2015-2016 University of Florida Application Thread

[Ismet]

Space reserved for prompt.

Please PM the essays or lack thereof to me when the secondary is available and I will update this.

Good luck to everyone applying!

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[Endo2393]

What were secondary essays last year? Are they expected to be the same this year?

 

[summer14]

Last year:

Secondary responses

Essay 1: Please limit your response to 250-500 words

If you are not a full-time student during this application cycle, in particular at any time between September 2013 and May 2014, please detail your current and planned activities below.

Essay 2: Please limit your response to 250-500 words

At the core of our profession are attributes sometimes called the three C’s; Competence (clinical excellence), Caring (a genuine desire to help others or “other centeredness”) and Character (personal integrity and honesty). In order to grow in these areas, the best practitioners are able to reflect upon who they are as individuals (self-assessment) and allow these insights to shape how they develop as physicians. The relationships we develop with patients and colleagues are among the most rewarding aspects of being a physician and provide the theatre in which the three C’s are both learned and practiced. We therefore have two short essay questions designed to help you explore these important topics. The first deals with self-assessment, and the second deals with the experiences of two UF medical students facing the loss of a patient and its impact on them as young doctors.

Read the following description of introversion and extraversion from the Myers-Briggs foundation website. Most people, while seeing themselves to one degree or another in each description, are inclined towards either being introverted or extroverted. Both groups make wonderful physicians, but each personality type has some inherent strengths and weaknesses which need to be appreciated as individuals develop into practicing physicians. Do you see yourself as more of an extravert or an introvert and how will this impact how you learn to communicate with patients and colleagues?

Essay 3: Please limit your response to 250-500 words

In the practice of medicine, we have the amazing privilege to not only help our patients, but also to learn from them in very unexpected ways. Read the following 2 essays, written recently by students at the University Of Florida College Of Medicine. In the first, a student had a major impact on a young patient on the pediatric surgery service. In the second, the student describes her care for a noncompliant patient. Both made a difference in their patients and both changed and grew through the experience. Pick one, and describe the skills of the author that you notice and think are helpful, then describe these stories relate to the kind of physician that you want to be.

Essay #4: Consider three areas of integrity: personal, professional, and intellectual. Using an example, describe how these areas may be interrelated. In your response include why the connection between these areas is significant. (500 words):

Essay #5: Additional Info Essay (500 words):

 

[Dr. Janitor]

IS, App submitted. good luck guys

 

[0_o]

.

 

[tygerguy]

The secondary questions are likely to be the same or very similar. It would be a good idea to begin working on numbers 1, 2, 4, and 5 now. Numbers 1 and 5 will likely be helpful for other applications as well. The prompts for number 3 may change, and I do not have access to them. So, it would not be productive to post last year's prompts, nor to work on essays about them, at this time.

 

[nolcya]

The secondary questions are likely to be the same or very similar. It would be a good idea to begin working on numbers 1, 2, 4, and 5 now. Numbers 1 and 5 will likely be helpful for other applications as well. The prompts for number 3 may change, and I do not have access to them. So, it would not be productive to post last year's prompts, nor to work on essays about them, at this time.

Thank you!

 

[slimjim90]

Can someone please post the prompts for this year Just want to make sure in case there are any new/different ones besides the student experience one you can't prewrite. Thanks in advance!

 

[skifast25]

Can someone please post the prompts for this year Just want to make sure in case there are any new/different ones besides the student experience one you can't prewrite. Thanks in advance!

I don't think anyone has received the secondary yet but someone may post them once they are sent!

 

[Sob21]

Just got the secondary at 9:25am this morning. My dream school!

 

[Endo2393]

If you are not a full-time student during this application cycle, in particular at any time between September 2015 and May 2016, please detail your current and planned activities below. (250-500 words)

3. In the practice of medicine, we have the amazing privilege to not only help our patients, but also to learn from them in very unexpected ways. Read the following 2 essays, written recently by students at the University Of Florida College Of Medicine. In the first, a student had a major impact on a young patient on the pediatric surgery service. In the second, the student describes her care for a noncompliant patient. Both made a difference in their patients and both changed and grew through the experience. Pick one, and describe the skills of the author that you notice and think are helpful, then describe how one or both of these stories relate to the kind of physician that you want to be. (250-500 words)

Consider three areas of integrity: personal, professional, and intellectual. Using an example, describe how these areas may be interrelated. In your response include why the connection between these areas is significant. (250-500 words)

 

[Mavs88]

OOS secondary received.

