2021-2022 UT Southwestern

[wysdoc]

Thanks to @medicallyblonde1010 and @pineapple402 for sharing the secondary prompts.

Good luck to everyone applying!

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2021-2022 UTSW secondary prompts: ( the last 2 are truly optional)

1. Describe a group project or activity that you are most proud of. Consider the following in your response: What aspect makes you most proud? How was it accomplished? How did you deal with disagreement or conflict in the group? How did you get fellow group members to embrace a position or view your perspective?
2500 Characters

2. Describe a time that you have witnessed someone acting unethically or dishonestly, or an experienced behavior of harassment or discrimination. Consider the following in your response: What did you do? What made the situation difficult for you personally? Describe your reaction and what you might do differently now in retrospect.
2500 Characters

3. Describe an interaction or experience that has made you more sensitive or appreciative of cultural differences, and/or how you have committed yourself to understanding and aiding in the pursuit of equity and inclusion in your academic, professional or personal life.
2500 Characters

4. Have you engaged in any public service activities for a duration of one year or greater in length (examples: Military, Peace Corps, Teach for America, etc.). Yes or No? If so, please describe the experience and impact on your personal and professional development. (Optional)
2500 Characters

5. Please explain any academic discrepancies or extenuating circumstances that you feel the Admissions Committee should know. (Optional)
2500 Characters

************* ************ ***************** **************** ************ ************* **************** **************** *************
Thank you to @baz2020 for these prompts for MSTP (MD/PhD applicants)

2021-2022 UTSW MSTP Secondary Prompts (500 characters each)
1. Describe the type of research you are currently most interested in pursuing for your PhD training. You can be general or specific (e.g., genetics, biochemistry, Alzheimer’s disease, rational drug design, etc.)
2. If you wish, please describe major hardships or adversity you have overcome to reach this point in your life (if none, please state “none”).
3. List names of up to five UT Southwestern faculty whose research is of particular interest to you (refer to www.utsouthwestern.edu/labs for more information).
4. Why are you interested in MD/PhD training at UT Southwestern in particular?

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[overnightoats4ever]

Secondary received! Same prompts as the year before.

(Edited by wysdoc) Question #3 is new, the other 4 questions are the same as last year. See top post in this thread.

 

[theepremed]

How soon should this secondary be submitted?

 

[wysdoc]

How soon should this secondary be submitted?

When you have received word that your TMDSAS primary has been transmitted to UTSW (and the other TMDSAS schools), then you may submit.
This probably has not occurred yet as TMDSAS needs time to verify your application.
Check your TMDSAS portal 1-2 times a week after submitting to watch for a message.

 

[theepremed]

When you have received word that your TMDSAS primary has been transmitted to UTSW (and the other TMDSAS schools), then you may submit.
This probably has not occurred yet as TMDSAS needs time to verify your application.
Check your TMDSAS portal 1-2 times a week after submitting to watch for a message.

Yeah mine has transmitted and I’ve finished the secondary essays but waiting on a friend to look over / edit them.

 

[perceptionfree987]

Hi yall! Excited to be applying this cycle with everyone. This is trivial but when you search "UT Southwestern acceptance rate" in google, it comes up as 15%, which appears to be an outdated MSTP rate. Can we all mass click feedback on the lower right and tell Google this is misleading? The acceptance rate is much lower (last cycle apparently was under 3%) so it would do a service to future applicants to not get a false sense of security. And also we don't want to minimize the great feat of those who do make it in!

 

[wysdoc]

Hi yall! Excited to be applying this cycle with everyone. This is trivial but when you search "UT Southwestern acceptance rate" in google, it comes up as 15%, which appears to be an outdated MSTP rate. Can we all mass click feedback on the lower right and tell Google this is misleading? The acceptance rate is much lower (last cycle apparently was under 3%) so it would do a service to future applicants to not get a false sense of security. And also we don't want to minimize the great feat of those who do make it in!

Not worth your time, last year with 7380 TMDSAS applicants and a class size of 230 the acceptance matriculation rate was 3.11 %, as you said.
Time will be better spent submitting early and crafting some thoughtful secondary essays. Good luck to all applying!

