Albert Einstein Penn

Baylor Pitt
Brown Rush
BU ST. Louis
Case Western Stanford
Columbia Tufts
Cornell U. Cincinnati
Duke U. Florida
Drexel U. Michigan
Emory U. Virginia
Geisel U. Wisconsin
Georgetown UCLA
Harvard UCSF
Icahn UH
Jefferson UNC
Johns Hopkins UW
Keck USC Vanderbilt
Mayo Wake
Miami WUSTL
Northwestern Yale
Ohio State
Albert Einstein
If you check "Yes" for any of the following, you will be provided a text box so that you may
provide a short response.
I have taken time off between high school and college No Yes
I have taken time off during my undergraduate years No Yes
I have taken off at least a year since college graduation No Yes
I plan to take off this year, after just having graduated, while I apply to medical school. No Yes
I have taken and received credit for online courses No Yes
I have applied to medical school previously No Yes
I have submitted an AMCAS application to Einstein previously
(Please keep in mind that if you completed two prior applications, you are ineligible for
reapplication.) No Yes
I am presently enrolled in the Sue Golding Graduate Division No Yes
I am presently enrolled as an undergraduate student at Yeshiva University No Yes
I had been accepted to medical school previously but chose not to matriculate No Yes
I had been enrolled previously in a medical school No Yes
I have fulfilled all of the competencies No Yes
I will have a Baccalaureate Degree by the time I matriculate in medical school No Yes
I am presently holding a deferred enrollment to a medical/professional school No Yes
I have received a grade of "F" during my college/graduate school years No Yes
I have received a grade of "D" during my college/graduate school years No Yes
I have received a grade of "W" during my college/graduate school years No Yes
I have received a grade of "I" during my college/graduate school years No Yes
I have transferred from one college to another during my undergraduate years No Yes
I have been the recipient of a warning notice for a non-academic issue that did not result in a
disciplinary action No Yes
I have been subject to a disciplinary action and/or an administrative action, expunged or not,
while in school No Yes
I have disciplinary charges pending No Yes
I have been convicted of a crime No Yes
I expect that there will be criminal charges brought against me which are now pending No Yes
I have been prohibited or suspended from practicing in a professional capacity due to or as a
result of alleged misconduct No Yes
Is there anything at all that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions that
might not be apparent from your AMCAS application or from you Secondary Application?

The text boxes that appear all seem to be 100 words, except for the last one which is 200.

Baylor
Indicate any special experiences, unusual factors or other information you feel would be helpful
in evaluating you, including, but not limited to, education, employment, extracurricular
activities, prevailing over adversity. You may expand upon but not repeat AMCAS application
information. 2000 character limit
Brown
For all programs:
1. NOTE: Interviews occur on Thursdays and/or Fridays beginning in mid-September and
finishing in February. Please detail any limitations on your availability during this time, such as
international travel, work or courses. (500 characters)

2. Summarize your activities during the 2017-2018 academic year. Describe how your activities
are preparing you for a medical career. (2000 characters)

3. How will your unique attributes (e.g., cultural or socioeconomic background, lifestyle, work
experiences) add to the overall diversity of the Alpert Medical School community? (2000
characters)

For Regular MD only:

4. What are your aspirations for your medical practice? Fast-forward to 15 years in the future:
where do you imagine yourself? (3000 characters)

Boston University
Essay Topics ('17-'18)

Did you go on to college directly after high school? If no, explain (1400 char)

Are you expecting to go on to medical school directly after completing your undergraduate
degree? If no, explain (1400 char)

Optional:
If you have spent more than 4 years as an undergraduate, please explain below. (1400 char)

Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that
you think may be of particular interest to us. (2000 char)

Use the space below to provide additional information you feel will provide us with a
comprehensive understanding of your strengths as a candidate for a career in medicine. (3000
char)

This section may be used by re-applicants who wish to highlight specific areas of their
application or to outline specific changes since their last application. (3000 char)

There are also boxes to explain lack of committee letter or substitute letters (2000 char each)
Case Western
Essay Topics ('17 - '18)

Required Essay: Greatest Challenge

The admissions committee is interested in gaining more insight into you as a person. Please
describe a significant personal challenge you have faced, one which you feel has helped to shape
you as a person. Examples may include a moral or ethical dilemma, a situation of personal
adversity, or a hurdle in your life that you worked hard to overcome. Please include how you got
through the experience and what you learned about yourself as a result.
Please limit your response to 1 page (about 3,500 characters), and leave a blank line between
paragraphs. If the 3,500 character recommendation is exceeded, your essay WILL still be saved
in its entirety.

