"Why Our School" Secondary Essay: How to Get Started

Secondary essay prompts vary, but there are a few that are standard fare. See my recent blog entry for guidance on the familiar "diversity essay." "Why do you want to attend our school?" is also a common topic pre-meds will encounter.

Medical school admissions officers want to be assured that you know their institution, are seriously considering it, and will fit in well there. In approaching the "why-our-school" question, do your research on the institution and link something specific about you with the school's philosophy, curriculum, patient population, and/or extracurricular programs.

For instance, if you were a teaching assistant for chemistry in college, you might link your use of the Socratic method with a school's tutorial-based learning. In that way, you demonstrate knowledge of the school, show that you connect well with it, and showcase your accomplishment.  

The paradox here is that - although you are theoretically focusing your essay on one school - because so many institutions have overlapping philosophies, curricula, and objectives - you can oftentimes use the same essay framework for many different schools.

That's one strategic way to cut down the overwhelming workload that secondary applications present.

Secondary Essays: The Diversity Prompt

I’ve had several questions recently on how to approach secondary essays, so I'll address some common prompts over the next month or so in this blog.

In considering your strategy and content for the diversity prompt, I’d recommend you ask yourself the following question:

What ethnic, religious, racial, gender, language, socioeconomic, or sexual orientation aspects of me, my family, or my experience make me distinctive?

Please note that experience is part of the question I have posed. An applicant I mentored a few years back wrote to me concerned that she did not fit into a minority category and thus, could not answer the prompt effectively. I suggested she consider an experience that targeted the prompt’s theme, and she wrote a strong essay about her successful efforts to increase diversity during sorority rush. When I applied to medical school, I crafted one of my secondary essays on my experience hearing Spike Lee speak on my college campus. 

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box.

Medical School Help: What are the Next Steps Once the AMCAS is In?

Once you've submitted your AMCAS, what can you do next to best prepare for what's to come in the medical school admissions process?

Here are a few tips:

1. Start drafting secondary essays. Even if you haven't yet received the prompts, you can begin to craft responses to common themes like "how would you add diversity to our school?" and "describe an extracurricular activity that might be of interest to the committee." Good writing takes time, but if you wait for the onslaught of secondary applications, you won't be able to impart your essays with your highest quality effort.

2. Get a head start on preparing for the medical school interview. Practice, practice, practice. Start mocking up answers to interview questions so that you distinguish yourself.

3. Consider what you want. Do some soul searching to determine what you are really seeking geographically, philosophically, and educationally. You want to make considered decisions when the time comes.

Inaccuracies in Medical Student Grades Translate into a Residency Application Strategy

Here's an oldie-but-goodie New York Times piece by Dr. Pauline Chen on medical student grade inaccuracies. In reading the article, medical students should reflect on how important the quality and content of their letters of recommendation are for residency applications, especially in the setting of medical school grades that may be inflated or faulty. The 2020 NRMP Program Director Survey (which is the most current version) supports the importance of letters, as well, with statistics. Make sure your letters are very strong; remember that mediocre letters should not be a part of your residency package.