Answering Secondary Question With Info From Primary?

[qszwdxefc]

In my primary I basically answered the question "why do you want to be a doctor?" and listed events which drew me to medicine.

In one of my secondaries, the question is essentially list the events that made you want to pursue a career in medicine.

Do I have no choice but to repeat what I said in my primary?

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[hoihaie]

you mean the autobiography?

 

[gyngyn]

Do I have no choice but to repeat what I said in my primary?

Don't do it. It makes you appear lazy, disinterested or unimaginative. Every prompt is an opportunity to convince someone to interview you. Don't waste it!

 

[kayayteeyeee]

In my primary I basically answered the question "why do you want to be a doctor?" and listed events which drew me to medicine.

In one of my secondaries, the question is essentially list the events that made you want to pursue a career in medicine.

Do I have no choice but to repeat what I said in my primary?

I am having a similar problem. My PS describes my biggest reason for why I want to become a doctor - it deals with a family member's battle with a genetic disease, and how I got involved with volunteering with an organization I've now been with for 7+ years. It's hard for me to completely ignore this portion of my life when I'm writing secondaries, but I'm trying to discuss other stories/anecdotes in them.

 

[Sanger Sequence]

In all honestly "why do you want to become a doctor" and "list events that made you want to pursue medicine" can be answered completely differently. If you've already used ALL your heavy hitting material from in your primary you have a few options. You can either take a completely different approach towards these events and change the viewpoint slightly, you can go a lot more in-depth and focus just on these events alone (where it may have been watered down in your primary), or (and this may be best) try to find other experiences or significant events.

I have seen people answer this question with things that didn't even completely involve medicine or hospital work, although you have to be a decent writer to get your point across in a concise way. But if you can avoid it, try not to repeat. And if you really choose to repeat and not heed the advice of many here, then please don't repeat your words verbatim.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

In my primary I basically answered the question "why do you want to be a doctor?" and listed events which drew me to medicine.

In one of my secondaries, the question is essentially list the events that made you want to pursue a career in medicine.

Do I have no choice but to repeat what I said in my primary?

Is this the autobio for UCSD?

 

[qszwdxefc]

Is this the autobio for UCSD?

Nope its for Hawaii. Thanks everyone!

 

[nm825]

UConn for some bizarre reasons has a secondary prompt that says something to the effect of, "Describe the activity (curricular or extracurricular) that you gained the most from personally."

How would anyone answer this without pretty much typing the exact same thing as you primary essay for most signifiant activities? Some of these secondaries are just insanely frustrating.

 

[gyngyn]

UConn for some bizarre reasons has a secondary prompt that says something to the effect of, "Describe the activity (curricular or extracurricular) that you gained the most from personally."

How would anyone answer this without pretty much typing the exact same thing as you primary essay for most signifiant activities? Some of these secondaries are just insanely frustrating.

There is always another way to look at the same experience. If you have already described the experience in EC's, tell them how you have put what you learned about yourself to use, how it may help others...

This is just the beginning of the reflections you will be asked to write about. Take it in stride. There is no sense in struggling at the bit.