2022-2023 Drew @ UCLA

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

2022-2023 Charles R Drew @ UCLA Secondary Essay Prompts

  1. Have you experienced an uneven performance in grades and academic achievement? If so, please explain. What did you do to improve? (800 characters maximum)
  2. If you are currently not a full-time student, please list and describe your current activities. (800 characters maximum)
  3. Describe the role you play in your immediate family. (800 characters maximum)
  4. Describe your community and socioeconomic environment. (800 characters maximum)
  5. Describe the most significant community, public service, and leadership activities you have been involved in over the last six years. (800 characters maximum)
  6. Describe how your experience, community, and family background impact your understanding of underserved communities. (800 characters maximum)
  7. Other than healthcare access, what are some of the most important healthcare issues confronting under-resourced communities? How would you address them? (800 characters maximum)
  8. Please describe how your experiences and personal attributes contribute to the mission of Charles R. Drew University. (800 characters maximum)
  9. Have you ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic or parking violation? If the answer is yes, please explain. (800 characters maximum)
  10. Please share the degree to which COVID-19 has caused disruptions in any of the following areas of your life that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider: Academic, Research, Volunteer, Work, Personal Life, Financial Situation, Family. (1200 characters maximum)
  11. Please provide any additional information, which will give the Admissions Committee greater insight into you as an applicant. (800 characters maximum)
  12. How did you hear about our program?



Good luck to everyone applying!

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Incoming student here, this thread was super helpful to me when I applied this past cycle. I'm happy to answer any questions. Good luck everyone!
 
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JoyFairy said:
Incoming student here, this thread was super helpful to me when I applied this past cycle. I'm happy to answer any questions. Good luck everyone!
Click to expand...
Omg the fact that it's already time for a new thread 😭
 
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Hey all, I just received an email from the Charles R. Drew/UCLA medical education program. Are these the same? If not, what school is this thread associated with because I cannot find it on MSAR!
 
I’m planning on applying this cycle, but I also received the same email. At the end, they mentioned they are opening a new medical school program with the inaugural class being 2023 (‘independent medical education program’)—anyone know anything else regarding this?
Their website doesn’t say anything about how this program would differ from their existing programs, only that the inaugural class would be 60 students
 
TheAfroAvenger said:
Hey all, I just received an email from the Charles R. Drew/UCLA medical education program. Are these the same? If not, what school is this thread associated with because I cannot find it on MSAR!
Click to expand...
Unless things change with the new independent program, CDU/UCLA is one of a few ways to earn an MD from DGSOM (UCLA's med school). It's like PRIME or the MSTP program (same preclinical, same rotations, same diploma; different mission). Since all the programs are unified in one class, the stats on MSAR and the match lists are combined. Presumably, when there is data for the independent CDU program, there will be a separate MSAR and AMCAS section for it.

I'm in the joint program with UCLA. Basically I applied to CDU/UCLA by sending my primary to CDU/UCLA on AMCAS. You can also apply to other DGSOM tracks by sending your primary to UCLA on AMCAS. You can probably reach out to CDU admissions to figure out how to apply to the independent program (if that interests you).

Hopefully that helps!
 
Lux23 said:
I’m planning on applying this cycle, but I also received the same email. At the end, they mentioned they are opening a new medical school program with the inaugural class being 2023 (‘independent medical education program’)—anyone know anything else regarding this?
Their website doesn’t say anything about how this program would differ from their existing programs, only that the inaugural class would be 60 students
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Yea I noticed that in the email too about the independent program. My guess is it will be added to AMCAS once they get accredited or something. Im assuming that will be a CDU medical school and separate from this joint program altogether.
 
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MDloading1 said:
Did you receive this email after submitting your application for review or beforehand by just selecting it as one of the schools you wanted to go to?
Click to expand...
Yes it was after submitting my primary. I originally did not notice it in AMCAS since it’s not on MSAR. I did select Geffen though I’m not sure if the email has any correlation with that
 
CDU is VERY mission focused in terms of even who they send secondaries too. They are definitely looking for specific type of applicants. I will say they absolutely do a holistic review of applications
 
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Just got email notifying that they have received my primary app!
 
