2025-2026 Baylor

[wysdoc]

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2025-2026 Baylor Secondary Essay Prompts:

1. In addition to training as a competent physician, please select up to two additional areas of interest from the items below that you may want to pursue during your medical studies. Your responses will have no bearing on applications to joint degrees or special programs to which you might also apply. *

Clinical Research
Healthcare/disparities/medical undeserved communities
Academic Medicine
Community Health
Simulation in medical education
Health systems science
Telehealth
Advocacy

What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path? * (1000 characters.)
** The 1000 characters is the upper limit, whether you choose 1 or 2 areas of interest**

2. Are you planning to matriculate into medical school immediately after completing your undergraduate education? If not, please explain what activities and/or careers you have pursued in the time between your college education and your application.(short answer)

3. Indicate any special experiences, unusual factors or other information you feel would be helpful in evaluating you, including, but not limited to, education, employment, extracurricular activities, prevailing over adversity. You may expand upon but not repeat TMDSAS or AMCAS application information. This section is mandatory. Please make sure you submit an essay or your application will not be reviewed by the committee.
(2000 char.)

Good luck to all applying!
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[MCAThiccy]

First! Mwhahaha

 

[PGdoc]

Just received secondary, here are prompts: @wysdoc

In addition to training as a competent physician, please select up to two additional areas of interest from the items below that you may want to pursue during your medical studies. Your responses will have no bearing on applications to joint degrees or special programs to which you might also apply. *

Clinical Research
Healthcare/disparities/medical undeserved communities
Academic Medicine
Community Health
Simulation in medical education
Health systems science
Telehealth
Advocacy

What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path? * (1000 char.)

Indicate any special experiences, unusual factors or other information you feel would be helpful in evaluating you, including, but not limited to, education, employment, extracurricular activities, prevailing over adversity. You may expand upon but not repeat TMDSAS or AMCAS application information. This section is mandatory. Please make sure you submit an essay or your application will not be reviewed by the committee. (2000 char.)

 

[PGdoc]

Also, I guess I'm confused if anyone can help... is the question about knowledge, skills and attitudes that you have developed combined with the select two question? Like for example, should I explain the skills and stuff I have prepared for the two interest areas I pick? Or is it just a more general question wondering like why you think you are prepared for medical school and beyond, unrelated to the select two part?

 

[wysdoc]

Also, I guess I'm confused if anyone can help... is the question about knowledge, skills and attitudes that you have developed combined with the select two question? Like for example, should I explain the skills and stuff I have prepared for the two interest areas I pick? Or is it just a more general question wondering like why you think you are prepared for medical school and beyond, unrelated to the select two part?

That essay should be about the 1 or 2 areas you might be interested in, and what you have already done to show that interest or prepare for it.
It isn't another "why medicine" general essay.

 

[PGdoc]

That essay should be about the 1 or 2 areas you might be interested in, and what you have already done to show that interest or prepare for it.
It isn't another "why medicine" general essay.

Okay, so say for example I picked Telehealth and Advocacy. The essay should be tailored around my experiences with those and how I prepared for them to be implemented in my medical school/career path?

 

[wysdoc]

Okay, so say for example I picked Telehealth and Advocacy. The essay should be tailored around my experiences with those and how I prepared for them to be implemented in my medical school/career path?

yes, and the total character count would be 1000 (not 1000 for each one)

 

[PGdoc]

yes, and the total character count would be 1000 (not 1000 for each one)

Awesome, thanks for the help!!

 

[TXTripleDore]

+1 IS received

 

[ExcellentCycle2425]

@PGdoc Is there a gap year prompt?

 

[TXTripleDore]

@ExcellentCycle2425 There is, but there is no character constraint listed. After doing a quick test there is at least 10000 characters available for the response, so I'm guessing it doesn't have a limit.

 

[TXTripleDore]

@wysdoc Gap year prompt:

Are you planning to matriculate into medical school immediately after completing your undergraduate education? If not, please explain what activities and/or careers you have pursued in the time between your college education and your application. (No Character Count Given)

 

[wysdoc]

@wysdoc Gap year prompt:

Are you planning to matriculate into medical school immediately after completing your undergraduate education? If not, please explain what activities and/or careers you have pursued in the time between your college education and your application. (No Character Count Given)

Dude.
Question #2 or #3?

Please guys, if you post the prompts or something official from the school, copy and paste everything exactly as it appears.
Thanks for adding the info, @TXTripleDore

 

[TXTripleDore]

Dude.
Question #2 or #3?

