2014-2015 University of California - San Francisco Application Thread

[soccerusa]

Best show ever. Gotta love the Janitor!

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[mrh125]

He was also in "The Fugitive"

but does he have tiger blood?

 

[cosmicowl]

So should we not send our letters of recommendation until we have been invited to complete a secondary? Is there any harm to sending them now?

 

[mrh125]

damn every time this thread gets bumped it makes think secondaries came out >_<.

So should we not send our letters of recommendation until we have been invited to complete a secondary? Is there any harm to sending them now?

send them out whenever you want.

 

[Ash2015]

So should we not send our letters of recommendation until we have been invited to complete a secondary? Is there any harm to sending them now?

No harm, if you send before being invited it will actually be easier/shorter time for them to retrieve it

 

[TangoNovember]

Were you a reapplicant to UCSF specifically? If so, did you get an interview the first time? I'm reapplying to UCSF, with an interview there the first time around.

Yes I interviewed at UCSF in a previous application cycle, wait listed, didn't get in. Reapplied and was accepted.

 

[jj2015]

Does anyone know if we need to be verified on AMCAS to receive a secondary invite?

 

[MedOldAge]

Does anyone know if we need to be verified on AMCAS to receive a secondary invite?

To my understanding, yes! (unless exempt by whichever a specific school)

[file verified at AMCAS] ---(push to)--->[school primary server] (look through by human) ---(store at secondary area) ----> sending out invite or whatever.

 

[milski]

To my understanding, yes! (unless exempt by whichever a specific school)

[file verified at AMCAS] ---(push to)--->[school primary server] (look through by human) ---(store at secondary area) ----> sending out invite or whatever.

That's not completely correct, at least in the general case. Some data gets pushed to the school even before AMCAS has verified the application. It is probably not enough to do any screening since at that stage the GPA info is missing but there are schools out there which send (non-screened) secondaries as soon as a primary is submitted.

 

[MedOldAge]

That's not completely correct, at least in the general case. Some data gets pushed to the school even before AMCAS has verified the application. It is probably not enough to do any screening since at that stage the GPA info is missing but there are schools out there which send (non-screened) secondaries as soon as a primary is submitted.

You are absolutely correct. I was just making an over simplified description.

 

[j314]

Do people who got the secondary mind posting all the questions (including the MD/PhD) ones?

Sent all the prompts, MD, MD+JMP, MD+PRIME, & MSTP, to the OP.

 

[Hermione L Knope MD. Ph.D]

Yesss OOS MSTP Secondary received

 

[Hermione L Knope MD. Ph.D]

Only prompt I see for MD

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

MSTP
Please describe in detail your most recent research project.(500 characters)

Please list publications, honors, and presentations resulting from your research experience.(500 characters)

Please describe briefly your reasons for applying to MSTP.(250 characters)

EDIT: Words not characters

 

[j314]

Here is what I sent to the OP. (I believe the limits are units of words rather than characters.)

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

MD+JMP
UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program (MS/MD) combines the resources of two major campuses to allow more extended, individualized pre-clerkship studies with the completion of the Master's thesis involving an in-depth research project, in addition to the medical degree. The JMP core medical curriculum makes full use of case-based problem oriented learning in small groups. Please prepare a two-part essay describing the following:
Please describe the basis for your interest in and your preparations for the MS with research thesis. Given the opportunity to pursue such a degree, what topics, questions or areas of research might you be interested in addressing? 500 words

Please describe the basis of your interest and experience with small group, case based problem oriented learning. 500 words

MD+PRIME
Please describe your experiences with underserved communities, community-based work, leadership roles, and commitment to working with the urban underserved. 500 words

PRIME-US requires a commitment above and beyond the regular medical school curriculum. You will be expected to spend time participating in small group activities and engaging with underserved communities in the Bay Area. Please answer the following questions:

How will you balance PRIME-US with your academic responsibilities and personal life? 250 words

MSTP Essays
Please describe in detail your most recent research project. 500 words
Please list publications, honors, and presentations resulting from your research experience. 500 words
Please describe briefly your reasons for applying to MSTP. 250 words

 

[Tom Ford]

UCSF GIVE ME LOVE PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!! sigh.

 

[Hermione L Knope MD. Ph.D]

I like your octobear @Tom Ford

 

[Tom Ford]

Hahaha thanks @MSTPhopeful2015 ...if I ever get a secondary, I should send that in as my headshot...

