2023-2024 University of Chicago (Pritzker)

[wysdoc]

2023-2024 University of Chicago (Pritzker) Secondary Essay Prompts:

1. Students at the Pritzker School of Medicine complete the majority of their clinical training at UChicago Medicine (UCM). UCM is one of the top ten most racially inclusive hospitals in the United States with a primary service area of 12 South Side zip codes where poverty is over double the state level. Additionally, our students lead six free clinics in diverse neighborhoods throughout the city of Chicago.
Please share with us the personal and professional experiences that have best prepared you to work in this diverse clinical environment.
(450 words)

2 . (MD-Only Applicants)
All MD students participate in our longitudinal Scholarship & Discovery research program, which offers protected curricular time, mentoring, and funding for students to pursue their scholarly interests.
Please describe your research interests and share how our research opportunities will help you advance your career goals. (450 words)

3. Share with us a difficult or challenging situation you have encountered and how you dealt with it. In your response, identify both the coping skills you called upon to resolve the dilemma, and the support person(s) from whom you sought advice. (450 words)

4. Optional Additional Information
Please feel free to use this space to convey any additional information that you might wish the Committee to know. For example, if you are not currently completing a degree, please share your planned or current activities for this application cycle. We suggest that you limit your text to about 300 words.


Good luck to everyone applying!

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[atriablack]

@wysdoc UChicago posted their prompts: 2023-24 Secondary Essays
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Essay Question 1 (Suggested Word Limit: 450)
Students at the Pritzker School of Medicine complete the majority of their clinical training at UChicago Medicine (UCM). UCM is one of the top ten most racially inclusive hospitals in the United States with a primary service area of 12 South Side zip codes where poverty is over double the state level. Additionally, our students lead six free clinics in diverse neighborhoods throughout the city of Chicago. Please share with us the personal and professional experiences that have best prepared you to work in this diverse clinical environment.

Essay Question 2 - MD Only Applicants (Suggested Word Limit: 450)
All MD students participate in our longitudinal Scholarship & Discovery research program, which offers protected curricular time, mentoring, and funding for students to pursue their scholarly interests. Please describe your research interests and share how our research opportunities will help you advance your career goals.

Essay Question 3 (Suggested Word Limit: 450)
Share with us a difficult or challenging situation you have encountered and how you dealt with it. In your response, identify both the coping skills you called upon to resolve the dilemma, and the support person(s) from whom you sought advice.

Optional Additional Information
Please feel free to use this space to convey any additional information that you might wish the Committee to know. For example, if you are not currently completing a degree, please share your planned or current activities for this application cycle. We suggest that you limit your text to about 300 words.

 

[crazyfish123]

For the second question about research interests, would it be applicable to talk about an interest in medical education? It is one of their seven scholarly tracks, but I don't have experience conducting research on education but did develop an interest in encouraging women of color in stem after teaching throughout college. Would this be an okay area for "research interest" to discuss for this question?

If it is one of their research tracks I would assume it would be fine.

 

[Medologist342]

From what I can tell, Pritzker has a large focus on serving the underserved as well social justice/advocacy. I'd say the focal point of application is having >1000 hours working at a food pantry and I felt Pritzker aligns well with that, but I have pretty much no advocacy related work, so would it be worth applying? My stats are good enough I think, so its up to the ECs.

 

[pimavanserin]

OOS secondary received

 

[Ajtbs06]

OOS secondary received

+1 OOS

 

[opabiniafan]

+2 OOS

 

[dlosamtto]

IS received

 

[Ajtbs06]

OOS received

 

[248pinkalicious]

+1 OOS received

 

[pablo213]

OOS secondary received

+1

 

[Anonymousapplicant33]

So for the last question can I write about anything I want or do I have to write about what I'll be doing for the next year (I'm not currently pursuing a degree)? The wording is kind of confusing imo

 

[Anonymousapplicant33]

Has anyone's application portal shown that their letter of references were received? It says that they have my references in the "document status" tab, but the application status page has not checkmarked the letter of references box.

That's the way it was for me too! I'm assuming once you submit your application everything will be checked as complete

 

[BreadMan]

Anybody else struggling a little to fill the 450 words for the research prompt? Talked about the level and subject of research I'm interested in, what exactly I would pursue within the program, and then how the characteristics of the program would ultimately help me, but I'm still barely over 300 words. Not sure what else to put when I am kind of undecided on very specific research interests yet and the benefits of the program are pretty self-explanatory.