 

[texasvandy]

Not worth your time, last year with 7380 TMDSAS applicants and a class size of 230 the acceptance rate was 3.11 %, as you said.
Time will be better spent submitting early and crafting some thoughtful secondary essays. Good luck to all applying!

Agree, wrong focus telling Google which is not a great source of information since they fiddle way too much with their algorithms to suppress relevant information. I wouldnt be surprised if this is to show Texas is too easy.

 

[medstudent9944]

Not worth your time, last year with 7380 TMDSAS applicants and a class size of 230 the acceptance rate was 3.11 %, as you said.
Time will be better spent submitting early and crafting some thoughtful secondary essays. Good luck to all applying!

I think the acceptance rate would be a bit higher than 3.11% since there are students that UTSW accepts but decide not to attend.

 

[wysdoc]

I think the acceptance rate would be a bit higher than 3.11% since there are students that UTSW accepts but decide not to attend.

True, this would be the matriculation rate.
But don’t waste your time on this trivia, go write your essays!

 

[Sree72]

Yeah mine has transmitted and I’ve finished the secondary essays but waiting on a friend to look over / edit them.

How long after your application was transmitted did UTSW send you an email for secondaries ?

 

[theepremed]

How long after your application was transmitted did UTSW send you an email for secondaries ?

To be exact - 22.5 hours lol

 

[TheGranolaKing]

To be exact - 22.5 hours lol

which day did you submit?

 

[theepremed]

The first day TMDSAS opened.

 

[pineapple402]

Wait, the third prompt for me is different than last year's. Anyone else?

 

[wysdoc]

Wait, the third prompt for me is different than last year's. Anyone else?

can you list it please?

 

[pineapple402]

can you list it please?

3. Describe an interaction or experience that has made you more sensitive or appreciative of cultural differences, and/or how you have committed yourself to understanding and aiding in the pursuit of equity and inclusion in your academic, professional or personal life.

 

[wysdoc]

Thanks, @pineapple402
If someone else confirms this prompt I will change it in the first post above.
Were the other 4 prompts the same as listed?

@theepremed what were your 5 prompts?


** I updated prompt #3 in the initial post of this thread**

 

[pineapple402]

Thanks, @pineapple402
If someone else confirms this prompt I will change it in the first post above.
Were the other 4 prompts the same as listed?

Yes! I didn't skim word for word but at a glance the other 4 seem to be the same. Thanks for making this thread!

 

[overnightoats4ever]

I am so sorry for confusing people! This prompt is different... if I didn't notice, what should I do?? Should I reach out to them?

 

[wysdoc]

I don’t think there is much you can do at this point. It’s a very tough lesson to learn, but it is really important, in your application and more so as a doctor, to read things carefully and don’t rush.

 

[overnightoats4ever]

I don’t think there is much you can do at this point. It’s a very tough lesson to learn, but it is really important, in your application and more so as a doctor, to read things carefully and don’t rush.

You are completely correct! It is a hard lesson to learn but I am glad it is at the beginning of the cycle. Thank you!

 

[overnightoats4ever]

Thankfully, they are letting me fix this. Hopefully I can serve as a lesson for someone, LOL!

 

[wysdoc]

Thankfully, they are letting me fix this. Hopefully I can serve as a lesson for someone, LOL!

I am teasing you a little bit (or a lot) here @medicallyblonde1010 , but truly I do thank you for sharing your experience with other applicants.

Literary reference to show history does repeat itself:

 

[texasvandy]

Thankfully, they are letting me fix this. Hopefully I can serve as a lesson for someone, LOL!

Amazing. What did they let you do? Resubmit the secondary?

 

[overnightoats4ever]

I am teasing you a little bit (or a lot) here @medicallyblonde1010 , but truly I do thank you for sharing your experience with other applicants.

Literary reference to show history does repeat itself:

View attachment 337690

LOL! Honestly I deserve it, I feel crazy, I swear I looked at that prompt a hundred times!

 

[overnightoats4ever]

Amazing. What did they let you do? Resubmit the secondary?

Yes, by some miracle. I truly am so grateful, obviously this is one of my top schools.

 

[Skittsie13]

Hey y'all! -- recent graduate here, happy to answer any questions throughout the cycle either in this thread or PM! Good luck! Absolutely loved my time at UTSW

 

[sdc52]

Are any interviews going to be in person in the fall?

