2024-2025 Texas A & M

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wysdoc

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2024-2025 Texas A&M Secondary Essay Prompts (unchanged from last year)
Please notice: Question #4 is not "really" optional but it is short-answer

1. As a physician, you never know what type of patient you will serve. From your past experiences, please describe or highlight factors or situations that demonstrate your ability to work with individuals from multicultural communities. (Characters: 3500)

2. The Texas A&M School of Medicine embraces the Aggie Core Values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service. Please elaborate on personal characteristics, values, accomplishments and/or any experiences that you feel will help to demonstrate your potential to contribute to the school and to the profession of medicine. (Characters: 3500)

3. Describe any circumstances indicative of some hardship, such as, but not limited to, financial difficulties, personal or family illness, a medical condition, a death in the immediate family or educational disadvantage not mentioned in your primary application essays. What strategies have you used to address these circumstances? (Characters: 3500)

4. "OPTIONAL" QUESTION: List the area (or areas) of medicine that appeals to you and briefly explain. (Limit your explanation to 50 words or 250 characters total) Do not leave blank. If not applicable, please so indicate. (Characters: 250)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


EnMed Prompts (you will write these IN ADDITION to the regular MD prompts above)
EnMed interviews are IN PERSON
1. Describe what a work week would look like in your ideal future career; what activities would you engage in over the course of that week? (Please be concise and answer the question directly in a technical writing style. 250 word max)

2. List the knowledge, skills, and experience that you have acquired as part of your coursework, then describe how these have prepared you to create innovative medical technologies. Include lab courses, senior design/capstone, and similar hands-on courses, as well as any planned activities. (Please answer this question in list format NOT as an essay or in a creative writing format) (250 words)

3. List the knowledge, skills, and experience you have acquired from extracurricular activities (non-coursework based) such as internships, research, student organizations, work experience, personal projects and hobbies, as well as any planned activities. Then, describe how these have prepared you to create innovative medical technologies. (Please answer this question in list format NOT as an essay or in a creative writing format) (250 words)

4. How will the Engineering Medicine program meet your career goals and aspirations in ways that a traditional MD program would not? (Please be concise and answer the question directly in a technical writing style. 250 word max)

5. Briefly describe any entrepreneurial activities you have participated in that showcase your passion for innovation (if none, leave this blank). (Please be concise and answer the question directly in a technical writing style. 250 word max)

6. Will you have completed an undergraduate degree in engineering or computer science by matriculation to EnMed?
Yes/No

7. Will you have completed a graduate degree in engineering or computer science by matriculation to EnMed?
Yes/No

8. Will you have completed a graduate degree in a discipline other than engineering or computer science by matriculation, excluding a pre-med post-bacc program? (250 words max, not required to answer if it doesn't apply to you)


Good luck to all applying!
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Secondary Prompts
As a physician, you never know what type of patient you will serve. From your past experiences, please describe or highlight factors or situations that demonstrate your ability to work with individuals from multicultural communities. (Characters: 3500)

The Texas A&M School of Medicine embraces the Aggie Core Values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service. Please elaborate on personal characteristics, values, accomplishments and/or any experiences that you feel will help to demonstrate your potential to contribute to the school and to the profession of medicine. (Characters: 3500)

Describe any circumstances indicative of some hardship, such as, but not limited to, financial difficulties, personal or family illness, a medical condition, a death in the immediate family or educational disadvantage not mentioned in your primary application essays. What strategies have you used to address these circumstances? (Characters: 3500)

OPTIONAL QUESTION: List the area (or areas) of medicine that appeals to you and briefly explain. (Limit your explanation to 50 words or 250 characters total) Do not leave blank. If not applicable, please so indicate. (Characters: 250)
 
"The Texas A&M School of Medicine embraces the Aggie Core Values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service. Please elaborate on personal characteristics, values, accomplishments and/or any experiences that you feel will help to demonstrate your potential to contribute to the school and to the profession of medicine."

For this question, is it better to highlight one experience that reflects these values or multiple experiences (like another PS kinda)?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
"The Texas A&M School of Medicine embraces the Aggie Core Values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service. Please elaborate on personal characteristics, values, accomplishments and/or any experiences that you feel will help to demonstrate your potential to contribute to the school and to the profession of medicine."

