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Doctor Banana said:
1. We seek to train physicians who can connect with diverse patient populations with whom they may not share a similar background. Tell us about an experience that has broadened your own worldview or enhanced your ability to understand those unlike yourself. (200 words or less)
2. Describe a non-academic challenge you have faced and explain how you overcame it. (200 words or less)
3. From your list of "most meaningful experiences" on the AMCAS application, choose one that has been the most formative in terms of your desire for a career in medicine. Why did that experience have such meaning for you in your decision-making process? How did it prepare you for a career in medicine? (200 words or less)
4. Tell us about any specific reason(s) (personal, educational, etc.) why you see yourself here at the Wake Forest School of Medicine. (200 words or less)
5. Please tell us an interesting fact about yourself that a casual acquaintance may find surprising or interesting. (50 words or less)
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They also have 3 optional ones
1) Have you previously applied to any MD programs during a previous admissions cycle? (yes/no)
2) Please describe if you have made any significant changes or improvements to your previous application. (if selected yes)
3) If you have received a C+ grade or lower in any coursework, please explain
 
Hey all, I am a current M3 at Wake. If you have any questions, I would be willing to be a resource (where I am able). Please do not ask specific questions about the application/secondary because as a student I have minimal insight into what is desired by the AdCom, but questions about Winston Salem, extracurricular activities, curriculum (pre-COVID), and personal experience are fair game 🙂
 
<3ClinicalResearch said:
Hey all, I am a current M3 at Wake. If you have any questions, I would be willing to be a resource (where I am able). Please do not ask specific questions about the application/secondary because as a student I have minimal insight into what is desired by the AdCom, but questions about Winston Salem, extracurricular activities, curriculum (pre-COVID), and personal experience are fair game 🙂
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Thank you so much! I am curious about living in Winston-Salem and attending Wake, so here are a couple questions, but feel free to add anything you might think helpful! Also, feel free to pick and choose lol.

1. In a given week, how many times are you required to attend events (not counting lectures)? With that, I was assuming that lecture attendance is not mandatory, and that they are recorded and posted. Is that the case?

2. Not sure if you are from the area or not, but could you give a comparison to how big W-S is / feels? Some things I've read online said it feels like a really small community, and others not so much. Do you have a lot of friends from outside the medical school? What are the major neighborhoods like and where do people live?

3. The campus is completely separated from the undergraduate campus, correct? Do you spend most of your time (in M1 and M2) in the new facility in Innovation Quarter? Any other thoughts on the facilities for the school or affiliated hospitals?

4. In your rotations, how much time do you find yourself dedicating to scutwork for the ancillary staff, compared to actually learning with the attendings? Do you take shelf exams at the end of each rotation or at the end of the year?

5. Research - do most students do bench research, clinical research, or none? Is there a competitive culture around research?

Thank you!!!
 
1. In a given week, how many times are you required to attend events (not counting lectures)? With that, I was assuming that lecture attendance is not mandatory, and that they are recorded and posted. Is that the case?

Lecture (always in the morning) is not mandatory and recorded and posted. It is very efficient and I watched most lectures at a later time because I liked to be able to pause for note taking purposes.

In M1 and M2, the required lectures/small groups/labs (usually in the afternoon) are the following:

MAPS (Medicine and Patients in Society): Medical ethics course Monday afternoon 2 times a month
ICRIT: Problem based learning course Tuesday or Thursday afternoon 2 times a month
Anatomy Lab/Microanatomy/Ultrasound Lab/Radiology: Every Tuesday and Thursday morning August to October
Clinical Skills: Small group learning with attending mentors Wednesday or Tuesday or Thursday afternoon 2 times a month
Other: Clinical skills/PBL/standardized patient experiences that are block specific usually only a couple events per block and helpful for those who like multimodal learning

2. Not sure if you are from the area or not, but could you give a comparison to how big W-S is / feels? Some things I've read online said it feels like a really small community, and others not so much. Do you have a lot of friends from outside the medical school? What are the major neighborhoods like and where do people live?

