2017-2018 Duke University

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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Lucca

Lucca

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Regular MD prompts:

Describe the community in which you were nurtured or spent the majority of your early development with respect to its demographics. What core values did you receive and how will these translate into the contributions that you hope to make to your community as a medical student and to your career in medicine? What improvements do you think might make the described community better? 600 words

Describe a situation where you have chosen to advocate for someone who is different from yourself. What does advocacy mean to you and how has your advocacy developed? How do you see it linked to your role as a physician/leader? What risks, if any, might be associated with your choice to be an advocate? 600 words

What has been your most humbling experience and how will that experience affect your interactions with your peers and patients? 600 words

What qualities will you bring to the practice of medicine? 600 words

Describe a situation where you failed. What did you learn from the experience? Describe at least one functional impact of the experience. 600 words

What role has research had in your preparation for medicine? 250 words

Good luck to everyone applying!
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How strict is the sociolgy course requirement? MSAR says all classes are 'recommended.' In addition - I self studied sociology, so I'm trying to figure out if that's enough.
 
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Will be a MS1 here in the fall. Happy to answer questions about the application process, and about Duke in general (though answers may be limited until school starts in a month or so).
 
JeneralG said:
How strict is the sociolgy course requirement? MSAR says all classes are 'recommended.' In addition - I self studied sociology, so I'm trying to figure out if that's enough.
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if mSAR says recommended it's not required; a good behavioral sciences MCAT section will still put you in a good place. maybe take another humanities/social science in addition to gen psych
 
Also an incoming MS1 and went to Duke for undergrad, happy to answer questions about Duke/Durham etc! 🙂

MC_Infarction said:
Will be a MS1 here in the fall. Happy to answer questions about the application process, and about Duke in general (though answers may be limited until school starts in a month or so).
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Nalsjewels said:
Also an incoming MS1 and went to Duke for undergrad, happy to answer questions about Duke/Durham etc! 🙂
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Tell me one thing I must do to guarantee me a spot at Duke!

On a serious note, what is the incoming class distribution in regards to trads vs nontrads? I am a nontrad so I prefer a school that has a relatively good representation of nontrads.
 
Nalsjewels said:
Also an incoming MS1 and went to Duke for undergrad, happy to answer questions about Duke/Durham etc! 🙂
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I know interviews at duke are MMIs. Were you ever asked about your secondaries or is that totally for internal consideration?
 
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In all seriousness, I would say don't skimp on those secondary essays (or that PS)- Duke's are for sure a killer but I think they are trying to weed out people who aren't willing to make the effort, especially when feeling that secondary essay burnout. It took me well over a week to write mine and Duke's was the last secondary I finished because the secondary essays took so long to write meaningful answers/I was procrastinating...I actually submitted my secondary 2 days before the official deadline because of that, which I really don't recommend.

As for the ratio of trads to non-trads, I am not exactly sure, you might want to reach out to the admissions office for that. But from an anecdotal perspective, I would say of my fellow interviewees and current students I know or met on interview day, most of them had at least one gap year. I also know several current students offhand who are career changers/in their late 20s or early 30s. My initial sense is Duke values that.

NarutoMD said:
Tell me one thing I must do to guarantee me a spot at Duke!

On a serious note, what is the incoming class distribution in regards to trads vs nontrads? I am a nontrad so I prefer a school that has a relatively good representation of nontrads.
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I can't say what was on the MMI (they make all interviewees sign a non-disclosure agreement). What I will say is that MMI interview portion is the only part where you will be asked questions on your interview day and that it is very different from the traditional interview. And be prepared for anything.

7331poas said:
I know interviews at duke are MMIs. Were you ever asked about your secondaries or is that totally for internal consideration?
Click to expand...
 
NarutoMD said:
Tell me one thing I must do to guarantee me a spot at Duke!

