"Time you failed"/"greatest challenge" secondary essays as a reapplicant?

[PatrickStarMDPHD]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi everyone,

I am a reapplicant from 2013-2014 who has considerably strengthened every part of my application since then. I got some mixed advice on this, but I was wondering if I should use those prompts to address my reapplication and how I overcame my weaknesses?

I am trying to go into this coming cycle by being as prepared as possible.

Thank you all!

 

[The Real SVB]

If getting rejected from med school was the greatest challenge you've ever faced, that's a problem.

Don't pander.

 

[TaroBubbleTea]

First off, being a reapplicant means that you have yet to overcome the challenge of admissions since you haven't been accepted yet. Secondly, this prompt is a great way to showcase your development as an individual. Don't waste it.

Surely you have had greater failures/challenges than not being accepted into medical school!

 

[PatrickStarMDPHD]

First off, being a reapplicant means that you have yet to overcome the challenge of admissions since you haven't been accepted yet. Secondly, this prompt is a great way to showcase your development as an individual. Don't waste it.

Surely you have had greater failures/challenges than not being accepted into medical school!

Thanks! I surely have had greater challenges, I had no problem with this prompt the first time around. I was just double checking to see if this prompt should always have that purpose for us reapps, but I understand now.

 

[The Real SVB]

Thanks! I surely have had greater challenges, I had no problem with this prompt the first time around. I was just double checking to see if this prompt should always have that purpose for us reapps, but I understand now.

No prompt ever serves the same purpose for everyone. If it did, no one would bother asking it anymore.

 

[PatrickStarMDPHD]

No prompt ever serves the same purpose for everyone. If it did, no one would bother asking it anymore.

Sorry, but what do you mean? It kind of sounds like you meant that this prompt should have different purposes for 1st-timers and reapps?

 

[The Real SVB]

Sorry, but what do you mean? It kind of sounds like you meant that this prompt should have different purposes for 1st-timers and reapps?

Every prompt means something different to everyone because we are all different. Stop focusing so much on what you think you should be writing. Just answer the damn question honestly.

 

[Dr. Strangelove MD]

I'm no expert, but "tell us about a time you failed" seems like a perfect set-up to talk about getting rejected and what you learned from that experience and how your attitude has changed going into this round. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that an early 20-something pre-med might not have experienced a more significant personal failure than that.

 

[sharkbyte]

Every prompt means something different to everyone because we are all different. Stop focusing so much on what you think you should be writing. Just answer the damn question honestly.

Yikes...what set you off today?

 

[The Real SVB]

Yikes...what set you off today?

AMCAS revisions

That, and I do mean what I said. I've lurked for long enough to know that the "how do adcoms view this????????????????" mindset is pervasive and does few people any good.

 

[TaroBubbleTea]

Sorry, but what do you mean? It kind of sounds like you meant that this prompt should have different purposes for 1st-timers and reapps?

In my opinion, being a reapplicant does not--should not--change the way you approach the prompt. The way I see it, the prompt is really saying, "give us an example of a time you failed and explain how it has shaped your perspective and what does that mean for the type of physician you aspire to be?"

I'm no expert, but "tell us about a time you failed" seems like a perfect set-up to talk about getting rejected and what you learned from that experience and how your attitude has changed going into this round. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that an early 20-something pre-med might not have experienced a more significant personal failure than that.

To be honest, that is extremely naive and unproductive advice. Red flags would definitely be raised if the greatest challenge one has honestly faced after 20+ years is a medical school rejection. Anything an applicant would say about overcoming medical school rejection (while still not being accepted) would come off as trite and cliche.