Required Essay: Research

Please describe the hypothesis of your research, why the methods were selected to answer that
hypothesis, your results and interpretation of your results with respect to future findings. If you
have not participated in research or scholarly work, please indicate so in the text area below.
Please limit your response to 1 page (about 3,500 characters), and leave a blank line between
paragraphs. If the 3,500 character recommendation is exceeded, your essay WILL still be saved
in its entirety.

Required Essay: Small Group Essay

If you were working on a small group project and you thought that another student wasn't
carrying his/her load, how would you handle it?Please limit your response to 300-1000
characters, and leave a blank line between paragraphs. If the 1000 character recommendation is
exceeded your essay WILL still be saved in its entirety.

Optional: Additional Information Essay (University Program Only)

Is there any further information that you wish to share with the Admissions Committee? This
optional response will only be considered by the University Program.

Columbia
Essay Topics ('17 - '18)

1. If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons
for doing so. (250 words)

2. From which languages can you translate scholarly material into English?

3. In what collegiate extracurriculars did you engage? (400 words)

4. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the
interim. (300 words)
5. What challenges do you expect to arise from living and working in a complex urban
environment? How will you meet them? (300 words)

6. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (300 words)

7. Please describe your parents' occupations: (100 words)

Cornell
Essay Topics ('17-'18)

There are four brief essays on the Supplemental Application. Please limit each statement to no
more than 200 words. The questions are:

 If you are not attending college during the upcoming (2017-2018) academic year, what
are your plans?
 Please write a brief statement giving your reasons for applying to Weill Cornell Medical
College.
 Please describe a challenge you faced and how you addressed it
 For MD-PhD applicants only: Please list the names of any Tri-Institutional faculty
members with whom you'd like to do research. You do not need to list reasons, names
are sufficient.

Duke University
Describe the community in which you were nurtured or spent the majority of your early
development with respect to its demographics. What core values did you receive and how will
these translate into the contributions that you hope to make to your community as a medical
student and to your career in medicine? What improvements do you think might make the
described community better? 600 words

Describe a situation where you have chosen to advocate for someone who is different from
yourself. What does advocacy mean to you and how has your advocacy developed? How do you
see it linked to your role as a physician/leader? What risks, if any, might be associated with your
choice to be an advocate? 600 words

What has been your most humbling experience and how will that experience affect your
interactions with your peers and patients? 600 words

What qualities will you bring to the practice of medicine? 600 words
Describe a situation where you failed. What did you learn from the experience? Describe at least
one functional impact of the experience. 600 words

What role has research had in your preparation for medicine? 250 words

Drexel University
We're interested in knowing more about you than can be understood from your AMCAS
application. We have two essays, the first one is required, the second one is optional, which will
help us to get to know you.

1) We at Drexel University College of Medicine have a rich history and a valued mission. Each
individual contributes to, supports and enriches our community. Please share with us how you
plan on contributing to our College (200 words maximum)

Optional:
2) What else do you feel is important for us to know about you? Please use this space to
highlight something not addressed in your application, including new experiences not in your
AMCAS application. (200 words maximum)

Emory
Essay Topics ('17 - '18)

List your entire curriculum plan for the current academic year. If you are not currently in school,
please briefly describe your plans for the coming year.

Briefly describe your health-related experiences. Be sure to include important experiences that
are in your AMCAS application, as well as any recent experiences.

Briefly describe your interest in Emory and the Emory degree program you have selected.

What do you consider to be the role of the physician in the community?

If you have any updates or new information to report since you have submitted your AMCAS
primary application, please briefly describe below.

All 200 words.

Geisel
Essay Topics ('17 - '18)

1. Please indicate your plans for the 2017-2018 academic year. If in school, please list your
courses. If working, let us know something about the nature of your job. If your plans or courses
change subsequently, you need to inform the Admissions Office by email
at Geisel.Admissions@dartmouth.edu.
2. Please share with us something about yourself that is not addressed elsewhere in your
application and which could be helpful to the Admissions Committee as we review your file.

