Question about why us essays

[LiteralLungs]

For secondary questions that focus on why you are choosing a specific school, do you think it is more important to describe your experiences and how they fit into the school's mission and opportunities, or is more important to explicitly state that school's opportunities? I'm asking because I'm writing an essay with a limited character count, and I had some good descriptions of my experiences but am now deciding whether I should cut down on that so that I can spend more time explicitly stating the school's programs that this fits into

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[Goro]

I'm starting to worry about you, Lungs.

The question is "why us?"

NOT about you.

If it's something like "I did research in cancer biology, and I 'm very interested in the research of Drs Jones, Smith and Wesson", that's OK.

if it's something like the mission of the school, like thier interest in rural health, you don't have to say anything about you liking the topic.

 

[LiteralLungs]

I'm starting to worry about you, Lungs.

The question is "why us?"

NOT about you.

If it's something like "I did research in cancer biology, and I 'm very interested in the research of Drs Jones, Smith and Wesson", that's OK.

if it's something like the mission of the school, like thier interest in rural health, you don't have to say anything about you liking the topic.

Thanks for the feedback

 

[456432]

I'm starting to worry about you, Lungs.

The question is "why us?"

NOT about you.

If it's something like "I did research in cancer biology, and I 'm very interested in the research of Drs Jones, Smith and Wesson", that's OK.

if it's something like the mission of the school, like thier interest in rural health, you don't have to say anything about you liking the topic.

So would you say mentioning specific faculty you want to do research with at that school looks favorably? I've heard from other premeds that it makes you look like a gunner/tryhard, but I'm curious how AdComs think of this.

 

[Goro]

So would you say mentioning specific faculty you want to do research with at that school looks favorably? I've heard from other premeds that it makes you look like a gunner/tryhard, but I'm curious how AdComs think of this.

Work3ed for me and grad school.

But I think it works better than stating you're interested in "Dr Goro and Dr LizzyM's research" and not having any connection to the research. Comes off as a bit starry eyed. You want to avoid the riposte of "How do you know you're going to like working on that?"

 

[lull]

Work3ed for me and grad school.

Why is it that expressing an interest in a professor's research in medical school more compelling than aligning with the school's mission statement? Is it because mission statements can be similar across many schools, or is it just a cliché response?

Are things like location, interest in curriculum, interest in global health also other mundane responses to the question? For example, I want to work in the midwest and I could never see myself living outside the midwest, but I'd be fine with attending a school in southern us if I'm given that opportunity because the end goal would be the same. Would giving a general response like being interested in the diverse patient populations and the severity of healthy disparities in these urban areas be too generic?

What to you would be very telling that a student has a clear interest in that school even though it is likely that school is not their top choice?

 

[LiteralLungs]

So would you say mentioning specific faculty you want to do research with at that school looks favorably? I've heard from other premeds that it makes you look like a gunner/tryhard, but I'm curious how AdComs think of this.

I think it certainly varies based on who is reading your application. I've seen other people say that it comes off as presumptuous because, for all you know, this person you want to work with could be a big jerk, or maybe they are about to retire.

Goro has a good point about having the evidence to back up your claims though. I think it might be safer to say you are interested in this area of research (and then have some experience to back that up) rather than stating a specific professor.

 

[KnightDoc]

Why is it that expressing an interest in a professor's research in medical school more compelling than aligning with the school's mission statement? Is it because mission statements can be similar across many schools, or is it just a cliché response?

Are things like location, interest in curriculum, interest in global health also other mundane responses to the question? For example, I want to work in the midwest and I could never see myself living outside the midwest, but I'd be fine with attending a school in southern us if I'm given that opportunity because the end goal would be the same. Would giving a general response like being interested in the diverse patient populations and the severity of healthy disparities in these urban areas be too generic?

What to you would be very telling that a student has a clear interest in that school even though it is likely that school is not their top choice?

+1

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

If your research interests align with particular professor's research and you can articulate that it will be advantageous even if they are a jerk. You can also talk about the curriculum. Mission and location could be too generic.

 

[la flame]

I don't have any research experience so pretty much just used the school's mission and explained how my EC's inspired me to do the school's mission.

For example, Texas Tech - EP had something along the lines about being a border town and "why us". So I talked about my physician shadowing in border towns as well as my bilingual capabilities.

 

[Goro]

Why is it that expressing an interest in a professor's research in medical school more compelling than aligning with the school's mission statement? Is it because mission statements can be similar across many schools, or is it just a cliché response?

Are things like location, interest in curriculum, interest in global health also other mundane responses to the question? For example, I want to work in the midwest and I could never see myself living outside the midwest, but I'd be fine with attending a school in southern us if I'm given that opportunity because the end goal would be the same. Would giving a general response like being interested in the diverse patient populations and the severity of healthy disparities in these urban areas be too generic?

What to you would be very telling that a student has a clear interest in that school even though it is likely that school is not their top choice?

Lungs wasn't asking about that.

But expressing interest in a mission is fine, but it always will be more helpful to you if you have some evidence that you've walked the walk and not merely talk the talk. For example, any fool from the suburbs can say they're interested in rural medicine. But if you saw someone from, say, great Neck, NY (a very ritzy area) who took a year off to to TFA in rural upstate NY, you'd be more willing to go for that candidate than they kid who never left the suburbs and didn't lift a finger to even set foot in rural areas.

This doesn't discount people who live in area A, but got o med school in area B. Hell, my school gets a fair crop of kids from CA because they couldn't get into the UCs, Western or Touro but are only too happy to come here because they're at least on this side of the Missouri. But,

 

[LizzyM]

While doctoral students are expected to express interest in specific faculty members because they will apprentice with one of those faculty members and do their dissertation in the faculty member's field, medical school is completely different. Unless you know the facutly member from prior experiences with them (e.g. you did a summer program in their lab or were an undergrad in their lab) it can come off as somewhat clueless if you merely read a name in a press release or on the faculty page. First, you don't know if that person is still with the university or if they have one foot out the door. You don't know if they are a creep or pompus buffoon. If someone knows them and their style, they may not think highly of you for wanting to work with them. Frankly, I'd go with a school's area of expertise and why you feel you are a good fit. Look at the school website to see that it prides itself in X and then state how your experience with Y makes you a good fit for a school that is very supportive of X.