can start pre-writing, check out secondaryapps.com . You also get to have access to videos on how to answer the most common types of secondary essay questions.

Most schools typically don’t change their questions. And even if they do change their questions, you have now gotten into a mindset of trying to think about how they’re thinking, and trying to figure out the best way to answer that. So you have a headstart in terms of thinking through your story, your background, and how to best answer whatever new questions are there once you get the secondary.

[03:44] Secondary Essay Timelines

There are some schools that want secondary essays back in five days. There are some schools that say two weeks or 10 days.

To help you get your head around this, first, prioritize the schools you want to go to the worst or the most. Then prioritize schools that have deadlines on secondaries. 

As soon as you submit that primary, be prepared to write for several months to come, assuming you’re applying to a lot of schools.

[04:22] How Important Are Secondaries to This Whole Process?

When I was writing The Premed Playbook: Guide to the Medical School Personal Statement , I reached out to a dean of admissions, and he commented that personal statements are terrible. Nobody knows how to write them properly. So they look at secondary essays to determine a large chunk of who they’re going to invite for an interview.

Secondary essays are important. Schools are using them to determine fit for their mission. They’ll ask you questions that are about fit for their mission. Now, even though they’re important, they’re not really hard. They may take a lot of time depending on the school, but they are asking you a very specific question. And as long as you answer that question, and hopefully, work in a little bit of your life story with an anecdote, they’re really easy to write, assuming you’ve done some reflection on your journey.

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Medical School Secondary Application Prompts

Secondary Essays by School/Program

The Med School Insiders Secondary Application Database is updated for the 2023 application cycle! Medical schools are sorted alphabetically below. 

Each school’s prompts are accompanied by expert tips and strategies to help you craft a more effective secondary application. To take your secondary applications to the next level, take a look at our secondary application packages !

A B C D E F G H I J   L M N O P   R S T U V W   Y

Albany Medical College (Albany, NY)

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University (Bronx, NY)

Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX)

Boston University School of Medicine (Boston, MA)

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

Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School (Providence, RI)

California Northstate University College of Medicine (Elk Grove, CA)

California University of Science and Medicine (Colton, CA)

Carle Illinois College of Medicine (Urbana, IL)

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

Central Michigan University College of Medicine (Mount Pleasant, MI)

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

Chicago Medical School – Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science (North Chicago, IL)

Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (Cleveland, OH)

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (New York, NY)

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (Camden, NJ)

Creighton University School of Medicine (Omaha, NE )

CUNY School of Medicine (New York, NY )

Dartmouth Medical School (Hanover, NH)

Drexel University College of Medicine (Philadelphia, PA)

Duke University School of Medicine (Durham, NC)

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

Eastern Virginia Medical School (Norfolk, VA)

Emory University School of Medicine (Atlanta, GA)

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

Florida International University College of Medicine (Miami, FL)

Florida State University College of Medicine (Tallahassee, FL)

Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine – Quinnipiac University (North Haven, CT)

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (Scranton, PA)

George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (Washington, DC)

Georgetown University School of Medicine (Washington, DC )

Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (Nutley, NJ)

Harvard Medical School (Boston, MA)

Hofstra University Zucker School of Medicine (Hempstead, NY)

Howard University College of Medicine (Washington, DC )

Indiana University School of Medicine (Indianapolis, IN)

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Baltimore, MD)

Loma Linda University School of Medicine (Loma Linda, CA)

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

Louisiana State University HSC – School of Medicine in Shreveport (Shreveport, LA)

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

Marshall University – Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine

Mayo Clinic School of Medicine – Minnesota (Rochester, MN)

Mayo Clinic School of Medicine – Arizona (Scottsdale, AZ)

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

Medical College of Wisconsin (Milwaukee, WI)

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

Meharry Medical College (Nashville, TN)

Mercer University School of Medicine (Macon, GA)

Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (East Lansing, MI)

Morehouse School of Medicine (Atlanta, GA)

Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine (New York, NY)

New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (Old Westbury, NY)

New York Medical College School of Medicine (Valhalla, NY)

New York University School of Medicine (New York, NY)

Northeastern Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) (Rootstown, OH)

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (Chicago, IL)

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

Ohio State University College of Medicine (Columbus, OH)

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

Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine (Hershey, PA)

Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) (Ponce, Puerto Rico)

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

Rutgers University New Jersey Medical School (Newark, NJ)

Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (Piscataway, NJ)

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

San Juan Bautista School of Medicine (Caguas, Puerto Rico)

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

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (Springfield, IL)

Stony Brook School of Medicine at University Medical Center (Stony Brook, NY)

Stanford University School of Medicine (Stanford, CA)

SUNY Downstate Medical Center – College of Medicine (Brooklyn, NY)

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

Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine (Philadelphia, PA)

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

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

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

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

Tufts University School of Medicine (Boston, MA)

Tulane University School of Medicine (New Orleans, LA)

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

Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine (Bayamon, Puerto Rico)

University at Buffalo – School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (Buffalo, NY)

University of Alabama School of Medicine (Birmingham, AL)

University of Arizona College of Medicine (Phoenix, AZ)

University of Arizona College of Medicine (Tucson, AZ)

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

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

University of California Irvine School of Medicine (Irvine, CA)

University of California Los Angeles (UCLA David Geffen) (Los Angeles, CA)

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

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

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

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

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

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (Cincinnati, OH)

University of Colorado School of Medicine (Denver, CO)

University of Connecticut School of Medicine (Farmington, CT)

University of Florida College of Medicine (Gainesville, FL)

University of Hawaii at Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine (Honolulu, HI)

University of Illinois College of Medicine (Chicago, IL)

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

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

University of Kentucky College of Medicine (Lexington, KY)

University of Louisville School of Medicine (Louisville, KY)

University of Maryland School of Medicine (Baltimore, MD)

University of Massachusetts School of Medicine (Worcester, MA)

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

University of Michigan Medical School (Ann Arbor, MI)

University of Minnesota Medical School – Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN)

University of Minnesota Medical School – Duluth (Duluth, MN)

University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Medicine (Jackson, MS)

University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Medicine (Kansas City, MO)

University of Missouri–Columbia School of Medicine (Columbia, MO)

University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine (Omaha, NE)