Georgetown
Essay Topics ('17 - '18)

The Georgetown University School of Medicine strives to ensure that its students become
respectful physicians who embrace all dimensions of caring for the whole person. Please
describe how your personal characteristics or life experiences will contribute to the Georgetown
University School of Medicine community and bring educational benefits to our student body.
(1000 characters)

Is there any further information that you would like the Committee on Admissions to be aware of
when reviewing your file that you were not able to notate in another section of this or the
AMCAS Application? (1000 characters)

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, upload as PDF)

Harvard
Essay Topics ('17 - '18)

If you have already graduated, briefly (4000 characters max) summarize your activities since
graduation.

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 character maximum)

If you are re-applying, briefly (4000 characters max) summarize your activities since your
previous application.

Our interview season runs from mid-September through January. Please indicate any significant
(three or more weeks) restriction on your availability for interviews during this period. If none,
leave blank.

HST Only: The HST MD program draws on the combined resources of Harvard and MIT to
provide a distinct preclinical education tailored to preparing students for careers as physician-
scientists across the full spectrum of disciplines including biological, physical and engineering
sciences. HST classes are small, commonly include graduate students and have an emphasis on
quantitative and analytic approaches, centered on understanding disease mechanisms and
preparing students to solve unmet needs in medicine ranging from novel diagnostics and
therapeutics to applications of ‘big data’ and systems engineering as they relate to healthcare.
Please focus on how your interests, experiences and aspirations have prepared you for HST
(rather than identifying specific HST faculty or research opportunities). Limit your comments to
the equivalent of one page of single spaced text with a font size of 10 or 12. (4000 char)

Icahn
Essay Topics ('17 - '18)

If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are
participating in this academic year. (100 words)

Please tell us about a passion (professional or personal) you have had thus far in your life. (250
words)

Please tell us about a situation in which working collaboratively with others was challenging
(250 words)

Optional: If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity or a

commitment to a particular community, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you
would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Aspects might include, but
are not limited to significant challenges in or circumstances associated with access to education,
living with a disability, socioeconomic factors, immigration status, or identification with a
culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such
factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is
optional.

Jefferson
Essay Topics ('17 - '18)

If there is any additional information you would like to provide please include it in the box
below (4000 char)

JHU
Essay Topics ('17 -'18)

If you have already received your bachelor's degree, please describe what you have been doing
since graduation, and your plans for the upcoming year. 700 char
If you interrupted your college education for a semester or longer, please describe what you did
during that time. 700 char

List any academic honors or awards you have received since entering college: 600 char

Briefly describe your single, most rewarding experience. Feel free to refer to an experience
previously described in your AMCAS application. 900 char

Are there any areas of medicine that are of particular interest to you? If so, please comment.
1100 char

Briefly describe a situation where you had to overcome adversity; include lessons learned and
how you think it will affect your career as a future physician. 900 char

Briefly describe a situation where you were not in the majority. What did you learn from this
experience? 1100 char

The Admissions Committee values hearing about each candidate for admission, including what
qualities the candidate might bring to the School of Medicine if admitted. If you feel there is
information not already addressed in the application that will enable the Committee to know
more about you and this has influenced your desire to be a physician, feel free to write a brief
statement in the space below. You may address any subject you wish, such as being a first
generation college student, or being a part of a minority group (whether because of your sexual
orientation, religion, economic status, gender identity, ethnicity), or being the child of
undocumented immigrants or being undocumented yourself, etc. Please note that this question is
optional and that you will not be penalized should you choose not to answer it. 1100 char

If applying to the dual MD/MBA program, please describe your reasons for wishing to obtain
this degree. 1100 char

Keck
Short-answer (3-5 sentences):

1. What is the most fun you’ve had lately?

2. If you had to give yourself a nickname, what would it be?
3. If you had enormous wealth, how would you allocate your charitable donations?
4. Describe a situation in which you didn’t get something you felt you deserved.

Essay (200 words):

1. Write a sentence that is not true, then tell us why you wish it were.
Mayo
ESSAYS: Submit answers to the following questions (500 words or less each)
1. Please tell us why you are specifically interested in pursuing your medical education at Mayo
Clinic School of Medicine – MN even if you gain acceptances to other highly ranked medical
schools?