For this question, is it better to highlight one experience that reflects these values or multiple experiences (like another PS kinda)?
They give you a lot of characters to work with but I think focusing on a couple of the values that you connect most with would make a better essay
 
"The Texas A&M School of Medicine embraces the Aggie Core Values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service. Please elaborate on personal characteristics, values, accomplishments and/or any experiences that you feel will help to demonstrate your potential to contribute to the school and to the profession of medicine."

For this question, is it better to highlight one experience that reflects these values or multiple experiences (like another PS kinda)?
I'm only a mere applicant, but I focused on 3 values, with 2 longer stories and 1 shorter one on the advice of a few friends of mine who now go there!
 
Howdy yall I'm an incoming MS2 here wishing you the best of luck. If you have any questions about 1st year or the school lmk.
 
"The Texas A&M School of Medicine embraces the Aggie Core Values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service. Please elaborate on personal characteristics, values, accomplishments and/or any experiences that you feel will help to demonstrate your potential to contribute to the school and to the profession of medicine."

For this question, is it better to highlight one experience that reflects these values or multiple experiences (like another PS kinda)?
I used my experiences with one organization to cover all the values. Just my approach though.
 
Remember to schedule your Casper exam. Duet is required.
 
Just found out I got a 1 on my Casper after getting a 2 on it last year. So done with this test 😞. How much will this hurt my cycle?
 
Do we know if TA&M wants us to fill the whole 3500 characters? I have other essays that could fit well into the first and third prompts with a little tweaking that are only ~2500 characters. Should I expand them up to the character limit or is it generally safe having a shorter essay?
 
Do we know if TA&M wants us to fill the whole 3500 characters? I have other essays that could fit well into the first and third prompts with a little tweaking that are only ~2500 characters. Should I expand them up to the character limit or is it generally safe having a shorter essay?
personally I wouldn't worry about filling the character count, all of my essays were below the count. Makes more sense to focus on writing a strong essay.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Hi, I know its generally discouraged to repeat primary activity stories in secondaries, but for the #1 multicultural prompt, I have an activity I was really passionate about that ties strongly into working with diverse communities, but I talked about in my TMDSAS personal characteristics essay and in one of my most meaningful activities blurbs already. Would it be fine to discuss this activity with another story/different takeaway in this secondary as well? It would be one of two activities/experiences I am planning on discussing in the secondary if that means anything, thanks!
 
Hi, I know its generally discouraged to repeat primary activity stories in secondaries, but for the #1 multicultural prompt, I have an activity I was really passionate about that ties strongly into working with diverse communities, but I talked about in my TMDSAS personal characteristics essay and in one of my most meaningful activities blurbs already. Would it be fine to discuss this activity with another story/different takeaway in this secondary as well? It would be one of two activities/experiences I am planning on discussing in the secondary if that means anything, thanks!
Try to think of something else if you have already used this twice
 
Hi! Are these prompts the same for the Texas A&M EnMed program? Does anyone know of the essays for that program and if they're the same as last year?
Thanks in advance 🙂
 
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Hi! Are these prompts the same for the Texas A&M EnMed program? Does anyone know of the essays for that program and if they're the same as last year?
Thanks in advance 😉
EnMed prompts are different and I haven’t seen them yet.
Oh and FYI if you get an EnMed interview, it’s in person and takes all day 🙂
 
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EnMed prompts are different and I haven’t seen them yet.
Oh and FYI if you get an EnMed interview, it’s in person and takes all day 🙂
+travel back and forth if you are out of town, effectively a 3 day commitment.
 
what do you mean, last year wasn't it all in one day?
I am saying if the interview is all day, someone not local traveling for LA or NYC will need to travel the previous day to get to Houston, and possibly wait until day after interview to go back if they dont have the right flights - so three days.

I remember people kept asking when the interview gets over, how much time they have to give them selves to get to airport etc when they were coming from elsewhere last year.
 
I am saying if the interview is all day, someone not local traveling for LA or NYC will need to travel the previous day to get to Houston, and possibly wait until day after interview to go back if they dont have the right flights - so three days.