University of Nevada–Reno School of Medicine (Reno, NV)

University of Nevada–Las Vegas School of Medicine (Las Vegas, NV)

University of New Mexico School of Medicine (Albuquerque, NM)

University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill School of Medicine (Chapel Hill, NC)

University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (Grand Forks, ND)

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

University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine (Philadelphia, PA)

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (Pittsburgh, PA)

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (San Juan, Puerto Rico)

University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry (Rochester, NY)

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

University of South Florida (USF) Morsani College of Medicine (Tampa, FL)

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

University of Tennessee HSC College of Medicine (Memphis, TN)

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

University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) School of Medicine (Galveston, TX)

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

University of Texas Houston McGovern Medical School (Houston, TX)

University of Texas San Antonio School of Medicine (San Antonio, TX)

University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) Medical School (Dallas, TX)

University of Toledo College of Medicine (Toledo, OH)

University of Utah School of Medicine (Salt Lake City, UT)

University of Virginia School of Medicine (Charlottesville, VA)

University of Vermont College of Medicine (Burlington, VT)

University of Washington School of Medicine (Seattle, WA)

University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (Madison, WI)

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (Nashville, TN)

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine (Richmond, VA)

Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (Roanoke, VA)

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

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

Washington University in St. Louis – School of Medicine (St. Louis, MO)

Wayne State University School of Medicine (Detroit, MI)

Weill Cornell Medicine Medical College (Manhattan, NY)

West Virginia University School of Medicine (Morgantown, WV)

Western Michigan University School of Medicine (Kalamazoo, MI)

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

Yale University School of Medicine (New Haven, CT)

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Top 6 Tips to Nail Your Medical School Secondary Essay

After submitting your primary application to medical schools, the next step in the admissions process is tackling secondary applications. These secondary applications typically consist of a series of essay questions that require thoughtful and personalized responses. 

This blog will provide the top six tips to help you navigate and excel in your medical school secondary applications. By following these tips, you can present yourself as a strong and competitive candidate for your desired medical schools.

1. Understand the Purpose of Secondary Applications

Secondary applications are an integral part of the medical school admissions process. They allow the schools to gather more information about you, assess your fit with their program, and gain deeper insights into your personal and professional qualities. It’s important to recognize that secondary applications are not just a formality but a chance for you to make a lasting impression on the admissions committee.

2. Answer the Question Directly and Thoughtfully

Each secondary application will include specific essay questions that require your attention. Reading the questions carefully and providing direct, concise, and thoughtful responses is crucial. Avoid veering off-topic or providing generic answers. Use this opportunity to showcase your unique experiences, perspectives, and aspirations. Be genuine and authentic in your responses to make a lasting impact.

3. Tailor Your Responses to Each School

While it may be tempting to reuse essays or responses from one application to another, resist the temptation. Each medical school has its distinct mission, values, and expectations from applicants. Take the time to research and understand each school’s unique characteristics and incorporate that knowledge into your responses. Tailoring your answers to each institution demonstrates your genuine interest and commitment to their program.

4. Highlight New and Relevant Information

Your primary application provided an overview of your experiences, achievements, and motivations. Use the secondary application to delve deeper into areas that received less attention in your primary application. 

For instance, if you have gained additional research experience or participated in impactful community service since submitting your primary application, highlight these new and relevant experiences in your secondary responses. That will demonstrate your continued growth and commitment to your goals.

5. Pay Attention to Word Limits and Formatting Guidelines

Secondary applications often come with specific word limits for each essay question. It is crucial to adhere to these guidelines and ensure your responses are concise, focused, and well-structured. Stay within the word limits, as it may reflect poorly on your ability to follow instructions. 

Additionally, pay attention to the school’s formatting guidelines , such as font size and style, spacing, and file formats. A well-presented application shows your attention to detail and professionalism.

6. Seek Feedback and Edit Your Responses

Before finalizing and submitting your secondary applications, seek feedback from trusted mentors , advisors, or pre-medical committees. They can provide valuable insights and suggestions to help refine your responses and make them more impactful. Be open to constructive criticism, and take the time to carefully review and edit your essays. 

Ensure your writing is clear, coherent, and free of grammatical errors or typos. A polished and well-crafted application will leave a positive impression on the admissions committee.

Who Gets the Medical School Secondary Application?

Regarding the distribution of medical school secondary applications, the process varies among different institutions. Understanding who receives these applications can provide valuable insights into the admissions process. Here are some key factors to consider:

Comprehensive Distribution:

In most cases, medical schools adopt a comprehensive approach and send secondary applications to all applicants who have submitted their primary applications through the centralized application system, such as the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) . 

That means that virtually every candidate, regardless of their academic qualifications or chances of admission, will receive a secondary application. This initial step ensures that every applicant has an opportunity to provide additional information beyond what was included in the primary application.

Minimum Admission Requirements:

However, it is worth noting that some medical schools employ a preliminary screening process before sending out secondary applications. These schools may review applicants’ academic credentials, such as GPA (Grade Point Average) and MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) scores, to ensure they meet the minimum admissions standards. 

Only those who meet these requirements will be invited to complete the secondary application. This selective approach helps schools manage the high volume of applications and focus their resources on candidates more likely to be competitive.

Targeted Characteristics:

The type of secondary questions asked by medical schools can provide insight into the specific characteristics or qualities they are seeking in applicants. Schools aim to identify candidates who align with their educational philosophy, mission, and values by tailoring their secondary questions. 

Strong and well-crafted responses to these questions indicate that an applicant possesses the desired attributes , increasing their chances of advancing in the admissions process.

Importance of Personalized Responses:

Secondary applications allow applicants to showcase their individuality and provide more detailed information about their experiences, aspirations, and motivations for pursuing a medical career. 

Admissions committees review these responses to better understand each applicant’s unique qualities and perspectives. Candidates can make a strong impression and stand out by crafting thoughtful, personalized responses.

Strategic Application Management:

Once secondary applications start rolling in, applicants face decisions regarding managing and prioritizing their responses effectively. Developing a strategic approach to tackle secondary applications is essential. 

Some common strategies include focusing first on schools that align closely with your preferences and priorities, working on less competitive programs before more competitive ones, and practicing writing secondary statements in advance to ensure well-crafted and personalized responses.

