Thank you so much!! This is super helpful. I have a few specific questions. Did you relate every question to an anecdote/example you experienced personally? Like for me, one of the prompts is "What do you think is the biggest problem in healthcare?" I guess my question is, are there questions you approached more intellectually rather than make it personal? I hope that makes sense. Also, I'm really into patient care/working with underserved communities, and not as much into research, and my clinical experiences weren't as meaningful, so I'm worried my application doesn't make me look very well rounded. Should I talk more about my research/clinical experiences in my secondaries-it seems like a lot of schools really emphasize research. Like, I like research, but it's not what I'm most passionate about, you know? But I can talk about it if it makes me seem like a better candidate/fit. What do you think?
hey jackie! re: your first question, I tried to relate my answers to an anecdote/experience whenever possible, but I think it's perfectly acceptable to approach an essay intellectually -- especially if you have to bend over backwards to make your answer personal. anecdotes can make an essay seem more convincing/compelling, but they also take up valuable space, and since you often have these really restrictive word limits, you need to make sure the anecdote is serving enough of a purpose to be included. I definitely had essays that were primarily intellectual or abstract, where a personal story/anecdote took up too much space or wasn't relevant enough to be included. (p.s. just a quick plug but if you're interested in learning more about current healthcare issues, check out my "health policy primer for med school applicants" video!) and re: your second question, unless the prompt specifically asks about research (or "critical thinking" or something like that), I'd focus on what you found most meaningful rather than on what you think the med schools want to hear. your passion will shine through in these essays, and your research and clinical experiences are already described in your primary app. at the end of the day, this process is about finding a school you're a good "fit" for, so you want to attend a school that values your experiences with underserved populations!
This advice is awesome!! Very helpful for planning upcoming secondary submissions :)
Thank you so much!! This is super helpful. I have a few specific questions. Did you relate every question to an anecdote/example you experienced personally? Like for me, one of the prompts is "What do you think is the biggest problem in healthcare?" I guess my question is, are there questions you approached more intellectually rather than make it personal? I hope that makes sense.
Also, I'm really into patient care/working with underserved communities, and not as much into research, and my clinical experiences weren't as meaningful, so I'm worried my application doesn't make me look very well rounded. Should I talk more about my research/clinical experiences in my secondaries-it seems like a lot of schools really emphasize research. Like, I like research, but it's not what I'm most passionate about, you know? But I can talk about it if it makes me seem like a better candidate/fit. What do you think?
hey jackie!
re: your first question, I tried to relate my answers to an anecdote/experience whenever possible, but I think it's perfectly acceptable to approach an essay intellectually -- especially if you have to bend over backwards to make your answer personal. anecdotes can make an essay seem more convincing/compelling, but they also take up valuable space, and since you often have these really restrictive word limits, you need to make sure the anecdote is serving enough of a purpose to be included. I definitely had essays that were primarily intellectual or abstract, where a personal story/anecdote took up too much space or wasn't relevant enough to be included. (p.s. just a quick plug but if you're interested in learning more about current healthcare issues, check out my "health policy primer for med school applicants" video!)
and re: your second question, unless the prompt specifically asks about research (or "critical thinking" or something like that), I'd focus on what you found most meaningful rather than on what you think the med schools want to hear. your passion will shine through in these essays, and your research and clinical experiences are already described in your primary app. at the end of the day, this process is about finding a school you're a good "fit" for, so you want to attend a school that values your experiences with underserved populations!
@@brinawang Thank you so much for taking the time to write such an in depth response!!!
Really great advise thank you
super helpful!! thank you:)
so glad!