2025-2026 Stanford

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2025-2026 Stanford Secondary Essay Prompts

1. Are there any current or pending disputes concerning your academic status? If yes, please explain. (300 characters)

2. Was your enrollment status ever interrupted during your undergraduate or graduate program, not including summer term (e.g. medical, personal, or academic reasons, military service, other)? If yes, please explain. (150 characters)

3. Are you a community college TRANSFER student? This designation specifically only refers to individuals that enrolled at a community college with the express purpose of transferring to a four year institution. This EXCLUDES courses taken at community college during high school, during interruptions in your undergraduate studies (from a four year institution), or post-undergraduate studies. If you completed community college coursework during the excluded periods indicated, do not answer yes to this question.

4. Has your education included any formal, pre-medical postbaccalaureate programs?

5. What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career? Choose the single answer that best describes your career goals and clinical practice setting:
Academic Medicine (Clinical)
Academic Medicine (Physician Scientist)
Health Policy
Primary Care
Public Health/Community Health
Global Health
Please describe your motivation for this practice scenario: Why do you feel you are particularly suited for this practice scenario? What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path? (1000 characters)

6. How will you take advantage of the Stanford Medicine Discovery Curriculum and scholarly concentration requirement to achieve your personal career goals? (1000 characters)

7. Describe in a short paragraph your educational and family background. E.g., I grew up in New York City, as the 3rd child of a supermarket cashier and a high school principal. I attended Mann High School where my major interests were boxing and drama. (600 characters)

8. Are you a re-applicant to the Stanford Medicine MD Program? What experiences illuminate the most significant difference between the prior and current application? (Research, Community/Volunteer Services, Paid Employment, Awards/Honors) (350 characters)

9. Please describe which aspects of your life experiences, interests, and character would help you to make a distinctive contribution to Stanford Medicine. (2000 characters)

10. Please describe how you have uniquely contributed to a community with which you identify. (1000 characters)

18. Please describe an experience/ situation when you advocated for someone else. (1000 characters)

19. Please include anything else that will help us understand better how you may uniquely contribute to Stanford Medicine? (OPTIONAL) (1000 characters)

Good luck to all applying!

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Last edited:
+1 OOS Secondary MD/PhD

@wysdoc, below are the questions I have as an MD/PhD applicant--not too sure how many are applicable for MD only applicants. On the portal, 11-17 are part of the MSTP supplemental question, so I'm assuming the rest also apply to MD applicants?

