2020-2021 Central Florida

[TheDataKing]

Please tag a pre-allo moderator when the secondary prompt is posted.

Good luck to everyone applying!

Interview Feedback: University of Central Florida

Secondary Prompts 2020-2021:
500 characters
1) If you are NOT a Florida resident, please describe any connection to UCF COM, UCF, or Florida.
2) If you do not expect to spend the academic year enrolled in an academic program, please explain how you will use this time.
3) Have you experienced academic difficulties, had any grades below "B minus," or any course withdrawals while in college?
4) Please let us know, by way of a percentage, how you prepared yourself for the MCAT examination using the following three (3) methods. Your response should add up to 100%.(1) A commercial test preparation service (Kaplan/Princeton Review, etc.); (2) A review course created by an undergraduate institution; (3) Self-study with books and or online resources (Khan Academy, AAMC, etc.). *Your answer should look something like: 30/30/40 = 100%

750 characters:
5) What breakthrough in clinical or research medicine would you like to see occur within the span of your career in medicine? Why?
6) The complexity of healthcare delivery increasingly requires interdisciplinary teamwork. What lessons have you learned from sports, music, business or other experiences have prepared you to succeed in this environment?
7) What profession would you choose if not medicine?
8) Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Possible topics might include, for example: your biggest lessons and insights from the pandemic; creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis; academic or personal hardships you may have faced as a result of the virus or quarantine, etc.
9) Please share with the Admissions Committee why you are interested in UCF COM.

"No more than 2 pages":
Please provide a short essay to help us understand who you are. This essay should be different from your AMCAS Personal Statement. UCF COM places great value on the broad diversity of our students within the classroom. We believe the diverse characteristics of each individual in the class are important factors in serving the educational missions of this school and of our community. Please discuss any unique, personally important and/or challenging experiences in your background that have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and service to others. These may include experiences such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, cultural background, or other significant events or circumstances that you feel have shaped your character and defined you as an individual. We are also interested on your thoughts about what you can contribute to your class and the medical profession in general.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[REL]

Welcome to this thread and to the Lake Nona Medical City. This program has rapidly grown into the leader in the state in M.D. Program outcomes with upper-upper-quartile board scores and research, as well as the state's strongest match lists in the upper echelon specialties (18%) with placements at top residencies across the U.S. These are a product of our very diverse student body that come from around the country (~40 of 120 seats for non-Floridians), our truly integrated curriculum, and collaboration among our students and faculty.

The 7,000 acre Lake Nona Medical City continues to expand rapidly with housing and retail and UCF COM will broke ground on our own hospital this year have joined with Sarah Cannon Cancer to open our own UCF Cancer Research Institute adjacent to the UCF Hospital. We will continue to partner our clinical training with approximately 20 hospitals in the general Central Florida vicinity as well as opportunities in Jacksonville, St Petersburg, and Naples and also expand into Ocala and Gainesville. Merge this with the newer VA Hospital, the amazing Nemours Children's Hospital, and the National VA SimLearn Center for Simulation, the Rosen School for Hospitality and we have partnered to raise the bar with simulation, nutrition, as well as medical student Wellness. Finally we have created and filled approximately 550 of 620 residency positions in what will become one of the largest academic M.D. Graduate Medical Education programs in Florida.

The UCF COM won the AAMC award for best Student Affairs Career Advising and Wellness Program in 2016. UCF is also the 7th least expensive M.D. program in the nation (the only Florida program in the top 25) according to StudentLoanHero.

We look forward to partnering with you during this application year as we continue to provide you with transparency throughout the admissions year.

Please visit www.med.ucf.edu/admissions for additional information.

 

[acslater99]

Is there a GPA cut-off for UCF? What if a person has their overall gpa over 3.0 but science gpa just under 3.0. Will they get screened out?

Thank you.

 

[Gator4L]

Hello!

Thank you for taking the time to answer questions! I am currently completely a Master's in Medical Sciences at USF. I have a few questions that come to mind.

1) How is a Master's in Medical Sciences viewed? Obviously a subpar undergraduate GPA (~3.4) is low for most allopathic medical schools.

2) How will my Master's GPA (3.7+) be viewed with respect to my undergraduate GPA (~3.4)?

