secondaries tips

Listen to this episode wherever you get your favorite podcasts, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Show Summary In this episode, Linda Abraham discusses successful secondary applications for medical school. She highlights the key differences between primary and secondary applications and...

Hi all, I'm debating on whether to mention in secondary essays that my father is from South Africa. He immigrated here in the 80s, and his nationality is part of my culture; I grew up eating babotie and South African pancakes and other foods, taking part in some traditions, and learning some...

Hello everyone. I've been prewriting my secondaries, and came up with my own mix of ideas on this one. But, would appreciate if anyone has recommendations or examples! (I'm actually in-state, but (a) apart from a few issues specific to the state, just saying "I feel at home here" feels weak...

.

Hello! This might be a dumb question but when writing secondaries can I say "as previously mentioned"? I'm answering a question about "why our school" and they have a research program that I'm interested in. I went in-depth on this topic for a previous question, so would it be acceptable to say...

Our recent webinar, How to Create Successful Secondary Applications, was a thorough rundown of how to approach all the most common secondary questions in a way that will set you apart from the competition and help you stand out in a crowded field. Don’t make the mistake of winging your...

Hello! I am new to posting on sdn but have been browsing forums throughout this whole application process. I am almost done all of my secondaries but have been struggling with the basic diversity essay. I completed undergrad in the US but I am not a US resident/citizen and are planning to do med...

The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine maintains a strong emphasis on integrating scientific innovation with patient care. Their “Genes to Society” curriculum moves medical students from a basic understanding of the human genome project all the way through risk, prevention, and disease outcomes...

I am currently working on the secondary for UMass and they threw an odd curveball asking for a concrete example when you had contributed to the diversity of a group... I am having trouble understanding what that really entails and would appreciate any pointers or tips to things I can talk about?

It’s July – we know you’re busy. But here’s something worth making time for this week: our free one-hour webinar on How to Create Successful Secondary Applications. Why you should sign up for our secondary webinar Now that you’ve hit “submit” on your primary med school app, it’s time to think...

Now that you’ve (hopefully) finished up your primary med school application, what’s next? Ideally, not stressing yourself out by obsessively reading the forums on SDN for the next six months…you’ll go mad! Instead, how about conquering your anxiety by slicing through all the noise and...

Hi all, I am usually a lurker, but seeking some thoughts on the personal/professional challenge essay. I am confused between these three options: 1) Immigrated to the U.S. right before college and got accepted to an elite school. Once in college, struggled with spoken English a lot...

Hey guys, So I sent in my primary application on June 1st to bunch of schools that are more or less within my score range (GPA 3.65 and MCAT 506). The thing is I'm currently studying for the MCAT to take it a second time and hope to get at l least a 515. I'm probably going to re-take it first...

So I wrote the essays and submitted the fee for my University of Chicago secondary application months ago, but just today realized that I never hit that crucial "submit application" button. I feel like an idiot and I assume that the school is going to think I'm a huge slacker and pass me over...

Temple University has several campus locations in Pennsylvania. The school emphasizes hand-on, collaborative learning, community service, and the intersection between research and clinical care. It is one of the top ranked research-oriented schools. Temple also features a “simulation center”...

Duke University’s Medical School is ranked 8th among its peers with a focus on interdisciplinary learning. They aim to use medical research to solve global problems. Duke emphasizes diversity, inclusion, and attention to community health problems. The secondary application questions ask you to...

Especially on shorter secondaries. Do you guys like them? Or do you often end up rolling your eyes at them? I sort of just want to get straight to the point with my secondaries, but I get that may not be super engaging or enjoyable to read.

Regarding the question that a lot of secondaries have that says something along the lines of "if there's any additional information that you would like us to know, please write about it here" - I know this is where a lot of people will write about any dips or fluctuations in their GPA. Would...

I'm looking through old essay prompts for the schools I'm applying to just to try to get a jump on things, and some of the questions are pretty straightforward but a lot of them are really open-ended and I'm not sure where to go with them. Are there any things we should avoid talking about? Is...

For example, Drexel's secondary asks: "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." In my answer, can I refer to the...

Look through our full article on SDN here! The Art of Writing Med School Secondaries - Student Doctor Network 5 Tips You Must Implement on your Secondaries There are tons of articles explaining the generic to-do’s and not-to-do’s for secondaries, so I won’t spend a ton of time on them. There...

Given UWSOM’s top ranking in primary care, they will be looking for applicants with a strong interest in patient education and community health. This secondary application will require that you provide an autobiographical essay and answer three to four short essay questions. In constructing your...

Duke University’s Medical School is ranked 8th among its peers with a focus on interdisciplinary learning and inclusiveness among the student body. They aim to use medical research to solve global problems. Duke emphasizes diversity, inclusion, and attention to community health problems. The...