2025-2026 Rutgers (New Jersey)

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chilly_md

chilly_md

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2025-2026 Rutgers (NJ) Secondary Prompts

All 1500 characters
  1. At NJMS, we are committed to the principles of humanism in medicine and to addressing health inequities that affect many communities. Our students work as part of interprofessional teams to care for patients who may experience disparities in health and access to care. Reflect on an experience that shaped your understanding of humanism and equity in healthcare. How do you hope to embody these values as a medical student and future physician?
  2. Medicine demands humility, self-awareness, and resilience. Describe a significant challenge or failure you have faced. What did you learn about yourself, and how has it shaped your approach to working with others and handling responsibility? (if applicable)
  3. If you have taken or plan to take “growth” or “gap” time, describe how you used or plan to use this time meaningfully. What did you hope to gain, and how will this contribute to your development as a future physician?
  4. If you will not be enrolled as a full-time student between July 2025 and July 2026, please describe your planned activities, including time commitments and goals for each.
  5. If you are reapplying to medical school, describe the steps you have taken to strengthen your candidacy and reflect on what this process has taught you about your motivation and preparedness for a career in medicine. (if applicable)
  6. Use this space to address any personal, academic, or professional challenges not thoroughly addressed elsewhere in your application (i.e., institutional actions, academic and/or MCAT inconsistencies, health, family issues, etc.).
  7. Is there anything else you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you or your journey to medicine?
ED Specific

  1. Please share why you have decided to apply as an Early Decision applicant, as well as insight on your Motivation for NJMS.
  2. As an Early Decision applicant, how do you intend to enhance your preparation for a successful transition into NJMS over the next year.

Good luck to all applying!

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Does anyone know how Rutgers determines in-state status for application? I know for determining in-state financial status you need to be domiciled in the state for 12+ months prior to matriculation. But the info online is unclear on how they determine your in-state status during the application cycle. Do they require proof of residency in the secondary application or maybe once accepted? If they do, what do they require to be considered an in-state applicant? I'm currently out of the country (can't call them) and they won't answer my emails. Thanks in advance.
 
aralynn0 said:
any chance you'd be willing to share the prompts? are there extra ED prompts too?
Click to expand...

@chilly_md

Essays
  1. At NJMS, we are committed to the principles of humanism in medicine and to addressing health inequities that affect many communities. Our students work as part of interprofessional teams to care for patients who may experience disparities in health and access to care. Reflect on an experience that shaped your understanding of humanism and equity in healthcare. How do you hope to embody these values as a medical student and future physician?
  2. Medicine demands humility, self-awareness, and resilience. Describe a significant challenge or failure you have faced. What did you learn about yourself, and how has it shaped your approach to working with others and handling responsibility? (if applicable)
  3. If you have taken or plan to take “growth” or “gap” time, describe how you used or plan to use this time meaningfully. What did you hope to gain, and how will this contribute to your development as a future physician?
  4. If you will not be enrolled as a full-time student between July 2025 and July 2026, please describe your planned activities, including time commitments and goals for each.
  5. If you are reapplying to medical school, describe the steps you have taken to strengthen your candidacy and reflect on what this process has taught you about your motivation and preparedness for a career in medicine. (if applicable)
  6. Use this space to address any personal, academic, or professional challenges not thoroughly addressed elsewhere in your application (i.e., institutional actions, academic and/or MCAT inconsistencies, health, family issues, etc.).
  7. Is there anything else you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you or your journey to medicine?
ED Specific
  1. Please share why you have decided to apply as an Early Decision applicant, as well as insight on your Motivation for NJMS:
  2. As an Early Decision applicant, how do you intend to enhance your preparation for a successful transition into NJMS over the next year:
 