1. Are there any current or pending disputes concerning your academic status? If yes, please explain. (300 characters)
2. Was your enrollment status ever interrupted during your undergraduate or graduate program, not including summer term (e.g. medical, personal, or academic reasons, military service, other)? If yes, please explain. (150 characters)
3. Are you a community college TRANSFER student? This designation specifically only refers to individuals that enrolled at a community college with the express purpose of transferring to a four year institution. This EXCLUDES courses taken at community college during high school, during interruptions in your undergraduate studies (from a four year institution), or post-undergraduate studies. If you completed community college coursework during the excluded periods indicated, do not answer yes to this question.
4. Has your education included any formal, pre-medical postbaccalaureate programs?
5. What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career? Choose the single answer that best describes your career goals and clinical practice setting: Academic Medicine (Clinical); Academic Medicine (Physician Scientist); Health Policy; Primary Care; Public Health/Community Health; Global Health. Please describe your motivation for this practice scenario: Why do you feel you are particularly suited for this practice scenario? What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path? (1000 characters)
6. How will you take advantage of the Stanford Medicine Discovery Curriculum and scholarly concentration requirement to achieve your personal career goals? (1000 characters)
7. Describe in a short paragraph your educational and family background. E.g., I grew up in New York City, as the 3rd child of a supermarket cashier and a high school principal. I attended Mann High School where my major interests were boxing and drama. (600 characters)
8. Are you a re-applicant to the Stanford Medicine MD Program? What experiences illuminate the most significant difference between the prior and current application? (Research, Community/Volunteer Services, Paid Employment, Awards/Honors) (350 characters)
9. Please describe which aspects of your life experiences, interests, and character would help you to make a distinctive contribution to Stanford Medicine. (2000 characters)
10. Please describe how you have uniquely contributed to a community with which you identify. (1000 characters)
11. Describe your most significant research experience. Include the rationale, results, and conclusions, and the role you played in each of these components. (2500 characters)
12. Describe your reasons for pursuing medical scientist training in relation to your long-term career goals. Why are you applying to a combined degree program rather than graduate or medical school only? (800 characters)
13. Describe your current lab affiliation and the weekly time commitment required (e.g., I am working in the Griffin lab where I performed research in the summer following junior year for 20 hours per week). (800 characters)
14. Ranking research interests from a list they give; doesn't look like they want any explanations.
15. Describe any other research experiences you think would be relevant to the MSTP MD-PhD Admissions Committee decision. (800 characters)
16. Describe any patient-related experiences such as teaching, and service-oriented activities relevant to the MSTP MD-PhD Admissions Committee decision. (800 characters)
17. Describe other aspects of your background you think would be relevant to the MSTP MD-PhD Admissions Committee decision such as examples of your leadership, other talents and abilities and/or challenges you have overcome. (800 characters)
18. Please describe an experience/ situation when you advocated for someone else. (1000 characters)
19. Please include anything else that will help us understand better how you may uniquely contribute to Stanford Medicine? (OPTIONAL) (1000 characters)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
blonolo said:
+1 OOS Secondary MD/PhD

@wysdoc, below are the questions I have as an MD/PhD applicant--not too sure how many are applicable for MD only applicants. On the portal, 11-17 are part of the MSTP supplemental question, so I'm assuming the rest also apply to MD applicants?

1. Are there any current or pending disputes concerning your academic status? If yes, please explain. (300 characters)
2. Was your enrollment status ever interrupted during your undergraduate or graduate program, not including summer term (e.g. medical, personal, or academic reasons, military service, other)? If yes, please explain. (150 characters)
3. Are you a community college TRANSFER student? This designation specifically only refers to individuals that enrolled at a community college with the express purpose of transferring to a four year institution. This EXCLUDES courses taken at community college during high school, during interruptions in your undergraduate studies (from a four year institution), or post-undergraduate studies. If you completed community college coursework during the excluded periods indicated, do not answer yes to this question.
4. Has your education included any formal, pre-medical postbaccalaureate programs?
5. What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career? Choose the single answer that best describes your career goals and clinical practice setting: Academic Medicine (Clinical); Academic Medicine (Physician Scientist); Health Policy; Primary Care; Public Health/Community Health; Global Health. Please describe your motivation for this practice scenario: Why do you feel you are particularly suited for this practice scenario? What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path? (1000 characters)
6. How will you take advantage of the Stanford Medicine Discovery Curriculum and scholarly concentration requirement to achieve your personal career goals? (1000 characters)
7. Describe in a short paragraph your educational and family background. E.g., I grew up in New York City, as the 3rd child of a supermarket cashier and a high school principal. I attended Mann High School where my major interests were boxing and drama. (600 characters)
8. Are you a re-applicant to the Stanford Medicine MD Program? What experiences illuminate the most significant difference between the prior and current application? (Research, Community/Volunteer Services, Paid Employment, Awards/Honors) (350 characters)
9. Please describe which aspects of your life experiences, interests, and character would help you to make a distinctive contribution to Stanford Medicine. (2000 characters)
10. Please describe how you have uniquely contributed to a community with which you identify. (1000 characters)
11. Describe your most significant research experience. Include the rationale, results, and conclusions, and the role you played in each of these components. (2500 characters)
12. Describe your reasons for pursuing medical scientist training in relation to your long-term career goals. Why are you applying to a combined degree program rather than graduate or medical school only? (800 characters)
13. Describe your current lab affiliation and the weekly time commitment required (e.g., I am working in the Griffin lab where I performed research in the summer following junior year for 20 hours per week). (800 characters)
14. Ranking research interests from a list they give; doesn't look like they want any explanations.
15. Describe any other research experiences you think would be relevant to the MSTP MD-PhD Admissions Committee decision. (800 characters)
16. Describe any patient-related experiences such as teaching, and service-oriented activities relevant to the MSTP MD-PhD Admissions Committee decision. (800 characters)
17. Describe other aspects of your background you think would be relevant to the MSTP MD-PhD Admissions Committee decision such as examples of your leadership, other talents and abilities and/or challenges you have overcome. (800 characters)
18. Please describe an experience/ situation when you advocated for someone else. (1000 characters)
19. Please include anything else that will help us understand better how you may uniquely contribute to Stanford Medicine? (OPTIONAL) (1000 characters)
Click to expand...
Thanks, @blonolo

