2021-2022 Utah

[wysdoc]

Thank you to @Jens825 for sharing this years' questions!

2021-2022 Utah Secondary Essay Prompts:

1. Explain why you are choosing to apply to the University of Utah School of Medicine. (200 words)

2. Please use the space below for anything you wish to discuss related to the COVID-19 public health crisis (200 words). Possible topics might include:

• Share any disruptions in your academic, volunteer, work, and/or personal life related to COVID-19 that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider.
• What was one of your biggest lessons learned about yourself and how this lesson effected your outlook on the role of medicine?
• Share creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis.
• What hardships have you faced as a result of the global pandemic?

3. What does health equity mean to you? Please comment on your personal commitment and attributes towards your definition of health equity and how it will impact the future of medicine. (200 words)
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IF YOU GO RUUTE SCHOLAR :
1. According to your experiences, what does rural and underserved mean to you? (200 words)

2. How would participation in RUUTE help you fulfill your career aspirations? (150 words)

3. Why do you believe this program will be a good fit for you? (150 words)

Good luck to everyone applying!

Interview feedback:

University of Utah School of Medicine Interview Feedback

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[bobthebuilder13]

Anyone receive secondaries from this school?

 

[threepwood]

Just got a secondary. IS, verified first day of submission.

 

[Jens825]

@wysdoc

Prompts:

Explain why you are choosing to apply to the University of Utah School of Medicine. (200 words)

Please use the space below for anything you wish to discuss related to the COVID-19 public health crisis (200 words). Possible topics might include:

• Share any disruptions in your academic, volunteer, work, and/or personal life related to COVID-19 that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider.
• What was one of your biggest lessons learned about yourself and how this lesson effected your outlook on the role of medicine?
• Share creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis.
• What hardships have you faced as a result of the global pandemic?

What does health equity mean to you? Please comment on your personal commitment and attributes towards your definition of health equity and how it will impact the future of medicine. (200 words)

IF YOU GO RUUTE SCHOLAR :

According to your experiences, what does rural and underserved mean to you? (200 words)

How would participation in RUUTE help you fulfill your career aspirations? (150 words)

Why do you believe this program will be a good fit for you? (150 words)

(end of prompts)


Cannot believe they are making us enter all of our activities again

 

[theseconddoc]

In the activities section, is everyone copying and pasting from the primary? Or elaborating?

 

[jack326]

In the activities section, is everyone copying and pasting from the primary? Or elaborating?

That’s what I’m doing. It’s honestly ridiculous that schools make you do this. They literally have out primaries for a reason. Smh

 

[Lolaaa]

OOS secondary recieved

 

[tk97]

OOS. Secondary received. Verified 05/28.
Ok but seriously how are we supposed to talk about these activities again l o l 🙃🥲

 

[Jens825]

That’s what I’m doing. It’s honestly ridiculous that schools make you do this. They literally have out primaries for a reason. Smh

If they explicitly told me to not repeat my primary, that would be one thing, but it really makes me think they don't even look at the primary activity descriptions. I've decided that's what I'm doing as well.

 

[theseconddoc]

Does anyone think that marking interest in the RUUTE Scholar Program will make an application more desirable?

 

[Jens825]

Does anyone think that marking interest in the RUUTE Scholar Program will make an application more desirable?

I wouldn't do it unless you are serious about it. At the very least you will have to write several essays explaining that interest. Furthermore, it will certainly be brought up in interviews. So I would advise against it if you are marking an interest just for the sake of appearing more desirable. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Jens825]

When we are listing our activity dates, are we supposed to project dates or just put the end date as the date we submit? I know we are not supposed to project hours, but wasn't sure about the dates.

 

[threepwood]

When we are listing our activity dates, are we supposed to project dates or just put the end date as the date we submit? I know we are not supposed to project hours, but wasn't sure about the dates.

I emailed admissions about this because I couldn't figure it out/decide. I'll update once I hear back.

 

[tryingtofindhope]

anyone know if there is a character count for the activity descriptions? is it 300?

 

[Jens825]

anyone know if there is a character count for the activity descriptions? is it 300?

I don't think there is one. I definitely typed more than 300 and it let me save.

 

[tryingtofindhope]

I don't think there is one. I definitely typed more than 300 and it let me save.

Ya i just dont know how much to write for them because it was 300 last year but there is no counter this year lol

 

[microbezzzz]

Would someone mind rephrasing what they think the health equity prompt is asking? Obviously, the definition is clear but I don't understand what they are asking for in the second sentence.

