2021-2022 Medical College of Wisconsin

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Thank you to @essereumano for sharing this year's questions!

2021-2022 Medical College of Wisconsin Secondary Essay Prompts: (note slight wording change on #3 compared to last year)

1. Explain how your unique background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the MCW learning community. (1000 characters)

2. How will MCW uniquely prepare you for your future goals?(1000 characters)

3. Recount a time when you made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (2000 characters)

4. The Medical College of Wisconsin is committed to educating health professionals who are dedicated to improving health equity across the diverse populations we serve. Share with us what you have learned or how you have grown through working with or serving people from cultural backgrounds or groups different than your own. How do you believe you can contribute to improving health equity or reducing health disparities as a physician? (2000 characters)

Good luck to everyone applying!

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Last edited:
PSA: I emailed MCW admissions, and they are not requiring snapshot or duet for this cycle (still requiring the standard CASPer exam). Just thought I would share and save someone an email in case they were wondering.
 
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For any current students/other knowledgable parties... Does MCW require a dean's certification form (either pre or post-acceptance/matriculation) if you selected "no" for the IA question on AMCAS? The process at my alma mater for non-trads to get one of those forms is so long and tedious, so I'd like to know to avoid wasting my time applying if they do. Thank you!
 
What schools do you know that require this type of form? Many schools have committee letters that would include statement if there was an IA. I have not seen that a school requires separate form to prove a negative.
 
DOadvice said:
What schools do you know that require this type of form? Many schools have committee letters that would include statement if there was an IA. I have not seen that a school requires separate form to prove a negative.
Click to expand...
I'm currently doing a lot of research on this right now; the schools that I've seen that absolutely require it are Indiana and MSU. Indiana requires it along with their secondary, and MSU requires it pre-matriculation I believe.

I just emailed MCW, and they said the form is only needed "for applicants who have (1) answered “yes” to either the institutional action question on AMCAS or the MCW Secondary Application, and/or (2) previously matriculated at a medical school, regardless of the reason for departure."

I also emailed Temple to determine if they are more like Indiana/MSU, or MCW.

To my understanding, the majority of schools rely on the honor system, which is why they do not usually require this form. But these are the few MD schools that do, some compulsorily and some circumstantially.
 
Just received my secondary. In state!
  • Explain how your unique background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the MCW learning community. (1000 characters)
  • How will MCW uniquely prepare you for your future goals?(1000 characters)
  • Recount a time when you made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (2000 characters)
  • The Medical College of Wisconsin is committed to educating health professionals who are dedicated to improving health equity across the diverse populations we serve. Share with us what you have learned or how you have grown through working with or serving people from cultural backgrounds or groups different than your own. How do you believe you can contribute to improving health equity or reducing health disparities as a physician? (2000 characters)
 
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Do they screen for secondaries? Or everyone gets sent one?
 
essereumano said:
The Medical College of Wisconsin is committed to educating health professionals who are dedicated to improving health equity across the diverse populations we serve. Share with us what you have learned or how you have grown through working with or serving people from cultural backgrounds or groups different than your own. How do you believe you can contribute to improving health equity or reducing health disparities as a physician? (2000 characters)
Click to expand...
are the character counts including spaces or without?
 
essereumano said:
Just received my secondary. In state!
  • Recount a time when you made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (2000 characters)
Click to expand...

I know that in the past, this question has been "Recount a time when you failed or made a decision you regret."
I'm praying that maybe you made a typo in this post and the failure option is still there this year? Or is it 100% only "made a decision you regret." ? Thanks.
 
probably_crying said:
I know that in the past, this question has been "Recount a time when you failed or made a decision you regret."
I'm praying that maybe you made a typo in this post and the failure option is still there this year? Or is it 100% only "made a decision you regret." ? Thanks.
Click to expand...
I copy/pasted directly from the secondary application, that was how it read sadly.
 
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Has anyone else not gotten a secondary? I'm wondering if they're sending them out in waves maybe?

I'm OOS, but a UW-Madison grad, and have stats above MCWs avgs, so I doubt I would have been screened out.
 
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Quinteresting said:
Has anyone else not gotten a secondary? I'm wondering if they're sending them out in waves maybe?

I'm OOS, but a UW-Madison grad, and have stats above MCWs avgs, so I doubt I would have been screened out.
Click to expand...
+1 OOS. Highly doubt they screened us out. Most likely sending in waves. It’s been less than 24 hrs so I’m j chilling for now
 
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Has anyone had issues with getting logged in? I did the "get your password" to start but never actually got the email to reset the password.
 
Quinteresting said:
Has anyone else not gotten a secondary? I'm wondering if they're sending them out in waves maybe?

I'm OOS, but a UW-Madison grad, and have stats above MCWs avgs, so I doubt I would have been screened out.
Click to expand...
Haven't gotten one yet either (OOS)
 
MSTP OOS Applicant, Just recieved secondary. No additional prompts seem to be there
 
Secondary received, OOS with school tie (distant cousin alumni).
 
Does anyone else's portal say that they don't have your casper even if you sent it a while ago?
 
