2022-2023 Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSU-COM)

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PapaGuava

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2022-2023 MSU-COM Secondary Essay Prompts

1. What steps have you taken or what activities have you engaged in to learn about the DO profession? (300 words)

2. Tell us about a time when you received difficult feedback and how you responded. (300 words)

3. What have you done to work with others different from yourself? What have you learned from these experiences? (300 words)

4. You may provide additional information, not stated elsewhere, you feel may help the Admissions Committee gain a better understanding of your candidacy. This may include major life achievements or explanations of academic or non-academic discrepancies on your application. You may also include interests or work experiences. (500 words)

For Reapplicants:

1. What has changed since your last application? (500 words)


Good luck to everyone applying!

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Is there a preference for in-state applicants at MSUCOM?
 
Is there a preference for in-state applicants at MSUCOM?
According to the Choose DO explorer in the 2021-2022 application cycle, out of 301 seats, 202 were filled by in-state applicants and only 99 were out of state applicants. Thus, there is a preference for in-state applicants.
 
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Does MSUCOM accept non-US citizens without an F-1 student visa and pending permanent residency paperwork? I emailed them but they said they do not offer advising over email so they did not answer my question directly.

On their website, I do see that they accept international students. However, they also say this: "If an offer of admission is granted and accepted by the candidate, the candidate will be asked to prove financial resources for an F-1 student visa and to provide documentation of tuition and fees and necessary living expenses for the first year before immigration documents can be issued." Does this mean if I don't have F-1 then I can't go there?

Thank you very much.
 
Does MSUCOM accept non-US citizens without an F-1 student visa and pending permanent residency paperwork? I emailed them but they said they do not offer advising over email so they did not answer my question directly.

On their website, I do see that they accept international students. However, they also say this: "If an offer of admission is granted and accepted by the candidate, the candidate will be asked to prove financial resources for an F-1 student visa and to provide documentation of tuition and fees and necessary living expenses for the first year before immigration documents can be issued." Does this mean if I don't have F-1 then I can't go there?

Thank you very much.
Not having a GC in hand and not being on F1 is a difficult category for medical schools. Many DO schools would not accept it. In other words, since your GC is pending, they will want you to wait until you get it. The argument is that sometimes it takes years to get the GC. You may find a few schools that may accept your status but they will be few. When it comes to secondaries, they will ask you to upload the GC.
In this case, MSUCOM accepts International students but you are not F1. Since they didn't really answer your question, I would call them. You may need to contact each school individually before spending $$$ on applications.
 
Anyone get a secondary from msu com yet?
 
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Is this question asking if I currently have any classes that are in progress because I have either not taken them yet or am currently taking them?

Please explain any pending or incomplete coursework in the space below. If your coursework is complete, write "N/A" below.
 
Is this question asking if I currently have any classes that are in progress because I have either not taken them yet or am currently taking them?

Please explain any pending or incomplete coursework in the space below. If your coursework is complete, write "N/A" below.
I may have misunderstood, but I thought that question was referring to the prerequisite courses listed above it.
 
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I may have misunderstood, but I thought that question was referring to the prerequisite courses listed above it.
I am pretty sure that's what it was referring to as well
 
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Secondary questions 300 words

What steps have you taken or what activities have you engaged in to learn about the DO profession?


Tell us about a time when you received difficult feedback and how you responded.

What have you done to work with others different from yourself? What have you learned from these experiences?

You may provide additional information, not stated elsewhere, you feel may help the Admissions Committee gain a better understanding of your candidacy. This may include major life achievements or explanations of academic or non-academic discrepancies on your application. You may also include interests or work experiences. 500 words

Reapp

What has changed since your last application? 500 words
 
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They're asking for osteopathic experiences but listing MD and DO options...are yall putting both or just DO experiences?
 
They're asking for osteopathic experiences but listing MD and DO options...are yall putting both or just DO experiences?
I’m putting both and my EMT experience since it says clinical experience
 
For the work with others different from you question:

Should I write about myself as an EMT working with patients that were different from me and challenges related to that? Or do they mean co-workers and people in the same profession who are different but you have to work with?
 
I treated this as a "diversity" Q and answered
That’s kind of what I was thinking as well and I have an essay for that. And for the difficult feedback question would that be like a challenge that you overcame? Kind of? How did you approach that?
 
For the "List clinical experience" section:

How are y'all tackling descriptions for shadowing? It's very passive.
 
For the "List clinical experience" section:

How are y'all tackling descriptions for shadowing? It's very passive.
I kept it short since I already talked about it in the "What steps have you taken or what activities have you engaged in to learn about the DO profession?" question. Just briefly said what I learned about osteopathic medicine from the experience and what I got out of it, as well as the hours and the physician's specialty.