Navigating the medical school secondary application process can be challenging, but with the right approach, it can also be an opportunity to showcase your strengths and unique qualities. 

By understanding the purpose of secondary applications, answering questions thoughtfully, tailoring your responses, highlighting new information, adhering to word limits, and seeking feedback, you can maximize your chances of standing out as a strong candidate. 

Getting into medical or dental school is tough; we know because we’ve done it ourselves. That’s why we set up Medic Mind to help you across every hurdle – from applications to interviews.

You must remember to stay focused, organized, and true to yourself as you embark on this crucial step toward your medical career. Good luck!

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• How to Get Clinical Experience for Med School?

→ How long do I have to complete the secondary applications?

The timeframe for completing secondary applications varies among medical schools. Some schools provide a specific deadline, while others offer a flexible window. It’s important to check each school’s instructions and adhere to their specified timeline to ensure timely submission.

→ Can I submit my secondary application before receiving my MCAT scores?

You can submit your secondary application before receiving your MCAT scores. However, it’s essential to indicate in your application that you plan to take or have already taken the MCAT. Once your scores become available, you can update the schools accordingly.

→ How long should my responses be for each essay question?

Secondary applications often come with word limits for each essay question. These limits can vary, but most schools provide guidelines ranging from 250 to 500 words per question. Review the instructions carefully and stay within the specified word limits for each response.

→ Can I reuse my primary application essays for the secondary applications?

While the content overlap between your primary and secondary application essays may overlap, it’s important to tailor your responses to each school’s questions. Avoid copying and pasting your primary application essays, which can be generic and impersonal. Take the time to craft thoughtful and personalized responses for each secondary application.

→ What should I do if I receive a secondary application from a school I’m not interested in?

If you receive a secondary application from a school, you’re not interested in attending; you can decline or not complete the application. Focus your time and energy on the schools that align with your preferences and priorities. However, carefully consider your decision and ensure you’re certain about not pursuing that particular school before declining the secondary application.

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Eastern Virginia Medical School Secondary Essays – EVMS Prompts and Tips

• Cracking Med School Admissions

The Eastern Virginia Medical School secondary application wants to ensure that you are a premed student who has abundant clinical experiences and have a track record of academic excellence. The Eastern Virginia Medical School secondary essays are not too long and the questions do not change year after year. The EVMS secondary is a great secondary to pre-write. Read below for more EMVS secondary application tips  to help you answer each question!

Our Cracking Med School Admissions team has had several students accepted and matriculate to EVMS. So, we know the school well and how to help our students stand out. Work with us through our medical school secondary essay editing packages to help you stand out on your EVMS secondaries and other medical school applications! If you have questions, feel free to c ontact us below!

• Personally Tailored Essays
• Edits by Stanford & Harvard-trained Doctors
• We study your application strengths to see what unique attributes we’ll bring to the medical school

Eastern Virginia Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2023 – 2024

• Briefly describe your exposure to medicine. (2,000 characters max)
• What do you think you will like best about being a physician? (2,000 characters max)
• What do you think you will like the least about being a physician? (2,000 characters max)
• Describe yourself and your medical career as you see it ten years from now. (2,000 characters max)
• Please indicate your reasons for applying to EVMS. (2,000 characters max)
• Optional:  EVMS is dedicated to inclusivity and supporting patients and students from diverse backgrounds. Feel free to share your personal experience or ties to communities from diverse backgrounds. Please explain in detail if you wish to respond. Some examples include but are not limited to race/ethnicity, culture, LGBTQ+, differently-abled/disabled, etc.

Tips to Answer EVMS Secondaries

Eastern Virginia Pre-Writing Guidance: Because this secondary does not change often, we encourage students to pre-write this secondary application! And, it’s a state school so prioritize submitting this secondary! Per the EVMS website , “Application materials are considered on a rolling basis, starting October 1 (one year before desired matriculation), and are considered until all positions are filled.”

• Download our   Cracking Med Secondary Essay Workbook and Examples .

EVMS Secondary Application Tip #1: We often get asked, “ How do you answer the question ‘Briefly describe your exposure to medicine?’ ” Many EVMS applicants will write a bullet point list about all their clinical experiences, including all their shadowing opportunities. Dr. Rizal’s and Dr. Mediratta’s goals are to make you stand out from the rest of the applicants. So, we suggest the following:

• An overall narrative arc about your journey and lessons learned through your clinical experiences
• A list of your clinical experiences, but write 2-3 sentences per clinical experience. Focus on what you learned and your reflections on how that clinical experience will make you be a better physician.

Contact us if you have questions about how to answer this EVMS secondary essay.

EVMS Secondary Application Tip #2: The Eastern Virginia Medical School secondary essays “ What do you think you will like best about being a physician? ” and “ What do you think you will like least about being a physician? ” don’t contain any tricks or special meaning. Don’t try to write the “right answer” on your EVMS secondaries. Instead, follow your heart and gut about what excites you most and what scares you most about medicine. The content in these essays should complement your personal statement on your AMCAS primary application. For example, if you wrote about teaching a patient about his health, you can talk about how you are excited to educate your patients as a future physician. 

EVMS Secondary Application Tip #3:  EVMS is a community-oriented school and they want to recruit medical students who are interested in serving the Virginia community in the future. It is important to note this in your EVMS secondaries. Additionally, make sure to read our blog post about How to Answer “Why This Medical School?” for tips on how to answer “Why EVMS?” 

EVMS Secondary Application Tip #4: The EVMS Admissions Committee favors students who have lived or had experiences in the state of Virginia. Write about your ties to communities in Virginia, including growing up in Virginia or currently living in Virginia or Washington D.C.! Additionally, give specific ways you want to be involved with the local Virginia community in your EVMS secondaries.  Many medical students at EVMS’ student body do residency in Virginia and pursue clinical practice in Virginia when they are attending doctors. 

EVMS Secondary Application Tip #5:  Include stories as much as possible. Ideally, you should write patient stories from your clinical experiences. For example, you can add stories for the following prompts:

• Briefly describe your exposure to medicine.
• What do you think you will like best about being a physician?
• What do you think you will like the least about being a physician?