I remember people kept asking when the interview gets over, how much time they have to give them selves to get to airport etc when they were coming from elsewhere last year.
Good point, you would need to fly in the day before if OOS for sure
 
I'm having some trouble figuring out how to approach prompt #2. Should we be explaining experiences that show all 6 of those values? Or pick a few values to focus on and then how we would use them to contribute to the school/profession? Just wanted to ask if others are looking to discuss all the values presented in the prompt or just focusing on a select few, thanks!
 
I'm having some trouble figuring out how to approach prompt #2. Should we be explaining experiences that show all 6 of those values? Or pick a few values to focus on and then how we would use them to contribute to the school/profession? Just wanted to ask if others are looking to discuss all the values presented in the prompt or just focusing on a select few, thanks!
I just focused on the question part of the prompt, aka "elaborate on personal characteristics, values, etc etc" and then worked as many of the values into my response as possible. I wasn't 100% explicit like "I showed respect through...." but instead focused on anecdotes that would help answer the question and also demonstrated respect, integrity, selfless service, etc.

Also, there's always money in the banana stand
 
Does anyone have advice for answering #3? I am grateful that I did not experience any of these other than grandparents having neurological conditions and of course Covid. Because this isn't an optional prompt are those good enough to speak on? I feel like I only really have strategies to talk about for Covid.
 
Hi, I know its generally discouraged to repeat primary activity stories in secondaries, but for the #1 multicultural prompt, I have an activity I was really passionate about that ties strongly into working with diverse communities, but I talked about in my TMDSAS personal characteristics essay and in one of my most meaningful activities blurbs already. Would it be fine to discuss this activity with another story/different takeaway in this secondary as well? It would be one of two activities/experiences I am planning on discussing in the secondary if that means anything, thanks!
I also am struggling with this! Basically all of my experiences working with multicultural populations have already been mentioned in my personal statement. I didn't write a specific story from them though in my personal statement. I'm not sure what else to write about if we're not supposed to repeat anything from our primary application.
 
@wysdoc Just got the secondary invite with ENMED prompts, wanted to share for anyone else who needs them:

1. Describe what a work week would look like in your ideal future career; what activities would you engage in over the course of that week? (Please be concise and answer the question directly in a technical writing style. 250 word max)

2. List the knowledge, skills, and experience that you have acquired as part of your coursework, then describe how these have prepared you to create innovative medical technologies. Include lab courses, senior design/capstone, and similar hands-on courses, as well as any planned activities. (Please answer this question in list format NOT as an essay or in a creative writing format) (250 words)

3. List the knowledge, skills, and experience you have acquired from extracurricular activities (non-coursework based) such as internships, research, student organizations, work experience, personal projects and hobbies, as well as any planned activities. Then, describe how these have prepared you to create innovative medical technologies. (Please answer this question in list format NOT as an essay or in a creative writing format) (250 words)

4. How will the Engineering Medicine program meet your career goals and aspirations in ways that a traditional MD program would not? (Please be concise and answer the question directly in a technical writing style. 250 word max)

5. Briefly describe any entrepreneurial activities you have participated in that showcase your passion for innovation (if none, leave this blank). (Please be concise and answer the question directly in a technical writing style. 250 word max)

Will you have completed an undergraduate degree in engineering or computer science by matriculation to EnMed?
Yes/No

Will you have completed a graduate degree in engineering or computer science by matriculation to EnMed?
Yes/No

Will you have completed a graduate degree in a discipline other than engineering or computer science by matriculation, excluding a pre-med post-bacc program? (250 words max, not required to answer if it doesn't apply to you)
 
@wysdoc Just got the secondary invite with ENMED prompts, wanted to share for anyone else who needs them:

1. Describe what a work week would look like in your ideal future career; what activities would you engage in over the course of that week? (Please be concise and answer the question directly in a technical writing style. 250 word max)

2. List the knowledge, skills, and experience that you have acquired as part of your coursework, then describe how these have prepared you to create innovative medical technologies. Include lab courses, senior design/capstone, and similar hands-on courses, as well as any planned activities. (Please answer this question in list format NOT as an essay or in a creative writing format) (250 words)

3. List the knowledge, skills, and experience you have acquired from extracurricular activities (non-coursework based) such as internships, research, student organizations, work experience, personal projects and hobbies, as well as any planned activities. Then, describe how these have prepared you to create innovative medical technologies. (Please answer this question in list format NOT as an essay or in a creative writing format) (250 words)