Please guys, if you post the prompts or something official from the school, copy and paste everything exactly as it appears.
Thanks for adding the info, @TXTripleDore

Based off the tabs, it would be considered #2.

 

[gilberto]

So if I am not taking a gap year, then will a simple "Yes, I am matriculating immediately after my undergraduate education", suffice? I assume so, but just want to be sure

 

[wysdoc]

So if I am not taking a gap year, then will a simple "Yes, I am matriculating immediately after my undergraduate education", suffice? I assume so, but just want to be sure

If you are applying at the end of your junior year, yes. If you’re graduating now, what will you do until next June besides writing essays?

 

[sofds]

Hi I am graduating in the fall of 2025 but am technically only taking a gap semester as I am a current junior applying. Would I put "yes or no" in the matriculating immediately after my undergraduate education question?

 

[wysdoc]

Hi I am graduating in the fall of 2025 but am technically only taking a gap semester as I am a current junior applying. Would I put "yes or no" in the matriculating immediately after my undergraduate education question?

What do you think?

 

[sofds]

What do you think?

Originally I was thinking "yes" as technically I am still receiving my diploma and actually graduating in the spring but now I am starting to believe I should put "no" in order to bring up what I plan on doing during that gap semester as I am not attending school. But also it is still in the future so I do not have anything set in place so the prompt says "what careers or experiences have you pursued" and I would technically be speaking about the future so I am really not sure. As of right now I am leaning towards "yes"

 

[maybefuturedoctor7]

Hi! Does anyone know what is meant by "community health" in the first question? I am not sure if it is referring to practicing medicine in a community health setting, or doing community health-focused research. I thought it was the first one but UChicago has basically the same prompt where community health means community health research. So I got thrown off. Thank you!

 

[wysdoc]

Hi! Does anyone know what is meant by "community health" in the first question? I am not sure if it is referring to practicing medicine in a community health setting, or doing community health-focused research. I thought it was the first one but UChicago has basically the same prompt where community health means community health research. So I got thrown off. Thank you!

Interpret it as you wish and make the focus clear in your answer!

 

[maybefuturedoctor7]

Interpret it as you wish and make the focus clear in your answer!

Thank you!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Podcast

Episode 28: Baylor College of Medicine | MD University Program | Case Western Reserve University

Dr. Vallejo Dr. Karen Johnson It’s back to the Lone Star state to talk with the Admissions Deans at Baylor College of Medicine located in Houston...

case.edu

 

[OGMIke]

How would you go about the special experiences question? I am a little confused by what would be considered a special experience.

 

[pirateb]

How would you go about the special experiences question? I am a little confused by what would be considered a special experience.

I think it's one of those spaces where you can talk about any hiccups in your GPA or previous MCATs or growth trends. I personally wrote so much about my experiences in the other three essays that I'm grasping at straws. I think I'm just gonna talk about my experience going through surgery and my reflection as a patient, and how that could contribute to being a good physician. I'm using the other essay to tailor to specific clubs/things at BCM.

 

[pirateb]

Do you guys think that for the 1st secondary question it'd be wiser to just select one and talk about that for 1000 char instead of two split into 500 each?

 

[jmag2013]

Before any non-trads make a $100 donation to BCM, according to their FAQ page they do not accept prerequisites older than 10 years. They also don't accept AP credit for their required courses, which is mentioned on their Admission Requirements page, but the 10 year deadline is not. Glad I read through the FAQs before paying the fee for the secondary!

 

[wysdoc]

Before any non-trads make a $100 donation to BCM, according to their FAQ page they do not accept prerequisites older than 10 years. They also don't accept AP credit for their required courses, which is mentioned on their Admission Requirements page, but the 10 year deadline is not. Glad I read through the FAQs before paying the fee for the secondary!

Good pickup, @jmag2013

Actually, all applicants need to do their homework about the variations of prerequisite requirements between your TMDSAS schools.
There are indeed a few differences.