 

[Jens825]

Would someone mind rephrasing what they think the health equity prompt is asking? Obviously, the definition is clear but I don't understand what they are asking for in the second sentence.

What experiences do you have related to health equity that you could bring to our med school? How do you hope to positively impact health equity in the future? Why is health equity important to you as a future physician?

Those are a few ways that I interpreted it and answered accordingly.

 

[Hawke97]

So is everyone just copy and pasting their primary appiation activities into their secondaries then for the activiteis sections? I'm not sure what they are expecting, especially with no noticabe character count this year. If so, are people taking from both descriptions for most meaningful experiences?

 

[threepwood]

I emailed admissions about this because I couldn't figure it out/decide. I'll update once I hear back.

Got an answer. Indicate hours and timeline of dates up to the point of submission. Do not include future dates or hours, though you may indicate in your description of the activity that you intend to continue said activity in the future.

 

[Hawke97]

Just so everyone knows, I emailed the school and they said to still try to keep it to 300 characters despite no indication on the actual application.

 

[Jens825]

Just so everyone knows, I emailed the school and they said to still try to keep it to 300 characters despite no indication on the actual application.

Haha what? Why would they not indicate that? They should definitely know most people are just going to copy and paste the 700 character descriptions from their primary if there is zero indication. Thanks anyway for the update.

 

[threepwood]

I don't suppose they gave any indication of what they would like us to include in our descriptions? With 300 characters, I struggle to include anything beyond the basic facts of what I did and how often.

 

[microbezzzz]

I just noticed that my fee status says "waived". I didn't apply for FAP. Has anyone else experienced something similar?

EDIT: looks like UTAH waives the secondary fee for MD/PhD applicants.

 

[nfetti]

Just so everyone knows, I emailed the school and they said to still try to keep it to 300 characters despite no indication on the actual application.

Do you know if they updated their site after this? When I log into the application system now, it says that I have a 300 WORD limit.

 

[Amazin889]

Do you know if they updated their site after this? When I log into the application system now, it says that I have a 300 WORD limit.

I just emailed admissions today and I was told to use the 300 word limit, can anyone else check on this?

 

[tryingtofindhope]

I just emailed admissions today and I was told to use the 300 word limit, can anyone else check on this?

correct i called

 

[Lolaaa]

what should I classify my clinical jobs like EMT as? direct patient contact or clinical employment?

 

[Lolaaa]

sorry if this is a dumb question but why would someone choose the TRUE program over the RUUTE? they both prepare students to practice in rural and underserved communities. is the RUUTE program more extensive?

 

[blessedORM]

what should I classify my clinical jobs like EMT as? direct patient contact or clinical employment?

I have no idea why it's so specific and ambiguous at the same. For all my clinical stuff though, I just put clinical employment but made it clear (at least from my primary's description) that direct patient contact was involved.

 

[JustOneAcceptancePls]

I am so frustrated with the activities section, last year it was 300 characters so I just wrote a quick summary of them and if they wanted an expansion they could check amcas... but now that its a full 300 words??? Im nervous that copy and pasting will be a red flag but also... what else are we supposed to do when they are just general descriptions UGHHHH haha

 

[Lolaaa]

I am so frustrated with the activities section, last year it was 300 characters so I just wrote a quick summary of them and if they wanted an expansion they could check amcas... but now that its a full 300 words??? Im nervous that copy and pasting will be a red flag but also... what else are we supposed to do when they are just general descriptions UGHHHH haha

yeah I honestly don't know what else to write about. I was barely able to hit 190 words and if I write anything more it'll sound like the primary app like wtf

 

[ronnywi024]

sorry if this is a dumb question but why would someone choose the TRUE program over the RUUTE? they both prepare students to practice in rural and underserved communities. is the RUUTE program more extensive?

I don't really know the answer either but I'm interested in RUUTE and was curious about this too. I found this on the U's website, I think basically TRUE is one of the specific options you have under the broader RUUTE program?:

Pathway to TRUE Graduate Certificate

medicine.utah.edu

 

[Lolaaa]

I don't really know the answer either but I'm interested in RUUTE and was curious about this too. I found this on the U's website, I think basically TRUE is one of the specific options you have under the broader RUUTE program?:

Pathway to TRUE Graduate Certificate

medicine.utah.edu

Oh then I might have f'd up and chose the TRUE program without choosing the RUUTE

 

[kitkat08]

Anyone here applying MD/PhD? Do you know if there are additional MD/PhD questions?