I'll wait to hear from an MD only applicant to see if your theory is correct
 
I had a few questions:
1. I am a Fulbright award recipient about to start my grant this year in 2025, but the most recent year you can input for an award is 2024. I’m not a current applicant either, so I was wondering what I should put here.
2. I have a pre-print authorship on bioRxiv, does this count as a publication that I would input on the secondary?
 
wysdoc said:
2025-2026 Stanford Secondary Essay Prompts

1. Are there any current or pending disputes concerning your academic status? If yes, please explain. (300 characters)

2. Was your enrollment status ever interrupted during your undergraduate or graduate program, not including summer term (e.g. medical, personal, or academic reasons, military service, other)? If yes, please explain. (150 characters)

3. Are you a community college TRANSFER student? This designation specifically only refers to individuals that enrolled at a community college with the express purpose of transferring to a four year institution. This EXCLUDES courses taken at community college during high school, during interruptions in your undergraduate studies (from a four year institution), or post-undergraduate studies. If you completed community college coursework during the excluded periods indicated, do not answer yes to this question.

4. Has your education included any formal, pre-medical postbaccalaureate programs?

5. What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career? Choose the single answer that best describes your career goals and clinical practice setting:
Academic Medicine (Clinical)
Academic Medicine (Physician Scientist)
Health Policy
Primary Care
Public Health/Community Health
Global Health
Please describe your motivation for this practice scenario: Why do you feel you are particularly suited for this practice scenario? What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path? (1000 characters)

6. How will you take advantage of the Stanford Medicine Discovery Curriculum and scholarly concentration requirement to achieve your personal career goals? (1000 characters)

7. Describe in a short paragraph your educational and family background. E.g., I grew up in New York City, as the 3rd child of a supermarket cashier and a high school principal. I attended Mann High School where my major interests were boxing and drama. (600 characters)

8. Are you a re-applicant to the Stanford Medicine MD Program? What experiences illuminate the most significant difference between the prior and current application? (Research, Community/Volunteer Services, Paid Employment, Awards/Honors) (350 characters)

9. Please describe which aspects of your life experiences, interests, and character would help you to make a distinctive contribution to Stanford Medicine. (2000 characters)

10. Please describe how you have uniquely contributed to a community with which you identify. (1000 characters)

Good luck to all applying!

Interview Feedback:
www.studentdoctor.net

Stanford University School of Medicine - Admission, Tuition, Ranking & Overview | Student Doctor Network

Detail information of Stanford University School of Medicine including admission, tuition, ranking, and overview.
www.studentdoctor.net www.studentdoctor.net
Click to expand...
What about questions 18 and 19?
"18. Please describe an experience/ situation when you advocated for someone else. (1000 characters)
19. Please include anything else that will help us understand better how you may uniquely contribute to Stanford Medicine? (OPTIONAL) (1000 characters)"
 
kxzander said:
What about questions 18 and 19?
"18. Please describe an experience/ situation when you advocated for someone else. (1000 characters)
19. Please include anything else that will help us understand better how you may uniquely contribute to Stanford Medicine? (OPTIONAL) (1000 characters)"
Click to expand...
Can you confirm that these 2 questions, plus # 1-10, are the entire Stanford MD secondary?
Thank you
 
wysdoc said:
Can you confirm that these 2 questions, plus # 1-10, are the entire Stanford MD secondary?
Thank you
Click to expand...
Not the original commenter, but given that those questions (#18, #19) have historically been included in Stanford's MD secondaries, I would say that this is most likely correct.
 