rose1101 said:
@chilly_md

Essays
  1. At NJMS, we are committed to the principles of humanism in medicine and to addressing health inequities that affect many communities. Our students work as part of interprofessional teams to care for patients who may experience disparities in health and access to care. Reflect on an experience that shaped your understanding of humanism and equity in healthcare. How do you hope to embody these values as a medical student and future physician?
  2. Medicine demands humility, self-awareness, and resilience. Describe a significant challenge or failure you have faced. What did you learn about yourself, and how has it shaped your approach to working with others and handling responsibility? (if applicable)
  3. If you have taken or plan to take “growth” or “gap” time, describe how you used or plan to use this time meaningfully. What did you hope to gain, and how will this contribute to your development as a future physician?
  4. If you will not be enrolled as a full-time student between July 2025 and July 2026, please describe your planned activities, including time commitments and goals for each.
  5. If you are reapplying to medical school, describe the steps you have taken to strengthen your candidacy and reflect on what this process has taught you about your motivation and preparedness for a career in medicine. (if applicable)
  6. Use this space to address any personal, academic, or professional challenges not thoroughly addressed elsewhere in your application (i.e., institutional actions, academic and/or MCAT inconsistencies, health, family issues, etc.).
  7. Is there anything else you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you or your journey to medicine?
ED Specific
  1. Please share why you have decided to apply as an Early Decision applicant, as well as insight on your Motivation for NJMS:
  2. As an Early Decision applicant, how do you intend to enhance your preparation for a successful transition into NJMS over the next year:
Click to expand...
Do you have the word count for these essays?
 
Submitted primary on 5/27, verified on 5/28, received link for secondary submission on 6/27, submitted secondaries on 6/28, II on 6/28, interview scheduled for tomorrow😳
 
parkingsock said:
Submitted primary on 5/27, verified on 5/28, received link for secondary submission on 6/27, submitted secondaries on 6/28, II on 6/28, interview scheduled for tomorrow😳
Click to expand...
how was your interview?
 
Whats the difference between 3 and 4, both are asking about the gap year? Does 3 focus more on how gap year relates to medicine and 4 is just a description of the activities? It seems weird that its separated
 
ArcOwl said:
Whats the difference between 3 and 4, both are asking about the gap year? Does 3 focus more on how gap year relates to medicine and 4 is just a description of the activities? It seems weird that its separated
Click to expand...
I think 3 is more about what your have already done and doing and how its gonna affect you as a physcian whereas 4 is about specific activities for the next year. It is kinda a cluster**** espicially with the ED essay 2 basically asking the same thing.
 
papsk said:
@sandhuSK, How was your second interview? How different was it from first?
Click to expand...
very different from first, 2nd interviewer was a lotttt more chill than the first one but nothing too crazy in terms of questions.. overall very different vibes but similar questions were asked
 
is the character limit for the ED essays also 1500 characters? It doesn't specify on the application portal like for the other prompts
 
has anyone heard back abt acceptances yet? and do we know when they said the committee meets?
 
jac754 said:
is the character limit for the ED essays also 1500 characters? It doesn't specify on the application portal like for the other prompts
Click to expand...
yes on portal you can only put in 1500 chr it doesn't let you submit more even though it doesn't have a chr limit
 
Anyone know if the portal shows if your app is under review? I'm applying ED, received the secondary 6/30, submitted 7/3 but still waiting to hear about an II. I was greenlighted by admissions before deciding on ED so I'm wondering if they just haven't gotten through all of the secondaries yet since I submitted a few days after the link dropped to submit. TYIA
 
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do you guys see this question also on there?

Please help us learn more about you and your lived experiences by sharing insight/background information that you feel is important or that has influenced you, your educational path/journey, access to opportunities, etc.: (1500 characters)
 
how long do letters take to get uploaded to the njms portal (if they are received on aamc's end but not on the portal)?
 
try1241 said:
do you guys see this question also on there?

Please help us learn more about you and your lived experiences by sharing insight/background information that you feel is important or that has influenced you, your educational path/journey, access to opportunities, etc.: (1500 characters)
Click to expand...
this sounds like the question in the demographics part
 
I’m applying regular and out of state, haven’t received a secondary yet. Is this the same for anyone else?
 
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