 

[Yewnorkk]

I can't access the secondary from work. Is it the same as last year?

 

[ahs06]

Kind of a weird question. For the Professional Schools application, they ask what you plan to do between graduation and anticipated enrollment. It's a year from now and I can't possibly know yet. What should I say?

Edit: It's not a short answer type thing. They give you a space for the name of the activity, city, state, etc.

 

[Amorphous]

Just a heads up: I got the secondary invite email in my spam folder. Good thing I checked otherwise I wouldn't have found it haha

 

[EbolaOnMyMind]

Kind of a weird question. For the Professional Schools application, they ask what you plan to do between graduation and anticipated enrollment. It's a year from now and I can't possibly know yet. What should I say?

Edit: It's not a short answer type thing. They give you a space for the name of the activity, city, state, etc.

I made something up basically. They can't really hold you to it.

 

[ab77]

anyone else still waiting on this secondary?

 

[finestein]

secondary submitted!

 

[Amorphous]

so if it says "please limit your response to 250-500 words", does that mean it has to fall within that range? I answered the additional info and med student essay in <250 words but I think they're concise enough.

 

[sandstorm223]

OOS here, just received the secondary!

 

[orangetea]

I am in love with this school.. literally refreshing my email until I hear back. Good luck you guys <3

 

[moemoekyun]

so if it says "please limit your response to 250-500 words", does that mean it has to fall within that range? I answered the additional info and med student essay in <250 words but I think they're concise enough.

I emailed them about that earlier, asking if less than 250 words is ok for some prompts, and they said "Your application represents what you want to share with the committee, so of course you may choose as few or as many words as you deem essential." So to me, I guess they don't mind if it's less than 250, they just don't want 5 page essays.

 

[Amorphous]

Secondary submitted . I go here for undergrad and would love to stay!

 

[Mavs88]

So, on that essay where we have to read the two essays...what does the title "non-adherent - a four letter word" mean...clearly I'm not smart enough to get how that's 4 letters or what they're referring to instead

 

[finestein]

Four letter word refers to a curse word, many of which are four letters. So it's saying nonadherent is a very bad thing

 

[Mavs88]

Four letter word refers to a curse word, many of which are four letters. So it's saying nonadherent is a very bad thing

well **** i didn't even think of that

 

[mauroz]

In state interview invite! Words cannot express the gratitude I have for this opportunity. One of my reach schools!

 

[orangetea]

In state interview invite! Words cannot express the gratitude I have for this opportunity. One of my reach schools!

When were you complete and what are your stats if you dont mind. congrats!!!

 

[mauroz]

Complete July 15. LizzyM ~71

 

[hihimedmed]

In state interview invite! Words cannot express the gratitude I have for this opportunity. One of my reach schools!

Congrats on the II! I have just a quick question, was the number that called you for the invite from an UNKNOWN number or a 352 number?

 

[Sofia242]

Looks like that's a Gainesville Code, so very likely!

 

[Sofia242]

Oh wait, definitely read that message wrong

 

[mauroz]

Congrats on the II! I have just a quick question, was the number that called you for the invite from an UNKNOWN number or a 352 number?

Yes it was a 352 number, I wasn't able to answer the first time so they left a message with the callback number as well. Did you get the call?

 

[diabolicaldoc]

For the question that had us read the two essays, what do you all think is meant by "describe the skills of the author that you notice and think are helpful"? Am I correct in thinking it means the writing techniques the author employs to make their point?

 

[ab77]

For the question that had us read the two essays, what do you all think is meant by "describe the skills of the author that you notice and think are helpful"? Am I correct in thinking it means the writing techniques the author employs to make their point?

pretty sure they mean their skills as a physician that were helpful during their care for the patient

 

[diabolicaldoc]

pretty sure they mean their skills as a physician that were helpful during their care for the patient

You think? That was my first thought before I read the essays, but then they seem to be more about things the authors were doing wrong until they realized the error of their ways. Like in the second one about the noncompliant patient, the author is talking more about their frustration and assumptions than the things they did as a physician. I suppose you could say something about how, for that essay, the author may have been frustrated but they did not actually take out their frustrations on the patient?

