2020-2021 Minnesota, Twin Cities

BU Medical Sciences
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How are y'all approaching the explicit/implicit bias question? It gives the option of talking about at time in which you personally acted with explicit/implicit bias, which seems like a sketchy move in my opinion. Are y'all just talking about times when you saw someone act with bias towards someone else? Also, would it be a bad look to talk about watching a physician exhibit bias towards a patient?
 
parquetshorts said:
How are y'all approaching the explicit/implicit bias question? It gives the option of talking about at time in which you personally acted with explicit/implicit bias, which seems like a sketchy move in my opinion. Are y'all just talking about times when you saw someone act with bias towards someone else? Also, would it be a bad look to talk about watching a physician exhibit bias towards a patient?
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I talked about a time I experienced bias and related it to my diversity essay and overcoming hardship. I’m open to hearing others’ thoughts though—I think this is a tough prompt.
 
GalaxyBrain said:
I talked about a time I experienced bias and related it to my diversity essay and overcoming hardship. I’m open to hearing others’ thoughts though—I think this is a tough prompt.
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I'm thinking about talking about a situation in which the physician I scribe for combated this one patient's racist sentiments by being really composed and explaining the disparate socioeconomic conditions of immigrants, and how that adversely affects their health. Really cool experience actually, but I didn't necessarily "take action" like the prompt suggests. You think this would be appropriate to talk about?
 
parquetshorts said:
I'm thinking about talking about a situation in which the physician I scribe for combated this one patient's racist sentiments by being really composed and explaining the disparate socioeconomic conditions of immigrants, and how that adversely affects their health. Really cool experience actually, but I didn't necessarily "take action" like the prompt suggests. You think this would be appropriate to talk about?
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I think this would definitely work! Since the prompt asks what you did or what you WOULD DO in the future, I think you could just talk about how the doc inspired you to deal with such situations in a similar way.
 
Just to confirm... there is no complete email or secondary submitted email?
 
Sterlinyx said:
Just to confirm... there is no complete email or secondary submitted email?
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If all of your materials are in when you submit, you get an email after submitting that says: "All of your supplemental materials have been received and your Twin Cities MD application is now considered complete."
 
"Your application is in the queue to be screened for a supplemental application invitation. We appreciate your patience during the screening process".
What is this Patience thing they speak about?
 
Are y'all planning on doing the SJT? I know it's strongly encouraged, but I also read that it won't count against us if we choose not to do it.
 
Am I one of the only people still waiting on a secondary from them? Does anyone know if they have a subsection screen for secondaries?
 
smallermarine said:
Am I one of the only people still waiting on a secondary from them? Does anyone know if they have a subsection screen for secondaries?
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MCAT is optional this year, so there’s no MCAT-related screen. It takes a while for them to send secondaries, because they do manually screen for the following:
  • Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents.
  • Applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree or graduate degree from a college or university in your country of origin or from a university located in the continental United States or Canada.
  • We expect that your prerequisites will be completed at an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university and completed by July 2021. Additional information about prerequisites can be found here.
 
GalaxyBrain said:
MCAT is optional this year, so there’s no MCAT-related screen. It takes a while for them to send secondaries, because they do manually screen for the following:
  • Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents.
  • Applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree or graduate degree from a college or university in your country of origin or from a university located in the continental United States or Canada.
  • We expect that your prerequisites will be completed at an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university and completed by July 2021. Additional information about prerequisites can be found here.
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Thank you so much! I will just look for the secondary email in the next few weeks then.
 
Question about entering prerequisites: when I select one of my courses from the drop down menu provided, it just shows the course name and number, but not the course grade or the term or anything else that they ask for. Should I assume they'll see this extra info (term, grade) since I entered that in my AMCAS app, or should I select the "Custom" option and enter all the info manually?
 
thunderstorm1824 said:
Question about entering prerequisites: when I select one of my courses from the drop down menu provided, it just shows the course name and number, but not the course grade or the term or anything else that they ask for. Should I assume they'll see this extra info (term, grade) since I entered that in my AMCAS app, or should I select the "Custom" option and enter all the info manually?
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If you select the courses from the drop down menu the other info (term grade) will be displayed once you submit it, I wondered about this too.
 
