Anything Else Essays

[C8H10N4O2Addict]

What do people write for these? I've pretty much said everything there is about me, and I don't have any extenuating circumstances. Does anyone have an idea if the "optional" ones like this are truly optional? I could write some BS, but I like the idea of keeping the application short and strong as opposed to writing an empty essay. Thoughts?

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[LizzyM]

What do people write for these? I've pretty much said everything there is about me, and I don't have any extenuating circumstances. Does anyone have an idea if the "optional" ones like this are truly optional? I could write some BS, but I like the idea of keeping the application short and strong as opposed to writing an empty essay. Thoughts?

Rather than short and strong, imagine that someone wants to know, "what makes this person so interesting that I would enjoy having a conversation with him/her?" What is memorable about you? Almost 10 years ago I read an essay by someone who had just been admitted. It focused on a challenging day that the applicant had at a horseback riding camp when the horses escaped from their enclosure and it was her job to round them up & get them back where they belonged. I don't ride but that story has stuck in my head all these years. It gave us something to make small talk about at a subsequent interview.

The other thing you can do is to make your case to the adcom why you thing that their med school is perfect for you. What to you specifically like about the curriculum? Which professors are doing research that meshes with your past research experience or your professional interests? What is it about a particular clinical site that excites you? Is the location a particular draw for you because you have some tie to the area or you particularly want to practice in that type of environment (inner-city, urban, suburban, rural/remote) or because you enjoy the climate/culture/opportunties for outdoor activities available in that place. The point is to show that you know the school and you love it and you would be likely to matriculate there if selected. Schools sometimes love to hear that you know about Dr. T...'s research in delirium or Dr. Z..'s sleep research and it is of particular interest to you given x, y, and z that you have done in that area or because of a family illness or whatever.