2023-2024 Rush

[wysdoc]

2023-2024 Rush Secondary Essay Prompts

1. Rush Medical College is located on Chicago’s near west side and serves a diverse patient population. We seek to train physicians who can connect with diverse patient populations with whom they may not share a similar background. Tell us about a life experience that has broadened your own world view or enhanced your ability to understand those unlike yourself and what you learned from this experience. (1000 characters)

2. As an anchor institution, Rush is embedded in its strategies to improve the societal and structural determinants of health which improve the economic vitality of Chicago’s west side neighborhoods and help residents achieve better health. Using your own experiences, describe how you have impacted and/or changed a person or community. (1000 characters)

3. (Optional) If applicable, describe how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted your application to and/or preparation for medical school. (1000 characters)

4. (Optional) Use this space to provide additional information, which is non-COVID related, you would like the Committee on Admissions to be aware of when reviewing your application. (1000 characters)

Good luck to everyone applying!

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[roastedcheese]

Is anyone here a current student at Rush? I'm applying there this cycle, and it's my top school, so I just wanted some tips and suggestions, if possible!

 

[FoxyC]

Is anyone here a current student at Rush? I'm applying there this cycle, and it's my top school, so I just wanted some tips and suggestions, if possible!

Not a current student, but I know there are very community service heavy. The avg community service for their applicants is 1400+ hours, so I would say at least have a 1,000 hours of community service. I talked to a current student there who said they do flipped classroom with mandatory attendance (you even have to sign up). She doesn't really find the flipped classroom helpful because you have to teach yourself a lot, but some people like the flipped classroom.

 

[Rocky1976$]

is submitting an application on June 3rd late? Bit worried as they are still verifying May 30th

 

[FoxyC]

is submitting an application on June 3rd late? Bit worried as they are still verifying May 30th

no its not late, probably get verified by the end of June and med schools don't get applications until June 30th

 

[New Man]

M2 at Rush.

DM me for real no BS answers to your questions.

**Not providing any confidential information for interviews.

 

[hublot]

Anyone know what the course requirements are? I’m a bit confused after seeing their website.

 

[positivethoughts333]

Anyone know what the course requirements are? I’m a bit confused after seeing their website.

From my understanding (please correct if anyone is interpreting differently/has other info), the following classes below are recommended but not required. Beginning in the 2025 application cycle, they will be required.

• Two semesters of biological sciences (higher than an intro course), including one semester of Cell and Molecular Biology
• One semester of Genetics
• Two semesters of Biochemistry
• Two semesters of Physics (higher than an intro course)
• Two semesters of Algebra or a higher-level math
• Two semesters of English

Additionally, we recommend applicants seek exposure and engagement in the humanities and social sciences.

They do have GPA/MCAT cutoffs:
To ensure academic success, RUSH Medical College requires applicants meet one of the following metric requirements:

GPA Range	Minimum MCAT
2.99 - 3.19	510
3.20 - 3.59	506
3.60 - 3.79	502
3.80 or above	500

Admission Requirements - Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program | Rush University

Interested in enrolling in the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program at RUSH University in Chicago? Here are the admission guidelines and requirements to consider.

www.rushu.rush.edu

 

[ToaTahuMedStudent]

From my understanding (please correct if anyone is interpreting differently/has other info), the following classes below are recommended but not required. Beginning in the 2025 application cycle, they will be required.

• Two semesters of biological sciences (higher than an intro course), including one semester of Cell and Molecular Biology
• One semester of Genetics
• Two semesters of Biochemistry
• Two semesters of Physics (higher than an intro course)
• Two semesters of Algebra or a higher-level math
• Two semesters of English

Additionally, we recommend applicants seek exposure and engagement in the humanities and social sciences.

They do have GPA/MCAT cutoffs:
To ensure academic success, RUSH Medical College requires applicants meet one of the following metric requirements:

GPA Range	Minimum MCAT
2.99 - 3.19	510
3.20 - 3.59	506
3.60 - 3.79	502
3.80 or above	500

Admission Requirements - Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program | Rush University

Interested in enrolling in the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program at RUSH University in Chicago? Here are the admission guidelines and requirements to consider.

www.rushu.rush.edu

So if I’m understanding you right, the prerequisite courses were required for the 2022/2023 cycle, are recommended for this current 2023/2024 cycle, and are going back to being required in the 2024/2025 cycle?

