2022-2023 Columbia (Vagelos)

[chilly_md]

Thank you @rltw275 for sharing this year's questions!


2022-2023 Columbia (Vagelos) Essay Prompts

1. Have you previously applied to Medical School? (200 characters)

2. If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)

3. Did you work for compensation during college (either during the school year or summers)? If so, what did you do? How many hours a week did you work? (300 words)

4. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)

5. Please describe your most meaningful leadership positions. (300 words)

6. Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician? (300 words)

7. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (400 words)

*CV and photo also required

Good luck to everyone applying!

Interview feedback:

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[wantabedoctor]

Anyone receive secondaries yet?

 

[saltedcaramel20]

Received OOS 6/29

 

[dafluffysamoyed]

Received OOS 6/29

+1

 

[rodneyzwm]

received without verified primary just now? whats up w that

 

[capt_levi_93]

Have the prompts changed?

 

[wantabedoctor]

received without verified primary just now? whats up w that

really? verified 6/29 and still haven't received secondaries

 

[thegourd]

received without verified primary just now? whats up w that

Same lmfao I'm so confused

 

[deleted1135362]

received without verified primary just now? whats up w that

same...

 

[BRepublic]

same, received without verified profile.

 

[rltw275]

@chilly_md
Have you previously applied to Medical School? (200 characters)

If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)

Did you work for compensation during college (either during the school year or summers)?
If so, what did you do? How many hours a week did you work? (300 words)

If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)

Please describe your most meaningful leadership positions. (300 words)

Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician? (300 words)

Is there anything else you would like us to know? (400 words)

*CV and photo also required

 

[deleted910026]

OOS received

 

[paul30]

IS received

 

[swimmyfish]

I've also received the secondary w/o verified primary...I'm applying md/phd though maybe that has an effect?

 

[newolduser]

Anybody else applying Bassett? The program looks amazing!

 

[thegourd]

I've also received the secondary w/o verified primary...I'm applying md/phd though maybe that has an effect?

Also MSTP!

 

[jayam1947]

Received, OOS, Verified on 6/8

 

[xxxyyyzzzaaabbbccc]

Received a few hours ago OOS, was in my spam folder

 

[Dr.Kale]

Hey I got a secondary even though I’m not verified yet, do they release secondaries to all applicants even before verification?

 

[oatly]

Hey I got a secondary even though I’m not verified yet, do they release secondaries to all applicants even before verification?

seem like. I am verified, but one of my peers is not and they received a secondary as well.

 

[Moab_BASE]

hmm, received a secondary without an MCAT score...

 

[crunchwrap360]

OOS Secondary received

 

[hoping_for_peds]

Hi! Any other psych major applicants out there? If so, are you categorizing your major as biological science or social science?

 

[Moab_BASE]

Hi! Any other psych major applicants out there? If so, are you categorizing your major as biological science or social science?

It’s social science unless you were like a neuro major.

 

[hzhang1202]

Thank you @rltw275 for sharing this year's questions!


2022-2023 Columbia (Vagelos) Essay Prompts

1. Have you previously applied to Medical School? (200 characters)

2. If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)

3. Did you work for compensation during college (either during the school year or summers)? If so, what did you do? How many hours a week did you work? (300 words)

4. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)

5. Please describe your most meaningful leadership positions. (300 words)

6. Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician? (300 words)

7. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (400 words)

*CV and photo also required

Good luck to everyone applying!

Interview feedback:

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Interview Feedback

Review of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Interview Feedback. Get the latest information, opinions of fellow students, and LizzyM and SDN Rankings.

www.studentdoctor.net

For number 3, are they asking for something like a list with a very brief description for each activity (especially if I have multiple things to talk about?)

 

[chilly_md]

For number 3, are they asking for something like a list with a very brief description for each activity (especially if I have multiple things to talk about?)

Yes, usually just listing it with the details they ask for is the best way to do it.

 

[deleted1119806]

anyone not receive secondary yet? im OOS with ties ORM verified 6/3

 

[dr_rick_progressive]

I don't know why but I've been resistant to create a CV, sticking with the old one-page resume. Ugh, guess I'll finally have to do it now!

 

[MyStateofMind]

anyone not receive secondary yet? im OOS with ties ORM verified 6/3

Me. Nada, zilch, zero, nothing. I'm ORM verified 6/1. I'm IS, but attend college OOS. So not sure what that makes me...

 

[deleted1119806]

Me. Nada, zilch, zero, nothing. I'm ORM verified 6/1. I'm IS, but attend college OOS. So not sure what that makes me...