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Tennis&soccer said:
Hey y’all (new to SDN!), I was thinking of applying here but I wanted to see what y’all think. I am OOS, non URM (North African). But I did am part of the Charles Drew Scholars Profram at my uni. In addition to this, I have conducted research on the Charles Drew Scholar Program (and presented at conferences) at my univeristy. I have a lot of volunteering in underserved areas but I also have low MCAT (50X). Any thoughts?
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I would say shoot your shot! if you're background and goals fit their mission then I think that means a little more than stats.
 
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Secondary received. IS ORM with strong ties and mission fit
 
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JoyFairy said:
Incoming student here, this thread was super helpful to me when I applied this past cycle. I'm happy to answer any questions. Good luck everyone!
Click to expand...
Are you familiar with any resources/support for queer students?
 
@wysdoc
Questions:
  1. Have you experienced an uneven performance in grades and academic achievement? If so, please explain. What did you do to improve? (800 characters maximum)
  2. If you are currently not a full-time student, please list and describe your current activities. (800 characters maximum)
  3. Describe the role you play in your immediate family. (800 characters maximum)
  4. Describe your community and socioeconomic environment. (800 characters maximum)
  5. Describe the most significant community, public service, and leadership activities you have been involved in over the last six years. (800 characters maximum)
  6. Describe how your experience, community, and family background impact your understanding of underserved communities. (800 characters maximum)
  7. Other than healthcare access, what are some of the most important healthcare issues confronting under-resourced communities? How would you address them? (800 characters maximum)
  8. Please describe how your experiences and personal attributes contribute to the mission of Charles R. Drew University. (800 characters maximum)
  9. Have you ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic or parking violation? If the answer is yes, please explain. (800 characters maximum)
  10. Please share the degree to which COVID-19 has caused disruptions in any of the following areas of your life that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider: Academic, Research, Volunteer, Work, Personal Life, Financial Situation, Family. (1200 characters maximum)
  11. Please provide any additional information, which will give the Admissions Committee greater insight into you as an applicant. (800 characters maximum)
  12. How did you hear about our program?
 
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walnutfloor said:
@wysdoc
Questions:
  1. Have you experienced an uneven performance in grades and academic achievement? If so, please explain. What did you do to improve? (800 characters maximum)
  2. If you are currently not a full-time student, please list and describe your current activities. (800 characters maximum)
  3. Describe the role you play in your immediate family. (800 characters maximum)
  4. Describe your community and socioeconomic environment. (800 characters maximum)
  5. Describe the most significant community, public service, and leadership activities you have been involved in over the last six years. (800 characters maximum)
  6. Describe how your experience, community, and family background impact your understanding of underserved communities. (800 characters maximum)
  7. Other than healthcare access, what are some of the most important healthcare issues confronting under-resourced communities? How would you address them? (800 characters maximum)
  8. Please describe how your experiences and personal attributes contribute to the mission of Charles R. Drew University. (800 characters maximum)
  9. Have you ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic or parking violation? If the answer is yes, please explain. (800 characters maximum)
  10. Please share the degree to which COVID-19 has caused disruptions in any of the following areas of your life that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider: Academic, Research, Volunteer, Work, Personal Life, Financial Situation, Family. (1200 characters maximum)
  11. Please provide any additional information, which will give the Admissions Committee greater insight into you as an applicant. (800 characters maximum)
  12. How did you hear about our program?
Click to expand...
Hi, are the character limit including space like amcas or without spaces?
 
OOS no sec yet, any hope to receive one? Did anyone ever get a late sec from Drew?
 
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Any idea how to apply to the new CDU independent program med sch set to have its first class in 2023?
 
Dr.Yikes said:
Any idea how to apply to the new CDU independent program med sch set to have its first class in 2023?
Click to expand...
I haven't seen any information on it. Didn't find information about it on their website either (unless I'm truly that blind lol)
 
Okay, so according to the LCME website, Drew is listed under "Candidate" status for the independent med program.