In that last promt, "Share with us what you have learned or how you have grown through working with or serving people from cultural backgrounds or groups different than your own. How do you believe you can contribute to improving health equity or reducing health disparities as a physician?"
Are you guys reading it as 'cultural background' OR 'groups'? Or as 'cultural backgrounds or cultural groups'?
I'm asking because the majority of my experience is with serving the underserved/homeless in my city. Which is certainly a group, but not necessarily a different culture..?
 
DoctorDoggo said:
In that last promt, "Share with us what you have learned or how you have grown through working with or serving people from cultural backgrounds or groups different than your own. How do you believe you can contribute to improving health equity or reducing health disparities as a physician?"
Are you guys reading it as 'cultural background' OR 'groups'? Or as 'cultural backgrounds or cultural groups'?
I'm asking because the majority of my experience is with serving the underserved/homeless in my city. Which is certainly a group, but not necessarily a different culture..?
Click to expand...
I'm reading it as "different cultural backgrounds" or "groups different from your own". I'm sure you could put your experiences with the underserved/homeless, that sounds really unique!
 
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DoctorDoggo said:
In that last promt, "Share with us what you have learned or how you have grown through working with or serving people from cultural backgrounds or groups different than your own. How do you believe you can contribute to improving health equity or reducing health disparities as a physician?"
Are you guys reading it as 'cultural background' OR 'groups'? Or as 'cultural backgrounds or cultural groups'?
I'm asking because the majority of my experience is with serving the underserved/homeless in my city. Which is certainly a group, but not necessarily a different culture..?
Click to expand...

Culture refers to values, beliefs, habits, experiences, etc. and the homeless population most certainly has a much different culture that how you live your life or have grown up. At the end of the day, I believe the prompt is really just asking about experiences with people or groups of people that are unlike yourself.
 
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ndcpjf said:
Culture refers to values, beliefs, habits, experiences, etc. and the homeless population most certainly has a much different culture that how you live your life or have grown up. At the end of the day, I believe the prompt is really just asking about experiences with people or groups of people that are unlike yourself.
Click to expand...
So how are you approaching this? Do you write an antidote or example of your experience or do you just jump right into how you have grown and what you learned ?
 
aquamarine8787 said:
I'm reading it as "different cultural backgrounds" or "groups different from your own". I'm sure you could put your experiences with the underserved/homeless, that sounds really unique!
Click to expand...

ndcpjf said:
Culture refers to values, beliefs, habits, experiences, etc. and the homeless population most certainly has a much different culture that how you live your life or have grown up. At the end of the day, I believe the prompt is really just asking about experiences with people or groups of people that are unlike yourself.
Click to expand...
Thank you!!
 
Quinteresting said:
Has anyone else not gotten a secondary? I'm wondering if they're sending them out in waves maybe?

I'm OOS, but a UW-Madison grad, and have stats above MCWs avgs, so I doubt I would have been screened out.
Click to expand...
Still waiting on a secondary, OOS
 
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OOS, Haven't received anything yet!
 
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Not received secondaries yet too, OOS, high stats. Sounds like many in same boat right?
 
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1000 characters really doesn't feel like enough for this diversity prompt...
 
brockhamptonfanacct said:
+1! I also have an IA for academic probation though so maybe they screen for that?
Click to expand...
I have an IA. And I received my secondary last Wednesday! I do not believe schools really screen for that because each situation is so different.
 
Quinteresting said:
Same. At this point, it does feel like they're probably screening somewhat based on perceived fit.
Click to expand...
While this would be ideal for them, med schools want moneeyyyy so I doubt they're doing that extreme of a screening. W/ that being said, OOS with above avg stats for the school and I don't have a 2º. I'll start worrying next week.
 
Online says "
Secondary applications will be sent to all eligible applicants upon MCW’s receipt of your verified AMCAS application. If you received an email with login credentials for the MCW Secondary Application, please complete the application. If you have not received that email, or a communication that you are ineligible to apply, please check your spam or junk mail folders and contact the Office of Admissions.

You will designate your campus preferences on the secondary application. There is only one secondary application and one application fee, regardless of campus preferences.

Please familiarize yourself with the mission and opportunities available at each campus location before submitting your application. Since MCW-Central Wisconsin and MCW-Green Bay have small class sizes of primarily Wisconsin residents, there are limited spaces available for non-residents."

I am OOS didn't get a secondary yet..
 
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pre-doo-med said:
Online says "
Secondary applications will be sent to all eligible applicants upon MCW’s receipt of your verified AMCAS application. If you received an email with login credentials for the MCW Secondary Application, please complete the application. If you have not received that email, or a communication that you are ineligible to apply, please check your spam or junk mail folders and contact the Office of Admissions.

You will designate your campus preferences on the secondary application. There is only one secondary application and one application fee, regardless of campus preferences.

Please familiarize yourself with the mission and opportunities available at each campus location before submitting your application. Since MCW-Central Wisconsin and MCW-Green Bay have small class sizes of primarily Wisconsin residents, there are limited spaces available for non-residents."