3) Do you know if anyone has been accepted to UCF from the USF Medical Masters programs (MSP3 or Anatomy Concentration) in recent years?

4) Will I be at disadvantage this cycle if I submit my primary early and then take a Mid-August or September MCAT?

I would like to give myself ample time to study for the MCAT. However, I would love to apply this cycle but I am wondering if I should just apply in the next cycle. I know that COVID-19 has changed this application cycle!

Thank you!

 

[REL]

Is there a GPA cut-off for UCF? What if a person has their overall gpa over 3.0 but science gpa just under 3.0. Will they get screened out?

Thank you.

I would suggest that on the surface your chances are not strong based on our entering class averages that range around 3.75-3.8. It would depend upon the trends of this GPA, if you had a very bad freshman start and a very strong finish there may be a chance if you have consistently displayed a motivation for medicine and humanism in a strong way. Without knowing all of the factors I cannot say for sure, however my first thought is that it will not be a smooth path for you.

 

[REL]

Hello!

Thank you for taking the time to answer questions! I am currently completely a Master's in Medical Sciences at USF. I have a few questions that come to mind.

1) How is a Master's in Medical Sciences viewed? Obviously a subpar undergraduate GPA (~3.4) is low for most allopathic medical schools.

2) How will my Master's GPA (3.7+) be viewed with respect to my undergraduate GPA (~3.4)?

3) Do you know if anyone has been accepted to UCF from the USF Medical Masters programs (MSP3 or Anatomy Concentration) in recent years?

4) Will I be at disadvantage this cycle if I submit my primary early and then take a Mid-August or September MCAT?

I would like to give myself ample time to study for the MCAT. However, I would love to apply this cycle but I am wondering if I should just apply in the next cycle. I know that COVID-19 has changed this application cycle!

Thank you!

Thank you for your inquiry. A strong MS effort that is building on a strong bachelor's finish is a good thing if that is true in the makings of your overall 3.4 would be a good start. We have accepted students from this program each year for the past several years. If you application show a strong and consistent motivation for medicine and humanism you will have a good chance. It does not matter when in the cycle that you take the MCAT, if your application is competitive you will very likely be in the running for an interview. There is nothing wrong with taking an extra year to ensure that your application is as strong as possible. Once you begin med school you will be involved in a fun but intense course of study and residency, if needed take the time to do it right.

 

[Icebird]

Just wanted to give UCF an A+ for the friendly, transparent, and communicative admission staff; they are one of very few schools that tells you exactly when your decision arrives post -II and tells you exactly where you place on the ranked WL!

 

[Microbe_Hunter]

Looking forward to applying to this school! Definitely one of my top choices! Was wondering if there is anything in specific that you look for in OOS applicants?

 

[REL]

Looking forward to applying to this school! Definitely one of my top choices! Was wondering if there is anything in specific that you look for in OOS applicants?

Thank you for your inquiry we really don't draw much distinction as we review applications as to FL or non-FL. There is a question on our Supplemental App that does ask if you have a relationship to Florida, but a relationship to Florida is not an absolute requirement to obtain an interview or acceptance. Applicants have a better chance at an interview if they have consistently demonstrated a motivation for medicine and humanism and have metrics that indicate that they will be able to pass the myriad of standardized exams in the curriculum and for future licensure. Please visit www.med.ucf.edu/admissions for additional information.

 

[djsbaseball2014]

Just wanted to put myself out there as a resource for anybody who has any questions as they prepare to apply to UCF! I'm an incoming M2 for reference so please do not hesitate to tag me in any questions or PM me individually! Best of luck to everyone

 

[Med16484]

@REL Thank you for answering questions! Do you think we should expect major changes to secondary prompts in regards to COVID-19?

 

[REL]

Should be nominal changes to secondary app, I think that we are changing a question and doing a little bit and making some other small changes.

 

[LULULU]

Has anyone received the secondaries yet? And if so can you please share, thank you!!

 

[REL]

Secondaries will be released on Monday or Tuesday.

 

[rooted.grounded.love]

Is anyone else having difficulty logging into the portal? I'm a new applicant and am unable to get in with the password pattern provided. It may just take a few more hours before my account is ready to access

 

[morgMD]

Is anyone else having difficulty logging into the portal? I'm a new applicant and am unable to get in with the password pattern provided. It may just take a few more hours before my account is ready to access

I had no problem and am also a new applicant!