On a serious note, what is the incoming class distribution in regards to trads vs nontrads? I am a nontrad so I prefer a school that has a relatively good representation of nontrads.
Click to expand...
For what it's worth, I'm pretty non-traditional (multiple years out of undergrad, career changer), and Duke showed me some love. 🙂
I feel like the class skews towards traditional/1-2 gap years (though said gap years are becoming more and more the norm) based upon what I could tell from MSAR and the age distribution of the class listed on there. I don't have access to the MSAR currently, but I would check that to get an idea of the ratio. However, I know there's at least a decent representation of non-trads -- or else I wouldn't have applied!
 
Nalsjewels said:
Also an incoming MS1 and went to Duke for undergrad, happy to answer questions about Duke/Durham etc! 🙂
Click to expand...

Do you have any info on the primary care track that is not already listed on their website?
 
Sorry I don't really know much about it other than that people I know doing it really like the longitudinal clerkships during their second year. And at least for this year's class, we were offered to apply to PCLT after being admitted.

bengirlxD said:
Do you have any info on the primary care track that is not already listed on their website?
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Yeah, these secondaries are arguably some of the toughest...

Spent a lot of time reflecting the past few days... phew!
 
bengirlxD said:
I see we following the same format on our sigs!
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I saw people doing it and liked the idea of seeing where everyone was at throughout the cycle... You know - the spirit of this website!

I think I used someone's for reference... to be honest it could have been yours, lol. Hope that's okay!! *nervous laugh*
 
DrivenAndDangerous said:
I saw people doing it and liked the idea of seeing where everyone was at throughout the cycle... You know - the spirit of this website!

I think I used someone's for reference... to be honest it could have been yours, lol. Hope that's okay!! *nervous laugh*
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Haha it's all good my man
 
Just submitted! I'm going to try to prewrite as well. I know I'll have questions for the Duke students!


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Submitted last week. Took a week of and I guess I should get to pre-writing based on all this secondary talk lol
 
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7331poas said:
Just get moving. You wont regret it. I am applying to like 25 schools and I have nearly 80% done. Its going to feel so good copying and pasting my secondary responses on the first day of the cycle 🙂
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Yep. And I start classes, a new job, and a new and research project next week. If only I could find the dedication right now (on a road trip - computer is open, but I can't concentrate )


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
They refer to them as "expectations" and it appears that they are not an absolute requirement. They reference the regular MD site, and here are the FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions | Duke School of Medicine
with this: "We no longer have per-requisites for course completion at DukeMed. The choice of appropriate courses is the student’s and should prepare them not only for the new MCATs but also broadly for the environment in which students will increasingly be expected to practice medicine. Any judgment about your preparation in this area will be based on the MCAT performance, the inclusion of sociology/psychology-based exposure(s) in your list of activities, the quality and breadth/depth of your essays, and if you are invited to interview, how these exposures contribute to mature discussions with our MMI raters and interactions during the interview day with faculty and students."

I have not taken Psych/Soc, but have a broad humanities background and did mentoring/counseling (with training), and scored well on the Psych/Soc of MCAT, so I hope I fulfill those "expectations"
 
DBC03 said:
They refer to them as "expectations" and it appears that they are not an absolute requirement. They reference the regular MD site, and here are the FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions | Duke School of Medicine
with this: "We no longer have per-requisites for course completion at DukeMed. The choice of appropriate courses is the student’s and should prepare them not only for the new MCATs but also broadly for the environment in which students will increasingly be expected to practice medicine. Any judgment about your preparation in this area will be based on the MCAT performance, the inclusion of sociology/psychology-based exposure(s) in your list of activities, the quality and breadth/depth of your essays, and if you are invited to interview, how these exposures contribute to mature discussions with our MMI raters and interactions during the interview day with faculty and students."

I have not taken Psych/Soc, but have a broad humanities background and did mentoring/counseling (with training), and scored well on the Psych/Soc of MCAT, so I hope I fulfill those "expectations"
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Thanks man! Didn't think to look at their FAQs.
 
Anecdotal evidence: Never took a psych class. Was accepted.
 
