2025-2026 UC Davis

[chilly_md]

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2025-2026 UC Davis Secondary Essay Prompts: (500 characters each)

1. Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee (This could include explanation of metric trends, institutional actions, legal violations, etc.) Please enter N/A if no concerns to report.

2. Do you have a connection to Northern or Central California?

3. Please list the activities you would like to be considered in your application to UC Davis. The secondary activities may be used to highlight your experiences specifically relevant for UC Davis. You may use your most meaningful experiences listed in your initial AMCAS application or select/add others that may be relevant to UC Davis. Please only list three. The admissions committee will review all AMCAS application activities as well; this an opportunity to highlight your most meaningful and/or relevant to UC Davis School of Medicine. Please list your actual hours completed at the time of your secondary submission, not projected commitment. Therefore, enter your secondary application submission date as your end date for activities still in progress.

Good luck to all applying!

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

Detail information of University of California Davis School of Medicine including admission, tuition, ranking, and overview.

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[mhsiadat]

Hi everyone!!! I am doing UC Davis's secondaries but I dont know what qualities I should emphasize for them specifically. I have so many activities I could choose:
3. Please list the activities you would like to be considered in your application to UC Davis. The secondary activities may be used to highlight your experiences specifically relevant for UC Davis. You may use your most meaningful experiences listed in your initial AMCAS application or select/add others that may be relevant to UC Davis. Please only list three. The admissions committee will review all AMCAS application activities as well; this an opportunity to highlight your most meaningful and/or relevant to UC Davis School of Medicine. Please list your actual hours completed at the time of your secondary submission, not projected commitment. Therefore, enter your secondary application submission date as your end date for activities still in progress. (3 activities can be listed, 500 Characters for each)

I tried searching online but there Is no specific answer for UCD.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

Haven't you read...

How to Assess Your Pre-Professional Competencies | SDN

In 2023, AAMC revised the AAMC Premed Competencies to align with the PREview situational judgment test, incorporate changes in medical education after the

www.studentdoctor.net

The prompt is self-explanatory. What experiences do you think are most relevant to your fit with UC Davis? They want a prioritized list. Keep in mind their mission and purpose.

 

[mhsiadat]

Welcome to the forums.

Haven't you read...

How to Assess Your Pre-Professional Competencies | SDN

In 2023, AAMC revised the AAMC Premed Competencies to align with the PREview situational judgment test, incorporate changes in medical education after the

www.studentdoctor.net

The prompt is self-explanatory. What experiences do you think are most relevant to your fit with UC Davis? They want a prioritized list. Keep in mind their mission and purpose.

Thank you that helps!!! I just have so many experiences I wanted to discuss so had difficulty narrowing it down!! Thank u 🙂

 

[chilly_md]

Hi everyone!!! I am doing UC Davis's secondaries but I dont know what qualities I should emphasize for them specifically. I have so many activities I could choose:
3. Please list the activities you would like to be considered in your application to UC Davis. The secondary activities may be used to highlight your experiences specifically relevant for UC Davis. You may use your most meaningful experiences listed in your initial AMCAS application or select/add others that may be relevant to UC Davis. Please only list three. The admissions committee will review all AMCAS application activities as well; this an opportunity to highlight your most meaningful and/or relevant to UC Davis School of Medicine. Please list your actual hours completed at the time of your secondary submission, not projected commitment. Therefore, enter your secondary application submission date as your end date for activities still in progress. (3 activities can be listed, 500 Characters for each)

I tried searching online but there Is no specific answer for UCD.

As your question is about the UCD secondary, I have moved it to this year's applicant thread for the school.

 

[ClashRoyaleKing]

Hi everyone!!! I am doing UC Davis's secondaries but I dont know what qualities I should emphasize for them specifically. I have so many activities I could choose:
3. Please list the activities you would like to be considered in your application to UC Davis. The secondary activities may be used to highlight your experiences specifically relevant for UC Davis. You may use your most meaningful experiences listed in your initial AMCAS application or select/add others that may be relevant to UC Davis. Please only list three. The admissions committee will review all AMCAS application activities as well; this an opportunity to highlight your most meaningful and/or relevant to UC Davis School of Medicine. Please list your actual hours completed at the time of your secondary submission, not projected commitment. Therefore, enter your secondary application submission date as your end date for activities still in progress. (3 activities can be listed, 500 Characters for each)

I tried searching online but there Is no specific answer for UCD.