 

[REL]

Our Tech Support is working on the system. They have found a communication error.

 

[REL]

It shouldnt be too long before they complete their work.

 

[deleted1061754]

New applicant, no secondary yet

 

[REL]

Login issued resolved.....

 

[Gandhis Return]

Does UCF send secondaries to all applicants?

 

[REL]

All who meet minimum requirements per www.med.ucf.edu/admissions

 

[ripmysociallife]

hoping to be verified in the next few days, are there any major changes to the prompts from last year?

 

[deleted1061754]

All who meet minimum requirements per www.med.ucf.edu/admissions

Will secondaries be sent out in waves? Or will it be sporadic? Very excited to apply!

 

[AegonTargaryenVI]

Questions:

500 characters
1) If you are NOT a Florida resident, please describe any connection to UCF COM, UCF, or Florida.
2) If you do not expect to spend the academic year enrolled in an academic program, please explain how you will use this time.
3) Have you experienced academic difficulties, had any grades below "B minus," or any course withdrawals while in college?
4) Please let us know, by way of a percentage, how you prepared yourself for the MCAT examination using the following three (3) methods. Your response should add up to 100%.(1) A commercial test preparation service (Kaplan/Princeton Review, etc.); (2) A review course created by an undergraduate institution; (3) Self-study with books and or online resources (Khan Academy, AAMC, etc.). *Your answer should look something like: 30/30/40 = 100%

750 characters:
5) What breakthrough in clinical or research medicine would you like to see occur within the span of your career in medicine? Why?
6) The complexity of healthcare delivery increasingly requires interdisciplinary teamwork. What lessons have you learned from sports, music, business or other experiences have prepared you to succeed in this environment?
7) What profession would you choose if not medicine?
8) Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Possible topics might include, for example: your biggest lessons and insights from the pandemic; creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis; academic or personal hardships you may have faced as a result of the virus or quarantine, etc.
9) Please share with the Admissions Committee why you are interested in UCF COM.

"No more than 2 pages":
Please provide a short essay to help us understand who you are. This essay should be different from your AMCAS Personal Statement. UCF COM places great value on the broad diversity of our students within the classroom. We believe the diverse characteristics of each individual in the class are important factors in serving the educational missions of this school and of our community. Please discuss any unique, personally important and/or challenging experiences in your background that have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and service to others. These may include experiences such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, cultural background, or other significant events or circumstances that you feel have shaped your character and defined you as an individual. We are also interested on your thoughts about what you can contribute to your class and the medical profession in general.

@TheDataKing

 

[AegonTargaryenVI]

Shortening the "explain academic difficulties or grades below a B minus" prompt from 2000 characters to 500 characters is a big RIP, I had that carefully pre-written :/

 

[wet_blanket_]

Questions:

500 characters
1) If you are NOT a Florida resident, please describe any connection to UCF COM, UCF, or Florida.
2) If you do not expect to spend the academic year enrolled in an academic program, please explain how you will use this time.
3) Have you experienced academic difficulties, had any grades below "B minus," or any course withdrawals while in college?
4) Please let us know, by way of a percentage, how you prepared yourself for the MCAT examination using the following three (3) methods. Your response should add up to 100%.(1) A commercial test preparation service (Kaplan/Princeton Review, etc.); (2) A review course created by an undergraduate institution; (3) Self-study with books and or online resources (Khan Academy, AAMC, etc.). *Your answer should look something like: 30/30/40 = 100%

750 characters:
5) What breakthrough in clinical or research medicine would you like to see occur within the span of your career in medicine? Why?
6) The complexity of healthcare delivery increasingly requires interdisciplinary teamwork. What lessons have you learned from sports, music, business or other experiences have prepared you to succeed in this environment?
7) What profession would you choose if not medicine?
8) Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Possible topics might include, for example: your biggest lessons and insights from the pandemic; creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis; academic or personal hardships you may have faced as a result of the virus or quarantine, etc.
9) Please share with the Admissions Committee why you are interested in UCF COM.

