TX school app essay

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
E

eunice

Senior Member
7+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2002
Messages
160
Reaction score
0
Members do not see this ad.
hello!
anyone out there still working on their TX apps??
i know it's pretty late, considering it started May 1st, but I didn't know!!

anyone working on their essay?
what do they want us to discuss when they say "your philosophy on the medical profession"?
just what a doctor should be like?
or do they want really deep stuff?
b/c it's hard to transition from my AMCAS personal statment explaining my motivation to a very philosophical paragraph...

any help would be appreciated!
thanks!
eunice
 
They want something that will make you stand out among the thousands of applications they read.

Why do you want to be a doctor? What does the profession mean to you?

Its nice to be deep, but I would avoid getting waist-high in bullsh*t too. :wink:
 
Its not too late for texas man. Just get it in before August 1st. As for the essay I am using my AMCAS one and adding a few words here and there to make it fit better
 
Hey, I know what you're going through . . . everything from amcas fit the texas prompt until I hit the "philsophical" wall . . . I'm thinking I may just have to write a whole new essay. I was also daunted by the fact that it doesn't seem like there's much you can write on this *philosophy* . . . at least something that three million other people won't be writing as well.
 
thanks!

anyone else have suggestions?
and if anyone would like to read my statement and comment on it, please PM me! =)
thanks!

eunice
 
dang.. looks like everyone is from TX!
it's going to be very tough for me to get in... as an out-of-state applicant huh?

and also.. question...
how specific do they want my "goals" to be??
just what kind of a doctor i want to be or where i see myself praciticing medicine and what i'll be doing etc... (UT-SW secondary essay is like that i think)

also, although i am out-of-state, i would want to work in TX b/c my dad is thinking of moving there... i am including that in the optional essay... do you think i should?
 
Eunice--
As far as philosophy goes the TXADCOMS just want to see that you have an actual idea of what it's going to be like to practice medicine. They want to know that you thought about the profession realistically...I would talk about philosophy whereever you mention your med experience. For example, you could state "I volunteered in the ER," describe the experience, and then put in a couple of sentences of how it relates to your overall view of the medical field. If you think about it every aspect of your PS should relate to medicine and thus your whole PS should be a testament to your philosophy of the med field. Why will your community service make you a better M.D., because doctors are required to "help" people = your philosophy! Definitely, definitely, definitely talk about your wanting to practice in TX in your P.S. Mention it again under the other comment section. Because you are an out-of-stater it's crucial for you to make them believe you will practice in TX should you get educated here. The only out-of-staters accepted I know have ties here. Written in the mission of many of the schools is the goal to produce med students who will practice in under-served areas of TX. BTW Austin is underserved so underserved doesn't necessarily = rural. Keep this in mind while writing your statement. Oh. I thought I would mention the TX secondaries because you didn't know TMDSAS started accepting apps. Houston and Galveston don't have secondaries. SW, A&M, San Antonio, and TECH, do have secondaries that are all online (you have to print out and submit San Antonio's by mail though) and are all available to fill out now. You don't need to wait for the TMDSAS to be processed. Good Luck!!!
 
I have been wondering about this too, especially about future goals. Is it ok to not know what kind of doctor you want to be going in? I just don't know how to talk about future goals right now when all I know is that I want to get into med school and THEN make a decision about where to go from there. Any suggestions on how to deal with this?
 
TXgirl my suggestion is to be honest. I have already asked several advisors and profs these same questions and would like to pass on what I was told. If you state in your PS that you want to work in a rural county in pediatrics when in fact you don't know and you're just stating this b/c you think it's what the ADCOMS want to hear, you'll get killed in your interview. The ADCOMS generally know how many students actually go to work in rural and underserved areas (and their backgrounds...) and I think they can tell through the BS. I would suggest you mention what you're interested in--did you take an immuno course you really liked, did you really enjoy a specific community service project--and use this as a springboard for possible future goals. Mention your interests and possible fields you would like to pursue without sounding like you have no direction. ADCOMS know you haven't taken any med school classes. Yet they don't want students who have no idea what they are getting into or are applying to med school for all the wrong reasons--money, parents--because these students make up the majority of students who drop out. Hope this helps. If you still have questions, PM me or ask away and maybe I can help out.
 
Have you ever lived in Texas at all, even for a short time? Or have reltives there? Attempting to make a link to TX is very important.

If you'd like me to give you some feedback on your essay feel free to PM it to me.

