How do I answer “Why our school?” on secondaries?

[manohman]

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Applying to 20+ schools, how do i genuinely answer this question?

Is it just look through their website and at their goals as a school? that seems obvious though.

Or is it look through their website for programs that interest you?

Or if its local geography. Like iv developed a close doctor patient relationship to my doctor locally with a chronic condition i have. switching doctors is hard especially with a chronic condition. Is that legitimate?

I also am interested in a certain field of research backed up by experience as a technician. But most schools do research.

Am i missing anything else that i should consider mentioning?

 

[LizzyM]

One reason for the question is to get you to look at the school's web site, get a feel for the school, its values, its resources, its setting. If it were the only school to admit you, what would make you happy to be attending there (aside from the sheer relief of having been admitted). If you have the distinction of being admitted to multiple schools, what is it about that particular school that you find appealing? What would cause you to look forward to attending? Why do you think that it is a good fit with regard to your learning style, your interests, your career plans??

 

[manohman]

One reason for the question is to get you to look at the school's web site, get a feel for the school, its values, its resources, its setting. If it were the only school to admit you, what would make you happy to be attending there (aside from the sheer relief of having been admitted). If you have the distinction of being admitted to multiple schools, what is it about that particular school that you find appealing? What would cause you to look forward to attending? Why do you think that it is a good fit with regard to your learning style, your interests, your career plans??

I see this is fantastic thank you!

Regarding career plans, whenever anyone asks me i always say it is too soon to tell. Could you elaborate about whay you mean by career plans? Is it specialty, research field or teaching opportunities?

Side note a professor once told me teaching is not as valued by medical schools as a passion, compared to research, which makes sense I guess given the money from grants.

I was just wondering how true that is? Im really interested in teaching later on if i can. Is that an unrealistic goal? Or do all doctors teach residents in addition to their patients?

 

[LizzyM]

Not all doctors teach residents in addition to teaching their patients. Physicians in private practice may or may not be responsible for teaching residents and fellows.

Some medical schools want to be the training ground for the next generation of medical school faculty. Other schools want to prepare most of their students to serve the people of the area (state, region, etc) as primary care providers.

When you picture yourself practicing medicine, do you see your relationship with patients lasting for decades, for weeks, or for hours? There are areas of medicine that have that type of duration. Do you see yourself as someone who patients see for all their health concerns over a long period of time, or as someone who has patients referred for a very special problem that is your special area of expertise? Do you want to treat people of all ages or focus solely on one age group (children, adults, or even the very old)? Are you most interested in women's health? Do you like to hear people's stories and piece together a plan based on what you've heard and use your words to motivate patients to take steps to improve their health? Do you like to work with tools/equipment and technology to help patients? There are several specialties that can address each of these and so it isn't necessary to say, "I want to be a ___" but to perhaps have some idea of the kinds of things that attract you to medicine and express that in your essay.

 

[manohman]

Not all doctors teach residents in addition to teaching their patients. Physicians in private practice may or may not be responsible for teaching residents and fellows.

Some medical schools want to be the training ground for the next generation of medical school faculty. Other schools want to prepare most of their students to serve the people of the area (state, region, etc) as primary care providers.

When you picture yourself practicing medicine, do you see your relationship with patients lasting for decades, for weeks, or for hours? There are areas of medicine that have that type of duration. Do you see yourself as someone who patients see for all their health concerns over a long period of time, or as someone who has patients referred for a very special problem that is your special area of expertise? Do you want to treat people of all ages or focus solely on one age group (children, adults, or even the very old)? Are you most interested in women's health? Do you like to hear people's stories and piece together a plan based on what you've heard and use your words to motivate patients to take steps to improve their health? Do you like to work with tools/equipment and technology to help patients? There are several specialties that can address each of these and so it isn't necessary to say, "I want to be a ___" but to perhaps have some idea of the kinds of things that attract you to medicine and express that in your essay.

Thank you so much. I learned so much useful information just now haha