"No more than 2 pages":
Please provide a short essay to help us understand who you are. This essay should be different from your AMCAS Personal Statement. UCF COM places great value on the broad diversity of our students within the classroom. We believe the diverse characteristics of each individual in the class are important factors in serving the educational missions of this school and of our community. Please discuss any unique, personally important and/or challenging experiences in your background that have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and service to others. These may include experiences such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, cultural background, or other significant events or circumstances that you feel have shaped your character and defined you as an individual. We are also interested on your thoughts about what you can contribute to your class and the medical profession in general.

@TheDataKing

For reference the "no more than 2 pages" part encourages you to use Word, single-spaced, normal margins with 10-12 pt font to write this

 

[Med16484]

Kind of a stupid question, but are you guys indenting each of your short responses?

 

[AegonTargaryenVI]

Kind of a stupid question, but are you guys indenting each of your short responses?

I personally am not, the character counts aren't very long

 

[deleted1061754]

Shortening the "explain academic difficulties or grades below a B minus" prompt from 2000 characters to 500 characters is a big RIP, I had that carefully pre-written :/

Same I don’t even know how I’ll fit a coherent response :/

 

[AegonTargaryenVI]

Same I don’t even know how I’ll fit a coherent response :/

yeah, I'm trying to do that right now and it sounds lacking but we just have to roll with it.

 

[Hulk_MD]

For the question regarding online coursework, I am not 100% sure which classes that I took were online. I know 3 for sure that are but it has been 6 years since I graduated from my undergrad and my transcripts do not reflect which class was online or not. Not sure how to proceed.

 

[Lampy]

For the question regarding online coursework, I am not 100% sure which classes that I took were online. I know 3 for sure that are but it has been 6 years since I graduated from my undergrad and my transcripts do not reflect which class was online or not. Not sure how to proceed.

I'm not sure about your University, but if you google your class code, name, and term (ex Spring 2015) the syllabus may come up in which case great now you know hopefully that helps a little!

Also for the grade below a B- that means that I shouldn't write anything about a B-, yeah?

 

[Sockomockey]

Does anyone know if question 10 refers to any institutional action or specifically things that ended with disciplinary action? I was written up for a minor alcohol-related incident freshman year, and there was no disciplinary action (unless being written up counts as a punishment) so I'm not sure how to answer this. This is the prompt I'm talking about for reference:

(10) Are you currently or have you ever been subject to disciplinary action at a college or professional school that did NOT result in academic probation or dismissal?

edit: also, any opinions about the "were you required to work during your college years"? Maybe I'm just being paranoid but no one required me to work during college, I could have taken out extra loans instead... So I'm not sure how to answer

 

[AegonTargaryenVI]

For the question about MCAT studying, if I used only Kaplan books (not courses or etc) and Khan Academy/AAMC stuff is that only the third option or a combination of 1 and 3?

 

[djsbaseball2014]

For the question about MCAT studying, if I used only Kaplan books (not courses or etc) and Khan Academy/AAMC stuff is that only the third option or a combination of 1 and 3?

I would say that is all option 3! When i filled out my secondary I took a kaplan course and then just used 3rd party resources and i think I put 50/0/50 or some other combination that added up to 100. Definitely don't think too much into it lol

 

[djsbaseball2014]

Also just some words of advice as you guys start to fill out your secondaries not just for UCF but for all schools! Always remember to just be yourself and speak from your heart. It is very easy to try and connect different parts of your app and talk about the same few things over and over, but definitely try to present yourself as a whole package. You have limited space to convey who you are so draw from experiences and stories that really tell adcoms something about you. Don't be afraid to let your personality come through or talk about those hobbies that you like to do.

Feel free to PM with any questions

 

[GameOfZones]

I feel like I am gonna repeat myself a lot between the gap year prompt and the COVID prompt. Anyone have any ideas for how to balance ideas out between these two?

 

[Lampy]

I feel like I am gonna repeat myself a lot between the gap year prompt and the COVID prompt. Anyone have any ideas for how to balance ideas out between these two?

UCF's prompt is, imo, pretty open which great if you're talking about the same thing. I'm talking about the same thing in both but in my COVID essay I'm briefly talking more about how my plans changed and were delayed by 3 months, in my gap year essay I'm going into more detail about the plans themselves, but I'm sure with this COVID prompt you could also talk more about what your gap year plans have showed you about COVID or differences you've sen.

 

[theoriginalyaga]

secondary received today, OOS.

