Your most hated secondary questions!

[ski89]

I'm in the same boat.

Some parts of my app are 5-star amazing, while others make me want to puke. This upcoming cycle is going to be an adventure, thats for sure.

Good luck, I knew the application process was going to be difficult but I was not prepared for the amount of mental torment that is the med school admissions process. I cant even imagine how it must be for those that done get in.


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[womanofscience]

That's an excellent way of putting it. It does necessitate reflection and self-awareness. If anything, thinking about this should be beneficial to everyone.

@womanofscience, I'm happy your interview trail was filled with diversity. It makes me, as a non-trad (with a unique story), feel better about this process.

i was happy to see it too. In fact, I think there was one interview where I heard someone say they gave birth two weeks prior...wow!

I am looking forward to your application cycle and I am rooting for you!

 

[womanofscience]

Hmm... I'm a cis-gendered heterosexual 1st generation asian immigrant (my parents immigrated here) traditional applicant that grew up pretty privileged. I think I just described half of the application pool. I'm gonna have to think about this question for a while I guess, I suppose it is much easier for non trads to write about this question.

hmm, do you have any special interests that may set you apart from other applicants? just think of things that you may bring to the table that others may not. For example, a friend wrote about his interest and expertise in computers and how that will benefit him.

Good luck!

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

i was happy to see it too. In fact, I think there was one interview where I heard someone say they gave birth two weeks prior...wow!

I am looking forward to your application cycle and I am rooting for you!

Thank you!!!

 

[beachside]

Good luck, I knew the application process was going to be difficult but I was not prepared for the amount of mental torment that is the med school admissions process. I cant even imagine how it must be for those that done get in.

Dude, yes. My application cycle about killed me with stress, especially since I was quitting a well-paying job in order to even apply, with no guarantee that I would get accepted. What a nightmare.

 

[sunflower18]

Thank you!!!

No TSwift?!

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

No TSwift?!

Lol, I not sure if @womanofscience is a TSwift fan. Although, I do know that she loves Homeland and I figured she'd appreciate Claire Danes

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Dude, yes. My application cycle about killed me with stress, especially since I was quitting a well-paying job in order to even apply, with no guarantee that I would get accepted. What a nightmare.

Congrats! You survived the Danger Zone! I'm glad it worked out for you!
*ok, maybe I should cool it with the Top Gun references

 

[RJGOP]

"In providing patient care, should physicians maintain emotional distance or empathize with patients’ emotional states? As a physician, how would you deal with your own emotions?"
good luck

That question is setting you up for failure. You say you would keep an emotional distance, they think you're cold and insensitive. You say you empathize with patients, they figure you're too emotionally involved.

 

[womanofscience]

Lol, I not sure if @womanofscience is a TSwift fan. Although, I do know that she loves Homeland and I figured she'd appreciate Claire Danes

This is accurate! Although, there are rumors that I have been known to occasionally listen to some of her newer songs...

 

[beachside]

Congrats! You survived the Danger Zone! I'm glad it worked out for you!
*ok, maybe I should cool it with the Top Gun references

I'd take getting shot at by an F-5 masquerading as MiG-28 anyday over applying to medical school again.

 

[nOchemallday]

"Why our school?"

Just take my money already.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

That question is setting you up for failure. You say you would keep an emotional distance, they think you're cold and insensitive. You say you empathize with patients, they figure you're too emotionally involved.

This is seems like another admissions paradox. I'd be interested to see how people answer this. Is it appropriate to take a middle ground approach?

 

[RJGOP]

This is seems like another admissions paradox. I'd be interested to see how people answer this. Is it appropriate to take a middle ground approach?

I'm honestly not a fan of a middle ground stance. However, if I were posed with this question, I would stay fairly neutral, or explain how your emotions may vary but they would always be appropriate, or something along those lines.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

I'm honestly not a fan of a middle ground stance. However, if I were posed with this question, I would stay fairly neutral, or explain how your emotions may vary but they would always be appropriate, or something along those lines.

I guess a lot of this comes down to saying the right stuff and keeping your composure. Also, people can usually figure out when someone actually cares and is invested in fixing their problem. You don't have to shed tears to demonstrate this. Although, in some cases, the tears may actually come after the shift is over.