I am OOS didn't get a secondary yet..
Click to expand...
+1. ****, but haven't got the email that I'm ineligible either
 
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OOS secondaries recieved
 
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how are you guys distinguishing between the "Explain how your unique background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the MCW learning community (1000 characters)" vs "How will MCW uniquely prepare you for your future goals?(1000 characters)"
 
mhopefula said:
how are you guys distinguishing between the "Explain how your unique background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the MCW learning community (1000 characters)" vs "How will MCW uniquely prepare you for your future goals?(1000 characters)
Click to expand...
i'm writing the first one more like a diversity essay and the second one like a why us + my career goals
 
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Has anyone else gotten this email?

"
We have recently completed a preliminary review of your AMCAS application. The conditions of eligibility for admission to MCW Medical School are as follows:

  • An applicant must have earned a bachelor’s degree or a minimum of 90 earned postsecondary credits (excluding AP, IB, CLEP or similar credits) in order to matriculate at MCW. All required credits, including prerequisites, must be earned at a college or university located in the United States (US) or Canada and accredited by a state, regional or federal accrediting agency prior to matriculation at MCW. No credit will be given for coursework taken outside of the US or Canada.
  • An applicant must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) no more than three years prior to matriculation (no earlier than 2019). Scores must be received by MCW before your application is considered complete. If you have an "intended MCAT date" listed on your AMCAS application, your secondary application will not become complete until that score is released.
Though we determined that your application does not satisfy the required eligibility criteria at this time, we are sending you the secondary application invitation. You are welcome to submit your application, knowing that it is your responsibility to meet all eligibility criteria as noted above in order for your application to become complete and under review.
"

Since I'm applying straight out of undergrad, and the transcript I sent to AMCAS didn't have my spring semester grades on it, and I had a good amount of AP credit, there are only 75 credits listed in my AMCAS that aren't AP... I haven't had this issue at any other schools.

I guess I could have my most recent transcript sent to MCW, which has 15 more credits on it, and that would get me to 90, and make me eligible to apply. I'm kind of debating whether it's even worth it at this point. I didn't prewrite the secondary for this school, which is long as f*** lol, plus the secondary fee. I'm a student at UW - Madison, but that's really my only tie, other than that, I'm just viewed as another high stat OOS person here I think.

Any thoughts on whether I should finish out the app here or just leave it incomplete?
 
Just in case anyone else is in the same situation, I'm posting this... in MCW's secondary they ask if you've ever been charged or convicted of any offense... I emailed admissions asking if I should disclose a speeding ticket and a charge that was expunged and they said this: "That question on our secondary application is really used as a catch-all. I would probably recommend disclosing that, just in the interest of being as transparent as possible. Ideally, you would disclose anything that could potentially appear on a background check."
 
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Quinteresting said:
Has anyone else gotten this email?

"
We have recently completed a preliminary review of your AMCAS application. The conditions of eligibility for admission to MCW Medical School are as follows:

  • An applicant must have earned a bachelor’s degree or a minimum of 90 earned postsecondary credits (excluding AP, IB, CLEP or similar credits) in order to matriculate at MCW. All required credits, including prerequisites, must be earned at a college or university located in the United States (US) or Canada and accredited by a state, regional or federal accrediting agency prior to matriculation at MCW. No credit will be given for coursework taken outside of the US or Canada.
  • An applicant must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) no more than three years prior to matriculation (no earlier than 2019). Scores must be received by MCW before your application is considered complete. If you have an "intended MCAT date" listed on your AMCAS application, your secondary application will not become complete until that score is released.
Though we determined that your application does not satisfy the required eligibility criteria at this time, we are sending you the secondary application invitation. You are welcome to submit your application, knowing that it is your responsibility to meet all eligibility criteria as noted above in order for your application to become complete and under review.
"

Since I'm applying straight out of undergrad, and the transcript I sent to AMCAS didn't have my spring semester grades on it, and I had a good amount of AP credit, there are only 75 credits listed in my AMCAS that aren't AP... I haven't had this issue at any other schools.

I guess I could have my most recent transcript sent to MCW, which has 15 more credits on it, and that would get me to 90, and make me eligible to apply. I'm kind of debating whether it's even worth it at this point. I didn't prewrite the secondary for this school, which is long as f*** lol, plus the secondary fee. I'm a student at UW - Madison, but that's really my only tie, other than that, I'm just viewed as another high stat OOS person here I think.

Any thoughts on whether I should finish out the app here or just leave it incomplete?
Click to expand...
I also got this... I am applying with one year to go for undergrad so I guess I'm confused
 
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wannabeanMD1999 said:
I also got this... I am applying with one year to go for undergrad so I guess I'm confused
Click to expand...
I also got this email and have one more year left, so I’m hoping we got this email because we just don’t have our Bachelors degree done yet? Idk but seems weird
 
Anyone know how strict the LoR requirements are? I'm a non-trad who went to graduate school, but is 6 years removed from undergrad so none of my LoRs are written by professors from undergrad (though I do have two letters written by "classroom professors" at the grad level).
 
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