2. Please tell us how you would contribute to the diversity of your medical school class at Mayo?

Miami
All applicant narratives should be less than 500 words.
1. Briefly describe the one clinical experience you have had that has most significantly
influenced your decision to study medicine. Do not replicate your AMCAS personal statement.
2. Why have you selected the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine for your medical
education? Please be as specific as possible.
3. Please provide a chronological list with dates of your clinical experiences/shadowing.
4. Please provide a chronological list with dates of your community service/volunteering.
5. Please discuss a situation where you had to use your leadership skills.
6. Please briefly discuss your research experience.
7. Please provide a chronological list with dates of your employment.

Optional Questions:

8. Please provide a description of any activities involving the FINE ARTS (dance, drama, music,
art, photography, etc.)
9. Please provide a description of any activities involving SPORTS (organized team sports,
recreational activities that you play, watch or follow)
10. Describe your most meaningful involvement in STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS.
11. Please provide a description of your most memorable TRAVEL experience.
12. Please provide a description of your HOBBIES and what you do for fun and relaxation.

There's an option to choose between different joint and dual degrees and there's different
secondary questions that vary.

Northwestern
Given the distinctive educational philosophy and curriculum at FSM, describe how your personal
characteristics and learning style would fit the institution. (Limit your response to 200 words).

Describe the steps you take to reduce your personal stress when confronted with difficult
situations. (Limit your response to 200 words)
Feinberg's mission is to impact the practice of medicine through discovery and education. With
consideration of FSM's goal to train future leaders in medicine, please describe your career plans
and goals. Be as specific as your current thinking will allow. (Limit your response to 200 words).

(if applicable): If you have (or expect to have) a year or more between college graduation and
medical school matriculation, describe your activities and/or plans. (Limit your response to 200
words).

Everyone has their own narrative. Please provide more detail about your selections above and
how you would enrich the Northwestern community. (Limit your response to 200 words).

OSU
*REQUIRED ESSAY FOR THOSE APPLYING TO REGULAR M.D., M.D./PhD AND THE
PRIMARY CARE TRACK:
The mission statement of The Ohio State University College of Medicine is to "improve people's
lives" through innovation in research, medical education, and patient care. Please describe how
your past experiences predict your potential to contribute in two of these three areas. (250 words
or less)

*REQUIRED ESSAY FOR THOSE APPLYING TO REGULAR M.D., M.D./PhD AND THE
PRIMARY CARE TRACK:
The OSU COM Admissions vision statement states that the admissions committee will assemble
a class that displays "diversity in background and thought." Why is "diversity in background and
thought" a desirable characteristic for a medical school's student body? (250 words or less)"

Penn
1. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national
organization? Yes/No... "Add Award"
2. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical
school matriculation? Yes/No... If yes, 500 characters given.
3. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your
AMCAS application? Yes/No... If yes, 1000 characters given.
4. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or
circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed
elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture,
ethnicity, etc.) Yes/No... If yes, 1000 characters given.
5. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? Yes/No... if yes, 1000 characters
given.
6. Have you been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children's
Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a Penn faculty mentor? If yes, please indicate name,
department, phone number of faculty, and start/end dates.
7. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your
response to 1,000 characters.
Pittsburgh
1. Tell us about a challenging problem you faced and how you resolved it. (250 words or less.)
2. UPSOM is a culturally diverse and talented community. How would you enrich/enliven the
UPSOM community? The essay should discuss material that is not included in the rest of your
application. (250 words or less.)

Rush
1. Describe personal attributes you possess or life experiences you have had that will enable you
to better understand patients with a culture different from your own. Please include your self-
reflection on how this experience has changed your insights, beliefs, and/or values. (1000
characters)

2. Describe a challenging situation in which you did not agree with a directive/rule and how you
handled this. (1000 characters)

3. Reflect on a time in which you personally gained more from an experience than what was
expected. (1000 characters)

4. What do you hope to gain from your Rush Medical College experience that will make you a
better/different physician? (1000 characters)

St. Louis
1. Is any member of your family a student or graduate of Saint Louis University School of
Medicine? Y/N
if Y, it asks for alumni names.

2. Will you be a full-time student for the 2017-2018 academic year? Y/N
if Y, it asks to describe your current activities, max 10,000 characters.

3. Do you wish to include any comments, other than your AMCAS personal statement, to the
Admissions Committee? Y/N
if Y, a text box appears to write your essay. Max 10,000 characters.