Submitted 1° at 7/31/20 9:40 PM, got my 2° at 8/16/20 11:18 PM. OOS with a ton of courses (66 to be precise).
I think they REALLY screen applicants at TC.
 
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Just got my secondary last night! I wonder how heavily they screen. I'm also an OOS applicant.
 
I also got my secondary last night. IS, verified 8/11. Sounds like they might just be sending them out in waves?
 
How do we feel about writing this "why MN" essay as a "why Minneapolis" essay? I feel like as an OOS applicant who honestly doesn't know much about MN, it's easier to narrow down my focus to a specific city and why I'm interested in living/studying medicine there rather than trying to make sweeping statements about an entire state. Thoughts?
 
thunderstorm1824 said:
How do we feel about writing this "why MN" essay as a "why Minneapolis" essay? I feel like as an OOS applicant who honestly doesn't know much about MN, it's easier to narrow down my focus to a specific city and why I'm interested in living/studying medicine there rather than trying to make sweeping statements about an entire state. Thoughts?
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I think it's okay to talk a lot about Minneapolis/the Twin Cities, since it's where you will be doing a lot of your clinical rotations, but I think it'd be a good idea to talk about attributes of the state as a whole that appeal to you as well. As an IS applicant, I focused a good portion of the essay on the Twin Cities, but also talked about my experiences living in the state in general.
 
parquetshorts said:
I think it's okay to talk a lot about Minneapolis/the Twin Cities, since it's where you will be doing a lot of your clinical rotations, but I think it'd be a good idea to talk about attributes of the state as a whole that appeal to you as well. As an IS applicant, I focused a good portion of the essay on the Twin Cities, but also talked about my experiences living in the state in general.
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Yeah, I guess I'm having a hard time making generalizations about the state as a whole because I feel like within any state different cities/areas can be quite different. But this is helpful, thanks for your response!
 
I was an OOS applicant (currently an MS1 here) but I wrote about the university and Twin Cities.

thunderstorm1824 said:
How do we feel about writing this "why MN" essay as a "why Minneapolis" essay? I feel like as an OOS applicant who honestly doesn't know much about MN, it's easier to narrow down my focus to a specific city and why I'm interested in living/studying medicine there rather than trying to make sweeping statements about an entire state. Thoughts?
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il11epo said:
I was an OOS applicant (currently an MS1 here) but I wrote about the university and Twin Cities.
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Thanks! Yeah the prompt specifically says they’re asking “why MN” and not “why the University of Minnesota Medical School” so I feel like I shouldn’t really comment on the university itself but I’ll write about the Twin Cities
 
Anyone else hear that a current med student was caught vandalizing the George Floyd memorial in Minneapolis last night? I'm really surprised, especially since the school seems to aim for students that are sensitive to social justice issues, at least based on their secondary essays...
 
parquetshorts said:
Anyone else hear that a current med student was caught vandalizing the George Floyd memorial in Minneapolis last night? I'm really surprised, especially since the school seems to aim for students that are sensitive to social justice issues, at least based on their secondary essays...
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Wow, that's awful 🙁
 
parquetshorts said:
Anyone else hear that a current med student was caught vandalizing the George Floyd memorial in Minneapolis last night? I'm really surprised, especially since the school seems to aim for students that are sensitive to social justice issues, at least based on their secondary essays...
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Thanks for posting here. I really hope UMN makes a statement soon and takes appropriate action.
 
