2021-2022 Alabama

[wysdoc]

Thank you @baz2020 for sharing this year's questions!

2021-2022 Alabama Secondary Essay Prompts: (Limit 750 characters, each)

1. Where do you see yourself in your medical career fifteen to twenty years from now?

2. Please share any information you want us to know about you that is not included in your AMCAS application or in this secondary application.

3. Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics or experiences that would add to the educational environment for your classmates.

4. Please describe if and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected your preparation for applying to medical school.

5. Describe a patient interaction with the healthcare system. This could be a direct patient observation (in person or virtual) during a shadowing experience, a personal experience within the healthcare system, or a family member or friend who had a memorable interaction within the healthcare system. What did you learn from this experience?

6. Describe a fulfilling or challenging community service experience and how you grew personally from the experience.

*******************************************************
MD/PhD essays:
1. If you have already graduated (or will graduate from college prior to May/June), please give a brief description of your activities following graduation. (1500 Characters)

2. What factors prompted you to apply to UAB for MD/PhD training?(1500 Characters)

There's a few choose research interests/keyword/faculty/posters things also but not essays

Good luck to everyone applying!

Interview feedback:

University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine Interview Feedback

Review of University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine Interview Feedback. Get the latest information, opinions of fellow students, and LizzyM and SDN Rankings.

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[nicobean]

Hey does anyone know if the SJT has to be in to be considered for interview or just for final admission decision?

 

[globalatworst]

Hey does anyone know if the SJT has to be in to be considered for interview or just for final admission decision?

I went to the webinar UAB had on this and they said they only consider SJT for final admission decision! Edit: Oh and the SJT only has to be scheduled to get an interview

 

[mammd2021]

Prompts from this year:

Non-Alabama Resident with Ties to Alabama: Describe any ties or meaningful experiences you have had related to the state of Alabama or UAB Medical Center (1500 characters)

750 characters each:
Where do you see yourself in your medical career fifteen to twenty years from now?

Please share any information you want us to know about you that is not included in your AMCAS application or in this secondary application
Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics or experiences that would add to the educational environment for your classmates

Please describe if and how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected your preparation for applying to medical school

Describe a patient interaction with the healthcare system. This could be a direct patient observation (in person or virtual) during a shadowing experience, a personal experience within the healthcare system, or a family member or friend who had a memorable interaction within the healthcare system. What did you learn from this experience?

Describe a fulfilling or challenging community service experience and how you grew personally from the experience

 

[maddyo]

I went to the webinar UAB had on this and they said they only consider SJT for final admission decision! Edit: Oh and the SJT only has to be scheduled to get an interview

but the interview can only be scheduled at a date after your SJT scores are released!

 

[Jeff0302]

Rising MS2 student here to answer any questions about UAB. Best of luck to all!

 

[Throwaway123890]

but the interview can only be scheduled at a date after your SJT scores are released!

IDK where you are getting your info. The UAB website says "however, we would like to see that you have at least registered for the SJT prior to considering you for an invitation to interview.".

 

[maddyo]

IDK where you are getting your info. The UAB website says "however, we would like to see that you have at least registered for the SJT prior to considering you for an invitation to interview.".

yes haha that is true. but, per the UAB webinar they had last month, you can be invited for an interview prior to your SJT score release, however the date of your interview must be after your score release - i think it takes about a month for scores to come out. As in, they need to see your score before your interview. I hope that made sense. Feel free to check the recorded webinar on the "application process" part of the website at the very bottom, they begin talking about SJT at around min 33.

 

[Throwaway123890]

yes haha that is true. but, per the UAB webinar they had last month, you can be invited for an interview prior to your SJT score release, however the date of your interview must be after your score release - i think it takes about a month for scores to come out. As in, they need to see your score before your interview. I hope that made sense. Feel free to check the recorded webinar on the "application process" part of the website at the very bottom, they begin talking about SJT at around min 33.

Well thats horrible news the next available test for me was august 3. So much for being early. SJT is a 15 minute exam its kind of ridiculous i have to wait until august to take it.

 

[globalatworst]

In state secondary received verified by amcas july 2. Does anyone know if we should wait until all LORs are in to submit the secondary?

 

[baz2020]

MSTP applicant here. I received an email stating my application was still under consideration but not invited to complete a secondary yet

 

[parlezvousmed]

Any advice for an OOS applicant with no meaningful ties to Alabama? I'm worried that I won't even be considered. I know In States Apps are preferred. I just don't know what to write for this question.

