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IS secondary received just now.

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Where’s the MSTP specific prompt?
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like they don't have a separate MSTP prompt and rather want you to use the autobiographical sketch to highlight ur rationale for pursuing MD/PhD. At the end of the prompt they say "Please note: if you are applying to the MD/PhD program, please include why you are specifically interested in seeking MD/PhD training at UCSD"
 
Does anyone know if applying to either PRIME-Heq or the Global Health program will boost your chances?
 
Does anyone know if applying to either PRIME-Heq or the Global Health program will boost your chances?
I'd say no, as they're special degree programs.
Similar to applying to an MD/PHD, you're applying into a severely limited pool of seats where they're selecting very heavily for a mission statement. The global health program accepts five people, and the PRIME-HEq accepts 12.

If you have ECs/Experiences that align closely with these programs, then it could be worth applying into. If not, schools often will deny you for the special program and review your application as a regular MD applicant. Though I don't see anything about this under the scholarships. Consider contacting the office and seeing their policy for how they handle these programs in light of your overall application.
 
Does anyone know if applying to either PRIME-Heq or the Global Health program will boost your chances?
Those programs are meant to serve special missions so don't apply unless you're interested.
 
How does the Tan Scholar Program affect your overall application? You can be can be denied from the program but still accepted into the medical school?
 
How does the Tan Scholar Program affect your overall application? You can be can be denied from the program but still accepted into the medical school?
The programs are subpathways of the school. Applying to them doesn't affect your odds. It's a question of whether you're a match for the pathway's goals. Same for all the UC pathways. They only take a fraction of matriculants altogether, so I doubt getting rejecting by a pathway translates to medical school rejection. Obviously, the reverse is true.
 
Is the autobiographical sketch meant to focus more on how you came to be the person you are rather than why medicine?
 
Is the autobiographical sketch meant to focus more on how you came to be the person you are rather than why medicine?
I made mine partly both. Sort of like a progression of my life while incorporating moments which pushed me to pursue medicine along the way.
 
Anyone have any advice on if I should respond to the marginalized group question if I already talked about it in the autobiography? Not sure if it would be redundant/repetitive or if I should try to rephrase in some way
 
does the 2-week rule of thumb still apply to UCSD? I'm struggling to get good edits done and my 2-wk dl for them is tomorrow
 
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does the 2-week rule of thumb still apply to UCSD? I'm struggling to get good edits done and my 2-wk dl for them is tomorrow
I dont think they've explicitly given a deadline for their secondary. Historically they start giving out II in mid august ish so submitting today vs in a week probably wont make a world of difference. Just work on making it the best you can and trust your gut 🙂
 
Anyone have any advice on if I should respond to the marginalized group question if I already talked about it in the autobiography? Not sure if it would be redundant/repetitive or if I should try to rephrase in some way
I talked about it for both prompts, but obviously elaborated on it much more for the question specifically asking about it. You should click yes regardless if you identify with a group that is stated in the question. Maybe dive more specifically into how your group has been affected and talk about how the issues could be addressed.
 
Past 14 days since I got the secondary already. Still struggling w #1...
 
Past 14 days since I got the secondary already. Still struggling w #1...
Tell your story, mate! It helped me to out to make an outline.

1. Early Life
2. Growing up
3. Canon events/sports
4. Transition from sports to academics
5. Early exposure to medicine.
6. How I knew I wanted to go to medical school.

It wasn't exactly like this, but it helped a lot!
 
Tell your story, mate! It helped me to out to make an outline.

1. Early Life
2. Growing up
3. Canon events/sports
4. Transition from sports to academics
5. Early exposure to medicine.
6. How I knew I wanted to go to medical school.

It wasn't exactly like this, but it helped a lot!
Thank you!! I'm just worried that my story will be the same as everyone else's...I know stories can be similar but it's the way you convey it, but I'm j so scared to even start typing stuff out, I can't explain it.
 
Thank you!! I'm just worried that my story will be the same as everyone else's...I know stories can be similar but it's the way you convey it, but I'm j so scared to even start typing stuff out, I can't explain it.
Hey just wanna chime in to say that I felt the same way as you when I started. I think what helped me get through it was not trying to sound like anyone else or copy a certain narrative from someone else that sounded good because at the end of the day there’s only 1 you and just let your life flow through your keyboard. You got this!
 
Anyone have any advice on if I should respond to the marginalized group question if I already talked about it in the autobiography? Not sure if it would be redundant/repetitive or if I should try to rephrase in some way
For the marginalized community prompt, I focused more on the part of the prompt that said "how has it affected your community"
talked about the environmental factors that lead to poor health in my county and the very specific barriers that people from my town face
 
Kind of niche, but is anyone else re-applying here and knows what they're going to do about their autobiography? I will ofc add the stuff from this past year and talk about being a re-applicant, but since it is my life story, and I pretty much included everything important last year, I don't really know how to change this essay much? I'm worried it's going to be a red flag if my essay is so similar, and for other schools I have completely changed my answer, but I don't know how to change my autobiography LOL
 
Kind of niche, but is anyone else re-applying here and knows what they're going to do about their autobiography? I will ofc add the stuff from this past year and talk about being a re-applicant, but since it is my life story, and I pretty much included everything important last year, I don't really know how to change this essay much? I'm worried it's going to be a red flag if my essay is so similar, and for other schools I have completely changed my answer, but I don't know how to change my autobiography LOL
I mean at this point I'd consider it a red flag if your life story changed with your reapplication. For mine I considered how my perspective changed from my last reapp and how that changed the way I told my story. It's all about how the details you include paint a narrative. I also had some pretty significant life changes that I included which helped me rewrite mine, but I mostly considered how my perspective on my life evolved to break down where to condense and where to embellish my narrative.
 