That’s quite strange, I wonder why.

 

[tachypremed]

So if I’m understanding you right, the prerequisite courses were required for the 2022/2023 cycle, are recommended for this current 2023/2024 cycle, and are going back to being required in the 2024/2025 cycle?

That’s quite strange, I wonder why.

The courses that were required/recommended for this previous cycle were different!

 

[roastedcheese]

Anyone receive secondaries yet?

 

[traveldocMD]

Anyone receive secondaries yet?

nope

 

[Dr_Pediatrics]

Is it true you don't really stand a chance at Rush without 1,000+ hours of volunteering? My hours of service are extremely meaningful to me (I could talk about them for hours) but I don't have 1,000+.

 

[demetriusclair]

Is it true you don't really stand a chance at Rush without 1,000+ hours of volunteering? My hours of service are extremely meaningful to me (I could talk about them for hours) but I don't have 1,000+.

Prior to matriculating, students completed an average of 3,400 healthcare exposure hours and 1,400 community service hours.

From their website before they removed it. This is an average. There's students that completed more, and probably students that completed less.

 

[premeducated]

Is it true you don't really stand a chance at Rush without 1,000+ hours of volunteering? My hours of service are extremely meaningful to me (I could talk about them for hours) but I don't have 1,000+.

I had less than 1000 and was interviewed/accepted, so it's definitely not a hard cut off!

 

[niceevening]

for the hours, is it non clinical community service that they’re looking for? Or can it be a mix of both clinical and non clinical?

 

[mickeymice]

OOS Secondary

 

[dlosamtto]

IS received

 

[CannedVegetable12]

OOS received. Same exact prompts as last year

 

[Hippo.Jr]

+1 OOS received.

 

[premed30452]

OOS secondary recieved. do they just screen for gpa and mcat or do they screen for volunteer and clinical hours

 

[Hippo.Jr]

anyone else having trouble opening the portal with the link in the email?

 

[demetriusclair]

@wysdoc

1. Rush Medical College is located on Chicago’s near west side and serves a diverse patient population. We seek to train physicians who can connect with diverse patient populations with whom they may not share a similar background. Tell us about a life experience that has broadened your own world view or enhanced your ability to understand those unlike yourself and what you learned from this experience. (1000 characters)

2. As an anchor institution, Rush is embedded in its strategies to improve the societal and structural determinants of health which improve the economic vitality of Chicago’s west side neighborhoods and help residents achieve better health. Using your own experiences, describe how you have impacted and/or changed a person or community. (1000 characters)

3. If applicable, describe how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted your application to and/or preparation for medical school. (Optional) (1000 characters)

4. Use this space to provide additional information, which is non-COVID related, you would like the Committee on Admissions to be aware of when reviewing your application (Optional) (1000 characters):

 

[Dr_Pediatrics]

for the hours, is it non clinical community service that they’re looking for? Or can it be a mix of both clinical and non clinical?

I'm wondering this as well.

 

[ClashRoyaleKing]

I'm wondering this as well.

Why would they screen out applications with low volunteer hours when they could collect some good $$$ from them.

 

[april42800]

Has anyone else not gotten this secondary yet?

 

[premed30452]

my school does offer a committee letter but I was advised that "I didn't really need one" because "most schools don't require it" by the head of the pre-health committee when I first applied several years ago. I just realized that the secondary asks me to explain why I don't have one. is this a good enough explanation?

 

[demetriusclair]

my school does offer a committee letter but I was advised that "I didn't really need one" because "most schools don't require it" by the head of the pre-health committee when I first applied several years ago. I just realized that the secondary asks me to explain why I don't have one. is this a good enough explanation?

Yes

 

[harry_potter138]

OOS secondary received

 

[future_peds12]

Has anyone else not gotten this secondary yet?

i haven’t (IS)

 

[traveldocMD]

Has anyone else not gotten this secondary yet?

yep

 

[traveldocMD]

OOS secondary received

when were you verified?

 

[harry_potter138]

when were you verified?