 

[Labe]

Has anyone's application portal shown that their letter of references were received? It says that they have my references in the "document status" tab, but the application status page has not checkmarked the letter of references box.

Mine have been updated so that they're correct now.

 

[Idea_12]

Has anyone's application portal shown that their letter of references were received? It says that they have my references in the "document status" tab, but the application status page has not checkmarked the letter of references box.

I emailed admissions about this problem. They were kind enough to reply, "typically our systems refresh overnight, so everything should be updated on your applicant portal by tomorrow." I feel bad imaging how many emails their office must be getting, should have checked SDN first and I would have felt better knowing it wasn't only me.

 

[roundgarlic]

How do y'all think they want us to approach the second question? I feel like the use of the words dilemma and coping skills are throwing me off. I'm not sure if I should take the route of talking about a challenge I faced in an extracurricular that I've been using for most of my challenge/adversity essays, or if it's more serious than that and I should use an essay I wrote about someone close to me passing for TAMU's question about experiencing hardship.

 

[pablo213]

How do y'all think they want us to approach the second question? I feel like the use of the words dilemma and coping skills are throwing me off. I'm not sure if I should take the route of talking about a challenge I faced in an extracurricular that I've been using for most of my challenge/adversity essays, or if it's more serious than that and I should use an essay I wrote about someone close to me passing for TAMU's question about experiencing hardship.

I was going to use one of my canned challenge essays about an extracurricular. Coping does initially sound like more of a personal or serious thing but I feel like it could apply to other stuff as well so I don't think you could go wrong with either of those options.

 

[Labe]

How do y'all think they want us to approach the second question? I feel like the use of the words dilemma and coping skills are throwing me off. I'm not sure if I should take the route of talking about a challenge I faced in an extracurricular that I've been using for most of my challenge/adversity essays, or if it's more serious than that and I should use an essay I wrote about someone close to me passing for TAMU's question about experiencing hardship.

I made mine a hybrid challenge/adversity and coping essay(like one of northwestern’s prompts) talking about how I overcame the challenge and throwing in stuff about coping/stress management.

 

[ranmasaotome]

Did people put the names and numbers of each individual that wrote as part of the committee letter? I'm struggling finding the phone number of my recommenders whose letter is being included in the committee letter and I'm wondering if she should be listed individually or just include the committee letter as one entry.

 

[HeyBabyBoy72]

Just wanted some feedback. I did not apply here because I did not think my stats were enough, 508 3.77 overall, 3.73 science... and I have never submitted anything about interest in the school but I received an email today telling me to apply and letting me know about the diversity at the school. They gave me an email to reach out about waiving the secondary fee and now I feel like I should apply but I again just saw how great the school was and am nervous but they reached out to me somehow...

 

[goge69]

Anybody else struggling a little to fill the 450 words for the research prompt? Talked about the level and subject of research I'm interested in, what exactly I would pursue within the program, and then how the characteristics of the program would ultimately help me, but I'm still barely over 300 words. Not sure what else to put when I am kind of undecided on very specific research interests yet and the benefits of the program are pretty self-explanatory.

I'm not sure tbh, but maybe talking about what you have done/what you learned/how that influenced your broader career goals might add more words?

Also a little confused about the "research interests" part. I gave a brief 100 word abstract on the research projects I have done so far and transitioned into my broader career interests. Is this already too jargonized?

 

[BreadMan]

I'm not sure tbh, but maybe talking about what you have done/what you learned/how that influenced your broader career goals might add more words?

Also a little confused about the "research interests" part. I gave a brief 100 word abstract on the research projects I have done so far and transitioned into my broader career interests. Is this already too jargonized?

Great idea, thanks! Guess I just didn't think to tie that in based on the wording of the question.

And I guess it depends on how well it all flows together. For me, it was less about the details of my project and more about the overall goals of them and our lab that influenced my research interests, so I spent more time discussing that

 

[BaileyBoo20]

Just wanted some feedback. I did not apply here because I did not think my stats were enough, 508 3.77 overall, 3.73 science... and I have never submitted anything about interest in the school but I received an email today telling me to apply and letting me know about the diversity at the school. They gave me an email to reach out about waiving the secondary fee and now I feel like I should apply but I again just saw how great the school was and am nervous but they reached out to me somehow...