I think that could warrant having ties esp if ur from the city! also nice username haha

 

[MyStateofMind]

I think that could warrant having ties esp if ur from the city! also nice username haha

Thanks. And....the eagle has landed. Secondary received.

 

[itskatniss]

Secondary received 7/8, OOS, unverified. Is this some sort of mistake?

 

[wantabedoctor]

5. Please describe your most meaningful leadership positions. (300 words) --- Are most people doing resume style for this one with bullets or full essay? Also are you writing about more than one meaningful leadership position in 300 words? hmmm

 

[oatly]

5. Please describe your most meaningful leadership positions. (300 words) --- Are most people doing resume style for this one with bullets or full essay? Also are you writing about more than one meaningful leadership position in 300 words? hmmm

personally approached it more like story + impact wise and wrote a full essay. wrote about two experiences.

 

[deleted1118591]

Super late because it went to my junk folder and I didn't find out until yesterday, but I also received a secondary on 7/8 before being verified (OOS, regular MD)

 

[Hedgedoggie]

For Q3 ("work for compensation during college"), is this only relevant if we participated in work/study or had to work to pay for our education? Fortunately, I had financial support and didn't need to work during undergrad, but I still held paid positions (Residential Peer Leader, TA, Research Intern). Do ya'll think I should still answer the question? Thanks and gluck to everyone!!

 

[Delawarean]

For Q3 ("work for compensation during college"), is this only relevant if we participated in work/study or had to work to pay for our education? Fortunately, I had financial support and didn't need to work during undergrad, but I still held paid positions (Residential Peer Leader, TA, Research Intern). Do ya'll think I should still answer the question? Thanks and gluck to everyone!!

Did you get paid for those roles? If so, I'd say that's what they mean by compensation. I wrote about the retail job I had and paid research.

 

[anonuser12345]

If i am a reapplicant but not a reapplicant to vagelos, do I need to say that I am a reapplicant?

 

[turtler81]

Received OOS 7/8, unverified. It also went to my spam so I just saw it today which is terrifying.

 

[ynwa21396]

Is anyone else having trouble paying the secondary fee? It keeps telling me that my billing address doesn't match the card (it does). I called admissions yesterday and they said they'd get back to me by the end of the day (they did not).

 

[pianoblack]

Is anyone else having trouble paying the secondary fee? It keeps telling me that my billing address doesn't match the card (it does). I called admissions yesterday and they said they'd get back to me by the end of the day (they did not).

I just paid my secondary fee and it went through without any issues.

 

[Hedgedoggie]

Does anyone know what additional information our CV is supposed to reveal about ourselves? I feel like I crammed everything into the "Activities" section of my primary app already. :/ Should I include hobbies/interests or something? Thanks x

 

[pianoblack]

Does anyone know what additional information our CV is supposed to reveal about ourselves? I feel like I crammed everything into the "Activities" section of my primary app already. :/ Should I include hobbies/interests or something? Thanks x

From what I've seen, it's fine if your CV overlaps a lot with your primary. It actually used to be optional at Columbia in the past, which supports what I've heard anecdotally that it's mainly provided to interviewers so they have a quick, concise overview of you. Many people elect to include a brief section at the very end of their resume or CV listing their hobbies or interests, so you could certainly do that.

 

[ColZee9]

Verified 06/01, OOS, haven't received the secondary. I've checked all folders of my email and Columbia is the only school I have yet to receive. Should I reach out to admissions in case there was an error?

 

[WeOutHereWaiting]

By the way, just a heads up to people who didn’t know this like me: CV is supposed to be longer than a resume (which is limited to one page) and is supposed to cover your whole “course of life”

 

[greymilkt]

For Q4 (graduation from college), it only asks about what have I done since, should I not include what I plan on doing until matriculation into medical school?

 

[Analog_Emeritus]

Verified 06/01, OOS, haven't received the secondary. I've checked all folders of my email and Columbia is the only school I have yet to receive. Should I reach out to admissions in case there was an error?

I probably would, or just try to reset your password from the portal (google Columbia med school portal).
At least with Penn, I never got the email but I was still able to reset my password and get in, so it might work here.

 

[deleted1017183]

submitted 7/12

 

[DrUranium]

For question 3, did people just do a bulleted list, or did you write out a description for each job, why you pursued it, and hours/week?

 

[Jinkrat]

For those of you who are MD applicants and are worried about making a CV, according to their website (FAQs) they accept both resumes and CVs with not preference to which is submitted. I do not think this holds true for MD/PhD's though.

"Even though the format and function of a CV can differ from a resume, we accept both and have no preference on which type you submit, with exception to the 3-year PhD-to-MD program that requires a CV."