Am I being too specific in my secondaries?

[YoungMoneyMint]

I'm currently writing "Why Us?" secondaries for a bunch of schools, and I'm doing a deep-dive into centers at each school that are doing work into my research interests (which are well-represented in my app through a PI LOR.) I am finding myself getting genuinely excited about the work that specific labs are doing, and I want to mention these labs and professors in my statement as examples of the kinds of projects I want to pursue through medical school.

Is this ok, or is this too specific?

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[YoungMoneyMint]

@Goro @LizzyM

 

[Goro]

Leads you open to being asked "Why not just get a PhD?" or "Suppose you can't work in those labs?"

You're going to have to come up with more than just research interests.

 

[YoungMoneyMint]

Leads you open to being asked "Why not just get a PhD?" or "Suppose you can't work in those labs?"

You're going to have to come up with more than just research interests.

Oh, I am. I've been flipping through each school's Community Health Implementation Plans and discussing the outreach initiatives being done at each med school + the big issues within the community that their teaching hospitals are trying to combat and how those things tie in with what I've done and my career goals. I was just wondering if, for huge research schools (e.g. UVA), I should stick with simply mentioning the general opportunities for med student research vs. specific projects being done there that tie in with my interests.

 

[LindaAccepted]

I agree with @Goro that you don't want to limit your reason for choosing a specific school to research opportunities, but it's great if you can identify specific programs at specific schools and tie them to your interests and goals. Just make sure you're including both clinical (and other non-research) programs/projects as well as research programs. The specificity shows that you've done your homework and aren't choosing schools by throwing darts at a dartboard or rankings list.

 

[YoungMoneyMint]

@LindaAccepted So is the purpose of the “why us?” just to show that you’ve done research into the school? Or do they use it as another way to gauge the fit of an applicant with the school’s values?

 

[Goro]

Oh, I am. I've been flipping through each school's Community Health Implementation Plans and discussing the outreach initiatives being done at each med school + the big issues within the community that their teaching hospitals are trying to combat and how those things tie in with what I've done and my career goals. I was just wondering if, for huge research schools (e.g. UVA), I should stick with simply mentioning the general opportunities for med student research vs. specific projects being done there that tie in with my interests.

You should show that you've done your research about each school above and beyond parroting their mission statement.

 

[Goro]

@LindaAccepted So is the purpose of the “why us?” just to show that you’ve done research into the school?

Yes

Or do they use it as another way to gauge the fit of an applicant with the school’s values?

You show fit by walking the walk, not merely talking the talk .

 

[YoungMoneyMint]

You should show that you've done your research about each school above and beyond parroting their mission statement.

I'm going off of the "if you can copy and paste this for another school and have it work, be more specific" rule of thumb I've heard on here.

 

[LizzyM]

For the most part, I don't like seeing people mention specific investigators. You may not know that they are on their way out, or a pain in the *** to work with, or unwilling to mentor med students. Better to say that you are very interested in the work in the __ department, particularly in the area of ___ than to say that you'd like to work with Dr. X or Y.

 

[LindaAccepted]

@LindaAccepted So is the purpose of the “why us?” just to show that you’ve done research into the school? Or do they use it as another way to gauge the fit of an applicant with the school’s values?

While showing you've done the research is an important part of your answer to "Why this school" questions. Don't just list A Research and X Clinical project. A laundry list of their programs that they are quite familiar with won't cut it. Tie specific programs to your specific interests and goals, and perhaps what you'd like to contribute to.

 

[Med Ed]

@LindaAccepted So is the purpose of the “why us?” just to show that you’ve done research into the school? Or do they use it as another way to gauge the fit of an applicant with the school’s values?

Once in a blue moon the "why us?" question identifies someone with a legitimate reason that otherwise isn't very apparent.

Much more often it helps us identify applicants who can't be bothered to put even a modicum of thought or work into answering the question.

Most people fall into the soft middle, able to write something bland and imprecise but at least marginally aligned with our mission. Aim for this.