2017-2018 Virginia Commonwealth University

[gyngyn]

Imagine that you are a volunteer premed working in a free clinic that serves a large immigrant population. Your duties include taking the patients’ medical history. Today you are working with an elderly patient who does not speak English and the adult son is translating for his mother. You notice that he is answering many of the questions for her without translating. During the conversation, the son tells you that if his mother has cancer he does not want her to know because the news “will kill her”. He says that in his family he speaks for the elderly mother and does not want a translator. How will you approach this situation? (You may seek help to answer this question.)

There's also a re-applicant essay (if applicable) and fmSTAT essays (if you want to do Family practice):

1. Describe the doctor you want to be and discuss how a career in family medicine will help you achieve that. (2500 characters)

2. Describe your concept of what Family Medicine is and tell us what specific influence led you to this understanding? (2500 characters)

Good luck to everyone applying!

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[RockyMountainMD]

Hey everyone, good luck! I'm an M2 at VCU. I'm willing to answer any questions you have about VCU specifically or any generic questions about med school/applying. PM me if you want to ask something!


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[shollisgrant]

Hello. I'm not sure how to PM, but what were the stats for VCU's class of 2021?

 

[RockyMountainMD]

Hello. I'm not sure how to PM, but what were the stats for VCU's class of 2021?

Well people are still being accepted off the waitlist so they haven't released the class profile yet. But it's likely going to be similar to last year's entering class. Ballpark numbers:

About 10,000 applicants
Average MCAT- about 510
Average GPA- about 3.7
Half the class is OOS

Everyone has exceptionally strong ECs and interpersonal skills...VCU puts a very heavy emphasis on these



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[Renomitsu]

Everyone has exceptionally strong ECs and interpersonal skills...VCU puts a very heavy emphasis on these

I was accepted this cycle and went to the Financial Aid Workshop/day last week (my first chance to meet part of my class) -- I agree with this completely. Everyone I spoke with, from current students to my incoming class, had a great story to tell; the class also has diversity in every sense of the word. Also, thanks for providing your support to VCU applicants throughout the cycle last year!

I can't say much of anything insofar as the curriculum and day-to-day life obviously, but I'm happy to answer general questions about the interview day since VCU just started doing MMI this past cycle.

 

[PatchA]

I was accepted this cycle and went to the Financial Aid Workshop/day last week (my first chance to meet part of my class) -- I agree with this completely. Everyone I spoke with, from current students to my incoming class, had a great story to tell; the class also has diversity in every sense of the word. Also, thanks for providing your support to VCU applicants throughout the cycle last year!

I can't say much of anything insofar as the curriculum and day-to-day life obviously, but I'm happy to answer general questions about the interview day since VCU just started doing MMI this past cycle.

+1 to all of this! Excited to go to a school with so many interesting people. Also happy to answer any questions for which I'm qualified, which, as an incoming m1 is basically just the app process

Best of luck to all applying!

 

[Sixsuit]

Hey everyone, good luck! I'm an M2 at VCU. I'm willing to answer any questions you have about VCU specifically or any generic questions about med school/applying. PM me if you want to ask something!


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Do most students live close to campus in Richmond?

 

[RockyMountainMD]

Do most students live close to campus in Richmond?

Yup, most people live in one of the following neighborhoods: shockoe bottom, the fan, church hill or Downtown. Though, a decent number live outside the city in nicer areas and commute, myself included


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[Sixsuit]

Yup, most people live in one of the following neighborhoods: shockoe bottom, the fan, church hill or Downtown. Though, a decent number live outside the city in nicer areas and commute, myself included


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That's great to hear. My wife is a born and raised suburbanite, so having other students in the same area is a huge plus! Thanks for the response

 

[docchocolate]

Hey everyone, good luck! I'm an M2 at VCU. I'm willing to answer any questions you have about VCU specifically or any generic questions about med school/applying. PM me if you want to ask something!


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VCU is in my top 3, so I'm really excited about applying. I'm curious what the culture is like there among the students. Is it hyper-competitive, do you all generally get along well?

 

[RockyMountainMD]

VCU is in my top 3, so I'm really excited about applying. I'm curious what the culture is like there among the students. Is it hyper-competitive, do you all generally get along well?

VCU recently removed the preclinical ranking system, essentially leaving no motive to out perform one another. The class in general is very cooperative and gets along well!


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[eyejust]

Any idea of when the secondary is slated to be released?

 

[Future VOL Doctor]

Any idea of when the secondary is slated to be released?

According to MSAR, VCU says that July 3rd will be the first day that an applicant can submit the secondary application. If the information is correct, secondaries should be starting to be sent out today sometime

 

[Future VOL Doctor]

Looking forward to the possibility of interviewing at this school! One of my top 3 choices!

 

[mhdenecke]

@

Space reserved for prompt.

Please post the essays or lack thereof (in addition to word or character counts) in this thread and tag one of the pre-allo mods (WedgeDawg, Ismet, Lucca, or gyngyn) so we can update the OP.