 

[twistedwizard123__]

2025-2026 Baylor Secondary Essay Prompts:

1. In addition to training as a competent physician, please select up to two additional areas of interest from the items below that you may want to pursue during your medical studies. Your responses will have no bearing on applications to joint degrees or special programs to which you might also apply. *

Clinical Research
Healthcare/disparities/medical undeserved communities
Academic Medicine
Community Health
Simulation in medical education
Health systems science
Telehealth
Advocacy

What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path? * (1000 characters.)
** The 1000 characters is the upper limit, whether you choose 1 or 2 areas of interest**

2. Are you planning to matriculate into medical school immediately after completing your undergraduate education? If not, please explain what activities and/or careers you have pursued in the time between your college education and your application.(short answer)

3. Indicate any special experiences, unusual factors or other information you feel would be helpful in evaluating you, including, but not limited to, education, employment, extracurricular activities, prevailing over adversity. You may expand upon but not repeat TMDSAS or AMCAS application information. This section is mandatory. Please make sure you submit an essay or your application will not be reviewed by the committee.
(2000 char.)

Good luck to all applying!
Interview Feedback:

Baylor College of Medicine Interview Feedback

Review of Baylor College of Medicine Interview Feedback. Get the latest information, opinions of fellow students, and LizzyM and SDN Rankings.

www.studentdoctor.net

how do i answer prompt 2 without repeating the information i put in my planned activities?

 

[wysdoc]

how do i answer prompt 2 without repeating the information i put in my planned activities?

There is no way to avoid listing the same planned activities. Be brief and don’t paste the exact wording

 

[skyzov]

Hi! Just got email today to complete my secondaries. Does anyone know how the BCM fee waiver works? On MSAR it does mention that they offer fee waivers. I see that my submission fee is $50 instead of $100, so is this the applied fee waiver? Other schools completely waived the fee.

 

[texco23]

Hi! Just got email today to complete my secondaries. Does anyone know how the BCM fee waiver works? On MSAR it does mention that they offer fee waivers. I see that my submission fee is $50 instead of $100, so is this the applied fee waiver? Other schools completely waived the fee.

I believe that is the fee waiver cost - I had the same cost with my waiver applied

 

[mynamejef]

Does anyone have any info on if Baylor screens even though they send their secondaries to everyone? Im currently swamped for secondaries because I didnt have time to pre-write TMDSAS essays (full-time job and other commitments). Baylor MCAT average is 9 points above mine, but I just included it in my app as a "what if". Now that im swamped for secondaries and may not have time to finish them all within 2 weeks, would it be worth it to just assume Ill get screened out and therefore shift my essay priorities to other schools? Im down for a shoot my shot chance but if theyre going to prescreen and not even read my secondaries there may be no point. Anyone know or have advice?

 

[TXTripleDore]

Does anyone have any info on if Baylor screens even though they send their secondaries to everyone? Im currently swamped for secondaries because I didnt have time to pre-write TMDSAS essays (full-time job and other commitments). Baylor MCAT average is 9 points above mine, but I just included it in my app as a "what if". Now that im swamped for secondaries and may not have time to finish them all within 2 weeks, would it be worth it to just assume Ill get screened out and therefore shift my essay priorities to other schools? Im down for a shoot my shot chance but if theyre going to prescreen and not even read my secondaries there may be no point. Anyone know or have advice?

I saw you also posted this on UTSW so I'll attempt to answer both. From what I know neither school pre-screens so you would in theory receive a secondary from both if you send your primary.

 

[mynamejef]

I saw you also posted this on UTSW so I'll attempt to answer both. From what I know neither school pre-screens so you would in theory receive a secondary from both if you send your primary.

Yeaaaa, both are my reach schools within Texas, haha. Thank you for answering! For clarification, I received secondaries from both schools already after submitting my primary. So i know they will send it regardless, but I thought I saw somewhere on Reddit that either Baylor or UTSW screens even after sending secondary invitations. So what I was asking was even though I have already received a secondary, would I still be screened out before they start review and therefore have no reason to write the secondaries if it will be screened out anyway? This is my first time applying and have no idea if this even happens or if schools really consider every secondary application they receive.

 

[wysdoc]

Yeaaaa, both are my reach schools within Texas, haha. Thank you for answering! For clarification, I received secondaries from both schools already after submitting my primary. So i know they will send it regardless, but I thought I saw somewhere on Reddit that either Baylor or UTSW screens even after sending secondary invitations. So what I was asking was even though I have already received a secondary, would I still be screened out before they start review and therefore have no reason to write the secondaries if it will be screened out anyway? This is my first time applying and have no idea if this even happens or if schools really consider every secondary application they receive.

They will read your secondary essays and then decide whether you get an interview.
Don’t get panicky about the secondaries, just work on one at a time until you are happy with it and turn to the next one.