The other thing that makes me think maybe it's more about writing technique is the question says "skills of the author" rather than the "skills of the physician". haha sorry maybe I am reading too much into this but any help would be appreciated!

 

[ab77]

You think? That was my first thought before I read the essays, but then they seem to be more about things the authors were doing wrong until they realized the error of their ways. Like in the second one about the noncompliant patient, the author is talking more about their frustration and assumptions than the things they did as a physician. I suppose you could say something about how, for that essay, the author may have been frustrated but they did not actually take out their frustrations on the patient?

The other thing that makes me think maybe it's more about writing technique is the question says "skills of the author" rather than the "skills of the physician". haha sorry maybe I am reading too much into this but any help would be appreciated!

well it is a med school secondary so I think they're more interested in your analysis of the medicine rather than the rhetoric. A lot can be said about their skills as physicians despite the errors described. but if you're still confused then you could always call them to clarify

 

[polarbearpractitioner]

For those of you complete, about how long was the delay between you submitting your application and UF uploading the LORs from AMCAS? Thanks

 

[dl10d]

I submitted mine on the 13th and it still says my letters haven't been uploaded yet :/ Anybody else in the same boat as us?

 

[-----MD]

Anyone else have this issue? I am writing about the prompt with the 2 essays, and i don't see any reference to the first student's gender. No idea what pronouns to use....

 

[mauroz]

Anyone else have this issue? I am writing about the prompt with the 2 essays, and i don't see any reference to the first student's gender. No idea what pronouns to use....

I referred to the student as "the student"

 

[-----MD]

I did that too initially but it gets awkward. I think Im gonna choose one and indicate at the bottom that I choose the pronoun for sake of clarification.

 

[polarbearpractitioner]

I submitted mine on the 13th and it still says my letters haven't been uploaded yet :/ Anybody else in the same boat as us?

I submitted mine on the 17th. So ya, just waiting to see if anyone complete can tell us how long the delay may be?

 

[orangetea]

I got complete literally the day after... but now I am praying for an II

 

[polarbearpractitioner]

I got complete literally the day after... but now I am praying for an II

Oh dang. Lucky you then. Based on what I've seen, IIs don't usually go out until August so you're good! I hope I'm complete before then. Good luck!

 

[tygerguy]

Definitely write about the strengths of the authors characteristics that help him/her be a better doctor, not a better writer. This school does not look for applicants who are clever and can detect semantic tricks, it looks for applicants who would care about their patients. I can say this with absolutely 100% certainty. For pronouns, it shouldn't be a big issue. You can avoid them, do what I did in this post, or choose something else.

If you want to know how an accepted student wrote this, then... I used"the author", him or her", and "he or she". I just reread my essay and I noticed I also spent a lot of time talking about the neath care system in general, myself, and the patient in the story. It's probably more important, since this is your application and not that authors, that admissions folks can see how this applies to you. Don't think you have to talk specifically about the author the entire time.

 

[EbolaOnMyMind]

Just got the call for an interview! Where do you fly into? I feel like it would cost a ton just b/c the airport in Gville is so small...

 

[misterwives]

Just got the call for an interview! Where do you fly into? I feel like it would cost a ton just b/c the airport in Gville is so small...

Congrats!!!!! Mind sharing stats? When did you submit/were complete?

 

[Carmen_Sandiego8]

Just got the call for an interview! Where do you fly into? I feel like it would cost a ton just b/c the airport in Gville is so small...

I would recommend flying to Orlando and making the drive, Orlando is the closest major airport. Tampa and Jacksonville are a bit further and have smaller airports.

 

[EbolaOnMyMind]

I would recommend flying to Orlando and making the drive, Orlando is the closest major airport. Tampa and Jacksonville are a bit further and have smaller airports.

Problem is I don't have a car/license. I got a flight for $319 into gainesville, staying with friends and getting picked up at the airport. It would have been $80 cheaper into Jax or Orlando but I would have had to rent a car anyway. So it would have been even pricing.