2021-2022 Mayo Clinic, Rochester (Alix)

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Thank you to @Watson343 for sharing this year's questions!

2021-2022 Mayo Clinic, Rochester (Alix) Secondary Essay Prompts: (500 words each max)

1. Why are you specifically interested in pursuing your medical education at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine? Please tell us in a few sentences why you are interested in the top choice track you indicated.

2. We are all differentiated from or connected to one another by individual inflections that constitute our diversity. Explain how your relationship with your own diversity and to the diversities of others manifests in your personal and professional activities.

3. Share with us your thoughts about the relevance – or not – of diverse learning environments in which you wish to learn medicine.

Good luck to everyone applying!

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Good morning all!

I am a re-applicant that applied to MCASOM (Rochester) last year. I received a pre-II R but wanted to drop a few tidbits of information that I retained to give people any kind of insight that may help.

Disclaimer: I cannot guarantee that all of this information is still accurate, but I have no reason to currently think that it is not.

Secondaries (Word Count = 500):
-Note: I do not know of any rule that prohibits secondary prompts from being shared. If such a rule exists, please let me know and I will take these down.
-Why are you specifically interested in pursuing your medical education at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine? Please tell us in a few sentences why you are interested in the top choice track you indicated.
-We are all differentiated from or connected to one another by individual inflections that constitute our diversity. Explain how your relationship with your own diversity and to the diversities of others manifests in your personal and professional activities.
-Share with us your thoughts about the relevance – or not – of diverse learning environments in which you wish to learn medicine.

-Applications are looked at and II's sent out in order of MCAT score (highest to lowest) [not confirmed, but confidently suspected based off of trends during the last two cycles].
-If you are put on a pre-II hold, it is incredibly unlikely, though not impossible, that you will get an interview.
-The only decisions that are sent out prior to the spring are R's. A's and WL decisions aren't sent out until around February.
-They gave pre-II R's to everyone still sitting on the pre-II Hold list sometime in late December.
-Interviews will most likely be virtual this year (or at least have a virtual option). [I personally emailed the ADCOM to ask this due to personal reasons]
-Those that got a virtual interview last year were sent a cool care package.
-Their "Day 2" is a set date after your interview (I believe the following Monday?). This isn't flexible and interviewees made it sound like you need to work your schedule around it. They also made it sound like it wasn't optional like it is with some other schools.
-No feedback is available for your application if you receive a WL or an R, either in email or in-person format.
-Updates aren't accepted until after you get an II, although some people broke this rule and then received an II last year.
 
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Screamapillar said:
Do we know this to be true or is this kinda something we're guessing at given SDN trends in the past?
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I don't believe this could be true, given that interviewers are supposed to be blinded to MCAT scores.
 
dhlutra said:
I don't believe this could be true, given that interviewers are supposed to be blinded to MCAT scores.
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Interviewers being blinded to scores has nothing to do with anything. Don't you think someone looks at scores before deciding whether or not to issue an II?

Assuming that's the case, why is it crazy to think that higher scores find their way to the top of the pile? I am pretty sure that stronger candidates receive earlier interviews (or at least earlier IIs) everywhere. Do you think interviewers are blinded to that as well?
 
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KnightDoc said:
Interviewers being blinded to scores has nothing to do with anything. Don't you think someone looks at scores before deciding whether or not to issue an II?

Assuming that's the case, why is it crazy to think that higher scores find their way to the top of the pile? I am pretty sure that stronger candidates receive earlier interviews (or at least earlier IIs) everywhere. Do you think interviewers are blinded to that as well?
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It has to do with the precise purpose of blinding. If interviews are scheduled according to MCAT scores, this would effectively unblind the interviewers towards the relative scores of the interviewee.

Given that Mayo doesn't send secondaries to applicants who fail to meet their MCAT cut-off, I would suspect that scores are less than relevant to when an II is issued.

Frankly, I don't understand the condescending and confrontational tone you've chosen to adopt with this very debatable application topic, particularly given that you haven't yet applied to this school.
 
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dhlutra said:
It has to do with the precise purpose of blinding. If interviews are scheduled according to MCAT scores, this would effectively unblind the interviewers towards the relative scores of the interviewee.

Given that Mayo doesn't send secondaries to applicants who fail to meet their MCAT cut-off, I would suspect that scores are less than relevant to when an II is issued.

Frankly, I don't understand the condescending and confrontational tone you've chosen to adopt with this very debatable application topic, particularly given that you haven't yet applied to this school.
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It's true -- I haven't applied yet. Neither have you.

I was reacting positively to someone who posted that Mayo reviews apps and sends out IIs in MCAT score order, which seems entirely plausible, since, as far as I know, based on what every adcom has posted with respect to every school, apps are stratified just about everywhere. Everyone doesn't go strictly by MCAT, but it doesn't seem crazy that the #11 school with a 520 median would use it as a metric in stratifying apps.

