2025-2026 Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW)

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chilly_md

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2025-2026 Medical College of Wisconsin Secondary Prompts

1. At MCW, we are guided by the values of acting in caring ways, engaging in collaborative efforts, approaching our world with curiosity, advancing inclusive practices, demonstrating integrity in all that we do, and treating everyone with respect. Describe how your unique experiences, interests, and talents have embodied one or more of these values, and how they will shape the way you plan to contribute to the MCW learning community. (1000 characters)

2. How will MCW uniquely prepare you for your future goals? (1000 characters)

3. Recount a time when you made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (2000 characters)

4. MCW is committed to its missions of community engagement and improving health for all. MCW medical students play an important role in advancing these missions by working with and within various communities throughout Wisconsin which requires adaptability and a willingness to learn from new experiences. Describe a time where you entered a new environment or situation, how you adapted, what you learned, and how that experience helped you grow in your ability to serve others and contribute to MCW’s missions during your education. (2000 characters)

5. Reapplicant Essay: Please explain how your application has changed since your last application to MCW Medical School. How have you enhanced your preparation for medical school and future career as a physician (e.g., additional academic work, employment, volunteer experience, etc.)? You may wish to elaborate on the process you employed to critique your application’s strengths and weaknesses or share life changes or circumstances that have impacted your application. (2000 characters)

6. MCW values the unique backgrounds and identities of our incoming students. If you are comfortable, please indicate if any of the following apply to you. Check all that apply (several boxes listed). (2000 characters)


7. We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic may have had lasting effects on your academic, personal, or professional journey toward a career in medicine. If you wish, please share any significant or enduring impacts that may have influenced your preparation for medical school and are not fully captured elsewhere in your application. Do you have additional information you'd like to provide? (2000 characters)


Good luck to all applying!

Interview Feedback:

 
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Hi guys 🙂 Incoming MS1 here at MCW. Haven't actually started yet (orientation is monday!) but am happy to answer any questions y'all may have.

Good luck with your cycles! I promise there's a light at the end of the tunnel!
 
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@chilly_md

At MCW, we are guided by the values of acting in caring ways, engaging in collaborative efforts, approaching our world with curiosity, advancing inclusive practices, demonstrating integrity in all that we do, and treating everyone with respect. Describe how your unique experiences, interests, and talents have embodied one or more of these values, and how they will shape the way you plan to contribute to the MCW learning community. (1000 characters)

How will MCW uniquely prepare you for your future goals? (1000 characters)

Recount a time when you made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (2000 characters)

MCW is committed to its missions of community engagement and improving health for all. MCW medical students play an important role in advancing these missions by working with and within various communities throughout Wisconsin which requires adaptability and a willingness to learn from new experiences. Describe a time where you entered a new environment or situation, how you adapted, what you learned, and how that experience helped you grow in your ability to serve others and contribute to MCW’s missions during your education. (2000 characters)

Reapplicant Essay: Please explain how your application has changed since your last application to MCW Medical School. How have you enhanced your preparation for medical school and future career as a physician (e.g., additional academic work, employment, volunteer experience, etc.)? You may wish to elaborate on the process you employed to critique your application’s strengths and weaknesses or share life changes or circumstances that have impacted your application. (2000 characters)

MCW values the unique backgrounds and identities of our incoming students. If you are comfortable, please indicate if any of the following apply to you. Check all that apply. (2000 characters)


We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic may have had lasting effects on your academic, personal, or professional journey toward a career in medicine. If you wish, please share any significant or enduring impacts that may have influenced your preparation for medical school and are not fully captured elsewhere in your application. Do you have additional information you'd like to provide? (2000 characters)
 
For question 6, could a significant hardship be taking care of my grandmother during COVID-19, and doing hospice on my own while juggling a full-time STEM freshman year course load and training for a Division 1 team? I am not sure if this counts as a "hardship" or just a hard thing that I did.
 
For question 6, could a significant hardship be taking care of my grandmother during COVID-19, and doing hospice on my own while juggling a full-time STEM freshman year course load and training for a Division 1 team? I am not sure if this counts as a "hardship" or just a hard thing that I did.
Not an expert by any means, but I interpreted the question as largely focusing on how it may have impacted your journey to medical school. So if you lost certain opportunities, had grade impacts, etc., then yes. It's definitely a hardship imo, but if it didn't really affect your medical school preparation specifically in a unique way, then I'm not sure if you need to answer that. That being said, I think that's a really admirable endeavor, so if there's a way to incorporate it elsewhere, you might want to.

Again, no expert, just how I read the question. Feel free to disagree, won't hurt my feelings hahha.
 
Not an expert by any means, but I interpreted the question as largely focusing on how it may have impacted your journey to medical school. So if you lost certain opportunities, had grade impacts, etc., then yes. It's definitely a hardship imo, but if it didn't really affect your medical school preparation specifically in a unique way, then I'm not sure if you need to answer that. That being said, I think that's a really admirable endeavor, so if there's a way to incorporate it elsewhere, you might want to.

Again, no expert, just how I read the question. Feel free to disagree, won't hurt my feelings hahha.
That is great advice. Thank you! I actually had an offer to play at my school freshman year that I gave up to stay home, so I will change my essay to highlight that aspect more.
 
Good luck to everyone applying this year! We just finished our orientation for M1 year, and I’m very excited to get started with classes on Monday! Feel free to ask any questions here, or DM, I’m happy to help!
 
would you guys copy paste a challenge essay for Prompt #3 asking about regret? or talk about a personal experience
 
Hi guys 🙂 Incoming MS1 here at MCW. Haven't actually started yet (orientation is monday!) but am happy to answer any questions y'all may have.

Good luck with your cycles! I promise there's a light at the end of the tunnel!
Thanks for your willingness to help! Could you share your insight on what is unique about MCW? Maybe what stood out to you when you decided to choose it over other options?
 
Thanks for your willingness to help! Could you share your insight on what is unique about MCW? Maybe what stood out to you when you decided to choose it over other options?
Hmmm. Out of the schools I got into, MCW seemed the most focused on student wellness & cultivating a collaborative culture. I really wanted to go to a school where I felt supported. Also obviously its a huge perk to be associated with a whole hospital campus with its own academic medical center. They have more faculty than students (which shocked me) so plenty of mentorship opportunities. I love EM so their T1 trauma center excited me but you could honestly find anything for your interests too — the new cancer research institute, childrens hospital, etc. I also think MKE is a really unique city to learn medicine in — tons of opportunity for health equity work due to its history of segregation and significant racial health disparity.

They also love their Wisconsin/Midwest people so if you have a true tie to the area or patient population you should say so. Although the second best represented state is California so definitely not a requirement 🙂

Good luck!
 
what are the boxes that are listed for question 6? i havent got a secondary yet im just prewriting but i wanna see the boxes that they listed so i know how to answer the question
 
what are the boxes that are listed for question 6? i havent got a secondary yet im just prewriting but i wanna see the boxes that they listed so i know how to answer the question
I am the first person in my immediate family to attend college (excluding siblings)
I was born or grew up in a rural community
I am a military veteran (including active duty and those transitioning to civilian life)
I come from an economically disadvantaged background
I attended an underperforming elementary, middle, or high school
I have overcome a significant hardship

They give you one essay with 2000 characters to expand on any box(es) you checked
 
Does anyone know how long it usually takes them to mark the Dean's IA form as submitted and the application complete?
 
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