Winston is small, but still a city. It feels small, but it has all the things that you need as a medical student: low cost of living, plenty of grocery stores, a mall, so many microbreweries, and a ton of super complex patients. I am from a large, expensive city and older (in my 30s), is it where I want to practice long term...no, but is it great for medical school...yes. It is in the South, so people are very friendly so making friends outside of medical school is more than possible both within the Wake graduate school community and in the regular community, but it is dependent on you making an effort because medical school is a time commitment.

In terms of neighborhoods, people either live around the Downtown medical school (i.e. Downtown) or around the hospital (i.e. Ardmore, West End). This is dependent on the life you want to live. I live Downtown in a 1 bedroom apartment, which is cheap compared to what it would cost in other cities, but others like Ardmore because they can have a house and a yard. The commute is non-existent in Winston Salem; from where ever you live you are no farther than 20 minutes from door to door if not 5 minutes. The rents range from as low as $400 if you have roommates in a house to $1300 if you live alone in a one of the fancier one bedrooms, but all are very good options.

3. The campus is completely separated from the undergraduate campus, correct? Do you spend most of your time (in M1 and M2) in the new facility in Innovation Quarter? Any other thoughts on the facilities for the school or affiliated hospitals?

Yes, the medical school campus is completely separate from the undergraduate campus (North of the city). The Downtown Campus in the Innovation Quarter is amazing. It has everything you want in a study space: small group study rooms, big windows with lots of light, quiet study with ambient noise canceling, realistic patient rooms for standardized patient experiences and testing, brand new anatomy dissection rooms with great airflow (no smell), US classroom with ultrasound machines for every bedside (like 20 total), now that interviews are going to be virtual they are setting up studios so people can take interviews in a professional environment, unlimited mental health counseling sessions (including couples counseling), free yoga classes, honestly I could go on and on. This is a very supportive and comfortable place to go to medical school.

In terms of hospitals, you will do all your rotations at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (not religiously associated, just the historic name) and affiliate outpatient clinics. While Wake is affiliated with more hospitals (including Atrium in Charlotte) for now all the rotations are at Baptist, which has all the core clerkships and all sub-specialty surgical rotation options available.

4. In your rotations, how much time do you find yourself dedicating to scutwork for the ancillary staff, compared to actually learning with the attendings? Do you take shelf exams at the end of each rotation or at the end of the year?

Current experience is little scutwork and maximum learning with residents and attendings. Attendings at Wake are super friendly and excited to impart knowledge. My experience has been that we are being prepared to be physicians with all the higher thought that is required with that and that I have never been pawned off for scutwork. That being said helping with intern scutwork is a part of learning how to be a physician (i.e. everyone has to do scutwork sometimes), but I don't think that is what you are referring too.

We take shelf exams after each rotation. Pre-Covid (now ours are a little abbreviated due to the shelter in place), 8 weeks IM, 4 weeks Neuro, 4 weeks Psych, 6 weeks Peds, 4 weeks FM, 4 weeks EM, 8 weeks OBGYN, and 8 weeks Surgery. In addition we do 2 weeks Ambulatory IM and 2 weeks Anesthesia with no shelf exams. We have a long 4th year so there plenty of time for Sub-Is, Aways, and interviews

5. Research - do most students do bench research, clinical research, or none? Is there a competitive culture around research?

I would say this is really dependent on your goals, but it is an academic medical center so there is plenty of research if you are motivated. A lot of students do MSRP summer research between M1 and M2. While I did not do that, I do continue to publish with the research group I had worked with prior to medical school. In terms of competition, I do not find that to be a factor in anything at Wake since it is P/F for preclincials and on the wards even with grades people are very eager to help each other and the culture of teamwork is rewarded over individual success and "gunning".


**Whew that's a lot. Please excuse grammar/spelling mistakes this was typed "off the cuff".
 
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<3ClinicalResearch said:
1. In a given week, how many times are you required to attend events (not counting lectures)? With that, I was assuming that lecture attendance is not mandatory, and that they are recorded and posted. Is that the case?

Lecture (always in the morning) is not mandatory and recorded and posted. It is very efficient and I watched most lectures at a later time because I liked to be able to pause for note taking purposes.