Good luck to everyone applying!

Imagine that you are a volunteer premed working in a free clinic that serves a large immigrant population. Your duties include taking the patients’ medical history. Today you are working with an elderly patient who does not speak English and the adult son is translating for his mother. You notice that he is answering many of the questions for her without translating. During the conversation, the son tells you that if his mother has cancer he does not want her to know because the news “will kill her”. He says that in his family he speaks for the elderly mother and does not want a translator. How will you approach this situation? (You may seek help to answer this question.)

 

[dmk2wa]

Secondary received! Time to start typing

 

[DrDwayneJohnson]

There's also a re-applicant essay (if applicable) and fmSTAT essays (if you want to do Family practice):

1. Describe the doctor you want to be and discuss how a career in family medicine will help you achieve that. (2500 characters)

2. Describe your concept of what Family Medicine is and tell us what specific influence led you to this understanding? (2500 characters)

And there's a 2000 character limit for the one required essay @gyngyn

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

Anyone else having issues with the log in? I set up a new password when I went in and opened the secondary, but tried to log back in later and neither the initial PIN nor my new password are working. And the "forgot password" option only seems to work for 2017 applicants. I figure I'll probably leave it alone for a while in case it's just a system glitch before bugging anyone in admissions about it.

 

[tennisgurl]

Do they send the secondaries out in batches?
Also, did people get an email saying that VCU got their primary app before receiving the secondary?

 

[TCamp]

Secondary received around 11:00 AM

 

[DrDwayneJohnson]

Do they send the secondaries out in batches?
Also, did people get an email saying that VCU got their primary app before receiving the secondary?

Nope, just the secondary!


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[IWillMakeIt1]

@


Imagine that you are a volunteer premed working in a free clinic that serves a large immigrant population. Your duties include taking the patients’ medical history. Today you are working with an elderly patient who does not speak English and the adult son is translating for his mother. You notice that he is answering many of the questions for her without translating. During the conversation, the son tells you that if his mother has cancer he does not want her to know because the news “will kill her”. He says that in his family he speaks for the elderly mother and does not want a translator. How will you approach this situation? (You may seek help to answer this question.)

How many characters? 2000? thanks

 

[tennisgurl]

Nope, just the secondary!


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Thank you!

 

[COMMANDER CLOWN]

No secondary here guess I didn't pass the screen

 

[bengirlxD]

No secondary here guess I didn't pass the screen

I didn't get one either. No worries I'm sure they are rolling out within the next few weeks.

 

[mhdenecke]

How many characters? 2000? thanks

Yeah, 2000 characters

 

[DrDwayneJohnson]

Anyone else having issues with the log in? I set up a new password when I went in and opened the secondary, but tried to log back in later and neither the initial PIN nor my new password are working. And the "forgot password" option only seems to work for 2017 applicants. I figure I'll probably leave it alone for a while in case it's just a system glitch before bugging anyone in admissions about it.

I had the same issue. I just closed out and tried logging back in using my old pin (didn't work) and my new password (worked). Not exactly the most tech-savvy solution to your problem, but "turn it off and turn it back on" has been my go to move for the past 23 years lol.

 

[ihadahamsandwich]

There's also a re-applicant essay (if applicable) and fmSTAT essays (if you want to do Family practice):

1. Describe the doctor you want to be and discuss how a career in family medicine will help you achieve that. (2500 characters)

2. Describe your concept of what Family Medicine is and tell us what specific influence led you to this understanding? (2500 characters)

And there's a 2000 character limit for the one required essay @gyngyn

Can you share what the reapplicant essay is?

 

[eyejust]

Y'all, am I just overthinking this prompt? The fact that it says "volunteer premed" complicates it for me, because I'm not sure if we should be addressing our positionality as a non-medical professional in the situation, or if we should just talk about the patient autonomy and cultural competency issues being presented.

 

[DrDwayneJohnson]

If you previously applied to VCU SOM:

Have you previously applied to our School of Medicine?

Yes/No If checked, enter year:
If yes, what additional qualifications do you have? Limit 150 Characters.

This next essay may not specifically be a re-applicant essay, but I'm assuming it can be used for reapps who didn't previously apply to VCU:

Please briefly explain any lapses in your undergraduate education; include any in enrollment during your undergraduate education and/or any gaps between undergraduate education and applying to medical school. (example: poor grades, multiple withdraws, health reasons, etc.)

 

[tennisgurl]

I didn't get one either. No worries I'm sure they are rolling out within the next few weeks.

I was worried as well! However, I called VCU and they said that today was their first day sending out secondaries and that there is plenty of time to get a secondary. They told me that they have not reviewed all the primaries yet and it will be sent out on a rolling basis.

 

[DrDwayneJohnson]

Please briefly explain any lapses in your undergraduate education; include any in enrollment during your undergraduate education and/or any gaps between undergraduate education and applying to medical school. (example: poor grades, multiple withdraws, health reasons, etc.)

