2022-2023 UT Houston (McGovern)

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wysdoc

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Thank you @AstroSidekick for sharing this year's essays!

2022-2023 UT Houston (McGovern) Secondary Essay Prompts (same as last year)

1. Please discuss one of the following: (2500 characters)
a) A challenging situation or obstacle you have faced in the past. Why was it challenging? How did you handle it? Knowing what you know now, would you do anything differently? What did you learn?
b) Any academic road bumps in your academic career (low academic performance, failing course, dropping/retaking of courses). Why was it challenging? How did you handle it? Knowing what you know now, would you do anything differently? What did you learn?

2. Describe a time or situation where you have been unsuccessful or failed. What did you learn from this experience and how have you applied this learning to your work and/or life? (2500 characters)

3. What would you like to contribute and be remembered for in medicine? (2500 characters)

Good luck to everyone applying!
Interview feedback:
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University of Texas Medical School - McGovern (Houston) Interview Feedback

Review of University of Texas Medical School - McGovern (Houston) Interview Feedback. Get the latest information, opinions of fellow students, and LizzyM and SDN Rankings.
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Last edited:
@wysdoc The following questions have a 2,500-character limit each.
  1. Please discuss one of the following:
    1. A challenging situation or obstacle you have faced in the past. Why was it challenging? How did you handle it? Knowing what you know now, would you do anything differently? What did you learn?
    2. Any academic road bumps in your academic career (low academic performance, failing course, dropping/retaking of courses). Why was it challenging? How did you handle it? Knowing what you know now, would you do anything differently? What did you learn?
  2. Describe a time or situation where you have been unsuccessful or failed. What did you learn from this experience and how have you applied this learning to your work and/or life?
  3. What would you like to contribute and be remembered for in medicine?
 
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Submitted TMDSAS on 5/16, but no secondary yet. I read previous years' threads and it seems that primary apps are reviewed before secondary invitations and that it takes time for them to be sent out. Is this true?
 
runner31 said:
Submitted TMDSAS on 5/16, but no secondary yet. I read previous years' threads and it seems that primary apps are reviewed before secondary invitations and that it takes time for them to be sent out. Is this true?
Click to expand...
Have you been given the notice by TMDSAS that your application has been transmitted to schools? Check the status on your TMDSAS portal.
After transmission the secondary invitations go out pretty quickly at most but not all these schools.
 
wysdoc said:
Have you been given the notice by TMDSAS that your application has been transmitted to schools? Check the status on your TMDSAS portal.
After transmission the secondary invitations go out pretty quickly at most but not all these schools.
Click to expand...
Yeah, TMDSAS notified me that it's been transmitted to schools. UTSW sent me one already and I've completed it, but no word from McGovern yet.
 
runner31 said:
Yeah, TMDSAS notified me that it's been transmitted to schools. UTSW sent me one already and I've completed it, but no word from McGovern yet.
Click to expand...
I submitted TMDSAS 5/16 and transmitted the next day. I got a secondary this past week. Hopefully you'll get one soon!
 
cyclic-wizard said:
I submitted TMDSAS 5/16 and transmitted the next day. I got a secondary this past week. Hopefully you'll get one soon!
Click to expand...
I'm also OOS so maybe there's a prioritization of IS applicants? Not sure how that all works. Will let you know if/when I get it.
 
runner31 said:
I'm also OOS so maybe there's a prioritization of IS applicants? Not sure how that all works. Will let you know if/when I get it.
Click to expand...
That could definitely be it... TMDSAS schools actively favor TX residents and are mandated to seat a % of their class as Texas residents, I believe 90% but could be wrong... good luck
 
runner31 said:
I'm also OOS so maybe there's a prioritization of IS applicants? Not sure how that all works. Will let you know if/when I get it.
Click to expand...
Hi, also an OOS TMDSAS applicant.

I submitted on first thing on May 16th, was verified/transmitted to schools on the 18th, and received the McGovern secondary on May 27th.
 
texasvandy said:
I am not aware they hold back secondaries, i.e., selectively issue them. You can have your essays ready to go and post them when it shows up?
Click to expand...
Yeah, not really sharing because I'm concerned or anything, just letting people know that it hasn't gone out to everyone yet, regardless of IS or OOS status.
 
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Secondary received this morning. Will submit by end of day today.
 
Secondary received around 7:45pm today, submitted primary 5/20. Currently also on their waitlist from 2021-2022 cycle
 
for those who submitted the secondary, the email that McGovern sent says that the application is under review, is this right? my CASPer score hasn't been processed yet, I and was wondering if McGovern looks at applications before the score is transmitted to schools
 
poiems said:
for those who submitted the secondary, the email that McGovern sent says that the application is under review, is this right? my CASPer score hasn't been processed yet, I and was wondering if McGovern looks at applications before the score is transmitted to schools
Click to expand...
Mine says the same, although the portal itself says the application is not complete.
 
texasvandy said:
I believe UT McGovern issues secondaries to all applicants.
Click to expand...
They do. With some of these schools you just gotta hope for the best. Even with a 500 MCAT, applying to all TX schools makes a lot of sense, considering how few TX residents matriculate OOS.
 