Quick question for #2, I had to withdraw from a summer class due to family illness. Does this count as a "enrollment status interruption"?
 
sirpaulydy said:
Quick question for #2, I had to withdraw from a summer class due to family illness. Does this count as a "enrollment status interruption"?
Click to expand...
I doubt it. Does the withdrawal appear on your transcript?
 
Is anyone applying to KHS? Does anyone know how it will impact the decision timeline?
 
lukadoncic said:
Is anyone applying to KHS? Does anyone know how it will impact the decision timeline?
Click to expand...
Based on an information session I attended the two processes are separate, but you are only under consideration for KHS as long as you are still under consideration for admission at the med school, though advancing in one process does not guarantee advancement in the other
 
How flexible is moving between the MD vs MD-PSTP if admitted (eg. admitted MD then deciding that you want to do MD-PSTP or admitted MD-PSTP then deciding that you want to do MD)
 
katelynn said:
How flexible is moving between the MD vs MD-PSTP if admitted (eg. admitted MD then deciding that you want to do MD-PSTP or admitted MD-PSTP then deciding that you want to do MD
Click to expand...
Adding onto this, how flexible is moving between MD and dual degrees? (e.g., MD/MBA, MD/JD, MD/etc.)
 
I saw that there was an option to apply for the Knight-Hennessy scholarship in last year's threads. Is is still available this year? Is it supposed to be in the same portal as the secondaries?
 
katelynn said:
I saw that there was an option to apply for the Knight-Hennessy scholarship in last year's threads. Is is still available this year? Is it supposed to be in the same portal as the secondaries?
Click to expand...
Separate application process. See my response to a question above
 
So, I submitted my LoRs from AMCAS, but it's still not showing the green check mark on the application portal. But, when I click on the Letters of Rec hyperlink, I see all my letters. Is anyone else having this issue? Do I need to reach out to someone? It's been about two days since I submitted them from AMCAS.
 
additional question when selecting physician-scientist future career goal:

Describe your most significant research experience. Include the rationale, results, and conclusions, and the role you played in each of these components.
 
Assuming the PSTP app is separate from the secondaries, is it ok to talk about some of the same content in both? Or are the same people evaluating both the md-only and pstp prompts?
 
Hi all! I am not applying to MD-PhD but I am interested in pursuing Academic Medicine (Physician Scientist). Do you think that is okay?
 
Hi, Stanford asks this question and I'm a little confused on the different roles. If I want research to be a part of my career but not the majority of it, does academic medicine (clinical) still fall under that category? I would appreciate it if someone could break down what exactly happens in academic medicine (clinical) and the percentage of work that's spent doing research vs patient care vs teaching. Also, if I want to serve urban underserved communities could I still do that through academic medicine? Or would that moreso be at a public hospital? Thank you!!!

Secondary:
1. What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career? Choose the single answer that best describes your career goals and clinical practice setting:
Academic Medicine (Clinical)
Academic Medicine (Physician Scientist)
Health Policy
Primary Care
Public Health/Community Health
Global Health
Please describe your motivation for this practice scenario: Why do you feel you are particularly suited for this practice scenario? What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path? (1000 characters)
 
Academic Medicine (Clinical), to me means that most/all of your income will come from patient care. You will have some responsibility for teaching trainees (medical students, residents, fellows) at the "bedside" and/or facilitating small group discussions a couple days a year in the medical school. Depending on your specialty, bedside training could be supervising trainees in the OR or the ED or the clinic. You may not have any research funding. You might, depending on the specialty, introduce eligible patients to opportunities to participate in clinical trials and supervise the staff who collect the data required for the clinical trial. The protocol comes from elsewhere and the data is analyzed elsewhere -- you are just seeing that the patient gets usual care plus the diagnostic imaging, labs, physical exams, etc required by the protocol.