Also, I was just listing the DO experiences I have since that seemed to be what they were asking, but maybe we should be listing everything?
 
Anyone get an email from admissions about DO/PHD program?
 
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After you submit your secondary, is there anything you need to do to get the letters of recommendation from AACOMAS linked to your application?
Mine are showing as not received.
 
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After you submit your secondary, is there anything you need to do to get the letters of recommendation from AACOMAS linked to your application?
Mine are showing as not received.
no they do it manually, usually within a couple of days
 
Secondary questions 300 words

What steps have you taken or what activities have you engaged in to learn about the DO profession?


Tell us about a time when you received difficult feedback and how you responded.

What have you done to work with others different from yourself? What have you learned from these experiences?

You may provide additional information, not stated elsewhere, you feel may help the Admissions Committee gain a better understanding of your candidacy. This may include major life achievements or explanations of academic or non-academic discrepancies on your application. You may also include interests or work experiences. 500 words

Reapp

What has changed since your last application? 500 words
@PapaGuava
 
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I'm really struggling on the question: Tell us about a time when you received difficult feedback and how you responded.

I feel like as a trad student who went through COVID beginning in their sophomore year, its hard to answer. All the work I have done has been shift work: pharm tech, medical assistant, research assistant.

Does anyone have insight into how I can begin to formulate this? I know it's different for everyone but I've never gotten difficult feedback.
 
I'm really struggling on the question: Tell us about a time when you received difficult feedback and how you responded.

I feel like as a trad student who went through COVID beginning in their sophomore year, its hard to answer. All the work I have done has been shift work: pharm tech, medical assistant, research assistant.

Does anyone have insight into how I can begin to formulate this? I know it's different for everyone but I've never gotten difficult feedback.
I wouldn't think about it just in the context of clinical/ research exp if you can't think of anything. You can write about difficult feedback from any part of your life- I bet there's been a time when a friend or something has approached you and given you feedback that was emotionally hard to swallow for whatever reason.
 
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I wouldn't think about it just in the context of clinical/ research exp if you can't think of anything. You can write about difficult feedback from any part of your life- I bet there's been a time when a friend or something has approached you and given you feedback that was emotionally hard to swallow for whatever reason.
Thanks for that advice. I was thinking in such a narrow frame of mind :)
 
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Anyone get an email from admissions about DO/PHD program?
Are folks receiving this email after primary (as an FYI), after secondary (to all or only those who show an interest)? Does it involve additional questions? Thanks in advance
 
Are folks receiving this email after primary (as an FYI), after secondary (to all or only those who show an interest)? Does it involve additional questions? Thanks in advance
I believe that email was sent to me before I sent the secondary application. If you select DO/PhD program on the secondary app, yes there are additional questions.
 
For the "List clinical experience" section:

Did everyone just strictly put DO experiences or did they add other clinical experiences as well (ie with MD's)? I am kind of confused.
 
For the "List clinical experience" section:

Did everyone just strictly put DO experiences or did they add other clinical experiences as well (ie with MD's)? I am kind of confused.
I just ended up putting my DO experiences.
 
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I assume this school will prefer in-state over OOS because it is a public school. Amongst OOS, will it prefer certain states over the others?
 
I assume this school will prefer in-state over OOS because it is a public school. Amongst OOS, will it prefer certain states over the others?
I heard there are a lot of Illinois students from an OMS-1 at MSUCOM who is also and Illinois resident
 
Did everybody end up putting just DO experiences or all clinical experiences on the tab? Slightly confusing since we can select for both.
 
If I am a medical assistant for multiple DO physicians how do I describe that in the "clinical experiences" section? Like I have worked with 7 DO physicians. Do I have to describe the encounter with each one?
 
Did everybody end up putting just DO experiences or all clinical experiences on the tab? Slightly confusing since we can select for both.
the primary question that first appeared was list osteopathic experiences so I went with just DO b/c my primary app included other clinical experiences.
 
If I am a medical assistant for multiple DO physicians how do I describe that in the "clinical experiences" section? Like I have worked with 7 DO physicians. Do I have to describe the encounter with each one?
I just listed the experience of medical assistant and then talked about multiple DOs in the clinical practice in one box. Did all 7 DO physicians treat patients differently?
 
Did everybody end up putting just DO experiences or all clinical experiences on the tab? Slightly confusing since we can select for both.
I was also confused by this, but regardless, I put both.
 
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If I am a medical assistant for multiple DO physicians how do I describe that in the "clinical experiences" section? Like I have worked with 7 DO physicians. Do I have to describe the encounter with each one?
I would put it all in one. I had a situation where I grouped the three physicians into one experience.
 
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