4. Were you ever the recipient of any action (eg dismissal, disqualification, suspension, etc) by
any college for unacceptable academic performance or conduct violations? Y/N
if Y, a text box appears with the prompt: Please explain fully. Max 10,000 characters.

5. Would you like to apply for the MD/PhD program? Y/N

if Y, a large section appears at the bottom of the application.
Essays: Physician Scientist Practice Vision
Relate your current thinking about the type and scope of clinical career that you seek. Remember
that most applicants cannot identify at this point the specific medical disciplines they might
choose for residency programs. However, you may have preliminary ideas about your relative
interest in direct patient care vs. consultative service, translational vs. basic research, academic
medical center vs. corporate, etc. (max 10,000 characters).
Mentor References:
Provide the names, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers for up to three (3) past mentors who are
personally knowledgeable about your research experience. We will contact these individuals
upon receiving your completed AMCAS and secondary applications, but it is your responsibility
to ensure their timely responses. Choose individuals who will respond to specific questions
regarding your aptitude, interest, and conduct in the laboratory; the Program already will have
copies of any letters they have written to accompany your AMCAS application.

6. I have read and understand the academic and technical standards and can comply with those
requirements. Y/N

Stanford
1. The Committee on Admissions regards the diversity (broadly defined) of an entering class as
an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. The Committee on
Admissions strongly encourages you to share unique, personally important, and/or challenging
factors in your background, such as the quality of your early educational environment,
socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and life
or work experiences. Please discuss how such factors have influenced your goals and preparation
for a career in medicine.
Please limit your answer to 2,000 characters including spaces.

2. What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career? Why do
you feel you are particularly suited for this practice scenario? What knowledge, skills and
attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path?
Please limit your answer to 1,000 characters including spaces.

3. How will the Stanford curriculum, and specifically the requirement for a scholarly
concentration, help your personal career goals? Please limit your answer to 1,000 characters
including spaces.

4. If you have peer-reviewed publications resulting from scholarly endeavors, please complete a
citation for each of your publications in the space below using the following format: Author,
Title, Journal, Volume, Pages, and Date of Publication (e.g., searchable on PubMed).
Please do not include abstract, conference, or unpublished papers.

5. Is there anything that we have not specifically asked that you would like for us to know and
how you may uniquely contribute to Stanford Medicine? (OPTIONAL) Please limit your answer
to 1,000 characters including spaces.
Tufts
1. Do you wish to include any comments (in addition to those already provided in your AMCAS
application) to the Admissions Committee at Tufts University School of Medicine? (1000
characters)

2. Do you consider yourself a person who would contribute to the diversity of the student body
of Tufts University School of Medicine? (1000 characters)

3. Do you have any withdrawals or repeated coursework listed on your transcript(s). (1000
characters)

4. Did you take any leaves of absence or significant breaks from your undergraduate education?
(Do not include time off after graduation.) (1000 characters)

There is also a prerequisite section which asks to show which classes you have completed to
complete each pre req

U. Cincinnati

Briefly describe what specific resources or opportunities offered by the University of Cincinnati
College of Medicine you intend to utilize as a medical student and explain how these are
consistent with your own interests. Please consider the uniqueness of our opportunities, our
institution, our city, or our mission. (2000 characters)

The University of Cincinnati is highly committed to selecting and cultivating students who can
transform the field of medicine through the use of their distinct talents and attributes. Please tell
us how you offer “diversity of thought” to our incoming class. Please also consider sharing
unique, personally important, and/or challenging factors in your background that represent the
diversity that you bring. (2000 characters)

U. Florida
1. If you are not a full-time student during this application cycle, in particular at any time
between September 2017 and May 2018, please detail your current and planned activities below.
250-500 words

2. Please limit your response to 250-500 words

The medical profession is frequently described as being both a science and an art. One could
summarize this by saying that patients must “be well cared for” (science) but they must also “feel
well cared for” (art). Indeed, the late physician, writer and ethicist, Dr. Edmund Pelegrino
affirms both the science and art of medicine. But when discussing the nature of the
physician/patient relationship he says the following, “The act specific to medicine, that which
makes it medicine and thereby distinguishes it from both science and art, is the decision about
what is right and good for a particular patient now, with this set of needs, arising out of this
particular illness…It is the practical decision, taken in the best interest of a particular person, not
in the interest of new knowledge, of society or of the physician.” We work to teach our students
not only the scientific principles of medicine, but also the core values of medicine, often called
“professionalism”. Toward this end we keep patients at the center of our education and often
reflect on their stories with our students.