I guess I am second guessing what I said earlier about this being a general re-applicant essay. I think this is asking more about Ws on transcripts, time away from the middle of your application, if you're non-trad, etc. I graduated in May, so there's not really a gap in my education and applying. Thinking I should leave it blank. Thoughts from the group?

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

I had the same issue. I just closed out and tried logging back in using my old pin (didn't work) and my new password (worked). Not exactly the most tech-savvy solution to your problem, but "turn it off and turn it back on" has been my go to move for the past 23 years lol.

Unfortunately doesn't seem to be helping this time around. I've tried every possible typo I can think of I might have made while entering in the new password with no luck either. Sent admissions an email so hopefully it'll get resolved soon enough.

I guess I am second guessing what I said earlier about this being a general re-applicant essay. I think this is asking more about Ws on transcripts, time away from the middle of your application, if you're non-trad, etc. I graduated in May, so there's not really a gap in my education and applying. Thinking I should leave it blank. Thoughts from the group?

I think it would be an appropriate place to indicate your plans for the year before matriculation. I'll be two years out by the time I matriculate so I'm planning to use it as a place to talk about what I've been up to.

 

[COMMANDER CLOWN]

Received an email a few minutes ago with my log in to the portal, but no secondary essays are available for me in the portal. It just says "
Your application has been received by the VCU School of Medicine and now will begin the process of evaluation. " . Has anyone else here (including those who got secondaries) received this email?

 

[twentyeightmiles]

It's strange to get an ethical situation very similar to one I've actually been in...

Silly question, but are we application year 2018 (since that's the year we're applying to enter) or 2017 (since that's the current year)?

 

[JoJustGotHisScores]

It's strange to get an ethical situation very similar to one I've actually been in...

Silly question, but are we application year 2018 (since that's the year we're applying to enter) or 2017 (since that's the current year)?

2018.

 

[DrDwayneJohnson]

Received an email a few minutes ago with my log in to the portal, but no secondary essays are available for me in the portal. It just says "
Your application has been received by the VCU School of Medicine and now will begin the process of evaluation. " . Has anyone else here (including those who got secondaries) received this email?

Received secondary email, which began by saying: The School of Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University on the Medical College of Virginia Campus has received your preliminary application from AMCAS. You may check your application status any time on our website at https://appportal.som.vcu.edu.

It's strange to get an ethical situation very similar to one I've actually been in...

Silly question, but are we application year 2018 (since that's the year we're applying to enter) or 2017 (since that's the current year)?

Yes, we are in 2018

 

[Potentia Virtus]

Secondary received. If they don't send out secondaries all at once, do they screen? If ALL applicants receive secondaries, why don't they all get them automatically?

 

[ihadahamsandwich]

Received an email a few minutes ago with my log in to the portal, but no secondary essays are available for me in the portal. It just says "
Your application has been received by the VCU School of Medicine and now will begin the process of evaluation. " . Has anyone else here (including those who got secondaries) received this email?

I got this email, and when I checked the portal found that I had been invited to complete the secondary. I didn't get any other email that I got the secondary so I was confused at first.

 

[Akela98]

Secondary received. If they don't send out secondaries all at once, do they screen? If ALL applicants receive secondaries, why don't they all get them automatically?

It says on their website that select applicants receive a secondary so I assume they are prescreening

 

[bengirlxD]

Secondary received today!

 

[H_Scheck]

It says on their website that select applicants receive a secondary so I assume they are prescreening

MSAR has a document with all the schools that screen I lost the link but VCU was one of them.

 

[SirCourageWolf]

Screened pre-secondary. 502 MCAT, 3.7 GPA. Strong VA ties.

 

[DecisionTime2017]

Screened pre-secondary. 502 MCAT, 3.7 GPA. Strong VA ties.

Are those their screens (if so, source?) or are they your stats?

 

[CyrusHabs7695]

not 100% sure, but by looking at the MCAT stats on MSAR, it looks like their MCAT screen might be 503

 

[teamoteamo]

Received an email a few minutes ago with my log in to the portal, but no secondary essays are available for me in the portal. It just says "
Your application has been received by the VCU School of Medicine and now will begin the process of evaluation. " . Has anyone else here (including those who got secondaries) received this email?

Yep! And when I clicked on the link that they referred to in checking my status, the first thing that popped up stated that they granted me a secondary. So I'd click on the link and see if they've done the same for you.

 

[teamoteamo]

not 100% sure, but by looking at the MCAT stats on MSAR, it looks like their MCAT screen might be 503

I attended their open house a year or two ago, and their no-bs adcom said 503 would be their cutoff. Exceptions may be made for in-state residents since they love their Virginians.

 

[SirCourageWolf]

I attended their open house a year or two ago, and their no-bs adcom said 503 would be their cutoff. Exceptions may be made for in-state residents since they love their Virginians.

I've heard this to be true of EVMS as well, although I haven't called to confirm.

 

[Potentia Virtus]

.

 

[Kingsmen2018]

I submitted, but they didn't send a confirmation email or anything. and the portal doesn't say anything. Anyone else?