2015-2016 University of Texas - Southwestern Application Thread

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Ismet

Ismet

Full Member
Moderator Emeritus
Verified Member
10+ Year Member
Physician
Joined
May 15, 2011
Messages
9,907
Reaction score
10,037
This year's prompts:

1. If you think that one or more of the following interests apply to you, check the appropriate box(es) and list specific experiences (academic, co-curricular, employment, personal, etc.) related to and supportive of this interest in the text box provided below. Do not use a paragraph format; list in bulleted format.

Interested in establishing a medical practice in an underserved area
Interested in a career in research
Interested in a career in teaching
Interested in a career in primary care medicine

2. In the text box provided below, describe the setting in which you envision conducting your medical career. Also include how and why you think this setting would help fulfill your interests related to the practice of medicine.

Good luck to everyone applying! :luck:
Members don't see this ad.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
One of the gems in TX!!! I hope I stand a chance to interview here at least!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Just finished and submitted II... Here's to praying for an interview.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Members don't see this ad :)
Does UTSW send a "Complete" email? Or are we just supposed to call?
 
How many bullets did you list? They give you quite a bit of room for that section.
 
@Cawolf, not sure which one of us you're asking, but I had 3-6 bullet points for each area. Altogether, my bullet points were ~2500 characters (including spaces).
 
Thanks @SweetCaroline7, it was just a general question.

This is my first secondary and I was surprised to see a bullet point question!
 
No problem @Cawolf! :) I was also surprised when I saw the format. I listed the experiences that related to each interest and then very quickly (< 1 sentence or within the same sentence as the experience) summarizing how that experience supports my interest. I hope that's the right way to do it because I would love an interview here! :love:
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I listed several activities (4-6) under each and then had 2-3 bullet points under each activity to describe them in more detail and how it related to the category
 
For those that this may apply to......when you entered the pre-req coursework for the secondary, did you have retakes? If so did you list the highest grade received for the course? Also, if you have multiple options to fulfill a required pre-req category (BIOL, CHEM, ENGL etc.) did you also choose the highest grades received there as well?

I doubt any of this is really important, just wanted to get everyone's opinion.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
@swivelj

I personally chose the course I thought best fit the requirement.

For me this would be the highest grade course that fits the bill.

Did you notice there wasn't a section asking for Biochemistry, even though the website says it is a pre-req? The secondary question must not have been updated.

The website asks for a half year general chemistry, one year organic, and half year biochemistry; while the secondary has one year of general and one year of organic.
 
Cawolf said:
@swivelj

I personally chose the course I thought best fit the requirement.

For me this would be the highest grade course that fits the bill.

Did you notice there wasn't a section asking for Biochemistry, even though the website says it is a pre-req? The secondary question must not have been updated.

The website asks for a half year general chemistry, one year organic, and half year biochemistry; while the secondary has one year of general and one year of organic.
Click to expand...


I did see that, I guess we just fill it out as instructed..... it seems like this part of the secondary is really pointless.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
pepocho said:
On the first part of application, where you guys are listing if you are interesting in research, teaching, working in an underserved area, how are you guys formatting in it?
I saw it said bullet point format, but I am taking the time to explain why this experience make me interested. For example, this is how I am formatting it

Interested in working in an underserved area
-Working as a worker - BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAH...etc
-was a hobo for 14 years -BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAH...etc

how are you guys doing it?
Click to expand...

I did what you did without the Blah blah explanation. Didn't think they were looking for deetz.
 
Secondary submitted. The first of many, many...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
simplesloth said:
I was just poking around UTSW's website, and found this exchange program with a university in Paris, which sounds pretty interesting: http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/education/medical-school/academics/global/exchange-opportunities.html

Any chance there's any current UTSW students lurking this thread that have any experience with this program that can comment on what it was like?

Also, does anybody else know what other schools in Texas offer as far as international rotations? Thanks!
Click to expand...

I am from France and one of my friends from there participated in the UTSW program. She particularly liked that medical education here is centered on becoming excellent physicians, rather than being focused on passing the French equivalent of step 1 and 2.
Overall she loved the program, but she was French coming to the US, not the other way around. That would be a GREAT question to ask during an interview though :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
How detailed do y'all think we need to be on the essay about how we envision our career? I currently have a fairly general essay because I honestly do not have a very specific vision for my future, but I could probably come up with one if I needed to.
 