 

[CptCrimson]

In state secondary received verified by amcas july 2. Does anyone know if we should wait until all LORs are in to submit the secondary?

My pre-med advisor (not at UAB though) told me to go ahead and submit. The schools won't review your app until they receive all the letters but at least they can see you completed your secondary not too long after receiving it. Obviously don't rush if you don't have to.

 

[thenextmcdreamy]

what if we bombed the SJT, how does that affect things?

 

[globalatworst]

what if we bombed the SJT, how does that affect things?

The UAB Webinar said that a bad SJT score won't be viewed by the admissions committee! So it's probably fine

 

[thenextmcdreamy]

that's a huge relief

 

[Xyzcannon18]

that's a huge relief

The UABSOM is one of six schools selected to participate in the AAMC Situational Judgment Test (SJT). All regular MD and combined graduate/MD applicants should complete the SJT. The SJT is a free assessment, completed remotely, so there is no cost to you as an applicant for the 2022 cycle. The AAMC SJT exam is an opportunity for applicants to showcase personal and professional characteristics--beyond academic scores. Scores will not be used to eliminate applicants from further consideration. They will only be used in the 2022 cycle when they have positive impact on the applicant's application. The SJT will not be used to determine interview invitations, rather the scores will be used for final review of application for admission decision. If you are selected for interview, we will need your score before your interview date. Please sign up as soon as possible.

This is what they've attached to the secondary email. Somewhere on their website they state their purpose of the score is considered in holistic review so I'm not sure if it has a positive/negative effect.

 

[maddyo]

The UABSOM is one of six schools selected to participate in the AAMC Situational Judgment Test (SJT). All regular MD and combined graduate/MD applicants should complete the SJT. The SJT is a free assessment, completed remotely, so there is no cost to you as an applicant for the 2022 cycle. The AAMC SJT exam is an opportunity for applicants to showcase personal and professional characteristics--beyond academic scores. Scores will not be used to eliminate applicants from further consideration. They will only be used in the 2022 cycle when they have positive impact on the applicant's application. The SJT will not be used to determine interview invitations, rather the scores will be used for final review of application for admission decision. If you are selected for interview, we will need your score before your interview date. Please sign up as soon as possible.

This is what they've attached to the secondary email. Somewhere on their website they state their purpose of the score is considered in holistic review so I'm not sure if it has a positive/negative effect.

I think in the webinar they said something like they'll only be able to see your score if you scored >75th percentile, anything below they'll just assume you were average. so it sounded like they wont even be able to see your score if you did badly

 

[baz2020]

Mstp secondary received

 

[kitkat08]

Mstp secondary received

Can you post the questions for MSTP? Thanks!

 

[baz2020]

Can you post the questions for MSTP? Thanks!

and i believe these May be MD essays as well so ill tag @wysdoc also

All responses limited to 750 Characters:
* Where do you see yourself in your medical career fifteen to twenty years from now?

* Please share any information you want us to know about you that is not included in your AMCAS application or in this secondary application.

* Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics or experiences that would add to the educational environment for your classmates.

* Please describe if and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected your preparation for applying to medical school.

* Describe a patient interaction with the healthcare system. This could be a direct patient observation (in person or virtual) during a shadowing experience, a personal experience within the healthcare system, or a family member or friend who had a memorable interaction within the healthcare system. What did you learn from this experience?

* Describe a fulfilling or challenging community service experience and how you grew personally from the experience.

MD/PhD
The only essays are:

If you have already graduated (or will graduate from college prior to May/June), please give a brief description of your activities following graduation. (1500 Characters)

What factors prompted you to apply to UAB for MD/PhD training?(1500 Characters)

Theres a few choose research interests/keyword/faculty/posters things also but not essays

 

[skeeter11]

MSTP applicant here. I received an email stating my application was still under consideration but not invited to complete a secondary yet

Anyone know how long this initial review takes?

 

[baz2020]

Anyone know how long this initial review takes?

Mine took 10 days

 

[maddyo]

got my II today! - ED, IS

 

[lguy714]

Took the SJT this morning for this school specifically and received a R about an hour later. Healthy to laugh at ironic situations like this I believe. Good luck everyone this cycle.
For reference- OOS with ties (born in Alabama and travel there frequently) 3.9x/510

 

[mammd2021]

Took the SJT this morning for this school specifically and received a R about an hour later. Healthy to laugh at ironic situations like this I believe. Good luck everyone this cycle.
For reference- OOS with ties (born in Alabama and travel there frequently) 3.9x/510

I'm so sorry to hear that and wish you the best of luck at your other med schools, just for research purposes were you ED or RD

 

[cfar21]

got my II today! - ED, IS

Same!! whoop whoop!