Good luck! 🙂
 
my texas essay was pretty much the same as my amcas one, except that i stated my goals more clearly in the texas one. i think they just want to know why you want to be a doctor and how your experiences reflect that.
 
putting a link to texas is irrelevant to the essay. i would not do it.
 
Maybe I am off-mark, but don't you think a link to TX is necessary for out-of-state applicants? It relates completely to your goals of medicine and why a TX school should admit you. TX schools are generally not interested in students who don't plan to practice in TX. It's in their missions, it's flat-out stated by their reps, and it's reinforced by the # of out-of-state students the schools accept. The best indicator that an applicant will practice in TX is that they were born and or raised in the State. The best indicator that someone will serve in an under-served area or rural community is that they were raised in such an atmosphere. Additionally, I don't think it's a coincidence that I and other people have stated on this board that the only out-of-staters we had met had ties to the state.
 
mysterious stranger,
i understand your point. however, i think it would make more sense to mention ties to texas or desire to work in an underserved area in the secondaries. mentioning ties to texas in a personal statement is irrelevant to the question of the personal statement. i don't know, is my train of thought wrong?
 
as far as mentioning TX..
my link is kinda weak.. i said my dad really want to move our family down south (i explained more in detail... his health.. he can't stand the cold and wants to do down to dallas)
and i included this in the optional essay b/c i can't really fit that in my personal statement..

BUT a stronger link may be.. my mission trip to the Dominican Republic .. and my desire to serve the Hispanic communities...and TX is full of underserved Hispanic communities, right?
but then again... i could go to other hispanic communities outside of TX..
i dunno.....!!

eunice
 
•••quote:•••Originally posted by bruinkid:
•mysterious stranger,
i understand your point. however, i think it would make more sense to mention ties to texas or desire to work in an underserved area in the secondaries. mentioning ties to texas in a personal statement is irrelevant to the question of the personal statement. i don't know, is my train of thought wrong?•••••i opted to mention my link to TX in the optional essay...not all the TX schools have secondaries, so the personal statement or optional essay may be the only opportunity that applicants have to explain their desire to train and practice in TX
 
•••quote:•••Originally posted by bruinkid:
•mysterious stranger,
i understand your point. however, i think it would make more sense to mention ties to texas or desire to work in an underserved area in the secondaries. mentioning ties to texas in a personal statement is irrelevant to the question of the personal statement. i don't know, is my train of thought wrong?•••••Bruinkid--you have a very good point. I guess it depends on which TX school you are applying to. If you only care about the ones with secondaries which include essays (only 3 schools ask essay questions in the secondary) then I can see the need to not be repetitive in the PS. Good point. Ultimately it depends on which school one is interested in.
 
Folks--

believe me when I say it's important to show your connection to Texas. Most of the TX schools want to produce physicians who will stick around.

You don't necessarily have to state in your PS how you are connected to the state. There is a little box that allows you to address residency issues in the residency section.
 
castaway,
i already sbmitted my texas application. the only ties that i have to texas are my mom's cousins and family and my second cousins live there. the texas residency questions don't answer this question.
 
I don't think you necessarily need to show connections to Texas. My interview in Lubbock was the first time I had ever set foot in Texas (other than airports) and I got accepted. But I'm from Albuquerque, about 5 hours from Lubbock, so that may have been a factor.
 
i don't think ties to texas for out of staters is a requirement. by the way, what do people mean by ties to texas? in the optional comments section, they ask for unique circumstances or life experiences. i don't really have any.
 
Hey jwright76, haven't heard from you in a while. Are you still Tech bound? Talking of whether your NM residency may be relevant to getting into Tech, I pulled out a Tech brochurefrom way back when Dr Dalley visited my school and found this: "Applications are invited from qualified residents of Texas and neighboring counties of New Mexico and Oklahoma which comprise the service area of the school."

Bruinkid--I took "ties" to mean you have close family in the area or have other compelling reasons to remain in the state, i.e., your company xfers you to TX and you decide this is the place to be for the rest of your life. By the time I got into Tech I'd been in Tx a little over two years, all my schooling and living having otherwise been in another state. So I stressed in my app my reaosn for wanting to come here (basically parents).
 
castaway-

I am still Tech bound, and looking forward to starting in a little over a month. The only reason I don't think that statement applies to me is because the town I live in contains a med school, the one at UNM. But I'm sure that my living in New Mexico didn't hurt me in the eyes of the admission committee.
 
eunice-
how does your dad wanting to move down to texas classified as a unique circumstance or life experience? i just don't get it. it all seems like bs to me.
 