Anybody a reapplicant and have no clue how to rewrite this secondary? I applied 2 cycles ago (pretty late due to a July MCAT) and got waitlisted in the end. I pretty much feel exactly the same about the setting in which I want to practice medicine lol.
I also felt like my essay was pretty solid and answered the prompt fully. :bang:
 
DominusAnulorum said:
How detailed do y'all think we need to be on the essay about how we envision our career? I currently have a fairly general essay because I honestly do not have a very specific vision for my future, but I could probably come up with one if I needed to.
Click to expand...

Do you have multiple visions about your future? Then write detailed descriptions of them

JHUDJA said:
Anybody a reapplicant and have no clue how to rewrite this secondary? I applied 2 cycles ago (pretty late due to a July MCAT) and got waitlisted in the end. I pretty much feel exactly the same about the setting in which I want to practice medicine lol.
I also felt like my essay was pretty solid and answered the prompt fully. :bang:
Click to expand...

Align it with your PS
 
ElCapone said:
Do you have multiple visions about your future? Then write detailed descriptions of them



Align it with your PS
Click to expand...

True. I did revamp my PS, so I can change some of my essay at least. But the scope of my essay will still be the same. I'll see what I can do. :)
 
Just got an 'under review' e-mail.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
pepocho said:
On the first part of application, where you guys are listing if you are interesting in research, teaching, working in an underserved area, how are you guys formatting in it?
I saw it said bullet point format, but I am taking the time to explain why this experience make me interested. For example, this is how I am formatting it

Interested in working in an underserved area
-Working as a worker - BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAH...etc
-was a hobo for 14 years -BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH BLAH...etc

how are you guys doing it?
Click to expand...

Did what you did but did not include descriptions (aka the blah blahs)
 
+1, under review. AHH! Good luck to all!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Submitted everything on my end, but my committee letter won't submit until mid-July unfortunately.
 
Got mine "under review" as well! Just wondering, when did y'all transmit your TMDSAS? I'm wondering if the order really matters for UTSW if everyone who sent their app in before today got the same email.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
For the first question, if I only have one activity to support wanting to practice in an underserved area, should I just not check any box or include the one thing? I went on a medical missions trip to Panama and set up a medical clinic for those without access to healthcare, but other than that I don't have any activities to support wanting to practice in an underserved area.
 
powerup said:
Got mine "under review" as well! Just wondering, when did y'all transmit your TMDSAS? I'm wondering if the order really matters for UTSW if everyone who sent their app in before today got the same email.
Click to expand...
June 1st I had everything for tmdsas in and got the same under review email.
 
DR.MIke said:
For the first question, if I only have one activity to support wanting to practice in an underserved area, should I just not check any box or include the one thing? I went on a medical missions trip to Panama and set up a medical clinic for those without access to healthcare, but other than that I don't have any activities to support wanting to practice in an underserved area.
Click to expand...

Even if it's one activity, if you truly are interested in establishing a practice in an underserved area, i would go ahead and put it. Quality > quantity is usually better anyway.
 
powerup said:
Got mine "under review" as well! Just wondering, when did y'all transmit your TMDSAS? I'm wondering if the order really matters for UTSW if everyone who sent their app in before today got the same email.
Click to expand...
I transmitted on 5/19.
 
The under review email says "If you have submitted your UT Southwestern Secondary Application, a separate acknowledgement will be sent to your email account." Is that just talking about the auto email we received after submitting the secondary?
 
pzbpzbpzb said:
The under review email says "If you have submitted your UT Southwestern Secondary Application, a separate acknowledgement will be sent to your email account." Is that just talking about the auto email we received after submitting the secondary?
Click to expand...

Probably. I doubt we will receive another email for acknowledgement of the secondary other than the auto email.
 
I am struggling with the secondary... I know exactly what I envision for my career as a physician, but I can answer it in just one or two sentences... Are you guys writing close to 3500 characters? It seems like so much. Or is it just me?
 
idontknowwhatnametopick said:
I am struggling with the secondary... I know exactly what I envision for my career as a physician, but I can answer it in just one or two sentences... Are you guys writing close to 3500 characters? It seems like so much. Or is it just me?
Click to expand...