6/20

 

[YoungForever]

anyone else having trouble opening the portal with the link in the email?

I do. I cannot open the portal with the link. I emailed them just now

 

[demetriusclair]

I do. I cannot open the portal with the link. I emailed them just now

Copy paste the link into your browser and then it works. For some reason, the hyperlink doesn't work

 

[deleted1124957]

Whats up this this disgusting application? Adding coursework manually and the catalog? Then rewriting my patient care activities, there isn't even a word limit...

 

[Luna25]

This is probably a silly question but I just counted my community service hours on my (already submitted) app, and I have 988. so it's like 12 hrs short of the 1000 hours I saw mentioned.

Will this be an issue?

 

[Maybeneurotic]

I was verified in June and seemed to have missed the first round of secondary invites. Have I been passed up or should I just be patient?

 

[mickeymice]

I was verified in June and seemed to have missed the first round of secondary invites. Have I been passed up or should I just be patient?

You know the answer to this! It's July 12!

I empathize with you and your apt username, but be patient. Trust me, the secondaries will come.

 

[Hippo.Jr]

How are you guys writing the direct patient care/contact experience descriptions? Are you just writing your responsibilities/duties?

 

[premed30452]

This is probably a silly question but I just counted my community service hours on my (already submitted) app, and I have 988. so it's like 12 hrs short of the 1000 hours I saw mentioned.

Will this be an issue?

I got a secondary and I have 600 volunteer hours so I'd say no

 

[deleted1124957]

How are you guys writing the direct patient care/contact experience descriptions? Are you just writing your responsibilities/duties?

Mine ranged from 1000 to 1900 characters, reused a ton of essays/anecdotes and then added a brief mention of the direct description of what I did.

 

[sublimeade]

Quick question for anyone who could help clarify, for the secondary question about entering the recommended coursework on question 4, do we include all of the classes on our transcript that fall under each category? For example, I have 4 English classes on my transcript but their website mentions having 2 semesters worth of English. Should I list all 4 or just 2? Also should I do a separate row for each class or put them all under the same row?

 

[demetriusclair]

Mine ranged from 1000 to 1900 characters, reused a ton of essays/anecdotes and then added a brief mention of the direct description of what I did.

Is there a character limit on these prompts? Or can we just write as much as we want.

 

[demetriusclair]

Quick question for anyone who could help clarify, for the secondary question about entering the recommended coursework on question 4, do we include all of the classes on our transcript that fall under each category? For example, I have 4 English classes on my transcript but their website mentions having 2 semesters worth of English. Should I list all 4 or just 2? Also should I do a separate row for each class or put them all under the same row?

I would list all of them. On the off chance that they don't count one of your english classes for the requirement, you at least have backup options. Would just reduce delays

 

[lolitachiquita]

Could someone tell me if the secondaries are the same as last cycle's?

 

[deleted1124957]

Is there a character limit on these prompts? Or can we just write as much as we want.

No character or word limit. Last year it was 400 characters but it got removed this year.

 

[Rocky1976$]

No character or word limit. Last year it was 400 characters but it got removed this year.

@wysdoc

1. Rush Medical College is located on Chicago’s near west side and serves a diverse patient population. We seek to train physicians who can connect with diverse patient populations with whom they may not share a similar background. Tell us about a life experience that has broadened your own world view or enhanced your ability to understand those unlike yourself and what you learned from this experience. (1000 characters)

2. As an anchor institution, Rush is embedded in its strategies to improve the societal and structural determinants of health which improve the economic vitality of Chicago’s west side neighborhoods and help residents achieve better health. Using your own experiences, describe how you have impacted and/or changed a person or community. (1000 characters)

3. If applicable, describe how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted your application to and/or preparation for medical school. (Optional) (1000 characters)

4. Use this space to provide additional information, which is non-COVID related, you would like the Committee on Admissions to be aware of when reviewing your application (Optional) (1000 characters):

So is it no character/word limit or 1000 character limit?

 

[demetriusclair]

On the activity descriptions, I can confirm that there's no world limits. The other 4 secondary questions have a 1000 character limit though.

So is it no character/word limit or 1000 character limit?

 

[lurking100100]

wondering how long people's descriptions will be now that there is no word limit for the activity descriptions?