2025-2026 Massachusetts

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wysdoc

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2025-2026 UMass Chan Secondary Essay Prompts
Q1) We would like to learn how you developed and demonstrated core professionalism competencies that are required of entering medical students. Please respond to the first prompt (#1; Diversity). Then select three of the other six prompts (#2-#7). Each response should be 150-200 words. Use the text box below for your answer. Separate each of your four responses by writing the competency above/before your response (example: Teamwork - All teams have their struggles, but they can be overcome...).
  • 1) UMass Chan Medical School strives to be a diverse academic community mindful of the fact that diversity makes our community stronger and benefits the patients we serve. Share your definition of diversity. Describe an example where you contributed to the diversity of a group, team or class. Connect this to how you will contribute to the diversity of the UMass Chan Medical School community. (Diversity)
  • 2) Describe a time when you have made a decision that was not popular and how you handled this. (Leadership competency)
  • 3) Describe a time when you were on a team that was dysfunctional in some regard. How did you address the situation? (Teamwork)
  • 4) Describe a meaningful interaction you have had with a person whom you have helped at work, school or another activity. (Empathy/Compassion)
  • 5) Have you ever been in the middle of a situation where there was poor communication? What did you do to improve it? (Communication)
  • 6) Describe a time when you have "thought outside the box" to solve a problem. (Inquiry)
  • 7) Describe a time when you suffered a setback. How did you respond to this challenge? (Persistence/Grit)
Q2) Please discuss any part of your application that you feel requires further explanation. For example, discuss grades or MCAT scores that do not reflect your true ability, and/or a gap in time that is not explained elsewhere in your application. Discuss any impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on your academic, service, extracurricular or employment experiences.If you are reapplying to T.H. Chan SOM, highlight how you have strengthened your application. (250 word limit)

Q3) If you have participated in T.H. Chan SOM or UMass Memorial Health Care, or UMass Chan Medical-Baystate sponsored programs (SEP, Summer Research Program, Worcester Pathway Collaborative, AHEC, BaccMD, HSPP, Academic Internships, BSEP, Summer Scholars) please describe how these programs helped you decide to apply to T.H. Chan SOM. (200 word limit)

Q4) Why did you apply to T.H. Chan SOM? (200 word limit)

Q5) If you are currently taking a gap year, in what activities are you engaged? (200 word limit)

Q6) Please describe an example of your personal and/or professional experience with and understanding of systemic inequity, exclusion, or lack of representation in health care in the United States. How did you arrive at this understanding? (200 word limit)


Good luck to all applying!

Interview Feedback:
 
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Sorry to bring this bad news. It happened with many med schools too.
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UMass medical school pauses need-based institutional aid for 2025-26 academic year, citing Trump administration policies

By Emily Spatz Globe Correspondent,Updated May 16, 2025, 12:39 p.m.

UMass Chan Medical School is canceling students’ need-based institutional aid for the upcoming academic year, citing financial challenges stemming from proposed government overhauls under the Trump administration, the university said last week.
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+1 OOS MD @chilly_md @wysdoc

Q1) We would like to learn how you developed and demonstrated core professionalism competencies that are required of entering medical students. Please respond to the first prompt (#1; Diversity). Then select three of the other six prompts (#2-#7). Each response should be 150-200 words. Use the text box below for your answer. Separate each of your four responses by writing the competency above/before your response (example: Teamwork - All teams have their struggles, but they can be overcome...).
  • 1) UMass Chan Medical School strives to be a diverse academic community mindful of the fact that diversity makes our community stronger and benefits the patients we serve. Share your definition of diversity. Describe an example where you contributed to the diversity of a group, team or class. Connect this to how you will contribute to the diversity of the UMass Chan Medical School community. (Diversity)
  • 2) Describe a time when you have made a decision that was not popular and how you handled this. (Leadership competency)
  • 3) Describe a time when you were on a team that was dysfunctional in some regard. How did you address the situation? (Teamwork)
  • 4) Describe a meaningful interaction you have had with a person whom you have helped at work, school or another activity. (Empathy/Compassion)
  • 5) Have you ever been in the middle of a situation where there was poor communication? What did you do to improve it? (Communication)
  • 6) Describe a time when you have "thought outside the box" to solve a problem. (Inquiry)
  • 7) Describe a time when you suffered a setback. How did you respond to this challenge? (Persistence/Grit)
Q2) Please discuss any part of your application that you feel requires further explanation. For example, discuss grades or MCAT scores that do not reflect your true ability, and/or a gap in time that is not explained elsewhere in your application. Discuss any impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on your academic, service, extracurricular or employment experiences.If you are reapplying to T.H. Chan SOM, highlight how you have strengthened your application. (250 word limit)