4. How will the Engineering Medicine program meet your career goals and aspirations in ways that a traditional MD program would not? (Please be concise and answer the question directly in a technical writing style. 250 word max)

5. Briefly describe any entrepreneurial activities you have participated in that showcase your passion for innovation (if none, leave this blank). (Please be concise and answer the question directly in a technical writing style. 250 word max)

Will you have completed an undergraduate degree in engineering or computer science by matriculation to EnMed?
Yes/No

Will you have completed a graduate degree in engineering or computer science by matriculation to EnMed?
Yes/No

Will you have completed a graduate degree in a discipline other than engineering or computer science by matriculation, excluding a pre-med post-bacc program? (250 words max, not required to answer if it doesn't apply to you)
Thanks, @oatmeal_27
Am I right to think that you don’t also have to answer the regular MD questions?
 
2. List the knowledge, skills, and experience that you have acquired ...

3. List the ...
I'm unsure what they mean by "List the...". The way I did it is:

Skill A - what I understood and why this is important
Skill B - what I understood and why this is important
Skill C - ...

My concern is that the explanation of each skill/experience ends up being a mini-paragraph that may or may not go against their requirement of a List.
 
I'm unsure what they mean by "List the...". The way I did it is:

Skill A - what I understood and why this is important
Skill B - what I understood and why this is important
Skill C - ...

My concern is that the explanation of each skill/experience ends up being a mini-paragraph that may or may not go against their requirement of a List.
I literally just listed experiences and elaborated 1-2 sentences about what skills I developed through each one. I listed about 5-6 experiences. However, I haven't gotten an II or anything yet from this school so I could be wrong in how I answered the prompt lol
 
I'm only a mere applicant, but I focused on 3 values, with 2 longer stories and 1 shorter one on the advice of a few friends of mine who now go there!
did you explicitly state the values you were addressing or did you imply each one (like to describe leadership you showed how you lead a group, etc. without ever mentioning "I learned the value of leadership"
 
How am I even supposed to answer prompt 3 if I haven't experienced anything close to financial difficulties, illness, medical condition, death in family. Like how is this not an optional essay?
 
How am I even supposed to answer prompt 3 if I haven't experienced anything close to financial difficulties, illness, medical condition, death in family. Like how is this not an optional essay?
Have you never had any form of difficulty in your entire life? Those are just examples they're giving, they just want to hear about a hardship
 
The MSAR indicates that they would grant a fee waiver for the $60 secondary fee, contact [email protected]
to see what documentation they need.
Has anyone successfully gotten a secondary fee waiver here? MSAR says they have them. I’ve wasn’t able to get in contact with them at all last cycle but would love to know if anyone knows the best way to reach out other than email!
I emailed them a while ago and also sent a direct message via the portal. Does anyone have any advice? Seems like this is a common problem from the previous cycle too where it is difficult to get a waiver from TAMU (despite MSAR listed that they offer a waiver). I might try to call them but I don't want to bother them if they are just busy with many inquiries already.
 
I emailed them a while ago and also sent a direct message via the portal. Does anyone have any advice? Seems like this is a common problem from the previous cycle too where it is difficult to get a waiver from TAMU (despite MSAR listed that they offer a waiver). I might try to call them but I don't want to bother them if they are just busy with many inquiries already.
i never got one despite trying two cycles in a row, calling, emailing, and using the portal. they don’t seem to really care much for giving them out, despite it being in the MSAR that they do.
 
i never got one despite trying two cycles in a row, calling, emailing, and using the portal. they don’t seem to really care much for giving them out, despite it being in the MSAR that they do.
*sigh* I guess I won't be applying to A&M then... By the way congrats, future doctor!! Good luck with med school!
 
Do y'all know if they will open up future interview dates? I can't attend the options they have given me so far.
 
Do y'all know if they will open up future interview dates? I can't attend the options they have given me so far.
They get the EnMed interviews going pretty early but I suggest you contact their office directly to see about alternate dates. Be sure to have your calendar ready when you do so, to avoid turning them down again.
Why “can’t” you attend any of the dates offered?
 
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