"A medical education program achieves candidate status after all of the following requirements have been fulfilled: 1) submission by the program of a modified data collection instrument (DCI) and Self-study document to the LCME for review, followed by a favorable review by the LCME and 2) granting by the LCME of a survey visit to the program for preliminary accreditation. A candidate program is not accredited and may not recruit or advertise for applicants or accept student applications."

Based on that last line, unless that status changes in the next month or so, I doubt the class will start in 2023. And according to their timeline, the school is several months behind on where they expected to be in terms of the accreditation process
 
DancingHusky said:
Are you familiar with any resources/support for queer students?
Click to expand...
Hey! Sorry for the delay! There's a strong queer community in LA and I've heard that that extends to UCLA and CDU/UCLA. There's always events to participate in, as well as a lot of queer-friendly spaces to go out/socialize/chill. Folks in my class have been comfortably open about their identities and experiences, even in the short time we've all been connected.

In terms of established campus stuff, there's the Pride Alliance (our student hub for all things LGBTQIA+ at DGSOM) and our campus resource center, which serves UCLA more broadly. Our class also has a special GroupMe for activism and social justice-related stuff, which includes self-care and advocacy resources! Folks have shared opportunities to champion reproductive rights, as well as support for the trans community.

Also, there's a ton ways to get involved with healthcare for the queer community. Obviously queer patients need all kind of care, but there are explicit opportunities to serve queer patients and focus on LGBTQIA+-related concerns through primary care, plastic surgery, OBGYN, psychiatry, and urology. A lot of this work is connected to or done through UCLA Gender Health.

I'm happy to holler at one of my more informed classmates and get back to you, if there's anything more that would be helpful :)
 
JoyFairy said:
Hey! Sorry for the delay! There's a strong queer community in LA and I've heard that that extends to UCLA and CDU/UCLA. There's always events to participate in, as well as a lot of queer-friendly spaces to go out/socialize/chill. Folks in my class have been comfortably open about their identities and experiences, even in the short time we've all been connected.

In terms of established campus stuff, there's the Pride Alliance (our student hub for all things LGBTQIA+ at DGSOM) and our campus resource center, which serves UCLA more broadly. Our class also has a special GroupMe for activism and social justice-related stuff, which includes self-care and advocacy resources! Folks have shared opportunities to champion reproductive rights, as well as support for the trans community.

Also, there's a ton ways to get involved with healthcare for the queer community. Obviously queer patients need all kind of care, but there are explicit opportunities to serve queer patients and focus on LGBTQIA+-related concerns through primary care, plastic surgery, OBGYN, psychiatry, and urology. A lot of this work is connected to or done through UCLA Gender Health.

I'm happy to holler at one of my more informed classmates and get back to you, if there's anything more that would be helpful :)
Click to expand...

Thank you for such a thorough reply! I used to live in LA and am still decently plugged into the queer community there. I was definitely more curious about specifics for UCLA/CDU and the info you provided makes me very excited and hopeful for an interview!
 
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MyKnee Hurting said:
I planned on taking the MCAT end of August, but I read they strongly recommended applying by September 1st. Prep isn't going too well; one of my roommates bailed and landlord booted us out on the street, so in between housing unfortunately. I'm wondering what to do. I have a July 29th date, considering just continuing to hammer UWorld and Anki, but not sure that will be enough. Haven't taken any full lengths yet, content review (started with TBR, switched to Kaplan) has been a marathon to get through (note-taking). On UWorld, verbal is easy for me (90%+), P/S (70-80% using that massive Khan Academy Anki deck), the hard sciences I'm bombing on UWorld.

Does anyone have any advice? I saw they have a post-bacc program and am wondering if I should a) take this end of July anyways just to see, then decide whether I skip this cycle and apply to their post bacc or b) just void/cancel and apply to their post bacc in the winter. The program gets you a letter from the Dean and an automatic interview if you complete the program then apply.