An Academic Medicine (Physician-Scientist) might receive the bulk of one's income from research grants with some clinical responsibilities (care of patients, supervision of trainees) a few days per month. Some more seasoned docs combine this with funds for leadership/administration of a division/department/institute/center. The research can be wet lab or data analysis of medical records or research data collected directly from human research participants, or both. Some academic medicine physicians develop durgs/devices in collaboration with corporate sponsors.
 
This is likely me being neurotic, but haven’t received the secondary yet. Transmitted 6/27, should I be concerned about screening?
 
LizzyM said:
Academic Medicine (Clinical), to me means that most/all of your income will come from patient care. You will have some responsibility for teaching trainees (medical students, residents, fellows) at the "bedside" and/or facilitating small group discussions a couple days a year in the medical school. Depending on your specialty, bedside training could be supervising trainees in the OR or the ED or the clinic. You may not have any research funding. You might, depending on the specialty, introduce eligible patients to opportunities to participate in clinical trials and supervise the staff who collect the data required for the clinical trial. The protocol comes from elsewhere and the data is analyzed elsewhere -- you are just seeing that the patient gets usual care plus the diagnostic imaging, labs, physical exams, etc required by the protocol.

An Academic Medicine (Physician-Scientist) might receive the bulk of one's income from research grants with some clinical responsibilities (care of patients, supervision of trainees) a few days per month. Some more seasoned docs combine this with funds for leadership/administration of a division/department/institute/center. The research can be wet lab or data analysis of medical records or research data collected directly from human research participants, or both. Some academic medicine physicians develop durgs/devices in collaboration with corporate sponsors.
Click to expand...
Is it alright to mark down "Academic Medicine (Physician-Scientist)" as an MD-only applicant? I am genuinely interested in incorporating research into my future practice, but have no desire for the extended schooling required for an MD-PhD.
 
TXTripleDore said:
This is likely me being neurotic, but haven’t received the secondary yet. Transmitted 6/27, should I be concerned about screening?
Click to expand...
Stanford sends secondaries to "all eligible applicants. Stanford Med has a strict no-transfer policy and reserves the right to deny a supplemental application to those who have previously enrolled in another medical school." So as long as you haven't previously been accepted to another med school, you will just have to wait.
 
dunkcat said:
Is it alright to mark down "Academic Medicine (Physician-Scientist)" as an MD-only applicant? I am genuinely interested in incorporating research into my future practice, but have no desire for the extended schooling required for an MD-PhD.
Click to expand...
Yes, many physician-scientists do not have PhDs but acquire skills along the way including in fellowship training.
 
LizzyM said:
Academic Medicine (Clinical), to me means that most/all of your income will come from patient care. You will have some responsibility for teaching trainees (medical students, residents, fellows) at the "bedside" and/or facilitating small group discussions a couple days a year in the medical school. Depending on your specialty, bedside training could be supervising trainees in the OR or the ED or the clinic. You may not have any research funding. You might, depending on the specialty, introduce eligible patients to opportunities to participate in clinical trials and supervise the staff who collect the data required for the clinical trial. The protocol comes from elsewhere and the data is analyzed elsewhere -- you are just seeing that the patient gets usual care plus the diagnostic imaging, labs, physical exams, etc required by the protocol.

An Academic Medicine (Physician-Scientist) might receive the bulk of one's income from research grants with some clinical responsibilities (care of patients, supervision of trainees) a few days per month. Some more seasoned docs combine this with funds for leadership/administration of a division/department/institute/center. The research can be wet lab or data analysis of medical records or research data collected directly from human research participants, or both. Some academic medicine physicians develop durgs/devices in collaboration with corporate sponsors.
Click to expand...
Thank you for this detailed overview!
 
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