 

[pdog20]

I am so frustrated with the activities section, last year it was 300 characters so I just wrote a quick summary of them and if they wanted an expansion they could check amcas... but now that its a full 300 words??? Im nervous that copy and pasting will be a red flag but also... what else are we supposed to do when they are just general descriptions UGHHHH haha

Can we just copy and paste from our amcas application?

 

[jack326]

Can we just copy and paste from our amcas application?

Lol I hope so. That’s what I did.

 

[pdog20]

Lol I hope so. That’s what I did.

That's what I'm doing as well. It makes no sense to redo the activities section

 

[kitkat08]

So what is the verdict here? Are most people just copying and pasting activities, or would this be seen as lazy?

 

[ronnywi024]

So what is the verdict here? Are most people just copying and pasting activities, or would this be seen as lazy?

I ended up writing the descriptions from scratch again and just tried to share slightly new or different details compared to the primary. I think it's frustrating and I don't get the purpose of having to write about all these again but I was worried it might be seen as a red flag to directly copy. But I get where are others are coming from with doing it that way.

 

[zz4]

For what it's worth, I had heard that at different stages of the process the person reviewing your file may not have access to your primary app and will only be seeing your secondary. I chose to copy and paste because of this. If someone knows otherwise, please correct me.

 

[pdog20]

So what is the verdict here? Are most people just copying and pasting activities, or would this be seen as lazy?

Copy and paste. Kinda ridiculous they can't just look at the primary

 

[JustOneAcceptancePls]

Welp, submitted so here's to wishing myself and everyone luck! Also, anyone know if I submitted my secondary, and already have 3 letters in AMCAS along with MCAT etc, if they will go ahead and put it in the review pile or will they wait for another potentail letter that is yet to be uploaded to AMCAS before starting to review? I'd rather get reviewed early I think than wait for another letter so might tell AMCAS to not send it to them if it ever does get uploaded. Praying I get past the waitlist this year haha spent a LOT of time on them essays.

 

[ronnywi024]

Welp, submitted so here's to wishing myself and everyone luck! Also, anyone know if I submitted my secondary, and already have 3 letters in AMCAS along with MCAT etc, if they will go ahead and put it in the review pile or will they wait for another potentail letter that is yet to be uploaded to AMCAS before starting to review? I'd rather get reviewed early I think than wait for another letter so might tell AMCAS to not send it to them if it ever does get uploaded. Praying I get past the waitlist this year haha spent a LOT of time on them essays.

I just submitted my secondary today, and all 4 of my letters had been uploaded prior to today. I got first a confirmation email, and then another email immediately after that that said my secondary was considered complete and ready for review. Did you get a "complete" email? If not it may be because of the 4th letter and might be to your benefit to do 3 if you want your application reviewed sooner. I am not entirely sure though.

 

[Bellerophontes]

Just wanted to put here that my secondary app ended up in my spam folder. Beware.

 

[Hawke97]

I originally emailed them about the character count question and they told me to keep it to 300 characters. I submitted it and it seems that after this they changed it to 300 words. Should I worry too much about this? I'm not sure if they actually read the primary or not.

 

[DTMP13]

Oh then I might have f'd up and chose the TRUE program without choosing the RUUTE

You're fine. RUUTE and TRUE are two completely different programs, but similar in purpose. RUUTE is more of an experience-based program (clerkships, shadowing, research, volunteer opportunities, etc.) and TRUE is more academic in a sense. Upon completion of TRUE, you get a certificate that goes on your transcript and looks favorable when applying to residencies. IMO the two programs should combine because they are basically the same thing, however, only one provides you with a certificate that can give you a leg up when applying to residencies.

 

[Lolaaa]

You're fine. RUUTE and TRUE are two completely different programs, but similar in purpose. RUUTE is more of an experience-based program (clerkships, shadowing, research, volunteer opportunities, etc.) and TRUE is more academic in a sense. Upon completion of TRUE, you get a certificate that goes on your transcript and looks favorable when applying to residencies. IMO the two programs should combine because they are basically the same thing, however, only one provides you with a certificate that can give you a leg up when applying to residencies.

omg thank you! I got so anxious lol

 

[JustOneAcceptancePls]

I wonder when the U will start giving out II's. Last year was a crazy cycle and most secondaries didn't even go out until September. Anyone have any insider info 👀

 

[jack326]

I wonder when the U will start giving out II's. Last year was a crazy cycle and most secondaries didn't even go out until September. Anyone have any insider info 👀

My guess is sometime from now until March of next year. Don’t quote me on that though.