I'm getting old (about to be 29). Reapplicant (2nd cycle), I'm local, URM male. I feel I fit the mission pretty well (hundreds of hours (nearing 1000) working with homeless/impoverished (skid row, DTLA, hollywood, echo park) with multiple orgs, have battled many of the issues facing the community. But with my GPA (3.3) I really need a good MCAT score, particulary with my interest in the 5 year (Prime) program, as I'd like to get into Public Health. Since familiarizing myself with Charles R. Drew I don't think there is a school I'd rather go to. Others I had looked into were Drexel, Howard, Morehouse, and Meharry, but this seems like an amazing program. If I have to hear what I don't want to I'm ready to, but if there is a way to markedly improve my score/content knowledge by the 29th I'm all ears.
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I'm so sorry to hear about your housing situation. Please do take care of yourself first!

It definitely depends on what you're scoring. You can PM me if you want. But generally, given the fact that you're not where you want to be score-wise, you're a re-applicant, and you have a ton of (understandable) stress right now; I would:
1. Figure out the housing situation, so you're in a good headspace to study.
2. Post on r/MCAT on Reddit for some really structured, free advice.
3. Apply to the CDU post-bacc and use whatever resources and supports they offer to study for the MCAT.
4. Crush the post-bacc and the MCAT
5. Apply with a strong upward trend in your GPA, a great MCAT, a Dean's letter, and an auto-interview.

There are folks in my class who completed the post-bacc and recommend it! And don't beat yourself up about the extra year or so. We have traditional/older students (myself included), and I can't emphasize enough that it's worth the wait to have a good application!
 
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Dr.Yikes said:
OOS no sec yet, any hope to receive one? Did anyone ever get a late sec from Drew?
Click to expand...
I'd say I got one late. I didn't get verified until the last week or two of August, because I submitted late. I received my secondary mid September.
 
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Dr.Yikes said:
OOS no sec yet, any hope to receive one? Did anyone ever get a late sec from Drew?
Click to expand...
I was OOS and definitely did. Trust me when I tell you that the timing of receiving secondaries/interviews does not matter.

I was complete mid-late August last year. I got my secondary towards mid/late October and returned it 10 days later (yep, over a week). I sent an update email in mid-November and a longer update/interest letter in mid-December. I was invited to interview mid-December and interviewed 3 days later on the last day of interviews. I sent a thank you letter right after my interview and another interest letter in mid/late-January. I was accepted on the first day and got a scholarship.

YMMV, but don't count yourself out until the last day of interviews! I know how it feels to think you're behind and to give up because waiting for something that might not happen is really really really hard. But, I promise you there's so much time left; and if you have meaningful updates to share this fall/winter, send them! 😊
 
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OOS secondary received!
 
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OOS secondary received just now
 
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I got the recieved my primary for CDU/UCLA today? What is the turn-around time to recieveing secondaries. Do some recieve secondaries the same day?
 
OOS Secondary received, primary submitted 6/30. I’m pleasantly surprised, I was starting to think it was a soft R.
 
JoyFairy said:
Incoming student here, this thread was super helpful to me when I applied this past cycle. I'm happy to answer any questions. Good luck everyone!
Click to expand...
Hello! I am super interested in the CDU/UCLA program. I've been able to learn about it from some recorded information sessions and reading online but I was wondering if I could ask you what your experience has been and how you feel being a student in this program is different from being a student at UCLA or any other school?
 
katarinna said:
Hello! I am super interested in the CDU/UCLA program. I've been able to learn about it from some recorded information sessions and reading online but I was wondering if I could ask you what your experience has been and how you feel being a student in this program is different from being a student at UCLA or any other school?
Click to expand...
Not JoyFairy but I'm in their class as a new MS1. It is fairly too early for me to compare Drew to UCLA as we are just now wrapping up our pre-matriculation program. We won't be heading to class with the UCLA students until next week. BUT...based on my minimal experience so far, being a student in the Drew program is AMAZING. The level of support, care, and preparation they provide for your success is something I've never experienced before.

As a Drew/UCLA student you get the best of both worlds quite frankly. The resources and amenities provided by Geffen are seemingly boundless. And I have already been placed within a Society (think Hogwarts houses but for advising) with a dean who has gone above and beyond to help me. That, coupled with the attention for the Drew faculty and staff make me feel very confident in my future.
 
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Mikiras said:
Not JoyFairy but I'm in their class as a new MS1. It is fairly too early for me to compare Drew to UCLA as we are just now wrapping up our pre-matriculation program. We won't be heading to class with the UCLA students until next week. BUT...based on my minimal experience so far, being a student in the Drew program is AMAZING. The level of support, care, and preparation they provide for your success is something I've never experienced before.