3. Using the links provided, please read two essays written by University of Florida College of
Medicine students as part of their clinical rotations. One tells the story of a student’s experience
giving “Bad News” to a patient and her family with his attending physician. The second uses the
wear and tear of the “The White Coat” as a way to reflect upon what lessons she learned during
the third year of medical school. Pick one of these and tell us what attributes of a good physician
you would like to emulate are highlighted in these accounts.

4. As part of graduation from medical school students at most institutions recite a version of
the Hippocratic Oath. This oath dates back to the 5th century and is one of the earliest
declarations that a physician will seek the primacy of patient interest in all matters. Similar
themes were echoed by the 12th century physician/scholar Moses Maimonides in his famous
prayer, “…Inspire me with love for my art and for Thy creatures. Do not allow thirst for profit,
ambition for renown and admiration, to interfere with my profession, for these are the enemies of
truth and of love for mankind and they can lead astray...” Our admissions mission reads as
follows,"We desire to recruit and matriculate the brightest students who are intellectually
curious, have a strong work ethic and a deep commitment to humanism and service. In so doing
we will train the next generation of caring, compassionate, and culturally competent medical
professionals, be they practitioners, researchers and/or teachers."These wonderful ideals are not
simply skills to learn, but assume that physicians are virtuous and that their practice grows
naturally from these virtues; which raises a question. What are the most important virtues of a
physician and how can they be nurtured or undermined? Please consider this question and offer
us your thoughts below.

U. Michigan
Essay 1
Tell us something you are passionate about and why. Do not exceed 1500 characters (about 250
words).

Essay 2
At the University of Michigan Medical School, we are committed to building a superb
educational community with students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions, and backgrounds.
What would you as an individual bring to our medical school community? Do not exceed 1500
characters (about 250 words).
U. Virginia
All 3 of the essays have a word limit of 350 words.

1. Why are you interested in attending the University of Virginia School of Medicine? What
factors will be most important to you in choosing a medical school?

2. How will you contribute to the diversity of your medical school class and the University of
Virginia School of Medicine?

3. Describe a situation which you found challenging. How did you manage it?

U. Wisconsin
Optional Essay

The Admissions Committee takes many factors into consideration when reviewing your
application. A successful applicant is frequently one who communicates what makes them
exceptional and why they will become an outstanding physician. You are invited but not required
to provide additional information in this essay.

Some applicants tell us about hardships and challenges that they have faced in their lives and
how these experiences have helped them become caring and compassionate individuals. Other
applicants use this space to emphasize a particular passion they have related to their future career
in medicine. If you are not a resident of Wisconsin, you may want to tell us why you are
interested in the University of Wisconsin or about a special connection that you may have to our
state or people who live here.

Our goal is to gain insight into you as a unique applicant. You may include anything in this essay
that you feel is relevant. (Limit response to 500 words.)

UCLA
1. Describe your involvement in the one most important non-academic activity in your life.
(800 char)
2. What has been the one most unique leadership, entrepreneurial or creative activity in which
you participated? (800 char)
3. What has been the one most important volunteer work you have done and why was it
meaningful? (800char)
4. Has there been or will there be a gap between achieving your last degree (baccalaureate or
other degrees post baccalaureate) and the expected time of medical school matriculation?
(300 char to explain if yes)
5. What is the one most important honor you have received? Why do you view this as important?
(300 char)
6. What has been your most scholarly project (thesis, research or field of study in basic or
clinical science or in the humanities)? Describe one and give number of hours, dates and advisor.
(300 char)
7. Describe a problem in your life. Include how you dealt with it and how it influenced your
growth. (500char)
8. Section to enter major work experiences, with 4000 char. to explain each experience.
9. Is there any hardship to which you would like the committee to give special attention in
evaluating your application? If yes: Please explain. Include any geographic, language, economic,
academic, physical, or mental factors: (500 char)
10. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What experiences have led you to this goal?
(500 char)

UCSF
If you wish to update or expand upon your activities, you may provide additional information
below. (500 words)

If you are 2017 or earlier college graduate, please use the space below to tell us what you have
done since completing your undergraduate degree. (350 words)

U. Hawaii
A. Describe succinctly the important experience(s) in your life which began the process that
motivated you to enter the career of medicine.

