University of Minnesota- Twin Cities Secondary Essay Prompts
(If you have updated prompts, please submit them at updatesecondaries.com)
These prompts are from the 2021 Application Cycle. (Older essays, if available are below)
Prompts:
- Describe your academic journey. Include information about the courses you selected, your major and why you selected them. What challenges and victories did you experience? If you have an advanced degree or completed post-bacc work, why did you decide to pursue those? How have your academic pursuits prepared you for medical school? 1500 characters | How to Write About Your Obstacles, Challenges, and Problems in your Secondary Essays
- Tell us about a time when you recovered from a non-academic setback. How did you identify the setback and what steps did you take to recover? 1500 characters
- Please answer one or more of the following questions:
a) Tell us about a time when you were given too much work. How did you handle the situation?
b) Tell us about a time when you played a role in improving a process. How did you identify the areas for improvement and what steps did you take to change the process?
c) Tell us about a time when you were expected to adhere to deadlines. What strategies did you use to meet the deadline(s)?
1500 characters - Tell us about a time when you observed, personally experienced, or acted with implicit or explicit bias. If you observed or personally experienced implicit or explicit bias what did you do to address this situation or what would you do in the future? If you were implicitly or explicitly biased how did you become aware of this and what did you do to address the situation or what will you do in the future? Through either situation we are interested in what you learned. (This question is not required.) 1500 characters
- People have multiple identities. Please tell us about your identity. How has your identity impacted the development of your values and attitudes toward others, particularly those with values different from your own? Please include how your values and attitudes will foster a positive learning environment during your training, and benefit your future patients through the practice of medicine. 1500 characters | How to Answer “Why Should We Accept You?” in Your Secondaries
- Tell us about a time when you developed a creative approach to solving a problem or addressing an issue? (This question is not required.) 1500 characters
- Why do you want to go to medical school in MN? 1500 characters | How to Answer Secondary Prompts about “Why Us”
- What other pertinent information would you like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee? This is an opportunity for you to discuss an aspect of your journey to medicine that you have not have already presented in your application. You may also update us with any current experiences that were not included in your AMCAS application. (This question is not required.) 1500 characters | How to Write About Red Flags in Your Secondary Essays
Primary Deadline: Usually around Nov 15th
Secondary Deadline: Usually around Nov 15th
Secondary Fee: $100
FAP Waiver: Full Fee Waived
CASPer Required: No
VITA Required: Yes
Screens Applications: No
Accepts Application Updates:
University of Minnesota Medical School Mission:
To combine our scientific and clinical strengths to deliver the best in innovative, accountable, compassionate care to our patients and to impact the field of medicine for all.
University of Minnesota Medical School Vision:
To give the best of ourselves to create a Medical School where individuals thrive, collaborations elevate, and the best of medical practice, research and education combine to create a legacy of:
- Excellently trained and compassionate physicians.
- Scientists with the courage and expertise to pursue life-changing discoveries.
- Minnesotans whose lives have been improved through the highest quality of medicine.
Older Essays:
- Please describe your experiences with intentionally expanding your cultural awareness in an effort to promote acceptance, respect, and inclusivity (1500 Characters).
- Reflect on your background and the impact it has had on developing your own values and attitudes toward others, particularly those with values different than your own. Please include how your values and attitudes will foster a positive learning environment during your training, and benefit your future patients through the practice of medicine (1500 Characters).
- Beyond what you have shared in question two, please share information about important aspects of your personal background or identity as it relates to your desire to pursue medicine. Examples might include, but are not limited to, cultural context, disabilities, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, lived experiences, race/ethnicity, religion or spirituality, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status (Optional/1500 Characters).
How to Write About Diversity in Your Secondary Essays - If you have a specific interest in the study or practice of medicine please share it here. Please include specific experiences that have informed your interest (Optional/1500 Characters).
How to Answer Secondary Prompts About Specialties - Please describe a challenging life experience and how you dealt with it (1500 Characters).
How to Write About Your Obstacles, Challenges, and Problems in your Secondary Essays - Briefly describe why you are interested in attending the University of Minnesota Medical School Twin Cities campus (1500 Characters).
How to Answer Secondary Prompts about “Why Us” - If you are a non-resident applicant, do you have any special or significant ties to the state of MN? (Non-resident applicants are not required to have ties to MN and this question is not required.)
- Please explain any gaps in your education and/or work experiences since high school graduation that are not previously described in your application (300 Characters).
How to Write About Your Gap Years in Secondary Essays - What other pertinent information would you like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee? This is an opportunity for you to discuss or highlight any aspect of your journey to medicine that you may or may not have already presented in your application. You may also update us any current experiences that were not included in your AMCAS application. (Optional/1500 Characters).
- If you are a re-applicant, how has your current application changed or what additional information would you like to highlight for the Admissions Committee? Re-applicant refers to having applied to any medical school in the past (Optional/1500 Characters).
How to Write About Being a Reapplicant in Secondary Essays