EVMS Secondary Application Tip #5: Get our help to edit your EVMS secondaries. We can help you through our secondary essay packages.

[ Read more secondary essay tips:  New York Medical College , Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) , University of Virginia (UVA) , George Washington ]

Your medical school application Coaches, Mentors, & Cheerleaders

We Personally Advise Every Student We Work With.

Rachel Rizal, M.D.

Changing the trajectory of people’s lives.

Undergraduate Princeton University, cum laude

Medical School Stanford School of Medicine

Residency Harvard, Emergency Medicine

Awards & Scholarships Fulbright Scholar USA Today Academic First Team Tylenol Scholarship

Rishi Mediratta, M.D., M.Sc., M.A.

Advising students to attend their dream schools.

Undergraduate Johns Hopkins University, Phi Beta Kappa

Residency Stanford, Pediatrics

Awards & Scholarships Marshall Scholar Tylenol Scholarship Global Health Scholar

stand out from other applicants with our secondary essay edit packages

Download your secondary essay guide.

Use this essay guide and workbook to write standout secondaries.

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Eastern Virginia Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2022 – 2023

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Eastern Virginia Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2021 – 2022

Eastern virginia medical school secondary application questions: 2020 - 2021, eastern virginia medical school secondary application questions: 2019 – 2020, eastern virginia medical school secondary application questions: 2018 – 2019, eastern virginia medical school secondary application questions: 2017 – 2018, eastern virginia medical school secondary application questions: 2016 – 2017, eastern virginia medical school secondary application questions: 2015 – 2016, eastern virginia medical school secondary application questions: 2014 – 2015, contact us with questions, we'll answer any and all your questions about medical school we typically respond within 1 business day..

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The Big List of Essay Topics for High School (120+ Ideas!)

Ideas to inspire every young writer!

High school students generally do a lot of writing, learning to use language clearly, concisely, and persuasively. When it’s time to choose an essay topic, though, it’s easy to come up blank. If that’s the case, check out this huge round-up of essay topics for high school. You’ll find choices for every subject and writing style.

• Argumentative Essay Topics
• Cause-and-Effect Essay Topics
• Compare-Contrast Essay Topics
• Descriptive Essay Topics
• Expository and Informative Essay Topics
• Humorous Essay Topics

Literary Essay Topics

• Narrative and Personal Essay Topics
• Personal Essay Topics
• Persuasive Essay Topics

Research Essay Topics

Argumentative essay topics for high school.

When writing an argumentative essay, remember to do the research and lay out the facts clearly. Your goal is not necessarily to persuade someone to agree with you, but to encourage your reader to accept your point of view as valid. Here are some possible argumentative topics to try. ( Here are 100 more compelling argumentative essay topics. )

• The most important challenge our country is currently facing is … (e.g., immigration, gun control, economy)
• The government should provide free internet access for every citizen.
• All drugs should be legalized, regulated, and taxed.
• Vaping is less harmful than smoking tobacco.
• The best country in the world is …
• Parents should be punished for their minor children’s crimes.
• Should all students have the ability to attend college for free?
• Should physical education be part of the standard high school curriculum?

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• Schools should require recommended vaccines for all students, with very limited exceptions.
• Is it acceptable to use animals for experiments and research?
• Does social media do more harm than good?
• Capital punishment does/does not deter crime.
• What one class should all high schools students be required to take and pass in order to graduate?
• Do we really learn anything from history, or does it just repeat itself over and over?
• Are men and women treated equally?

Cause-and-Effect Essay Topics for High School

A cause-and-effect essay is a type of argumentative essay. Your goal is to show how one specific thing directly influences another specific thing. You’ll likely need to do some research to make your point. Here are some ideas for cause-and-effect essays. ( Get a big list of 100 cause-and-effect essay topics here. )

• Humans are causing accelerated climate change.
• Fast-food restaurants have made human health worse over the decades.
• What caused World War II? (Choose any conflict for this one.)
• Describe the effects social media has on young adults.

• How does playing sports affect people?
• What are the effects of loving to read?
• Being an only/oldest/youngest/middle child makes you …
• What effect does violence in movies or video games have on kids?
• Traveling to new places opens people’s minds to new ideas.
• Racism is caused by …

Compare-Contrast Essay Topics for High School

As the name indicates, in compare-and-contrast essays, writers show the similarities and differences between two things. They combine descriptive writing with analysis, making connections and showing dissimilarities. The following ideas work well for compare-contrast essays. ( Find 80+ compare-contrast essay topics for all ages here. )

• Public and private schools
• Capitalism vs. communism
• Monarchy or democracy
• Dogs vs. cats as pets

• Paper books or e-books
• Two political candidates in a current race
• Going to college vs. starting work full-time
• Working your way through college as you go or taking out student loans
• iPhone or Android
• Instagram vs. Twitter (or choose any other two social media platforms)

Descriptive Essay Topics for High School

Bring on the adjectives! Descriptive writing is all about creating a rich picture for the reader. Take readers on a journey to far-off places, help them understand an experience, or introduce them to a new person. Remember: Show, don’t tell. These topics make excellent descriptive essays.

• Who is the funniest person you know?
• What is your happiest memory?
• Tell about the most inspirational person in your life.
• Write about your favorite place.
• When you were little, what was your favorite thing to do?
• Choose a piece of art or music and explain how it makes you feel.
• What is your earliest memory?

• What’s the best/worst vacation you’ve ever taken?
• Describe your favorite pet.
• What is the most important item in the world to you?
• Give a tour of your bedroom (or another favorite room in your home).
• Describe yourself to someone who has never met you.
• Lay out your perfect day from start to finish.
• Explain what it’s like to move to a new town or start a new school.
• Tell what it would be like to live on the moon.

Expository and Informative Essay Topics for High School

Expository essays set out clear explanations of a particular topic. You might be defining a word or phrase or explaining how something works. Expository or informative essays are based on facts, and while you might explore different points of view, you won’t necessarily say which one is “better” or “right.” Remember: Expository essays educate the reader. Here are some expository and informative essay topics to explore. ( See 70+ expository and informative essay topics here. )

• What makes a good leader?
• Explain why a given school subject (math, history, science, etc.) is important for students to learn.
• What is the “glass ceiling” and how does it affect society?
• Describe how the internet changed the world.
• What does it mean to be a good teacher?