 

[EParker37]

I guess a lot of this comes down to saying the right stuff and keeping your composure. Also, people can usually figure out when someone actually cares and is invested in fixing their problem. You don't have to shed tears to demonstrate this. Although, in some cases, the tears may actually come after the shift is over.

I can give you a little insight into this question, as most can guess, I have been a paramedic for a while, both pre-hospital and now in hospital. When I am with a patient, they get my full undivided attention, when they are telling me their history, I am actively listening and responding with questions as necessary to gain insight into the problem. I am empathetic, understanding, and compassionate, I am their shoulder to lean on. At the same time, I am formulating a working clinical impression, and what I need to do as a clinician. Its a balancing act, sometimes there are going to be patients that strike a nerve, especially when dealing with kids, even more specifically kids that have been abused. It takes everything I have to remain neutral and understanding when all I want to do is leave and have alone time. I have absolutely had times where it was too much, this is where CISD and having a peer counselor to talk to is important. Especially when you have to tell a family that despite everything you did, you couldn't save a family member. Some of this stuff will stick with you the rest of your life. The thing to remember through the whole thing though, we are their knight, the person with the answers, and it takes time to develop the ability to remain composed and professional in the face of massive emotional stress. But in order to be that person they feel like they can turn to, you have to learn how to be emotionally invested to an extent, but still remain unbiased and neutral when proper and necessary.

With that long winded response in mind, taking the middle ground for the right reasons is not a wrong response.Be emotionally accepting and compassionate, but remain professional enough to be able to operate as a clinician. It takes time to develop that balance, but is so very important in order to be the best you can.

 

[RedPhys]

Write thoughtful responses. If you don't, you'll regret it while you're sitting at home in December with nothing but time and no interview. Not surprising in retrospect, but almost all (80%) of my interviews were to the schools that I applied to last. Why? I'd become much better at writing secondary essays by then, and generally was no longer in a rush.

In contrast, I felt burnt out as I was reaching the end of my stack of secondaries.
Certainly, my first ones were the ones that were seemingly better written (got interviews from those).

 

[cactus8910]

"What does it mean to you to enter into a profession?"
I don't know why, but I stared at this question for a good 10 minutes just thinking "What does this even mean???" Then I wrote the most BS-filled essay ever, and spent a bunch of time working to make it sound more sincere.

 

[WingedOx]

does UChicago still have the "mission statement" question? Oh, what I really WANTED to write for that one... but it wouldn't have been kind.

 

[Kelilah]

does UChicago still have the "mission statement" question? Oh, what I really WANTED to write for that one... but it wouldn't have been kind.

Yes. I was rejected less than 24 hours later.

 

[touchpause13]

So seriously what do white people and Asians usually write about on diversity questions?

There are other forms of diversity you can bring to the table besides race,

 

[breakintheroof]

Under "Similar Threads" at the bottom of this page, there are some really, really similar threads from previous years.

Interestingly, check out the frustration in the first post from "Share your most irritating secondary question" from 2008 (rage-bold in the original):

I think USC officially wins the "annoying questions of the year" award.

Essays 2 + 3: How do my unique qualilties and abilities contribute to (2) the educational environment at Keck and (3) the diversity of the entering class --> THESE ESSAY QUESTIONS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME, AT LEAST FOR ME THEY ARE.

Essay 5:
Briefly describe your most relevant extra-curricular activites [sic] (volunteer, research,serving disadvantaged or underserved populations, etc...) related to your interest in medicine. --> DO YOU THINK I LEFT THIS OFF OF MY AMCAS APPLICATION SOMEHOW? ARE YOUR APPLICANTS EXCEPTIONALLY STUPID OR IS IT JUST THE ESSAY READERS WHO CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON?..

And check out USC's secondary from 2014 in this thread:

Most Entertaining Secondary: USC-Keck. Gems include: What is the most fun you’ve had in the last year? If you could give yourself a nickname, what would it be?

Yes! Maybe that admissions office listened to their applicants and had a change of perspective. (Or a change of regime.)

 

[onceawolverine]

Yes! Maybe that admissions office listened to their applicants and had a change of perspective. (Or a change of regime.)

TBH, Keck learned way more about me from hearing my "most fun moment of 2014" than they would have from all three of those questions combined.

 

[osujic1]

"Describe yourself"

...read my primary

 

[hat]

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