In M1 and M2, the required lectures/small groups/labs (usually in the afternoon) are the following:

MAPS (Medicine and Patients in Society): Medical ethics course Monday afternoon 2 times a month
ICRIT: Problem based learning course Tuesday or Thursday afternoon 2 times a month
Anatomy Lab/Microanatomy/Ultrasound Lab/Radiology: Every Tuesday and Thursday morning August to October
Clinical Skills: Small group learning with attending mentors Wednesday or Tuesday or Thursday afternoon 2 times a month
Other: Clinical skills/PBL/standardized patient experiences that are block specific usually only a couple events per block and helpful for those who like multimodal learning

2. Not sure if you are from the area or not, but could you give a comparison to how big W-S is / feels? Some things I've read online said it feels like a really small community, and others not so much. Do you have a lot of friends from outside the medical school? What are the major neighborhoods like and where do people live?

Winston is small, but still a city. It feels small, but it has all the things that you need as a medical student: low cost of living, plenty of grocery stores, a mall, so many microbreweries, and a ton of super complex patients. I am from a large, expensive city and older (in my 30s), is it where I want to practice long term...no, but is it great for medical school...yes. It is in the South, so people are very friendly so making friends outside of medical school is more than possible both within the Wake graduate school community and in the regular community, but it is dependent on you making an effort because medical school is a time commitment.

In terms of neighborhoods, people either live around the Downtown medical school (i.e. Downtown) or around the hospital (i.e. Ardmore, West End). This is dependent on the life you want to live. I live Downtown in a 1 bedroom apartment, which is cheap compared to what it would cost in other cities, but others like Ardmore because they can have a house and a yard. The commute is non-existent in Winston Salem; from where ever you live you are no farther than 20 minutes from door to door if not 5 minutes. The rents range from as low as $400 if you have roommates in a house to $1300 if you live alone in a one of the fancier one bedrooms, but all are very good options.

3. The campus is completely separated from the undergraduate campus, correct? Do you spend most of your time (in M1 and M2) in the new facility in Innovation Quarter? Any other thoughts on the facilities for the school or affiliated hospitals?

Yes, the medical school campus is completely separate from the undergraduate campus (North of the city). The Downtown Campus in the Innovation Quarter is amazing. It has everything you want in a study space: small group study rooms, big windows with lots of light, quiet study with ambient noise canceling, realistic patient rooms for standardized patient experiences and testing, brand new anatomy dissection rooms with great airflow (no smell), US classroom with ultrasound machines for every bedside (like 20 total), now that interviews are going to be virtual they are setting up studios so people can take interviews in a professional environment, unlimited mental health counseling sessions (including couples counseling), free yoga classes, honestly I could go on and on. This is a very supportive and comfortable place to go to medical school.

In terms of hospitals, you will do all your rotations at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (not religiously associated, just the historic name) and affiliate outpatient clinics. While Wake is affiliated with more hospitals (including Atrium in Charlotte) for now the all the rotations are at Baptist, which has all the core clerkships and all sub-specialty surgical rotation options available.

4. In your rotations, how much time do you find yourself dedicating to scutwork for the ancillary staff, compared to actually learning with the attendings? Do you take shelf exams at the end of each rotation or at the end of the year?

Current experience is little scutwork and maximum learning with residents and attendings. Attendings at Wake are super friendly and excited to impart knowledge. My experience has been that we are being prepared to be physicians with all the higher thought that is required with that and that I have never been pawned off for scutwork. That being said helping with intern scutwork is a part of learning how to be a physician (i.e. everyone has to do scutwork sometimes), but I don't think that is what you are referring too.

We take shelf exams after each rotation. Pre-Covid (now ours are a little abbreviated due to the shelter in place), 8 weeks IM, 4 weeks Neuro, 4 weeks Psych, 6 weeks Peds, 4 weeks FM, 4 weeks EM, 8 weeks OBGYN, and 8 weeks Surgery. In addition we do 2 weeks Ambulatory IM and 2 weeks Anesthesia with no shelf exams. We have a long 4th year so there plenty of time for Sub-Is, Aways, and interviews

5. Research - do most students do bench research, clinical research, or none? Is there a competitive culture around research?