• Explain how we could colonize the moon or another planet.
• Discuss why mental health is just as important as physical health.
• Describe a healthy lifestyle for a teenager.
• Choose an American president and explain how their time in office affected the country.
• What does “financial responsibility” mean?

Humorous Essay Topics for High School

Humorous essays can take on any form, like narrative, persuasive, or expository. You might employ sarcasm or satire, or simply tell a story about a funny person or event. Even though these essay topics are lighthearted, they still take some skill to tackle well. Give these ideas a try.

• What would happen if cats (or any other animal) ruled the world?
• What do newborn babies wish their parents knew?
• Explain the best ways to be annoying on social media.
• Invent a wacky new sport, explain the rules, and describe a game or match.

• Imagine a discussion between two historic figures from very different times, like Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth I.
• Retell a familiar story in tweets or other social media posts.
• Describe present-day Earth from an alien’s point of view.
• Choose a fictional character and explain why they should be the next president.
• Describe a day when kids are in charge of everything, at school and at home.

Literary essays analyze a piece of writing, like a book or a play. In high school, students usually write literary essays about the works they study in class. These literary essay topic ideas focus on books students often read in high school, but many of them can be tweaked to fit other works as well.

• Discuss the portrayal of women in Shakespeare’s Othello .
• Explore the symbolism used in The Scarlet Letter .
• Explain the importance of dreams in Of Mice and Men .
• Compare and contrast the romantic relationships in Pride and Prejudice .

• Dissect the allegory of Animal Farm and its relation to contemporary events.
• Interpret the author’s take on society and class structure in The Great Gatsby .
• Explore the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia.
• Discuss whether Shakespeare’s portrayal of young love in Romeo and Juliet is accurate.
• Explain the imagery used in Beowulf .

Narrative and Personal Essay Topics for High School

Think of a narrative essay like telling a story. Use some of the same techniques that you would for a descriptive essay, but be sure you have a beginning, middle, and end. A narrative essay doesn’t necessarily need to be personal, but they often are. Take inspiration from these narrative and personal essay topics.

• Describe a performance or sporting event you took part in.
• Explain the process of cooking and eating your favorite meal.
• Write about meeting your best friend for the first time and how your relationship developed.
• Tell about learning to ride a bike or drive a car.
• Describe a time in your life when you’ve been scared.

• Share the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you.
• Tell about a time when you overcame a big challenge.
• Tell the story of how you learned an important life lesson.
• Describe a time when you or someone you know experienced prejudice or oppression.
• Explain a family tradition, how it developed, and its importance today.
• What is your favorite holiday? How does your family celebrate it?
• Retell a familiar story from the point of view of a different character.
• Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision.
• Tell about your proudest moment.

Persuasive Essay Topics for High School

Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative , but they rely less on facts and more on emotion to sway the reader. It’s important to know your audience, so you can anticipate any counterarguments they might make and try to overcome them. Try these topics to persuade someone to come around to your point of view. ( Discover 60 more intriguing persuasive essay topics here. )

• Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?
• Everyone should be vegetarian or vegan.
• What animal makes the best pet?
• Visit an animal shelter, choose an animal that needs a home, and write an essay persuading someone to adopt that animal.
• Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
• Should little kids be allowed to play competitive sports?
• Are professional athletes/musicians/actors overpaid?
• The best music genre is …

• Is democracy the best form of government?
• Is capitalism the best form of economy?
• Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
• Should schools have dress codes?
• If I could change one school rule, it would be …
• Is year-round school a good idea?

A research essay is a classic high school assignment. These papers require deep research into primary source documents, with lots of supporting facts and evidence that’s properly cited. Research essays can be in any of the styles shown above. Here are some possible topics, across a variety of subjects.

• Which country’s style of government is best for the people who live there?
• Choose a country and analyze its development from founding to present day.
• Describe the causes and effects of a specific war.
• Formulate an ideal economic plan for our country.
• What scientific discovery has had the biggest impact on life today?

• Analyze the way mental health is viewed and treated in this country.
• Explore the ways systemic racism impacts people in all walks of life.
• Defend the importance of teaching music and the arts in public schools.
• Choose one animal from the endangered species list, and propose a realistic plan to protect it.

What are some of your favorite essay topics for high school? Come share your prompts on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the ultimate guide to student writing contests .

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How To: Master the Med School Secondary Essay (with examples) 2023

After you submit your primary applications , medical schools will ask you to submit secondary applications (most automatically) the majority of which require you to write secondary essays of varying lengths.

The essay prompts should serve as clues to the culture of the medical school and indicate what kind of information is important for them to know about applicants. As you research each school to apply to, begin to make notes about what draws you to that school so you can use these thoughts in your secondary essays.

You can prepare for these in advance by organizing notes in these areas: my accomplishments, obstacles I have overcome, challenges I have had and how I’ve handled these, why I want to attend this school, what kind of physician I want to be, what activities I’ve been most intimately involved with and what have I learned.

Secondary Essay Basic Guidelines

• Write essays for your top choice and target schools first! You are likely to be overwhelmed by the tidal wave of secondary applications you will receive so don’t make the mistake of completing, for example, all of your reach schools first!
• Do not rush your work. Unless a medical school specifies a return date, there is no “deadline” to complete your essays. Complete all of your essays, if possible by August 1st or by Labor Day at the latest.
• Answer the essay prompts carefully. The biggest mistake students make is trying to squeeze a prewritten essay for an inappropriate prompt.
• Some prompts will force you to repeat information that is in your primary application. This is okay!
• Don’t feel that every topic you write about should be momentous. Sometimes writing about more personal details of your life can offer more insight into your values, ideals, and life decisions.

Most Common Essay Prompts

Several common secondary essay topics that are listed below.

Greatest Challenge/Failure/Adversity Essay

Essays that ask about personal challenges, failures or adversities are seeking information about your ability to manage conflict and challenge. They also want to know how you cope with conflict and that you can be objective when things don’t go your way.

Medical schools want to know that you are level headed, and that you won’t crumble when feeling vulnerable or faced with less than ideal situations. Students often immediately gravitate to academic or scholarly subjects for these essays, but, sometimes the most compelling topics are those that are personal. Why? These topics can often say much more about your character, values, ideals, and decision making. Ideally, you should also write about what you learned and how you grew or changed as a result of the challenge, failure, or adversity. 