I mean at this point I'd consider it a red flag if your life story changed with your reapplication. For mine I considered how my perspective changed from my last reapp and how that changed the way I told my story. It's all about how the details you include paint a narrative. I also had some pretty significant life changes that I included which helped me rewrite mine, but I mostly considered how my perspective on my life evolved to break down where to condense and where to embellish my narrative.
Thank you! This was super helpful, and I just finished working on it 🙂
 
Hey just wanna chime in to say that I felt the same way as you when I started. I think what helped me get through it was not trying to sound like anyone else or copy a certain narrative from someone else that sounded good because at the end of the day there’s only 1 you and just let your life flow through your keyboard. You got this!
Thank you, this made my day!
 
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I have a hobby(singing) that I regret forgetting to adding to my primary app. Would it be okay to add it in this section?
 
FYI there is an additional question after the autobiographical sketch for OOS applicants: Are you applying as a California Resident? (Y/N) If No:
If you are an out-of-state applicant, please let us know if there are specific reasons for your interest in the UCSD School of Medicine (1000 characters)

@wysdoc
 
I tried looking around everywhere but can't get a definite answer but for the most meaningful section, can you list an activity (already listed on primary) that's just not classified as MME or does it need to be something never mentioned on the primary?
 
I tried looking around everywhere but can't get a definite answer but for the most meaningful section, can you list an activity (already listed on primary) that's just not classified as MME or does it need to be something never mentioned on the primary?

“In addition to the information you provided on the AMCAS application, we would like to know if there are any additional activities you would consider among your most meaningful. This may include activities that you’ve already completed but couldn’t include as you were limited to three selections on the AMCAS application,”

I interpreted this to mean it can be an activity we listed on AMCAS that we did not list as most meaningful.
 
“In addition to the information you provided on the AMCAS application, we would like to know if there are any additional activities you would consider among your most meaningful. This may include activities that you’ve already completed but couldn’t include as you were limited to three selections on the AMCAS application,”

I interpreted this to mean it can be an activity we listed on AMCAS that we did not list as most meaningful.
I ended up leaving it blank as I was so confused by the box saying Additional/Current Experiences (not on AMCAS) and then the disclaimer saying: DO NOT LIST ANY ACTIVITY MORE THAN ONCE.

Probably overthought it but the caps made me think twice haha
 
Anyone else's portal crash? Edit: nvm it's back
 
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Does anyone know when we should hear back for II if submitted at this time?
According to LizzyM:

When your application is complete, it is reviewed and you are assigned to a group on a specific stair of a broad staircase. Starting at the top, those on the stairs are invited to interview. As more applicants arrive, they are assigned to stairs above or below you or on the same stair. Eventually, your stair may be invited to interview as all those above you have been cleared.

Once having been interviewed, you are now "inside the building" and are faced with another broad staircase, where you are assigned to a stair based on the stair you were on outside the building (i.e., pre-interview). However, depending on your interview performance, you may be reassigned up a step or two, down a step or two, or relegated to the bottom of the staircase. When offers get made, they are made to the top x% of those who have interviewed.

All of this is to say: While it's good to be among the early wave of interview invitations, not being among those early waves does not mean you are destined to not be interviewed. The school has not reached your stair yet. It might, or it might not, but it is impossible to place odds on the outcome at this point.
 
I just re-read my essays for UCSD and noticed a discrepancy in my essays. In my marginalized essay I talk about how I was told I could not be hospitalized due to financial restrictions. However, in my autobiography, I talk about how I had access to modern medical care. Will the adcoms think I am lying about my marginalized background?
 
I just re-read my essays for UCSD and noticed a discrepancy in my essays. In my marginalized essay I talk about how I was told I could not be hospitalized due to financial restrictions. However, in my autobiography, I talk about how I had access to modern medical care. Will the adcoms think I am lying about my marginalized background?
it's possible that both things occurred to you but on different timelines. at least that's how i'd interpret it.
 
For the particular career path are we supposed to pick a specialty within medicine?
 
LMAO I'm about to crash out I j re read my UCSD secondary to help me copy paste for a diff secondary and I realized I repeated the same sentence twice in the same paragraph! Anyone know how much damage this is going to do? This is a PSA do not re read your secondaries!
 
LMAO I'm about to crash out I j re read my UCSD secondary to help me copy paste for a diff secondary and I realized I repeated the same sentence twice in the same paragraph! Anyone know how much damage this is going to do? This is a PSA do not re read your secondaries!
I made this same mistake lol I feel it proves you didn't use AI
 
LMAO I'm about to crash out I j re read my UCSD secondary to help me copy paste for a diff secondary and I realized I repeated the same sentence twice in the same paragraph! Anyone know how much damage this is going to do? This is a PSA do not re read your secondaries!

Did this for another app we are only human
 
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