 

[texasvandy]

Are any interviews going to be in person in the fall?

There is no reason not to get back to normal but UTSW is a lot more conservative in opening up than for example Baylor.

 

[deleted1062667]

Are any interviews going to be in person in the fall?

This is the exact wording from the MSAR pre-health advisor report, which lists interview policies. I don't think that they have released an official policy yet, but I do know that multiple schools have already confirmed that they will only be doing virtual interviews this year. Since some schools still think it's best to only do virtual interviews right now, I would assume that the majority of them will have all their interviews virtual just to keep things consistent for all interviewees and not give anyone a particular advantage or disadvantage.

(moderator edit: MSAR info quoted was from the 2021 cycle, no determination announced yet for 2022 interview format.
Screenshot image of MSAR removed for copyright reasons

 

[Skittsie13]

There is no reason not to get back to normal but UTSW is a lot more conservative in opening up than for example Baylor.

Yes. We didn't have match day in person and had to fight super hard to get a limited attendance graduation. I would be surprised if they did in-person interviews. Most residencies are not doing in person interviews either.

 

[rrahman1]

Hi all,

I am new to SDN, and so thankful for all the resources you all provide. I was wondering if I applied to both the MD program through TMDSAS and the MSTP through AMCAS, should I wait for the AMCAS app to be processed before submitting the secondary? There is an option to click both MSTP and MD on the secondary, I am just not sure if I should answer the MSTP one yet since my AMCAS app has not yet processed due to a delayed transcript.

Please let me know if there is a thread that I missed about UTSW MSTP for EY2022! Thanks!

 

[classydolphin]

• 5. Please explain any academic discrepancies or extenuating circumstances that you feel the Admissions Committee should know. (Optional) 2500 Characters

I know optional essays should be considered required, but I used the TMDSAS optional essay to discuss my mediocre academic performance with a strong upward trend. Should I be safe to leave this essay alone, or should I try to expand on my initial academic performance and how I've grown/what I've learned since then?

 

[Azn2021]

• 5. Please explain any academic discrepancies or extenuating circumstances that you feel the Admissions Committee should know. (Optional) 2500 Characters

I know optional essays should be considered required, but I used the TMDSAS optional essay to discuss my mediocre academic performance with a strong upward trend. Should I be safe to leave this essay alone, or should I try to expand on my initial academic performance and how I've grown/what I've learned since then?

Optional essays don’t always have to be required. If you don’t have any to explain or already have, I think schools would prefer you leave it blank, someone back me up?

 

[wysdoc]

Optional essays don’t always have to be required. If you don’t have any to explain or already have, I think schools would prefer you leave it blank, someone back me up?

**See the bolded words in my listing of the prompts for this year, 1st post in this thread.**

On the other hand, on some of a different school's questions, they say specifically "do not leave blank".
I'll leave it to y'all to see which other school this is.

 

[aspiringdoc9927]

I submitted my primary app on 5/27. Has anyone who submitted on or after this date received a secondary from UTSW?

 

[violinsmed]

I submitted on 5/28 and received a secondary on 6/16

 

[butterflybreakfast]

4. Have you engaged in any public service activities for a duration of one year or greater in length (examples: Military, Peace Corps, Teach for America, etc.). Yes or No? If so, please describe the experience and impact on your personal and professional development. (Optional)
2500 Characters

I participated in the Peace Corps Prep Program at my university and had some cool volunteering experiences as a result. Is it worth mentioning this or would I just irritate them?

 

[wysdoc]

4. Have you engaged in any public service activities for a duration of one year or greater in length (examples: Military, Peace Corps, Teach for America, etc.). Yes or No? If so, please describe the experience and impact on your personal and professional development. (Optional)
2500 Characters

I participated in the Peace Corps Prep Program at my university and had some cool volunteering experiences as a result. Is it worth mentioning this or would I just xxxx them off?

It sounds like this was a program to prepare you for maybe spending a year with the Peace Corps, but then you didn't end up doing that?
I would recommend just listing the volunteer work you did instead.

And I don't know who you thought might get upset about listing this, UTSW or the Peace Corps, but in either case get used to using professional vocabulary on your application and interviews.