•••quote:•••Originally posted by jwright76:
•castaway-

I am still Tech bound, and looking forward to starting in a little over a month. The only reason I don't think that statement applies to me is because the town I live in contains a med school, the one at UNM. But I'm sure that my living in New Mexico didn't hurt me in the eyes of the admission committee.•••••wooo! for Tech! =) Are you going into the Air Force? (wondering if I remember who you are...)
 
•••quote:•••Originally posted by bruinkid:
•eunice-
how does your dad wanting to move down to texas classified as a unique circumstance or life experience? i just don't get it. it all seems like bs to me.•••••bruinkid- i'm a former bruin too (CA resident), applied last year, and entering ut southwestern this fall...i wrote 2 sentences in the optional essay about my reason for pursuing texas schools...bs or not, my interviewers brought it up for in-depth discussion during my interview
 
•••quote:•••Originally posted by bruinkid:
•i don't think ties to texas for out of staters is a requirement. by the way, what do people mean by ties to texas? in the optional comments section, they ask for unique circumstances or life experiences. i don't really have any.•••••You ARE going to have a lot of fun this app cycle, especially in Texas. Listen to the people here, most especially the Mysterious stranger, as they aren't talking out of their ass like you are. Tuition at a Texas state medical school is 6550 (well it is for SW and baylor, Houston a bit higher)- which means the state subsidizes the cost HEAVILY. They do this because they want doctors to serve the state later on. if you waltz in from san diego, never mention anything about liking to work in Texas or having some STRONG tie to the state, you're going to get shot down before the interview stage. Make sure you have a strong tie or some other compelling reason or dont bother applying. --Trek
 
•••quote:•••Originally posted by Trek:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by bruinkid:
•i don't think ties to texas for out of staters is a requirement. by the way, what do people mean by ties to texas? in the optional comments section, they ask for unique circumstances or life experiences. i don't really have any.•••••You ARE going to have a lot of fun this app cycle, especially in Texas. Listen to the people here, most especially the Mysterious stranger, as they aren't talking out of their ass like you are. Tuition at a Texas state medical school is 6550 (well it is for SW and baylor, Houston a big higher)- which means the state subsidizes the cost HEAVILY. They do this because they want doctors to serve the state later on. if you waltz in from san diego, never mention anything about liking to work in Texas or having some STRONG tie to the state, you're going to get shot down before the interview stage. Make sure you have a strong tie or some other compelling reason or dont bother applying. --Trek•••••tru dat.
 
Trek,
Where did you decide to go in the end?
 
amen - i'm not from tex, applying now, but i called Some Dude from utsouthwestern's adcom office and they first thing he asked me was why i was applying to texas as a pennsylvanian, and if it was just beacuse of the rankings or something. i told him it was my unsatiable love for angus steak and he was unphased - thats apparently the standard response :wink: . i'm not applying to utsouthwestern anymore.
-jot
 
Time- i finally decided on Baylor. I talked to a bunch of people and finally just went with the gut, since the money was the same (not counting any of the out of state private schools). I was second guessing it a lot, but i'm committed now 🙂 . You still headed to Southwestern? --Trek
 
Hey Trek--

Do you recall how long it took TMDSAS to process your app? I'm just getting ancy. And congrats on Baylor. 😀 It sounds like you got into many top schools! However, I know many premeds who consider Baylor their dream school but sadly know its a reach.
 
Trek,
I take it you withdrew from Southwestern? I WISH I was heading to Southwestern. I am still on the waiting list and will continue to wait until the last day. I did get into Case Western 2 weeks ago. I thought Case was great cept one small thing, the tuition, which cannot really be described as small. If you know anyone who's still deciding between UT-SW and another school, do me a favor and tell them to hurry up and decide.

Stranger,

It took around 40 days for them to process my app last year. I submitted on 1st July and was processed around the 10th of August.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Questions about TX residency
Replies
5
Views
540
wysdoc
wysdoc
C
challenge essay????
Replies
4
Views
1K
regularguy12
R
F
Same extracurricular for multiple essays in one app
Replies
1
Views
361
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
D
The "other" essay
Replies
11
Views
1K
CDaFutureDocMan
CDaFutureDocMan
vex10
Challenge Essay vs Adversity Essay Idea Thoughts
Replies
1
Views
930
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
Top