Q3) If you have participated in T.H. Chan SOM or UMass Memorial Health Care, or UMass Chan Medical-Baystate sponsored programs (SEP, Summer Research Program, Worcester Pathway Collaborative, AHEC, BaccMD, HSPP, Academic Internships, BSEP, Summer Scholars) please describe how these programs helped you decide to apply to T.H. Chan SOM. (200 word limit)

Q4) Why did you apply to T.H. Chan SOM? (200 word limit)

Q5) If you are currently taking a gap year, in what activities are you engaged? (200 word limit)

Q6) Please describe an example of your personal and/or professional experience with and understanding of systemic inequity, exclusion, or lack of representation in health care in the United States. How did you arrive at this understanding? (200 word limit)
 
what have you guys been saying to the authorship attestation question? I wrote all my essays myself but i use AI for grammar, spelling, and sometimes flow - i don't want to shoot myself in the foot by saying yes but I don't know, what do you guys think?
 
what have you guys been saying to the authorship attestation question? I wrote all my essays myself but i use AI for grammar, spelling, and sometimes flow - i don't want to shoot myself in the foot by saying yes but I don't know, what do you guys think?
I marked that I used AI for help... I probably threw away my chances at admission but I think honesty is best for situations like this, I don't want to be caught in a situation where my essays are getting flagged for AI and they think I lied!
 
I marked that I used AI for help... I probably threw away my chances at admission but I think honesty is best for situations like this, I don't want to be caught in a situation where my essays are getting flagged for AI and they think I lied!
I did the same! I only use it to proofread for mistakes, but I feel like complete honesty is the best policy.
 
For prerequisites, is it ok/best to list more recent advanced biology (but use lab from intro bio)? Or should I use only the intro bio+labs (even though this is taken slightly outside the “6 year recommendation”)
 
I marked that I used AI for help... I probably threw away my chances at admission but I think honesty is best for situations like this, I don't want to be caught in a situation where my essays are getting flagged for AI and they think I lied!
I did the same thing. I am sure they will be able to tell just by reading it how much you actually just copy and pasted from AI versus someone who just used to proofread and help with flow
 
Anyone having trouble submitting as an in-state resident and receiving error message saying need to provide state/federal taxes even though they filled this section out?
 
I just submitted my secondary, but I realized I had 205 words for Q6 (limit of 200 words). However, the portal still allowed me to submit with all 205 words, and I went back in and can still see my complete response in the text box. Am I ok?
 
Q2) Please discuss any part of your application that you feel requires further explanation. For example, discuss grades or MCAT scores that do not reflect your true ability, and/or a gap in time that is not explained elsewhere in your application. Discuss any impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on your academic, service, extracurricular or employment experiences.If you are reapplying to T.H. Chan SOM, highlight how you have strengthened your application. (250 word limit)
For question 2 (quoted above), did anyone else just write a few sentences saying that they weren't severely impacted by the pandemic/not reapplying/don't need to explain anything?

The application says that the question is mandatory for MD applicants, but I'm not going to invent a struggle just to fill space....
 
For question 2 (quoted above), did anyone else just write a few sentences saying that they weren't severely impacted by the pandemic/not reapplying/don't need to explain anything?

The application says that the question is mandatory for MD applicants, but I'm not going to invent a struggle just to fill space....
Also wondering this, I'm not sure how to answer this if I don't have any glaring issues with MCAT/grades and the pandemic didn't affect me heavily
 
Anyone select no for the AI attestation lol
I did! I was aware this was a q ahead of time and didn’t prewrite, so I just didn’t use ai or anything grammar check for this secondary only (did for others lol). I honestly think they’ll use it slightly for like how strict they pay attention to grammar/language? Like if you use ai they may expect it to be a little better written grammatically, but if you say no they may be a bit more lenient? Just a guess but so many people have said yes to AI they def can’t use it against you
 
I got an interview invite and they said to select a date on their application portal, but I can’t find anywhere on the portal to do this (I’ve clicked on every page multiple times lol). Is this happening to anyone else? Or did all of the slots already fill up?
 
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