Just received the secondary invite.
------
@Lucca
Regular MD prompts:

Describe the community in which you were nurtured or spent the majority of your early development with respect to its demographics. What core values did you receive and how will these translate into the contributions that you hope to make to your community as a medical student and to your career in medicine? What improvements do you think might make the described community better? 600 words

Describe a situation where you have chosen to advocate for someone who is different from yourself. What does advocacy mean to you and how has your advocacy developed? How do you see it linked to your role as a physician/leader? What risks, if any, might be associated with your choice to be an advocate? 600 words

What has been your most humbling experience and how will that experience affect your interactions with your peers and patients? 600 words

What qualities will you bring to the practice of medicine? 600 words

Describe a situation where you failed. What did you learn from the experience? Describe at least one functional impact of the experience. 600 words

What role has research had in your preparation for medicine? 250 words
 
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This secondary makes me want to cry 😱

Also, I believe this prompt is also mandatory:

Tell us more about who you are. You may provide additional information that expands your self-identity where gender identification, racial and/or ethnic self description, geographic origin, socioeconomic, academic, and/or other characteristics that define who you are as you contemplate a career that will interface with people who are similar AND dissimilar to you. You will have the opportunity below to tell us how you wish to be addressed, recognized and treated. (500 words)
 
enchantediris said:
This secondary makes me want to cry 😱

Also, I believe this prompt is also mandatory:

Tell us more about who you are. You may provide additional information that expands your self-identity where gender identification, racial and/or ethnic self description, geographic origin, socioeconomic, academic, and/or other characteristics that define who you are as you contemplate a career that will interface with people who are similar AND dissimilar to you. You will have the opportunity below to tell us how you wish to be addressed, recognized and treated. (500 words)
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I have no idea how to address this one, considering everything else written in AMCAS and the many other secondary essays in this application. Any suggestions?
 
enchantediris said:
This secondary makes me want to cry 😱

Also, I believe this prompt is also mandatory:

Tell us more about who you are. You may provide additional information that expands your self-identity where gender identification, racial and/or ethnic self description, geographic origin, socioeconomic, academic, and/or other characteristics that define who you are as you contemplate a career that will interface with people who are similar AND dissimilar to you. You will have the opportunity below to tell us how you wish to be addressed, recognized and treated. (500 words)
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Nice catch, silly me only checked the "Essay Questions" section... lol

Good luck writing, everybody!

Edit: also, anybody know what the "files" section under Additional Considerations is meant for? It's optional, but I didn't see them list any examples and was curious.
 
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OK, this has been bothering me for two weeks now (since I looked at last year's secondaries). How are you all approaching the advocacy prompt? I'm an older applicant and i feel like I certainly have life experiences that are appropriate, but I'm blanking.
 
JeneralG said:
I have no idea how to address this one, considering everything else written in AMCAS and the many other secondary essays in this application. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

no idea how to answer this! everything i think of is already talked about somewhere else!
 
does anyone know the guidelines for the "additional considerations"- they provide 3 categories: 1. Publications that have been accepted 2. Elections to honorary society, service or travel awards 3. Any social or academic infraction that would adversely affect your application.

Do these only apply to things that have changed since submitting the primary app? for example, if publications are already listed on the AMCAS app, should they be added here again? or only if its new?
 
Are you going to write a Why Duke? essay for the space left open for additional info to consider? I feel like I should but this secondary is already kicking my butt.
 
Does Duke screen, or did everyone who was transmitted get a secondary invite today?
 
Is there anyone here who hasn't received a secondary from this school yet?
 
foucault said:
I haven't received one yet
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If it helps, I chose one "throwaway" school to get verified and added Duke and one other school the day I got verified, which was something like June 22 (or around that date). I didn't receive a secondary until June 5. Maybe they are going in order that they have received them? How long ago did you get verified or add them to your application?
 
Been pushing this secondary on the back burner. Don't want to start this monster at all!!
 
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