You disagree because interviewers don't see stats when they receive a file, and you think this would undermine that. I say so what, and ask whether you think they don't realize that they are receiving the stronger files first, and that one of things that makes a file strong at a school with a 520 MCAT median is a high MCAT score. You find that condescending and don't understand where I am coming from, since I haven't yet applied, just like you! I guess we'll both have to remain in the dark as to where the other is coming from. :cool:
 
KnightDoc said:
It's true -- I haven't applied yet. Neither have you.

I was reacting positively to someone who posted that Mayo reviews apps and sends out IIs in MCAT score order, which seems entirely plausible, since, as far as I know, based on what every adcom has posted with respect to every school, apps are stratified just about everywhere. Everyone doesn't go strictly by MCAT, but it doesn't seem crazy that the #11 school with a 520 median would use it as a metric in stratifying apps.

You disagree because interviewers don't see stats when they receive a file, and you think this would undermine that. I say so what, and ask whether you think they don't realize that they are receiving the stronger files first, and that one of things that makes a file strong at a school with a 520 MCAT median is a high MCAT score. You find that condescending and don't understand where I am coming from, since I haven't yet applied, just like you! I guess we'll both have to remain in the dark as to where the other is coming from. :cool:
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Spoken as someone who doesn’t know - I’ve applied and was accepted. As such, I would like to believe I do have some insight into the process and could be of use to others.

Being dismissive doesn’t do anyone favors. If you have actual evidence to support your position, I’m all ears. I can say I know my MCAT score and date of interview, and it would fly contrary to your assumption. I hope we can continue providing support for others with a greater degree of collegiality moving forward.
 
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dhlutra said:
Spoken as someone who doesn’t know - I’ve applied and was accepted. As such, I would like to believe I do have some insight into the process and could be of use to others.

Being dismissive doesn’t do anyone favors. If you have actual evidence to support your position, I’m all ears. I can say I know my MCAT score and date of interview, and it would fly contrary to your assumption. I hope we can continue providing support for others with a greater degree of collegiality moving forward.
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Okay, congratulations!!! So, please share -- did you have a high MCAT for Mayo, and, if so, did you receive an early II? I'm going to assume, since I was incorrect in giving any weight to the comment of the person who said this was the case, that your MCAT is either above 520 and you received a late II, or it is below 520 and you received an early one, correct?

I think I have some evidence -- I found at least one person with a 511 MCAT and a January II. That seems consistent with what @StraTos_SpeAr posted, doesn't it? What exactly is your insight, as an accepted applicant, that Mayo doesn't stratify apps by MCAT score, other than the fact that it couldn't possibly happen because interviewers don't see scores in the file?
 
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KnightDoc said:
Okay, congratulations!!! So, please share -- did you have a high MCAT for Mayo, and, if so, did you receive an early II? I'm going to assume, since I was incorrect in giving any weight to the comment of the person who said this was the case, that your MCAT is either above 520 and you received a late II, or it is below 520 and you received an early one, correct?
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The latter is true. I had an underwhelming MCAT by Mayo standards and yet had a very quick turnaround on my II.

Again, I can’t say with absolute certainty, but I believe MCAT scores are used in determining secondaries and again in class acceptance, but perhaps not in interview order
 
dhlutra said:
The latter is true. I had an underwhelming MCAT by Mayo standards and yet had a very quick turnaround on my II.

Again, I can’t say with absolute certainty, but I believe MCAT scores are used in determining secondaries and again in class acceptance, but perhaps not in interview order
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Look, I didn't mean to give you hard time, and sincerely, congratulations on your acceptance, which is HUGE, and is something I can only dream of. You should change your label to "Medical Student"!

I was just agreeing with someone whose account is now on hold, so, who knows, but the comment seems plausible since the school clearly cares about MCAT scores. Obviously, they look at other things as well, and you are living proof of that. I'm sure MCAT is not the only thing they stratify by, but you won't disagree that II order is not random, correct?

Assuming we agree on that, putting high MCATs into the same bucket with other strong applicants and interviewing them first is not inconsistent with interviewers being blind to scores. After all, a full half the class is above 520. Does it really matter to interviewers what the actual score is, and whether the early birds are the ones with 522s or 518s?
 
KnightDoc said:
Look, I didn't mean to give you hard time, and sincerely, congratulations on your acceptance, which is HUGE, and is something I can only dream of. You should change your label to "Medical Student"!

I was just agreeing with someone whose account is now on hold, so, who knows, but the comment seems plausible since the school clearly cares about MCAT scores. Obviously, they look at other things as well, and you are living proof of that. I'm sure MCAT is not the only thing they stratify by, but you won't disagree that II order is not random, correct?