 

[ItsGoingTibiaOK]

Took the SJT this morning for this school specifically and received a R about an hour later. Healthy to laugh at ironic situations like this I believe. Good luck everyone this cycle.
For reference- OOS with ties (born in Alabama and travel there frequently) 3.9x/510

When to you submit your secondary? Just took the SJT today and think I may end up in the same boat

 

[baz2020]

For the question " Please share any information you want us to know about you that is not included in your AMCAS application or in this secondary application. "

How bad would it be to write N/A or something? I do not have anything more to share as an MSTP applicant with 2 additional essays on primary + all these other secondary questions

 

[lguy714]

When to you submit your secondary? Just took the SJT today and think I may end up in the same boat

Secondary was submitted on June 30th without SJT. I had to reschedule it to a later date due to some timing complications but I don’t think that had anything to do with the R. Also I was RD.

 

[kitkat08]

For the question " Please share any information you want us to know about you that is not included in your AMCAS application or in this secondary application. "

How bad would it be to write N/A or something? I do not have anything more to share as an MSTP applicant with 2 additional essays on primary + all these other secondary questions

I can relate, I would just go for it tbh

 

[baz2020]

I can relate, I would just go for it tbh

Went for it, lets see what happens

 

[skeeter11]

For the question " Please share any information you want us to know about you that is not included in your AMCAS application or in this secondary application. "

How bad would it be to write N/A or something? I do not have anything more to share as an MSTP applicant with 2 additional essays on primary + all these other secondary questions

I did the same thing

 

[Simsamb2021]

Took the SJT this morning for this school specifically and received a R about an hour later. Healthy to laugh at ironic situations like this I believe. Good luck everyone this cycle.
For reference- OOS with ties (born in Alabama and travel there frequently) 3.9x/510

Oh no, I'm sorry! Good luck with you're other schools!

 

[Sasha0325]

There sending out R’s already for RD applicants?!

 

[nicobean]

There sending out R’s already for RD applicants?!

Definitely. I received my pre-II R from here last year the third week of August. The good news is they do offer feedback with Admissions.

 

[thenextmcdreamy]

are the R's mostly oos?

 

[nicobean]

are the R's mostly oos?

nope, I was in-state with a 509 and a 3.76cGPA/3.71 sGPA,

they told me it was due to low clinical hours on my primary

 

[spring2022]

nope, I was in-state with a 509 and a 3.76cGPA/3.71 sGPA,

they told me it was due to low clinical hours on my primary

So how many hours would be good?

 

[nicobean]

So how many hours would be good?

I only had 50 at the time since COVID pushed back the start date of my clinical job and they told me that they don't accept "projected hours" since I had just started when I submitted my secondary. I'd say minimum 100, but a safer bet is 200 hours

 

[gymnastics995]

Has anyone received an II yet that applied to the primary care track?

 

[sonder88]

Please share any information you want us to know about you that is not included in your AMCAS application or in this secondary application.

Do most people add something into this prompt or is it okay to state that there is nothing more to add?

 

[Xyzcannon18]

Please share any information you want us to know about you that is not included in your AMCAS application or in this secondary application.

Do most people add something into this prompt or is it okay to state that there is nothing more to add?

I chose to write about short comings in my application.

 

[premedprincess89]

Please share any information you want us to know about you that is not included in your AMCAS application or in this secondary application.

Do most people add something into this prompt or is it okay to state that there is nothing more to add?

I used this section to talk about “why Alabama”

 

[nicobean]

I was complete 7/29 and got the II today for primary care track!

 

[gymnastics995]

I was complete 7/29 and got the II today for primary care track!

Congrats! I was complete on 7/9 and am still hoping for one. Fingers crossed!

 

[sonder88]

.

 

[nicobean]

If you scored like a 3 or below on the SJT, how does that impact your chances for admission?

I doubt that it can hurt you. I believe SJT can only marginally help you anyways. Its too new to really hold much merit as of yet for admissions criteria. It's more in a data compiling phase to see if a high score actually translates to a better med student and so that is more like a 5 years down the road kind of thing.

 

[Sasha0325]

If you scored like a 3 or below on the SJT, how does that impact your chances for admission?

I went to an info session they had and they said that they only use your SJT score if it’s 75% or higher. If it’s lower then they basically just ignore it. If it’s higher they use it as a “plus” to your application. I believe they may have posted this on their website as well maybe.

 

[drhealer]

II OOS! Complete 7/8