 

[butterflybreakfast]

It sounds like this was a program to prepare you for maybe spending a year with the Peace Corps, but then you didn't end up doing that?
I would recommend just listing the volunteer work you did instead.

And I don't know who you thought might get upset about listing this, UTSW or the Peace Corps, but in either case get used to using professional vocabulary on your application and interviews.

The Peace Corps Program is helpful for students considering PC, but it's not mandatory. My volunteer experience was not technically public service, so I wasn't sure if I technically didn't answer the prompt and would only be seen as wasting their time.

 

[wysdoc]

The Peace Corps Program is helpful for students considering PC, but it's not mandatory. My volunteer experience was not technically public service, so I wasn't sure if I technically didn't answer the prompt and would only be seen as wasting their time.

If you spent some good volunteer hours I hope you listed them on your primary application, but you're right, it probably didn't meet the definition of this optional question on the secondary application.

 

[texasvandy]

The one year question is specific to people who actually took a year and served somewhere as part of some program. Regular volunteering does not fit this category. Please note that although it is considered service, the listed examples are all paid services with eligible college scholarships given for the service.

 

[butterflybreakfast]

The one year question is specific to people who actually took a year and served somewhere as part of some program. Regular volunteering does not fit this category. Please note that although it is considered service, the listed examples are all paid services with eligible college scholarships given for the service.

that's what i thought. thank you!

 

[deleted1109160]

Can anyone help me with the third prompt I'm not sure if my idea fits...

here is the prompt: Describe an interaction or experience that has made you more sensitive or appreciative of cultural differences, and/or how you have committed yourself to understanding and aiding in the pursuit of equity and inclusion in your academic, professional or personal life.

I feel I have a really great example of this. Basically my best friend came out as gay while we were in college, and being from Texas, I’ve seen first hand how discrimination about his sexuality has affected him. It has certainly impacted how I view different people and appreciate differences. The only issue is, I’m not sure if this fits the “culture” part of this question. Could anyone shed any light on what they think about whether or not this fits the prompt?

 

[Bored_Conscious]

The second UTSW secondary prompt asks about a time you witnessed someone acting unethically or dishonestly. It then asks you what you might do differently now in retrospect.

If I wouldn't do anything differently...is that a bad thing? I believe I did the right thing.

 

[Bored_Conscious]

Can anyone help me with the third prompt I'm not sure if my idea fits...

here is the prompt: Describe an interaction or experience that has made you more sensitive or appreciative of cultural differences, and/or how you have committed yourself to understanding and aiding in the pursuit of equity and inclusion in your academic, professional or personal life.

I feel I have a really great example of this. Basically my best friend came out as gay while we were in college, and being from Texas, I’ve seen first hand how discrimination about his sexuality has affected him. It has certainly impacted how I view different people and appreciate differences. The only issue is, I’m not sure if this fits the “culture” part of this question. Could anyone shed any light on what they think about whether or not this fits the prompt?

I think it answers the second part pretty well, but not so much the first part. Your friend being gay doesn't really teach you to be appreciative of cultural differences. Could I ask you how his family reacted? This could provide some insight to cultural differences, generational differences, etc.

You could write about how you have seen families of different culture react to their family members coming out and how these different cultural/generational expectations could impact patient decision making in the future...so on and so forth.

 

[deleted1017762]

Received a secondary here today. Do they screen much? I was pretty surprised I got anything from them.

 

[Bored_Conscious]

Received a secondary here today. Do they screen much? I was pretty surprised I got anything from them.

I do not believe they screen.

 

[baz2020]

I’m not even AMCAS verified yet for my MSTP application but UTSW sent me a secondary (somehow???) MSTP specific prompts are

@wysdoc
All 500 characters
1. Describe the type of research you are currently most interested in pursuing for your PhD training. You can be general or specific (e.g., genetics, biochemistry, Alzheimer’s disease, rational drug design, etc.)
2. If you wish, please describe major hardships or adversity you have overcome to reach this point in your life (if none, please state “none”).
3. List names of up to five UT Southwestern faculty whose research is of particular interest to you (refer to www.utsouthwestern.edu/labs for more information).
4. Why are you interested in MD/PhD training at UT Southwestern in particular?