Assuming we agree on that, putting high MCATs into the same bucket with other strong applicants and interviewing them first is not inconsistent with interviewers being blind to scores. After all, a full half the class is above 520. Does it really matter to interviewers what the actual score is, and whether the early birds are the ones with 522s or 518s?
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Label updated. I think the important takeaway is that applicants are viewed holistically (not in the platitudinous sense of the word) with regards to II. MCAT score (even well below the median :)) will not decide your fate, so long as you meet the cutoff.
 
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Screamapillar said:
Do we know this to be true or is this kinda something we're guessing at given SDN trends in the past?
Click to expand...
It's not confirmed by anyone at Mayo, but this was what happened during the last two cycles.

People in the SDN threads would announce when they got an II (or put on Hold/R) and they would announce their MCAT score as well. It tracked pretty consistently with MCAT score; clusters of invites (or Holds/R's) went out roughly every week, and the people that were getting their decisions were all within roughly 3 points of each other in MCAT score and the groups trended downward in score.

This is obviously not definitive (I'm sure there are a number of factors that bump certain individuals up the list) and we all know that this doesn't automatically dictate your likelihood of getting in, but it's just an observation to note. If you're at the lower end of the MCAT range for Mayo like me, you will most likely not hear anything until deep into the fall. I didn't hear anything until November/December both times I've applied.
 
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StraTos_SpeAr said:
It's not confirmed by anyone at Mayo, but this was what happened during the last two cycles.

People in the SDN threads would announce when they got an II (or put on Hold/R) and they would announce their MCAT score as well. It tracked pretty consistently with MCAT score; clusters of invites (or Holds/R's) went out roughly every week, and the people that were getting their decisions were all within roughly 3 points of each other in MCAT score and the groups trended downward in score.

This is obviously not definitive (I'm sure there are a number of factors that bump certain individuals up the list) and we all know that this doesn't automatically dictate your likelihood of getting in, but it's just an observation to note. If you're at the lower end of the MCAT range for Mayo like me, you will most likely not hear anything until deep into the fall. I didn't hear anything until November/December both times I've applied.
Click to expand...
 
VibrioVibrio said:
I believe MCAT scores are used in determining secondaries
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Do you know if they do this by the MCAT range shown on MSAR or to just everyone who hits above 125 in each subsection?
 
L242 said:
Do you know if they do this by the MCAT range shown on MSAR or to just everyone who hits above 125 in each subsection?
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I'm reasonably sure that they send secondaries to anyone who gets above a 508 on the MCAT (source for that score = their admissions website), regardless of individual section score (source for this = I've gotten secondaries twice and I got below a 125 on the first section).
 
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StraTos_SpeAr said:
I'm reasonably sure that they send secondaries to anyone who gets above a 508 on the MCAT (source for that score = their admissions website), regardless of individual section score (source for this = I've gotten secondaries twice and I got below a 125 on the first section).
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That makes sense, thanks so much!
 
NormalUsername42 said:
Same as last year.
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So to confirm, these (all with a 500 word max)?

1.Why are you specifically interested in pursuing your medical education at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine even if you gain acceptances to other highly ranked medical schools?

2.We are all differentiated from or connected to one another by individual inflections that constitute our diversity. Explain how your relationship with your own diversity and to the diversities of others manifests in your personal and professional activities.

3.Share with us your thoughts about the relevance – or not – of diverse learning environments in which you wish to learn medicine.


@wysdoc
 
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Watson343 said:
So to confirm, these (all with a 500 word max)?

1.Why are you specifically interested in pursuing your medical education at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine even if you gain acceptances to other highly ranked medical schools?

2.We are all differentiated from or connected to one another by individual inflections that constitute our diversity. Explain how your relationship with your own diversity and to the diversities of others manifests in your personal and professional activities.

3.Share with us your thoughts about the relevance – or not – of diverse learning environments in which you wish to learn medicine.


@wysdoc
Click to expand...

I also received my secondary today! Can confirm that these are the prompts and the word counts are the same.

The only thing I’ll add is that the first prompt ends with the line “Please tell us in a few sentences you are interested in the top choice track you indicated.”

Edit: some other slight differences in prompt 1, just posting them all here:

1. Why are you specifically interested in pursuing your medical education at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine? Please tell us in a few sentences why you are interested in the top choice track you indicated.

2. We are all differentiated from or connected to one another by individual inflections that constitute our diversity. Explain how your relationship with your own diversity and to the diversities of others manifests in your personal and professional activities.

3. Share with us your thoughts about the relevance – or not – of diverse learning environments in which you wish to learn medicine.
 
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OOS MD Received!

I'm curious: which campuses are y'all applying to? I'm definitely doing Rochester but thinking about Florida as well.
 
kokoriko said:
OOS MD Received!