Think it's fine for secondaries to discuss generically? Like for the "contribution to medicine" prompt I was going to write about making a difference in patients' lives. But I feel that's like common sense.
 
whall said:
Think it's fine for secondaries to discuss generically? Like for the "contribution to medicine" prompt I was going to write about making a difference in patients' lives. But I feel that's like common sense.
Click to expand...
It is not a generic question. Think of yourself 30 years from now with 20+ years as a practicing doctor or researcher or an academic and what you would have contributed by then. If you are making a difference in patients lives then you need to think of what you did over those years to make that contribution.

I saw a post from a Houston cardiologist recently saying he has been a cardiologist for exactly 30 years and treated over 65000 patients. He was celebrating his 30 year career on linkedin.
 
Since I submitted my primary and secondary app pretty early (early June) and didn't receive a II would that mean that McGovern is a no go? I know it's an ongoing process, but just wanna brace myself since I feel like they're gonna go to the later applicants 😭
 
poiems said:
Since I submitted my primary and secondary app pretty early (early June) and didn't receive a II would that mean that McGovern is a no go? I know it's an ongoing process, but just wanna brace myself since I feel like they're gonna go to the later applicants 😭
Click to expand...
Feeling the same way my guy :/ But wysdoc said that they randomly read applications and then randomly assign interviews. Idk if they sent out 10% of the interview invites already but it's really early in the process right now. We may get our interviews next week or next month. We have to be strong.
 
MCAThiccy said:
Feeling the same way my guy :/ But wysdoc said that they randomly read applications and then randomly assign interviews. Idk if they sent out 10% of the interview invites already but it's really early in the process right now. We may get our interviews next week or next month. We have to be strong.
Click to expand...
They haven’t even come close to 10%, it’s still super, duper early in the process. Keep your head held high! There’s still plenty of chances to get a II.
 
poiems said:
Since I submitted my primary and secondary app pretty early (early June) and didn't receive a II would that mean that McGovern is a no go? I know it's an ongoing process, but just wanna brace myself since I feel like they're gonna go to the later applicants 😭
Click to expand...
Not even close my guy. There's so much time! There's no way to know what reason they have for not sending you a secondary yet. They may have just not reviewed your application yet! This is literally the FIRST group of interviews they've sent out.
 
MCAThiccy said:
Feeling the same way my guy :/ But wysdoc said that they randomly read applications and then randomly assign interviews. Idk if they sent out 10% of the interview invites already but it's really early in the process right now. We may get our interviews next week or next month. We have to be strong.
Click to expand...
Have to say its impossible that they randomly assign interviews.
 
dudu11 said:
Have to say its impossible that they randomly assign interviews.
Click to expand...
I don't think I said it was random! It's just not in order of the date you submitted and an early submitter can still get an interview months from now.
Nobody needs to feel worried or discouraged this early in the year
 
wysdoc said:
I don't think I said it was random! It's just not in order of the date you submitted and an early submitter can still get an interview months from now.
Nobody needs to feel worried or discouraged this early in the year
Click to expand...
I’m sure you didn’t say it to mean that way but this poster was obviously saying your information in a very misleading way. Just wanted to point that out, not trying to call you out, just wanted to clarify their poor wording.
 
poiems said:
Since I submitted my primary and secondary app pretty early (early June) and didn't receive a II would that mean that McGovern is a no go? I know it's an ongoing process, but just wanna brace myself since I feel like they're gonna go to the later applicants 😭
Click to expand...
everyone else will tell you no but honestly (in my naive perspective as a traditional first time applicant) I think it will be a no go. I have a hard time understanding how/why they would go back to super-early application submitters later in the cycle. I feel like if they like you enough to eventually admit you, they would invite you to interview when they first review your application. Schools in TX, especially one like McGovern, don't really have a problem filling their class.

However, if McGovern doesn't read their applications by date submitted then that's a different story
 
UT Houston is one school that does not have a process on who they call for an interview or who they admit in which order.

They are looking for people who fit their school. Anyone interviewed should have a keen interest in the school to be admitted irrespective of their stats.
 
texasvandy said:
UT Houston is one school that does not have a process on who they call for an interview or who they admit in which order.

They are looking for people who fit their school. Anyone interviewed should have a keen interest in the school to be admitted irrespective of their stats.
Click to expand...
so what exactly are you implying? if I currently don't have an II and I was complete earlier than others who have already been invited, consider myself rejected?
 
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