I would say this is really dependent on your goals, but it is an academic medical center so there is plenty of research if you are motivated. A lot of students do MSRP summer research between M1 and M2. While I did not do that, I continued to publish with the research group I had worked with prior to medical school. In terms of competition, I do not find that to be a factor in anything at Wake since it is P/F for preclincials and on the wards even with grades people are very eager to help each other and the culture of teamwork is rewarded over individual success and "gunning".


**Whew that's a lot. Please excuse grammar/spelling mistakes this was typed "off the cuff".
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Incredibly helpful.. thank you so much!
 
Hi all, for the last optional question where they ask you to explain C+ grades, would a BC be a C+? I have two (computer science and physics 1 calculus) and I could use that space to give my reasoning as to why I got such a low score but at the same time, I feel as though it might shine a bad light on me.
 
For the final question "Tell us something about yourself" in 50 words, what type of thing should we focus on? Really any random fun fact ? Should we use all 50 words or can it be something simple ?
 
inked.cuse said:
For the final question "Tell us something about yourself" in 50 words, what type of thing should we focus on? Really any random fun fact ? Should we use all 50 words or can it be something simple ?
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When I created that question I intended to use it during the first day welcome/orientation. "Did you know that someone in your class won a pie eating contest?!" kind of thing. Interesting/unusual jobs, experiences, hobbies,etc. When Wake interviewed only 6 people a day (pre-MMI) I asked everyone this question to lighten the mood (hopefully). I assume now that they are using it to learn something fun and interesting about you. Don't over think it.
 
Received 20 min ago, OOS. Prompts seem the same except the why us is 150 words. There is also an optional essay I have not seen yet
 
Secondary received 7/10 (Verified 6/4)
CA applicant (OOS)

1. We seek to train physicians who can connect with diverse patient populations with whom they may not share a similar background. Tell us one experience that enhanced your ability understand those unlike yourself and what you learned from it. 200 Word Limit

2. Describe a non-academic challenge you have faced and explain how you overcame it. 200 Word Limit

3. From your list of "most meaningful experiences" on the AMCAS application, choose one that has been the most formative in terms of your desire for a career in medicine. Why did that experience have such meaning for you in your decision-making process? 200 Word Limit

4. Tell us about any specific reason(s) (personal, educational, etc.) why you see yourself here at the Wake Forest School of Medicine. 150 Word Limit

5. Please tell us an interesting fact about yourself that a casual acquaintance may find surprising or interesting. 50 Word Limit


OPTIONAL QUESTIONS:
If you have received a C+ grade or lower in any coursework, please explain.
200 Word limit

If there is anything specific that you would like for us to know regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected you and your application you may do so here.
(200 words or less.) (Please note that this is optional. Also, please do not repeat any information provided in your previous required responses.)


Goodluck you guys! 🙂
 
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I have two questions:
1) I received below a C+ in a math course but Wake doesn't necessarily require the course as a pre-req should I still write the optional essay?

2) And on their portal, it asks if you're economically disadvantaged. According to AMCAS I am (I'm on FAP/income below $40K) but the link to their guideline uses the poverty guidelines which I don't meet so do I say yes or no?

@Pathdocmd do you happen to have any insight on this?
 
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Anyone else submit and know how to see if they've received your CASPer score? I took it in early June so they should have recieved it by now
 
icedcoffeedreams said:
Secondary received! I'm lower stat wise but hoping my grad school makes up for their 3.2sGPA requirement....
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their website says “A minimum science/BCPM GPA of 3.2 is required to be reviewed by admissions. Applicants who do not meet the undergraduate science/BCPM GPA of a 3.2 and have completed at least 15 hours of either post-baccalaureate or graduate science coursework with a 3.2 average at the time of AMCAS verification will be reviewed by the Dean of Admissions upon completion.” Hope that helps!
 