Students also consider writing about red flags for this topic such as a class failure, poor MCAT exam or institutional action. Generally speaking, we find that these topics are usually less interesting and don’t offer enough information about who you are as a person.

Essay Example:

I had worked on my presentation for weeks. I knew it was so important, not only for me, but for my principal investigator (PI), that I present the work we had done succinctly and clearly since I would be speaking in front of the entire biochemistry department. Public speaking has never been a strength and I was very nervous. Before it was my time to speak, I could feel my heart racing and my palms sweating. When I got to the podium, I was literally unable to speak; I was shaking uncontrollably and had to sit down while my PI took over. It was the most humiliating experience of my life. I was able to calm down, and, rather than leaving the auditorium, I waited until the conference was over and apologized to my PI who was kind and forgiving. I then resolved to improve my public speaking skills. The the next day I signed up for a Toastmaster’s course and have taken every opportunity since this incident to speak in public. Although I still get nervous before I have to speak, I have learned to actually enjoy speaking in public.

I saw the Microsoft Word document on the screen of my roommate’s computer. It looked familiar. I realized that this essay my roommate had written on the works and life of Jane Austen contained the exact language I had seen elsewhere. Where had I seen it? Why was this so familiar? I also asked myself, “Do I have a right to be looking at  this document?”

Then it dawned on me. When my roommate got this assignment for her literature class, we discussed it with our housemates from down the hall.  One girl offered to give my roommate a paper she had written on this topic for an AP class in high school. She printed out the paper and gave it to me to give to my roommate. Curious about the topic, since I am a Jane Austen fan, I read it before handing it to my roommate. The document on the computer in front of me contained parts of this paper that were copied, verbatim.

The issues here were complicated. First of all, I was invading my roommate’s privacy. I should not have been looking at her computer even though we often shared our computers. But now that I was aware of what she had done, I felt an obligation to confront her.

That night, when my roommate returned home from studying, I first apologized for invading her privacy and explained that I had read the document on the screen. I then told her that I realized she had plagiarized and told her I thought this was wrong. She explained that she felt under tremendous pressure since she also had a big organic chemistry mid-term that week and it just seemed so easy to copy the paper even though she recognized it was not right to do so. With my urging, since she had not yet handed the paper in, she stayed up late into the night to compose an original essay and, in the end, she thanked me for noticing and for encouraging her to do the right thing. I realized that even confronting my roommate, which was uncomfortable and awkward for me, encouraged her to make a better choice and reinforced for me the importance of acting ethically even if these easier choice would have been to look away.

Diversity Essay

Medical schools have broadened their definitions of diversity and for essays like this you can write about your unique interests, talents, or experiences. Maybe you have a distinctive background, perspective, or outlook. Think outside the box when writing about diversity. Do you have a special hobby or accomplishment that sets you apart?

Or, you can also choose to write about your own experiences with diverse or minority populations to illustrate your cultural competence which most people think of as the more “traditional” approach to questions about diversity. We find that most applicants do not currently write about these more traditional topics. Sometimes it can be more impressive to write about topics that are more distinctive to you and your background.

I grew up in a diverse community even though my undergraduate college was quite homogeneous. During college, I sought out  experiences beyond campus to immerse myself in more diverse communities. I volunteered in a free clinic, tutored children in Africa, and traveled during my vacations, when possible. I gained insights into the challenges facing  others and how their backgrounds and experiences influenced their perspectives and attitudes. On a medical mission abroad the summer after my junior year, I worked in medical clinics helping to care for Mexican families, which helped me understand that such challenges and unfair inequalities in education and health care also exist internationally.

Through my experiences, I came to realize that all patients, regardless of their background, fare better when their unique circumstances, cultures, and outlooks are considered. To improve my ability to communicate with some of these populations, I minored in Spanish and became more proficient in  the language through my studies in Spain. I have learned the importance of listening and seeing situations through the eyes of those I help. Throughout such experiences, apart from realizing that I hope to work with these populations as a future physician, I was continually reminded of the pervasive societal inequalities and injustices both locally and internationally.

Another Example:

Whether playing a Beethoven or Brahms sonata, playing music has always been an outlet for me. Since the age of seven, I have emulated my mother, a professional cellist. In fact, even during college, my goal was to practice medicine while working as a professional pianist. While doing my premedical coursework and majoring in biology, I also minored in music and composed my own work. The year following college, while playing piano professionally, I realized this wasn’t what I wanted to pursue for my lifetime. However, my musical interests will always be more than a hobby and serve as my escape from the stresses of daily life.

Why XXXXX School Essay

Medical schools want to know that you have the qualities and characteristics they are seeking. Before writing these essays, read the medical school’s mission statement and review their student biographies (if offered) to get a sense of what the school values in applicants.

The key in writing “Why our School Essays” is to offer as many specifics as possible. You want to show you will take advantage of the medical school’s opportunities and that you will make valuable contributions as a medical student. Do this by showcasing how your interests and experiences are aligned with opportunities at the medical school, that you can benefit from what the medical school offers and that you will contribute to the medical school community.

Also, many students fail to look beyond the first and second year curriculums when writing about why there are interested in a medical school. What you do during your third and fourth years of medical school, in clinical settings, is just as important. Show that you understand this!

Example Essay:

My interest in geriatrics and emergency medicine evolved as I worked clinically in these two departments last summer. Through my coursework in health policy, I also learned of the imminent need for geriatric specialized physicians to support the aging baby boomer generation. Through your hospital’s renowned telemedicine and information technology departments, I would be offered the unique opportunity to explore this interest further. I would also take advantage of the medical school’s summer research program to participate in research projects related to geriatrics or  emergency medicine.

At the clinic where I worked, I gained first hand exposure to disease complications, which often were  caused by lack of access to primary care. My travels and work in India have shown me how common these issues also are internationally. Your unique medical school program would allow me to continue my active community participation during my first year, while providing care to diverse populations who lack access to care. This endeavor also could be augmented through participation in research and study in South America, so I could pursue my interest in global health while caring for other underserved communities and  improving my language skills.