I ended up writing close to 3,500 characters, but I think other people have also written shorter ones. Just as long as you make sure you don't have a lot of fluff, I think just elaborating more on the one or two sentences would be better. Maybe back it up with prior experiences to show that it's not just BS and prove it to them?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
powerup said:
I ended up writing close to 3,500 characters, but I think other people have also written shorter ones. Just as long as you make sure you don't have a lot of fluff, I think just elaborating more on the one or two sentences would be better. Maybe back it up with prior experiences to show that it's not just BS and prove it to them?
Click to expand...
Didn't the bullet point answer and the paragraph answer end up overlapping a lot if you backed it up with experiences? Or does it not matter if it overlaps? To me they just seem like the exact same question.
 
idontknowwhatnametopick said:
Didn't the bullet point answer and the paragraph answer end up overlapping a lot if you backed it up with experiences? Or does it not matter if it overlaps? To me they just seem like the exact same question.
Click to expand...

I also used ~3500 characters. For the first part of the question, my bullet points were succinct and described the experience in about one sentence. In each section, I then added one, also single-sentence bullet point describing how the above bullet-points led to X, Y, or Z that I'd like to pursue in medical school. Then in the essay itself, I expanded on that last bullet point, describing not only "what" but also how, where, and why. There was definitely an overlap between the two, but I tried to keep it short when I referenced a bullet point in the essay portion and expanded upon what I'd like to do in med school/in practice based on what I learned from that experience. I hope that helps!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
SweetCaroline7 said:
I also used ~3500 characters. For the first part of the question, my bullet points were succinct and described the experience in about one sentence. In each section, I then added one, also single-sentence bullet point describing how the above bullet-points led to X, Y, or Z that I'd like to pursue in medical school. Then in the essay itself, I expanded on that last bullet point, describing not only "what" but also how, where, and why. There was definitely an overlap between the two, but I tried to keep it short when I referenced a bullet point in the essay portion and expanded upon what I'd like to do in med school/in practice based on what I learned from that experience. I hope that helps!
Click to expand...
Yes it does thank you so much!
 
submitted secondary, outstate from oklahoma, hoping for some texas love
 
Do y'all think ~1000 characters for the essay about in which setting you envision your career is too short?
 
Last edited:
ejay19955 said:
Do y'all think ~1000 characters for the essay about in which setting you envision your career is too short?
Click to expand...
I'm having a really hard time writing more than that, but I don't feel comfortable submitting something so far below the number of characters allotted. It's completely up to you though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
ejay19955 said:
Do y'all think ~1000 characters for the essay about in which setting you envision your career is too short?
Click to expand...
I think the last thing admissions wants is a bunch of BS added that doesn't actually answer the question. The question is fairly straight forward so I think if you answered it in 1000 characters then you should be fine. I'm having the same problem, and I would rather submit what I have than adding fluff that wasn't in the prompt.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
My essay is only 1500 characters after editing it down from 2000. The people I had as editors seemed to think that a more concise essay fit this particular prompt fairly well.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
idontknowwhatnametopick said:
I'm having a really hard time writing more than that, but I don't feel comfortable submitting something so far below the number of characters allotted. It's completely up to you though.
Click to expand...

giggingthem said:
I think the last thing admissions wants is a bunch of BS added that doesn't actually answer the question. The question is fairly straight forward so I think if you answered it in 1000 characters then you should be fine. I'm having the same problem, and I would rather submit what I have than adding fluff that wasn't in the prompt.
Click to expand...

DominusAnulorum said:
My essay is only 1500 characters after editing it down from 2000. The people I had as editors seemed to think that a more concise essay fit this particular prompt fairly well.
Click to expand...

Thank you all for the advice!
 
Any tips to avoid formatting issues?

For example, I wrote mine as

1. blahblah
- blah

- blah

Would that be fine? I tried to copy and paste from word but it got messed up :/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

wysdoc
2022-2023 UT Southwestern (UTSW)
21 22 23 24 25
Replies
1K
Views
200K
ike654
I
wysdoc
2021-2022 UT Southwestern
3 4 5 6 7
Replies
349
Views
146K
Numpostrophe
Numpostrophe
wysdoc
2022-2023 Texas A&M
10 11 12 13 14
Replies
668
Views
114K
mini_nimi
M
wysdoc
2022-2023 Texas Tech Lubbock
8 9 10 11 12
Replies
578
Views
103K
wysdoc
wysdoc
wysdoc
2022-2023 Texas Tech El Paso (Foster)
5 6 7 8 9
Replies
427
Views
69K
zuzu456
Z
Top