I'm curious: which campuses are y'all applying to? I'm definitely doing Rochester but thinking about Florida as well.
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Rochester is the only one that accepts Canadians :/
 
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kokoriko said:
OOS MD Received!

I'm curious: which campuses are y'all applying to? I'm definitely doing Rochester but thinking about Florida as well.
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Personally I think Scottsdale would be really cool, I'm just trying to do research to make sure it's viewed as the same as Rochester when it comes to residencies.
 
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kokoriko said:
OOS MD Received!

I'm curious: which campuses are y'all applying to? I'm definitely doing Rochester but thinking about Florida as well.
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Rochester is my #1. The others’ locations scare me - being from New England I’m not sure the weather and I would get along too well.
 
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Anyone else waiting for secondary still?
 
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kokoriko said:
OOS MD Received!

I'm curious: which campuses are y'all applying to? I'm definitely doing Rochester but thinking about Florida as well.
Click to expand...

On the secondary you rank your campus preferences from 1st to 4th. So you aren’t outright applying to specific campuses. I wonder exactly how it works, like if you have a better chance at getting an interview at a certain campus if you rank it higher or if they just take their top picks to interview and it matters more post-interview.

AKA: should I rank campuses strategically…
 
Macro_Corneaphage said:
On the secondary you rank your campus preferences from 1st to 4th. So you aren’t outright applying to specific campuses. I wonder exactly how it works, like if you have a better chance at getting an interview at a certain campus if you rank it higher or if they just take their top picks to interview and it matters more post-interview.

AKA: should I rank campuses strategically…
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Also wondering this! I'm pretty sure some of the tracks are pretty new though so I'm not sure how much is known about that stuff
 
Macro_Corneaphage said:
On the secondary you rank your campus preferences from 1st to 4th. So you aren’t outright applying to specific campuses. I wonder exactly how it works, like if you have a better chance at getting an interview at a certain campus if you rank it higher or if they just take their top picks to interview and it matters more post-interview.

AKA: should I rank campuses strategically…
Click to expand...
Just taking them at their word, I think ranking strategically would be a waste of time, plus, you could end up playing yourself. My takeaway is that they are going to accept the best, strongest, best fit candidates, period.

The ranking seems to be to match you to a campus, but only after they have determined they want you. I am just an applicant like anyone else, but I just don't see the great Mayo Clinic choosing a weaker candidate over a stronger one, based on their ranking a less desirable campus (if there even is such a thing at such a highly ranked school with so few seats) higher than the stronger candidate does. I think this is precisely why they state that where we interview does not necessarily determine where we will receive an offer, and why they warn us not to rank a campus we wouldn't attend. Even though there are 3 campuses, there is apparently a single adcom.

Bottom line -- you're not going to be accepted unless they want you. Ranking AZ #1 won't get you accepted if you wouldn't be anyway, but it could very well get you assigned to AZ when you wouldn't otherwise be. So, don't do it unless you really prefer the heat to the snow!! :)
 
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Dumb question but how are y'all doing your "Why Us" with the campus ranking? I would love to go to any but I'm gonna rank Rochester as my top so I want to be specific to that campus in my Why Us, but I don't want to nix my chances at the others. Are you guys talking about all of them or do you have any advice?
 
gogomed0726 said:
Dumb question but how are y'all doing your "Why Us" with the campus ranking? I would love to go to any but I'm gonna rank Rochester as my top so I want to be specific to that campus in my Why Us, but I don't want to nix my chances at the others. Are you guys talking about all of them or do you have any advice?
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I plan on discussing a few brief things on why I'd choose my top choice over the other(s). Mayo explicitly asks you to write a few sentences about why you chose your top track choice. By choosing other options, you are saying you'd also like to go to them. I imagine that the adcoms understand that you prefer one over the others and wouldn't nix your chances if you say you prefer MN over AZ for whatever reason (barring anything offensive about your less preferred choices). I mean, they asked you to write why you chose your #1. Maybe others are approaching it differently.

I still plan on using this as a "Why Us" essay for the rest of the words.
 
Just received the secondary. Good luck all!
 
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larynxlady said:
Did any MSTP applicants get a secondary yet?
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I just received one this morning, the only prompt that I see on mine is

In the space below, write a brief paragraph (max. 500 characters) explaining why you are specifically applying to the Mayo Clinic MD-PhD Program.

Interesting that the MD applicants get 500 words and we get a few short sentences :(
 
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Does anybody know if you can pursue the dual MD/MS in Science of Healthcare Delivery through the ASU partnership at any location?
 
Hey guys what is oldest mcat score accepted this cycle?
 
Measher809 said:
Does anybody know if you can pursue the dual MD/MS in Science of Healthcare Delivery through the ASU partnership at any location?
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that's what I thought after reading the website. it's a part of every mayo campus curriculum
 
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