Of supreme importance, the urban location and suburban hospitals affiliated with the medical school as well as the Level I trauma center would offer unparalleled exposure to novel academic and clinical opportunities. Apart from the school’s location in my favorite city of Great City, it is the superior curriculum, supportive medical educational environment, opportunity for community involvement, and team-oriented culture that would make your medical school a perfect fit for me.

What are you doing next year or what have you done since graduating from college?

Answer these questions in a straight forward fashion. Typically, medical schools require that only applicants who are not full-time students answer the question. In answering these questions, write about what you will be doing, but also include information about what you hope to learn and how this will prepare you for medical school.

For the upcoming academic year, I will continue my research on breast cancer at Outstanding Oncology Center, where I have been working for one year. Our findings last year have already provided evidence for the etiology of what receptor is involved in  the development of tiny cell cancer, and we hope to build on these findings to continue our work. I have already become proficient in using the literature to design experiments, and I hope that this year I will learn how to analyze our findings. My hope is that our findings will be significant enough to lead to a publication on which I would be an author.

I  will also shadow several doctors throughout the year to broaden my understanding of clinical medicine. Right now I have plans to shadow an internist, a surgeon, and an ophthalmologist.

My Saturday mornings will be spent volunteering at Inner City Clinic, where I will be promoted to the level of triage. I will be responsible for taking vital signs and basic intake histories on patients.

This year will be productive and, I hope, will provide the foundation I need to be an excellent medical student.

Secondary Essay Writing Tips

For each essay prompt you receive, pay attention to the character and word limits and use them as cues for how much information a medical school is seeking. A medical school that limits your responses to only 50 words, for example, is asking you for a simple, straightforward response. On the other hand, the school that allows 1,000 words per essay wants you to elaborate and go into some detail.

Secondary prompts vary, and I find that students can often recycle essays for multiple schools. But reading secondary prompts carefully is important. The most common mistake students make is providing a response that does not really address what is being asked. Even though writing secondary essays can get laborious, don’t try to make an essay you have already written “fit” for a prompt if it just doesn’t work. Remember, good secondary essays can help you earn a  medical school interview.

Sometimes, especially if your primary application is comprehensive, responding to a secondary essay may force you to repeat information that is already in your primary application. That not only is  okay but also suggests that you are in good shape; many schools determine prompts by identifying topics that applicants frequently leave out of primary applications.

I discourage  applicants from  writing a “one size  fits all document” for various secondary essay themes. Since the character/word limit for secondary essays is so variable (50 – 3,000 words) it would be a waste of time to write an essay before knowing specific character limits for each prompt. Having an idea of what you would write about for  each of the common themes is wise, however. Some schools’ secondary essay prompts do not vary from year to year, and you can often find these essay prompts and start working on them in advance. But, be warned, schools do change secondary essay prompts on occasion.

Above all, just as you did with your personal statement, write authentically and honestly and don’t try to spin your responses to tell admissions committees what you think they want to read. 

A couple of additional tips: 

• Never quote others; your essays should be about you!
• Optional secondary essays are truly optional. Don’t fill a space or recycle an essay unless you have a good reason to do so.
• Unless medical schools specify a secondary essay “due date,” there are no real turn around rules. Submit your essays when they are ready and ideally within two to three weeks after receiving the secondary application.

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MedEdits’ secondary essay review and editing services will ensure that your secondary essays address what is being asked by the prompt while ensuring you highlight what is necessary to distinguish your candidacy.

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Secondary Essay Prompts By School

*Data collected from MSAR 2022-2023, 2022 Osteopathic Medical College Information Book, and institution website.

Disclaimer: The information on this page was shared by students and/or can be found on each medical school’s website. MedEdits does not guarantee it’s accuracy or authenticity.

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University of Michigan Medical School Secondary Essay Examples

If you’re applying to the University of Michigan Medical School, one of the best medical schools in Michigan, then you should read University of Michigan medical school secondary essays. Secondary essays give you an opportunity to show the admissions committee who you are, what your goals are, and how you can contribute to the school community. The aim of your secondary essays is to show the school that your attributes align with their mission. Secondary essays can be difficult and stressful, so in this article, we go over each secondary essay for Michigan medical school and provide sample answers.

Disclaimer : Please note: although we have made every effort to provide the most accurate information, admissions information changes frequently. Therefore, we encourage you to verify these details with the official university admissions office. You are responsible for your own results. BeMo does not endorse nor affiliate with any official universities, colleges, or test administrators and vice versa. 

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Article Contents 10 min read

What are medical school secondary essays.

Before you start writing your secondary essays, it’s a good idea to review examples of medical school secondary essays . Secondary essays are an opportunity for admissions committees to get to know you better. Remember, because you’ve already submitted a medical school personal statement in your primary application, schools already know some of your background information, so your secondary essays need to be distinct. Each essay will require you to address a topic within a specified word or character limit.

At the University of Michigan Medical School, there are four mandatory essays. Some essays have two prompts that you can choose from. Here’s a list of the following topics you must address (these aren’t the prompts themselves):

Prompt 1: “Comment on how you hope to impact medicine in the future. If examples are needed, feel free to refer to our seven Paths of Excellence.” Do not exceed 1,500 characters including spaces (about 250 words) .

OR, if applying to the Medical Scientist Training Program:

Prompt 2: “Describe why you are applying to the University of Michigan MSTP. If you are interested in a specific department, program, or area of research for your PhD, please provide a brief explanation. We recognize that your interests may change.” Do not exceed 1,500 characters including spaces (about 250 words) .

My goal is to improve current approaches to achieving patient autonomy; specifically, I want to address commonplace classifications of what is considered beneficence and non-maleficence in a rapidly evolving medical context. I believe the balance between justice and freedom of choice remains a point of contention within medical ethics due to the advancement of technologically sophisticated and personalized treatment. As such, I believe that there are ways to enhance patient autonomy without interfering with due process in clinical settings.

When I was writing for the student medical journal at X university, I was involved in a research project investigating mental health disparities among minority groups. What we noticed was that Black residents in most American states were significantly less likely to access counselling services for mental health issues, despite no evidence to suggest a lower incidence of mental illness compared to other racial groups.

