Columbia Secondary

[justgo]

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Does anyone have guidance/insight related to the MD/PhD essay for the Columbia secondary? Here is the question:

Please describe your goals as a Physician/Scientist. Who are your role models?

As far as I can tell there are no word/character counts and the question is fairly broad....I'm wondering slightly what they are looking for here.

Thanks

 

[PfNO22]

Does anyone have guidance/insight related to the MD/PhD essay for the Columbia secondary? Here is the question:

Please describe your goals as a Physician/Scientist. Who are your role models?

As far as I can tell there are no word/character counts and the question is fairly broad....I'm wondering slightly what they are looking for here.

Thanks

My advice is to answer the question. It sounds pretty specific to me.

Here's how I would structure my response:
1. My goals as a physician/scientist

2. One or two physician/scientist role models and why

3. Conclusion

 

[justgo]

Thank you. I had every intention of answering the question(s) as to my mind there are two relatively unrelated questions in play....which is why I was posting to ask if someone with connection to Columbia might have some insight as to what their aim in asking these two questions are.

If no one with experience with Columbia has any more input then I will just go with what I have.

 

[Choculitis]

On a related note, to what extent is it okay to copy things from the AMCAS essays for secondaries? I talk fairly extensively about my goals in the MD/PhD essay, so can I just use that to answer this part of the Columbia secondary?

 

[Ombret]

If they don't specify a word count then they are relying on your best judgment. Take as much room as you need to answer the question, but don't go over one side of a page. If your AMCAS essay already addresses these topics, then you will end up rehashing some of that material, but don't just cut and paste--the same people will be reading both. Find a slightly different angle or some way to expand on the material. Finally, don't sweat it too much, they mainly want to make sure you are not insufferable, or psychotic.