greysloan03 said:
their website says “A minimum science/BCPM GPA of 3.2 is required to be reviewed by admissions. Applicants who do not meet the undergraduate science/BCPM GPA of a 3.2 and have completed at least 15 hours of either post-baccalaureate or graduate science coursework with a 3.2 average at the time of AMCAS verification will be reviewed by the Dean of Admissions upon completion.” Hope that helps!
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omg thank you! yes it does 🙂 was worried I was throwing away money
 
I need help deciding if I should answer the "Explain C+ or below" prompt. I got a C+ in gen chem in the fall semester of my freshman year. Things were financially and mentally tough at home after a parent's death (~2 years prior to my freshman yr @ college). While my other parent worked just to make ends meet, all other responsibilities (towards my siblings, other home things, etc.) fell on me. I was having trouble finding the balance between home and school responsbilities - my home stuff took time away from my school stuff. With that said, should I explain this or leave the prompt blank? I don't want to draw unnecessary attention to it because I have an upward trend in every semester over my 4 years of college (with the exception of my study abroad semester), and my cGPA is a solid 3.7, sGPA ~3.5x (primarily because of the C+).

If I explained it, how would I make it sound like a positive thing (instead of me just making excuses)?
 
If I am well above the min MCAT, but below the min science GPA should I still apply? or will it not be seen by admissions because both are needed?
 
sssmed said:
If I am well above the min MCAT, but below the min science GPA should I still apply? or will it not be seen by admissions because both are needed?
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From their secondary email, it says:

"Starting with the 2021 admissions cycle, Wake Forest School of Medicine now requires that applicants have at least a minimum overall MCAT score of a 502 and a minimum verified science/BCPM GPA of a 3.2 for your application to be considered."

Which seems to mean a sGPA below 3.2 would not be considered.
 
Anyone know if for the economically disadvantaged question we should go off the amcas/FAP cutoffs for economically disadvantaged or the website they link because the link just lists the strict poverty guidelines.
 
If anyone answered the question "Please describe if you have made any significant changes or improvements to your previous application", did you just list the activities and hours that you've done since your last application? Or did you answer it in more of a narrative form? I was thinking of just listing everything I've done since my last application, the type of activity it was (e.g. volunteering, clinical experience, research), and the hours.

Thoughts?
 
ChemEtoMD23 said:
For the "non-academic challenge" question, would it be very bad to use an example from senior year of high school involving a sports injury? I don't really have anything from my college years that compares to the uniqueness and aptness of it.
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This is exactly what I did -- I was injured pretty badly as a gymnast in high school and talked about how I handled it and was able to switch sports and be recruited D1. I think they are more concerned on your explanation of how you handled the challenge rather than what the challenge actually was --- so I spent like 1/3 essay talking about the injury and the other 2/3 talking about how I handled it. Again, I have no idea if they will "like it" but that's just what I did
 
SokkerDoctor said:
If anyone answered the question "Please describe if you have made any significant changes or improvements to your previous application", did you just list the activities and hours that you've done since your last application? Or did you answer it in more of a narrative form? I was thinking of just listing everything I've done since my last application, the type of activity it was (e.g. volunteering, clinical experience, research), and the hours.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I kinda wove together what experiences I continued and new ones I started and how they helped me develop a stronger understanding of medicine and my goals within the field. If you can do something that shows the effects of what you did, it would probably be more impactful than just listing them out.
 
How are you guys addressing the most meaningful activity question. I don't really see how to answer this without being redundant because I feel like it's pretty much already laid out in my primary how my activities lead me to medicine
 
premiepremie said:
How are you guys addressing the most meaningful activity question. I don't really see how to answer this without being redundant because I feel like it's pretty much already laid out in my primary how my activities lead me to medicine
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I think in the application it said that people reading these apps dont have access to your primary (double check me on that) but if this is true then repeating some themes from your PS/Primary is probably ok
 
ss901 said:
I think in the application it said that people reading these apps dont have access to your primary (double check me on that) but if this is true then repeating some themes from your PS/Primary is probably ok
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You should assume they have read your primary essays and write something different in the secondary.
 
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