An effective compromise between autonomy and due process can be made by improving accessibility. At Michigan Medical School, the path of excellence that I would like to pursue is ethics, as I would like to explore the dimension of health care accessibility dealing with ethical implications. I would also like to participate in an independent study at the Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine emphasizing the elimination of disparities in health care.

Characters: 1,433

I am applying to the University of Michigan MSTP because I’m interested in pursuing research in the field of genetics. My grandfather suffered from early onset Alzheimer’s, and while he was receiving treatment, he participated in a study focusing on the role of dopamine in Alzheimer’s progression. My experience with the emotional toll of witnessing my grandfather’s pain motivates my desire to contribute to alleviating the suffering associated with this type of disease.

What appeals to me the most about the Medical Scientist Training Program are the research rotations. The area that aligns with my goal of becoming a neuroscience researcher is sensory and computational neuroscience, a topic that receives a surfeit of attention from faculty members, which are at present focused on the genetic dissection of neural circuits that underlie the processing of sensory stimuli.

In addition to specific research interests, the MSTP seminars are another aspect of the program that excites me. During my pre-med studies, I was a member of an association in which students gather with guest speakers to discuss current research. It was in this association that I built a cursory understanding of epigenetics and neuroplasticity as it relates to neurodegenerative disorders. I know that the value of discourse cannot be overstated, which is why scientific seminars are something I’d like to continue to be a part of and eventually contribute to as I pursue my medical degree.

Characters: 1,470

University of Michigan Medical School Secondary Essay #2

“Please respond to only one of the following two prompts. Do not exceed 2,500 characters including spaces.” (about 400 words)

• Prompt 1: “Describe your identity and how it has impacted the development of your values and attitudes toward individuals different from yourself and how this will impact your interactions with future colleagues and patients.”
• Prompt 2: “If you recognize and/or represent a voice that is missing, underrepresented, or undervalued in medicine, please describe the missing voice(s) and how increased representation in medicine could impact the medical community.”

Prompt: “How was your journey to medical school affected by the COVID-19 pandemic? Please feel free to describe any positive or negative aspects.” Do not exceed 2,500 characters including spaces (about 400 words).

My journey to medical school was changed in a significant way because of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the start, I was planning on becoming a physiotherapist after I completed my degree in biology. However, when the schools were locked down and classes were put on hold, I started reading about the development of vaccines. I found the information so fascinating and inspiring because of how quick and diligent the medical experts and scientists were. With lives and livelihoods on the line, there was no time to waste. I was intrigued by how the mRNA uses a protein to trigger the production of a section of that protein in an immune response. I was also fascinated by the biomechanics behind our cells making copies of the spike protein and the fact that they can recognize the real virus and know how to trigger an immune response with the information they were given through the vaccine.

One negative aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of my journey to medical school was the delay it caused. Because classes were shut down, I graduated a year later than I was supposed to. I also had trouble adapting to the remote learning format because I tend to thrive in group settings and when I’m around others. This sudden format change did not affect my grades, but I initially struggled to find the motivation I had when classes were on campus. I know that many other students experienced similar demoralization. However, I think having that experience gave me a more urgent and vigilant outlook when it comes to preventing the next pandemic and wanting to contribute to that effort by becoming a vaccine researcher.

Characters: 1,622

Prompt: “Outside of medicine, and beyond what we can read in your application, please tell us what you’re curious about, or what you’re passionate about, or what brings you joy – and why. Some examples include listening to historical novels, exploring national parks, woodworking, baking cupcakes, podcasting, knitting, playing pickleball, filmmaking, making music, etc.” Do not exceed 1,500 characters including spaces (about 250 words).

When I was completing my undergraduate degree, a hobby that I stumbled upon was creative writing. Growing up, I was never too interested in English classes, and I was never enthusiastic about my writing assignments or assigned readings until I reached university. However, in my freshman year, I began journaling to manage stress. It was recommended to me by a wellness coach that I was seeing regularly from the campus student resource center, but eventually, it turned into writing fiction. I’ve always been interested in books, primarily thrillers and horror novels, because I enjoy the suspense. I’m also fond of a good mystery novel, as I enjoy playing detective and trying to figure out who the culprit of the crime is.

I find reading such an enriching experience because you’re immersing yourself in the world and experience of someone or something completely different and hitherto unexplored. Reading is also a good measure of compassion and critical thinking, and I think it’s a fun and practical exploration of the human mind and what people can accomplish. When it comes to creative writing, I find that designing worlds with my own physics and limitations satisfies the often-neglected creative side of me. I also enjoy the challenge that creative writing entails – setting goals and actualizing them is something I’ve been able to apply to my life in other ways and having small writing accomplishments shows me that I’m capable of achieving bigger things.

Characters: 1,469

Each prompt has its own requirements. For the first prompt, in which applicants can choose one of two options, the essay should not exceed 1,500 characters with spaces; about 250 words. All other prompts besides the final one have a character limit of 2,500 (about 400 words), and the final prompt has a limit of 1,500 characters.

Your identity is about how you define yourself. Consider how your background, interests, beliefs, and experiences shape who you are. You may incorporate your long-term goals as a physician and what you hope to achieve based on how you define yourself.

This prompt is specifically about the MSTP program, so you will want to discuss aspects of the program that appeal to you. Be specific; for example, you might write about a research interest that you can tackle through this program.

You can visit the researcher profiles at the University of Michigan Medical School website. Read about what they’re actively working on and think about how your research goals will align with their interests.

Familiarize yourself with the strategic plan for the University of Michigan Medical School, which has 5 relevant sections: people, discovery, education, care, and service. Then, identify areas that resonate with your experiences, interests, and objectives.

First, establish which essays you are going to write. Some of the prompts involve a choice, so make sure you’re choosing to write the most applicable essay. Then, research the program, including the curriculum and special activities. This will help you connect your interests and goals with the school’s mission. Finally, create an outline for each essay using information from your research before you start writing the first draft.

The University of Michigan Medical School recognizes that your research interests can change. However, for the purposes of your secondary essays, you should be prepared to discuss potential research areas that appeal to you, even if they might change in the future.

You can, but you don’t have to. Applicants should view this prompt as more open-ended. There isn’t a strategic way to answer this question besides being direct and honest.

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