 

[wet_blanket_]

Welcome to this thread and to the Lake Nona Medical City. This program has rapidly grown into the leader in the state in M.D. Program outcomes with upper-upper-quartile board scores and research, as well as the state's strongest match lists in the upper echelon specialties (18%) with placements at top residencies across the U.S. These are a product of our very diverse student body that come from around the country (~40 of 120 seats for non-Floridians), our truly integrated curriculum, and collaboration among our students and faculty.

The 7,000 acre Lake Nona Medical City continues to expand rapidly with housing and retail and UCF COM will broke ground on our own hospital this year have joined with Sarah Cannon Cancer to open our own UCF Cancer Research Institute adjacent to the UCF Hospital. We will continue to partner our clinical training with approximately 20 hospitals in the general Central Florida vicinity as well as opportunities in Jacksonville, St Petersburg, and Naples and also expand into Ocala and Gainesville. Merge this with the newer VA Hospital, the amazing Nemours Children's Hospital, and the National VA SimLearn Center for Simulation, the Rosen School for Hospitality and we have partnered to raise the bar with simulation, nutrition, as well as medical student Wellness. Finally we have created and filled approximately 550 of 620 residency positions in what will become one of the largest academic M.D. Graduate Medical Education programs in Florida.

The UCF COM won the AAMC award for best Student Affairs Career Advising and Wellness Program in 2016. UCF is also the 7th least expensive M.D. program in the nation (the only Florida program in the top 25) according to StudentLoanHero.

We look forward to partnering with you during this application year as we continue to provide you with transparency throughout the admissions year.

Please visit www.med.ucf.edu/admissions for additional information.

Does UCF have any partnership with the Lake Nona Sports & Performance District in terms of sports medicine or research opportunities?

 

[MadStork]

On question 19, the essay, when I preview my response it does not keep the formatting and becomes one giant wall of text. Is anyone else experiencing this/have advice?

 

[ripmysociallife]

On question 19, the essay, when I preview my response it does not keep the formatting and becomes one giant wall of text. Is anyone else experiencing this/have advice?

Same thing is happening to me, I tried adding an extra line of space and it didn't change anything

 

[REL]

On question 19, the essay, when I preview my response it does not keep the formatting and becomes one giant wall of text. Is anyone else experiencing this/have advice?

Please report this via [email protected]

 

[Calizboosted76]

I would suggest that on the surface your chances are not strong based on our entering class averages that range around 3.75-3.8. It would depend upon the trends of this GPA, if you had a very bad freshman start and a very strong finish there may be a chance if you have consistently displayed a motivation for medicine and humanism in a strong way. Without knowing all of the factors I cannot say for sure, however my first thought is that it will not be a smooth path for you.

To build off of this, what if GPAs are under 3.0 but you have the last two years of your bachelors (60ish credit hours) at a 3.8? Im a Florida resident and live relatively close to the school.

 

[MadStork]

For the formatting issue, formatting it as plain text resolves it.

 

[REL]

To build off of this, what if GPAs are under 3.0 but you have the last two years of your bachelors (60ish credit hours) at a 3.8? Im a Florida resident and live relatively close to the school.

That changes the equation in your favor and a competitive MCAT score around the average of the entering class would increase your candidacy. While metrics do get noticed, what will help to get the interview is a demonstrated consistency of medical motivation (vol,shad) and humanism (comm vol) as well as a goodly level of teamwork ethic.

 

[Calizboosted76]

That changes the equation in your favor and a competitive MCAT score around the average of the entering class would increase your candidacy. While metrics do get noticed, what will help to get the interview is a demonstrated consistency of medical motivation (vol,shad) and humanism (comm vol) as well as a goodly level of teamwork ethic.

I have 4000+ hours as a scribe in the ED and tons of volunteering. I am just worried due to my cGPA and sGPA being hurt by early academic immaturity and the need to work to support my family. My MCAT was a little low as well at a 506 (127-123-129-127). I also have a letter from a physician that is friends with a couple of members on the admissions council.

 

[djsbaseball2014]

Do you know how the adcoms would look at the response to the essay being about 1 page long? It has most of what I want to say, but still is nowhere near the 2 page maximum. Any advice?

Quality over quantity. If you have said everything you need to say and are happy with it, it shouldn't matter!

 

[Med16484]

anyone's app labeled complete?