onelastshot said:
People on twitter said he had been suspended but not expelled
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Just checked Twitter and saw they made a statement!
B07F3319-F8B9-442C-BD57-B9F7D08B7645.jpeg
 
parquetshorts said:
Anyone else hear that a current med student was caught vandalizing the George Floyd memorial in Minneapolis last night? I'm really surprised, especially since the school seems to aim for students that are sensitive to social justice issues, at least based on their secondary essays...
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Im IS and work here right now and we finally got an email from the Dean. Its vague, but he said the student is “not presently enrolled” so could mean suspension or expulsion, who knows. Horrible that this has happened
 
thunderstorm1824 said:
Thanks! Yeah the prompt specifically says they’re asking “why MN” and not “why the University of Minnesota Medical School” so I feel like I shouldn’t really comment on the university itself but I’ll write about the Twin Cities
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yeah, last year's essay question didn't have the "don't talk about the school", explaining ^ 's statement
 
Finished my essay about experiences with racism & honestly felt like MLK. Hearing about the vandalism definitely powered my essay up.
 
GalaxyBrain said:
If any OOS applicants could use additional insight about MN from an in-stater, feel free to DM with any questions 🙂
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+1. Not applying until next cycle but as an in-stater (born and raised there) I’d be happy to chat about the good, bad, and ugly of MN
 
Unconditionalloves said:
whats the ugly ?
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Systemic racism. George Floyd's murder didn't come out of nowhere. When you look compare black and white Minnesotans on measures such as income and home ownership, the gaps are some of the worst in the country. The achievement gap between black and white students is also among the worst in the country. And look up St. Paul's Rondo neighborhood.

These facts are surprising to many (including many Minnesotans), given that MN is a very liberal state. In my (white) experience, MN is home to many well-intentioned white liberals. They will decry Trump, be concerned about climate change, be passionate about LGBTQ+ rights, but aren't comfortable with or good at talking about race. I think that this is because people think that as a northern, progressive state, they don't have a racism problem the way that the south does, which of course allows more subtle, pervasive forms of racism to flourish. Martin Luther King's quote about white moderates is very relevant here.

As an example, I am a part of one of those police scanner facebook groups for my home neighborhood. It is filled with people who have nothing better to do than listen to the scanner and clutch their pearls, and it is a fascinating study in more subtle (and yet not) forms of racism. These people know better than to say anything that could be interpreted by your average white person on the street as racist and don't think of themselves as racist. Their posts and comments contain a litany of subtle euphemisms for non-white people; it's clear who they mean when they tut-tut about criminals taking over the city. The language is so benign and seemingly hard to argue with that your average white person who was never taught to talk about race wouldn't notice.

There are plenty of reports about MN being the among the best in the country for healthcare, opportunity, parks, etc. Unfortunately, these statements should be followed by "...if you're white."
 
@JAK2-STAT3 has offered a good commentary on the implicit racism that is pervasive in the cities and liberal suburbs. I would just add that as you get further out of the cities, the racism and xenophobia gets much more explicit. I live 20 miles from the cities, and some of the things that are said on my neighborhood facebook page make me sick. For me, it's an even greater reason to study medicine here, because we need physicians that will work to change the culture.
 
GalaxyBrain said:
@JAK2-STAT3 has offered a good commentary on the implicit racism that is pervasive in the cities and liberal suburbs. I would just add that as you get further out of the cities, the racism and xenophobia gets much more explicit. I live 20 miles from the cities, and some of the things that are said on my neighborhood facebook page make me sick. For me, it's an even greater reason to study medicine here, because we need physicians that will work to change the culture.
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True! For anyone who's curious, google Michele Bachmann. Best of luck to everyone applying this cycle, and if you get in please do your best to combat these very real problems.
 
Can someone comment on curriculum at UMN? How much of it is lecture-style vs active learning? Would love to hear from a current student.
 