 

[biotechpharma]

Is the secondaries out already? Do they sent them out in batches, if so which Dates?

Will they send a rejection for secondary if the application has already been screened.

Hoping someone has an definitive answer to this

 

[F.Underwood]

My primaries were verified mid June, if I haven't heard anything from UCSF by now, does that mean I am prob not gonna get anything?

 

[bass69]

I got a secondary July 9th and was complete that day but it hasn't been reviewed yet. There's really no rush, they'll send out more secondaries.

 

[Lifeman]

For the MD essay about expanding on your activities, can I talked about activities that I am currently involved in that are not listed in my primary and even future activities that I am signed up for but not quite started yet? (taking a gap year)

 

[soccerusa]

Anybody else still with no secondary? I am a strong applicant (3.9/39) and am starting to worry about getting the secondary. Could it still be coming?

 

[AspiringERMD]

Holy cow! I just got the secondary. I was pretty much counting on a pre-secondary rejection since I'm OOS. I'm so excited!! I love UCSF. @soccerusa, hang tight. It literally JUST showed up in my inbox.

 

[anxiousAcademic]

from last year's thread, it looks like 2ndaries were rolling in at a steady pace through up to mid august. there's plenty of time left

 

[daenschl]

Holy cow! I just got the secondary. I was pretty much counting on a pre-secondary rejection since I'm OOS. I'm so excited!! I love UCSF. @soccerusa, hang tight. It literally JUST showed up in my inbox.

Congratulations! That is awesome! It also gives me just a little hope. As OOS, this is the reachy-est of my schools this cycle, and I would not be surprised at all with a pre-secondary rejection. But we will see!

 

[juliuspepperwood]

Anybody else still with no secondary? I am a strong applicant (3.9/39) and am starting to worry about getting the secondary. Could it still be coming?

Last year I got an amcas received and then a secondary invite. This year I haven't gotten an amcas received so I'm guessing their system is just being slow.

 

[AspiringERMD]

Just some helpful bits of info from last year's thread:

~7,000 applicants (split pretty evenly IS vs OOS)
~1,500 secondaries
~500 interviews (342/154 IS vs OOS)
~275 accepted (179/94 IS vs OOS)​

Prompts for secondary application last year (may be different this year)

MD only:
Additional Information
If you wish to update or expand upon your activities, you may provide additional information below. 500 Word Limit

JMP
Additional Information (as above), plus:
(1) Please describe the basis for your interest in and your preparations for the MS with research thesis. Given the opportunity to pursue such a degree, what topics, questions or areas of research might you be interested in addressing? (limit 500 words)
(2) Please describe the basis for your interest and experience with small group, case based problem oriented learning. (limit 500 words)

PRIME
Additional Information, plus:
PRIME-US Essay Question (limit 500 words)

Please describe your experiences with underserved communities, community-based work, leadership roles, and commitment to working with the urban underserved.

PRIME-US Short Answer Questions (limit 250 words each)
PRIME-US requires a commitment above and beyond the regular medical school curriculum. You will be expected to spend time participating in small group activities and engaging with underserved communities in the Bay Area. Please answer the following questions:

1) How will you balance PRIME-US with your academic responsibilities and personal life?
2) Please describe your experience working in small groups.
3) What will you bring to PRIME-US?
4) What do you hope to get out of PRIME-US?

MSTP
Additional Information, plus:
Research Experience

List the research projects on which you have worked below. If you have answered these questions on the AMCAS application, you MUST also answer them on this application for our records. You may use the same responses for our application.
Include Date, Project Title, and Advisor / Complete Address / Phone (limit 500 words)

Research Description
Please describe in detail your most recent research project. (limit 500 words)

Publications
Please list publications, honors, and presentations resulting from your research experience. (limit 500 words)

Research Training Plans
Please describe briefly your reasons for applying to MSTP. (limit 250 words)

Letters of Recommendation - Deadline of 1/4/2013!

Do Not Send Any Letters To the MSTP Office. Submit only one set to the School of Medicine Admissions Office.
Please list below the names of those writing your letters. (limit 250 words)
​

Last year's first secondary application invitation: July 11th
Last year's first interview invitation: late August
Last year's first wave of acceptances: January 29th
Last year's first wave of wait-lists: January 30th
Last year's first wave of wait-list acceptances: May 16th

Note that UCSF is unique in how highly selective it is in handing out secondary applications. As such, your odds of getting an interview invitation are much better if you've received your secondary, compared to submitting secondaries at other schools. Also, UCSF has a very high acceptance rate for those who are interviewed, and tends to pull more off the waiting list than the average school. Overall, this admissions philosophy is highly considerate to applicants, because it spares most applicants the onerous $100+ secondary fee and leaves fewer applicants spending a lot to fly to the interview only to be rejected later. This admissions philosophy is a small window into how UCSF, at large, is very kind, egalitarian, and humble as an institution as a whole.