I personally chose my UCD Health research, a clinical activity, and my underserved volunteering as my three activities. I think whatever you choose, make sure it is related to the mission or really connects to why UCD should be the best school for you to attend.

 

[user123456123]

I personally chose my UCD Health research, a clinical activity, and my underserved volunteering as my three activities. I think whatever you choose, make sure it is related to the mission or really connects to why UCD should be the best school for you to attend.

when we are writing the secondaries, are the hours completed at the time that we have to write part of the 500 character text we get to submit?

 

[wysdoc]

when we are writing the secondaries, are the hours completed at the time that we have to write part of the 500 character text we get to submit?

Yes, don’t count undone future hours

 

[JPace24]

Have secondaries been formally released?

 

[AniKar8]

Have secondaries been formally released?

i have not received one yet, wouldn't be surprised if takes some time bc of their screening process

 

[AniKar8]

when we are writing the secondaries, are the hours completed at the time that we have to write part of the 500 character text we get to submit?

there are separate boxes to enter hours, supervisor name, etc. and then there is a box for description of the activity (500 characters).

 

[mallcat]

+1 IS MD PhD

 

[b0ldlygo]

+1 IS MD

 

[b0ldlygo]

Does anyone know how UC Davis screens primaries? I'm from NorCal (Bay Area) with strong ties to the Sierra Nevada but have not lived in Sac/Central Valley. I was worried I wouldn't qualify for their regional preference, but if I got a secondary does that mean I do? Or will they also consider that in review of my secondary application?

 

[shortietiger]

+1 IS MD

Would you be able to share the prompts please?

 

[starbuckscortado]

Would you be able to share the prompts please?

+1 IS MD, the prompts are the same as last year, 500 characters each

Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee (This could include explanation of metric trends, institutional actions, legal violations, etc.) Please enter N/A if no concerns to report.

Do you have a connection to Northern or Central California?

Please list the activities you would like to be considered in your application to UC Davis. The secondary activities may be used to highlight your experiences specifically relevant for UC Davis. You may use your most meaningful experiences listed in your initial AMCAS application or select/add others that may be relevant to UC Davis. Please only list three. The admissions committee will review all AMCAS application activities as well; this an opportunity to highlight your most meaningful and/or relevant to UC Davis School of Medicine. Please list your actual hours completed at the time of your secondary submission, not projected commitment. Therefore, enter your secondary application submission date as your end date for activities still in progress.

 

[microglia12]

+1 IS MD

 

[mountaingoat23]

+1 MD! In state, Bay Area

 

[Azaesal]

+1 IS NorCal

 

[caffinelover123]

For the 3 additional activities, can we repeat from primary? Should we think of 3 new activities not mentioned? Also for their description, not sure what to write since I wrote most important parts of my roles and my experiences at UC Davis related activities. Should I talk about the same experiences but from different angle? Or should I focus on something else?

How are you guys approaching this?

 

[Pallas]

+1 IS (NorCal) MD Secondary received on 7/14/25
Verified & app transmitted on 7/8/25

 

[mountaingoat23]

For the 3 additional activities, can we repeat from primary? Should we think of 3 new activities not mentioned? Also for their description, not sure what to write since I wrote most important parts of my roles and my experiences at UC Davis related activities. Should I talk about the same experiences but from different angle? Or should I focus on something else?

How are you guys approaching this?

I did one new one and two repeated slightly tailored to UC Davis. However 800 characters goes realllyyy quick so honestly I couldn't say much more.

 

[mayziemed]

do they send secondaries out in waves?

 

[caffinelover123]

I did one new one and two repeated slightly tailored to UC Davis. However 800 characters goes realllyyy quick so honestly I couldn't say much more.

thought it was 500 characters?

 

[mountaingoat23]

thought it was 500 characters?

oops yes sorry 100%! Yeah I approached this as if they're skimming your application, where do you want their eyes to go first/linger since you're telling them these are most relevant to their school and working towards building the "fit"/"mission" there

 

[loophua]

are secondaries coming out in waves?

 

[AniKar8]

are secondaries coming out in waves?

yes

 

[oolongtealover]

Has anyone experienced this issue when filling out the pre-req coursework page? The general chemistry sequence at my college was only two quarters, so it doesn't meet the unit requirement minimum. The note on the application says that gen chem can have varied number of units. However, I can't mark the page as complete because it says that I don't have enough gen chem units.