As a Drew/UCLA student you get the best of both worlds quite frankly. The resources and amenities provided by Geffen are seemingly boundless. And I have already been placed within a Society (think Hogwarts houses but for advising) with a dean who has gone above and beyond to help me. That, coupled with the attention for the Drew faculty and staff make me feel very confident in my future.
Click to expand...

Just the facts from one of my faves @Mikiras. Unrelated but I hope y'all make some friends on this thread, as I did 🥰

In my limited experience, being a CDU/UCLA is awesome (especially for students of color/minority/marginalized students). I was in PWIs since pre-K. While I loved having the opportunities associated with being in those spaces, I could’ve used more support from folks who understood my experience. Relatedly, I’m definitely less worried about the one year preclinical because we get extra academic and socio-emotional support as part of the CDU/UCLA program.

Also, if you’re interested in service AND surgery/subspecialties (like me), CDU/UCLA is a great place because it’s not a primary care-focused program. The mission focuses on underserved communities and recognizes that these communities need all kinds of care. I’ve gotten a ton of support for this already and have been connected with mentoring/student organizations related to surgery. This is something that distinguished CDU/UCLA from other programs with a focus on underserved communities.

But ask me again during interviews 😊 I believe in y’all!
 
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PDadolph1 said:
Still haven't recieved secondary, it's been about a month
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It's okay. Doesn't mean rejection. Some people get it asap, some takes >1 month (I've seen it in other cycles on here.)

They send actual rejection emails later in the cycle. So you're still in the running until told otherwise.
 
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youdontknowmynameee said:
It's okay. Doesn't mean rejection. Some people get it asap, some takes >1 month (I've seen it in other cycles on here.)

They send actual rejection emails later in the cycle. So you're still in the running until told otherwise.
Click to expand...
Do you know if this school has any informational session? or 1-1 advising session?
 
mojSADAG82 said:
Do you know if this school has any informational session? or 1-1 advising session?
Click to expand...
If I remember correctly, they have informational sessions during interview season for candidates selected to interview. As far as 1-1 advising, I don’t believe so. My best resource for this school when I applied was a current student and this thread.
 
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Mikiras said:
Not JoyFairy but I'm in their class as a new MS1. It is fairly too early for me to compare Drew to UCLA as we are just now wrapping up our pre-matriculation program. We won't be heading to class with the UCLA students until next week. BUT...based on my minimal experience so far, being a student in the Drew program is AMAZING. The level of support, care, and preparation they provide for your success is something I've never experienced before.

As a Drew/UCLA student you get the best of both worlds quite frankly. The resources and amenities provided by Geffen are seemingly boundless. And I have already been placed within a Society (think Hogwarts houses but for advising) with a dean who has gone above and beyond to help me. That, coupled with the attention for the Drew faculty and staff make me feel very confident in my future.
Click to expand...
JoyFairy said:
Just the facts from one of my faves @Mikiras. Unrelated but I hope y'all make some friends on this thread, as I did 🥰

In my limited experience, being a CDU/UCLA is awesome (especially for students of color/minority/marginalized students). I was in PWIs since pre-K. While I loved having the opportunities associated with being in those spaces, I could’ve used more support from folks who understood my experience. Relatedly, I’m definitely less worried about the one year preclinical because we get extra academic and socio-emotional support as part of the CDU/UCLA program.

Also, if you’re interested in service AND surgery/subspecialties (like me), CDU/UCLA is a great place because it’s not a primary care-focused program. The mission focuses on underserved communities and recognizes that these communities need all kinds of care. I’ve gotten a ton of support for this already and have been connected with mentoring/student organizations related to surgery. This is something that distinguished CDU/UCLA from other programs with a focus on underserved communities.

But ask me again during interviews 😊 I believe in y’all!
Click to expand...

Omg this sounds so amazing. I really hope I get the chance to go here! I really appreciate all the information that y'all have put here for us hopefuls. I'm about to turn in my secondary and I'm so nervous :oops:.
 
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