Most of all, good luck to those applying this cycle.

​

Sorry to quote/respond to a post from 1.5 months ago. Do you happen to know the IS/OOS distribution for the 1500 secondaries sent out? Thanks

 

[FeinMS]

IS Just got secondary

 

[mjhhockey98]

Does anyone know if they take LORs into consideration before sending out secondaries?

 

[AspiringERMD]

Does anyone know if they take LORs into consideration before sending out secondaries?

Probably not... or at least the secondary application status page says that they haven't downloaded mine yet.

 

[differentiating]

Does anyone know if they take LORs into consideration before sending out secondaries?

The secondary asks you to arrange for your LORs to be sent in, so I would think not.

 

[FeinMS]

I finished it, but their payment system isn't working. Anyone with me?

 

[orderofthescar]

I finished it, but their payment system isn't working. Anyone with me?

Same problem here, too. Going to give it another try later :\

 

[hellanutella]

Got the secondary a few hours ago. Pretty sure they'll be gradually rolling out over the next while.

It's been a fine year for Amp and Zap Solutions Inc.

 

[4563728]

Got a secondary at 5:57 without a 'we've received you primary' email. It says on the web page that letters of rec should be sent after secondary invite so I assume they don't look at them till after. Best of luck everyone!

 

[mark2122]

For the activities question, is it poor form to copy and paste from other secondaries (not from AMCAS)? I could either write about only one activity, or two or three sine there is enough space. What are others doing?

 

[Temerit]

Crossing my fingers for a secondary! (OOS)

 

[pyrrion89]

Sorry to quote/respond to a post from 1.5 months ago. Do you happen to know the IS/OOS distribution for the 1500 secondaries sent out? Thanks

Unfortunately, I don't know. Sorry! Maybe someone else knows... Good luck!

 

[Aabs9295]

I called them and even though I submitted my application the first hour that it opened, they still haven't received my primary -__-. So don't worry, they said it takes them awhile to get all of the primaries

 

[soccerusa]

The waiting is killing me! I love how I am like two weeks into the process and already struggling haha.

 

[orderofthescar]

For the activities question, is it poor form to copy and paste from other secondaries (not from AMCAS)? I could either write about only one activity, or two or three sine there is enough space. What are others doing?

After submitting 5 or 6 secondaries, all I've been doing is recycling what I've written...if that's what you're asking...

I have a prepared blurb about my activities since submitting my primary that I've been adapting depending on the word count of the school I'm submitting to.

 

[infinitessimal]

Ahhh, submitted and complete! Feels good to have at least one secondary turned around within a few days... I've been sitting on the others for weeks

 

[MoreChicken3000]

I agree with Tess. Just submitted with a 2-day turn around. A new record!

 

[muzicpower]

Same problem here, too. Going to give it another try later :\

Same problem. Still isn't working..

 

[AspiringERMD]

The waiting is killing me! I love how I am like two weeks into the process and already struggling haha.

I have completely stopped being addicted to Facebook and now instead can't get off SDN in case the slightest bit of news comes in. I check for IIs in my email way too often, too.

Please tell me I'm not alone. >.<

 

[daenschl]

I have completely stopped being addicted to Facebook and now instead can't get off SDN in case the slightest bit of news comes in. I check for IIs in my email way too often, too.

Please tell me I'm not alone. >.<

+1
Definitely not alone, my friend.

 

[FeinMS]

Same problem here, too. Going to give it another try later :\

Same problem. Still isn't working..

I called UCSF and got the problem fixed.

 

[MedOldAge]

I have completely stopped being addicted to Facebook and now instead can't get off SDN in case the slightest bit of news comes in. I check for IIs in my email way too often, too.

Please tell me I'm not alone. >.<

 

[On Eagle's Wings]

Still no secondary...

 

[Aabs9295]

Some advice please.. on my primary, I messed up the hours performed for research (should have been 200 but put 100). Is it a good idea to let the admissions office know about this error since they are such a research school? Or will I look foolish for making the error in the first place?