GalaxyBrain said:
It’s “highly recommended” but not required. I’m personally planning to do it.
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Hm ok maybe I will call them tomorrow to get more info. I just looked at the registration and the only date available I was planning on being unavailable so I am trying to figure out how important it really is!
 
wydoc said:
Hm ok maybe I will call them tomorrow to get more info. I just looked at the registration and the only date available I was planning on being unavailable so I am trying to figure out how important it really is!
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I watched the admission event they held last month and they said it is completely optional. It will not be used in making admissions decisions but it is a pilot to see if it would be helpful in future years. So its for data purposes only so they can use it in the future. Its kinda like AAMC’s version of CASPer. But if you cant do it I wouldnt sweat it 🙂
 
premed1996 said:
I watched the admission event they held last month and they said it is completely optional. It will not be used in making admissions decisions but it is a pilot to see if it would be helpful in future years. So its for data purposes only so they can use it in the future. Its kinda like AAMC’s version of CASPer. But if you cant do it I wouldnt sweat it 🙂
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For an online test, the testing dates are extremely limited.

I'm on military orders during that time, so I'm not taking it. Seems like if they really wanted to test it, they would open more dates to get more data, no?
 
StraTos_SpeAr said:
For an online test, the testing dates are extremely limited.

I'm on military orders during that time, so I'm not taking it. Seems like if they really wanted to test it, they would open more dates to get more data, no?
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I had the same thought. How is it only available for one day for the rest of the year? I am now strongly leaning towards not taking it. Unless UM indicates that it will be used for admissions this year I am not going to take it. I will let you all know what they say if I can get ahold of anyone!
 
premed1996 said:
I watched the admission event they held last month and they said it is completely optional. It will not be used in making admissions decisions but it is a pilot to see if it would be helpful in future years. So its for data purposes only so they can use it in the future. Its kinda like AAMC’s version of CASPer. But if you cant do it I wouldnt sweat it 🙂
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Thanks for the info!
 
GoPackGo97 said:
There are 9 total prompts, 4 are optional. 1500 characters each (except the "additional pertinent info" one is 900 characters)

Tell us about a time when you recovered from a non-academic setback. How did you identify the setback and what steps did you take to recover?



Tell us about a time when you played a role in improving a process. How did you identify the areas for improvement and what steps did you take to change the process?



Tell us about a time when you observed, personally experienced, or acted with implicit or explicit bias. If you observed or personally experienced implicit or explicit bias what did you do to address this situation or what would you do in the future? If you were implicitly or explicitly biased how did you become aware of this and what did you do to address the situation or what will you do in the future? Through either situation we are interested in what you learned.



Please tell us about your identity. How has your identity impacted the development of your values and attitudes toward others, particularly those with values different from your own? Please include how your values and attitudes will foster a positive learning environment during your training and benefit your future patients through the practice of medicine.



Why do you want to go to medical school in the state of MN? (This question seeks to understand why you are interested in the state of MN not the University of Minnesota.)



What other pertinent information would you like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee? This is an opportunity for you to discuss an aspect of your journey to medicine that you have not already presented in your application. You may also update us with any current experiences that were not included in your AMCAS application. (900 char.) OPTIONAL



If you are not submitting an MCAT score with your application briefly explain why. This question is required of any applicant who will ultimately not include an MCAT score in their application. OPTIONAL



2020 has proven to be unprecedented times and uncharted territory in global health. Please feel free to share with us your thoughts and experiences with navigating Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). This could include the barriers you have faced in applying to medical school this cycle, feelings of complicated grief and loss, thoughts on the role of health care professionals, challenges associated with racial health inequities as more Black and Brown people are disproportionately impacted, or other reflections on living through a global pandemic crisis. OPTIONAL



Right now is a watershed moment in American history and this country's reckoning with race, racism, racial injustice, and especially anti-Black hatred. If you feel comfortable, we welcome you to please share with us your reflections on, experiences with, and greatest lessons learned about systemic racism that is receiving international attention with the murders of numerous Black, Indigenous, and People of Color including but not limited to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Vanessa Guillen, Rayshard Brooks, and Elijah McClain. OPTIONAL
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Hi, do you know if it is 1500 characters with space or without space? Thank you
 
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