B. Please explain why you are applying to the University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of
Medicine.

C. If you are a re-applicant to JABSOM, please complete the following additional essay.
Describe what efforts you have made to further improve your application to the MD Program.

UNC
Applicants for the MD and MD/PhD Program Respond to prompts 1-3 in no more than 1-2
paragraphs. (1000 character limit)

Prompt 1: We have all tried something and failed, whether it was something big or something
small. Describe a situation or an experience you had when you realized that you were not up to
the task, and tell us what life-lessons you learned from this experience.

Prompt 2: Much of medical school education is based on team-learning. What important activity
have you accomplished that required a team approach, what was your role in the outcome, and
what did you learn from it?
Prompt 3: Give an example of how you made a difference in someone's life-whether it is a
patient, friend, classmate, or a family member-and explain what this experience taught you about
yourself.

UW
1.) Autobiographical Statement Addendum

Your AMCAS personal statement and experiences are already on file with our office.

If your primary AMCAS application hasn’t discussed the origin and development of your
motivation to be a physician including insights you’ve gained from exploring a career in
medicine, and how your personal attributes would make you a good physician, please discuss
those here. (250 word count)

If you’ve already written about these items, don’t repeat what you wrote. Instead, use this
autobiographical statement addendum to let us know more about who you are in addition to
being someone who wants to be a physician. This is another opportunity for you to express what
you want the Admissions Committee to know about you.

2.) How do you see historical and structural inequities affecting the patients you have worked
with and will work with, and how do you as a student and physician address these broader causes
of health disparities? (250 word count)

3.) How have your experiences prepared you to be a physician? (250 word count)

4.) What perspectives or experiences do you bring that would enrich the class? (250 word count)

5.) What obstacles have you experienced and how have you overcome them? (250 word count)

Vanderbilt
Write a brief autobiography. As completely and precisely as possible, give a picture of yourself,
your family, and events you consider important to you. In doing so, identify the values that are of
greatest importance to you. If you have completed your undergraduate education, please
comment on what you have done or have been doing since graduation. (1200 words)

Please discuss a challenging situation or obstacle you have faced in the past. Why was it
challenging? How did you handle it? Knowing what you know now, would you do anything
differently? What did you learn? (500 words)
Wake
Required Essay Questions:

1. The Committee on Admissions values diversity as an important factor in the educational

mission of the Wake Forest School of Medicine. How will you contribute to the diversity of your
medical school class and to the medical community in general? (400 words or less).
2. What obstacles or challenges have you experienced and how have you dealt with them (400
words or less)?
3. How has creativity helped you in your studies, work, activities, volunteering, or life in
general? (400 words or less)
4. Starting with the 2016-17 application cycle, the Wake Forest School of Medicine has gone
from course requirements to recommendations. How has your academic work beyond the
“traditional” pre-medical school requirements (i.e., introductory biology, general chemistry,
organic chemistry, introductory physics) prepared you for medical school and for a career in
medicine. (400 words or less)

OPTIONAL ESSAYS

1. If you have already received your bachelor’s degree, please describe what you have been
doing since graduation and your plans for the upcoming year (200 words or less).
2. If you have previously applied to Wake Forest School of Medicine MD program, please
describe if you have made any significant changes or improvements from your previous
application (200 words or less).
3. Describe any connection you have to Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest
University, Winston-Salem, or North Carolina (200 words or less).

WUSTL
Have you already completed your undergraduate education, have you had your college or
graduate education interrupted, or do you plan not to be a full-time student during your
application year? (Yes/No)
If yes: Describe in chronological order your activities during the time(s) when you were not
enrolled as a full-time student. (2000 char)
(If no: Nothing)
Describe a time or situation where you have been unsuccessful or failed. (optional) (3000 char)
Do you have unique experiences or obstacles that were not covered in your application about
which you would like to inform our Admissions Committee? (optional) (3000 char)
Have you been convicted of any criminal offense (excluding speeding and non-moving traffic
offenses)?
If yes: Please explain (1000 char)
Yale
Please use this space to write an essay in which you discuss your interest in Yale School of
Medicine. (500 words)

This section is optional. It should be used to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee
any important information (personal, academic, or professional) not discussed in other sections
of your Yale Secondary Application. (500 words)