They seem to have a history of accepting applicants with a wide range of stats: Re: their admitted students page. Idk if that helps but wanted to share!

 

[soundofsilence]

Anybody else struggling a little to fill the 450 words for the research prompt? Talked about the level and subject of research I'm interested in, what exactly I would pursue within the program, and then how the characteristics of the program would ultimately help me, but I'm still barely over 300 words. Not sure what else to put when I am kind of undecided on very specific research interests yet and the benefits of the program are pretty self-explanatory.

You also dont have to fill out all 450 words. I read a lot of accepted student essays and many of them were shorter than total word count. If you fill the essay up with filler, it may do more harm than good.

 

[FutureDrCoochies]

Not me prewriting this and them changing the word count and most of the prompts.... Also, the research one i want to pursue research but feel like my response will not be as convincing as some of u who have substantial experience all i have is bench work but like no significant involvement

 

[6'0 OGFLYERCI]

Not me prewriting this and them changing the word count and most of the prompts.... Also, the research one i want to pursue research but feel like my response will not be as convincing as some of u who have substantial experience all i have is bench work but like no significant involvement

I think they care about research a lot, but what would be good here is to not necessarily go crazy about your own experiences and how you feel you havent done that much, but really show ethusiasm for research you do want to do in the future. There has to be some research you are excited about and I'm sure Uchicago will have something related to that.

 

[Opuntia]

Did anybody else not have two science LORs? I have one + 4 other very strong letters (mostly from research supervisors). I know they strongly recommend two science LORs, but do you think it is likely to be a dealbreaker for my application if I only have one?

 

[FutureDrCoochies]

I think they care about research a lot, but what would be good here is to not necessarily go crazy about your own experiences and how you feel you havent done that much, but really show ethusiasm for research you do want to do in the future. There has to be some research you are excited about and I'm sure Uchicago will have something related to that.

Yes I think that's the route I'm planning to take! I was under the impression that they were more social justice/activism/community-service oriented so this new prompt threw me off. Although since it is T20 I should have anticipated this haha. Thank you sm!!

 

[6'0 OGFLYERCI]

Yes I think that's the route I'm planning to take! I was under the impression that they were more social justice/activism/community-service oriented so this new prompt threw me off. Although since it is T20 I should have anticipated this haha. Thank you sm!!

But remember! You can do advocacy work through research if advocacy is really important to you you got this!

 

[toastedbutter]

OOS II received!! Wow I'm so shocked

 

[OreoLover365]

OOS II received!! Wow I'm so shocked

Congrats!

 

[NotADoctor1]

OOS II received!! Wow I'm so shocked

Congrats! When were you complete?

 

[toastedbutter]

Congrats! When were you complete?

7/6

App is not super social justice heavy in my eyes, more research focused so this is a bit of a surprise

 

[littlecandy]

OOS II!

 

[OreoLover365]

7/6

App is not super social justice heavy in my eyes, more research focused so this is a bit of a surprise

You’re a legend for getting so many II’s this early

 

[toastedbutter]

You’re a legend for getting so many II’s this early

My relationship ended a bit ago and my NBA team has been going through it for the last season. this is God making amends

 

[pablo213]

OOS II!

Stats?

 

[pablo213]

You’re a legend for getting so many II’s this early

I just visit and refresh SDN every day to see @toastedbutter 's updated signature tbh. Toasted is the GOAT

 

[FantasticFanatic]

+1 OOS II LM 79, URM

 

[oatmilkplease]

And it begins

 

[april42800]

+1 IS II !!!

 

[doughnutcommerical]

And it begins

No for real because this is one of my favorite schools and I'm already making myself stressed by neurotically refreshing my email 😭 (yes I am aware this is neurotic and I'm really trying my best to stay reasonable, lol)

 

[248pinkalicious]

+1 OOS II, LM 81

 

[OreoLover365]

Looks like this wave is for all the high LMs

 

[doughnutcommerical]

can y'all drop your submitted dates 😭

 

[adnwastaken]

Looks like this wave is for all the high LMs

IRL I feel like my stats are pretty good and then I come on here

 

[248pinkalicious]

can y'all drop your submitted dates 😭

7/7

 

[toastedbutter]

IRL I feel like my stats are pretty good and then I come on here

you have top tier stats bud! also that casper score is saucy

 

[FantasticFanatic]

can y'all drop your submitted dates 😭

I was complete on 7/17