Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons Secondary Essay Prompts
These are the secondary application essay prompts for Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. To put your best foot forward and maximize your chance of an interview invitation, visit our secondary application editing page.
About Columbia University College of physicians and surgeons
Secondary Deadline: October 22, 2025
Secondary Fee: $110
FAP Waiver: Yes
Casper Required: No
Screens Applications: Yes
Accepts Application Updates: No
Mission
The mission of Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (P&S) is to prepare future graduates to be leaders and role models in patient care, medical research, education, and health-care policy. Their experiences at P&S will enable them to shape the future and set the standards for medicine throughout the United States and the world. Their guided exposure and training will allow them to exhibit the highest principles of humanism and professionalism in their responsibilities to their patients, to their community, and to society.
Values
- Patient Care
- Knowledge for Practice
- Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
- Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- Professionalism
- Systems-Based Practice
- Interprofessional Collaboration
- Personal and Professional Development
2025-2026
1. Did you work for compensation during college (either during the school year or summers)? If so, what did you do? How many hours a week did you work? (300 words)
2. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)
3. Please describe your most meaningful leadership positions. (300 words)
4. Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons values diversity in all its forms. How will your experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician? (300 words)
5. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (400 words)
2024-2025
2. If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)
3. Did you work for compensation during college (either during the school year or summers)? If so, what did you do? How many hours a week did you work? (300 words)
4. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)
5. Please describe your most meaningful leadership positions. (300 words)
6. Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons values diversity in all its forms. How will your experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician? (300 words)
7. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (400 words)
2023-2024
2. If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)
3. Did you work for compensation during college (either during the school year or summers)? If so, what did you do? How many hours a week did you work? (300 words)
4. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)
5. Please describe your most meaningful leadership positions. (300 words)
6. Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons values diversity in all its forms. How will your experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician? (300 words)
7. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (400 words)
For MSTP Applicants:
What academic honors have you received (e.g., prizes, scholarships, fellowships, honor societies)? (1000 words)
What are your major research interests? (20 words)
PhD Goals (1000 words)
Additional Information (1000 words)
Upload CV
There’s also an “Experiences” section similar in format to the Work/Activities section of the AMCAS (no word limit)
2022-2023
1. Have you previously applied to Medical School? (200 characters)
2. If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)
3. Did you work for compensation during college (either during the school year or summers)? If so, what did you do? How many hours a week did you work? (300 words)
4. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)
5. Please describe your most meaningful leadership positions. (300 words)
6. Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician? (300 words)
7. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (400 words)
*CV and photo also required.
2021-2022
2. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. 300 words.
3. Please describe your most meaningful leadership positions. 300 words.
4. Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician? 300 words.
5. Is there anything else you would like us to know? 400 words.
Additional questions for MD/PhD applicants:
1. What academic honors have you received (e.g., prizes, scholarships, fellowships, honor societies)? (5000 words)
2. What are your major research interests? (20 words)
3. PhD Goals (5000 words)
4. Additional Information (5000 words)
2020-2021
1. What were/are your undergraduate major(s) and minor(s)?
2. Please select one of the options below that best describe your major.
– Biological sciences (biology, microbiology, zoology, etc.)
– Physical sciences (biochemistry, chemistry, engineering, etc)
– Social sciences/humanities (sociology, economics, English, etc)
– Other health professions (nursing, pharmacy, etc.)
– All Others (including double majors and mixed disciplines)
3. If your name is often mispronounced, how do you pronounce it? What is your preferred name?
4. Have you previously applied to Medical School? Yes or No
5. If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so.
6. Did you work for compensation during college, during the year, or the summer? Yes or No
7. If so, what did you do? How many hours a week did you work?
8. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim.
9. Please describe your most meaningful leadership positions.
10. Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician?
11. Is there anything else you would like us to know?
12. Do you have a parent who graduated from or is affiliated with Columbia University? Yes or No
13. Please describe your parents’ occupations:
2019-2020
1. If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)
2. From which languages can you translate scholarly material into English?
3. In what collegiate extracurriculars did you engage? (400 char)
4. Did you work for compensation during college during the year or the summer? (300 words)
5. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)
6. What challenges do you expect to arise from living and working in a complex urban environment? How will you meet them? (300 words)
7. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (300 words)
8. Please describe your parents’ occupations. (100 char)
2018-2019
MD-Only:
1. If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)
2. In what collegiate extracurriculars did you engage? (400 characters)
3. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)
4. What challenges do you expect to arise from living and working in a complex urban environment? How will you meet them? (300 words) (This is the only required question)
5. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (300 words)
6. Please describe your parents’ occupations. (100 characters)
7. If you answer yes to the “Did you work during undergrad?” checkbox, this question appears:
“Did you work for compensation during college during the year or the summer? If so, what did you do? How many hours a week did you work? (300 words)”
MSTP:
8. What Academic Honors Have You Received? (e.g. prizes, scholarships, fellowships, honors societies). (5000 Characters)
9. What are your major research interests? (20 words)
10. PhD Goals (5000 characters)
11. Additional Information (5000 Characters)
Columbia Bassett:
12. Columbia-Bassett application adds one essay of “What aspect of Columbia-Bassett has the most appeal to you?”
2017-2018
1. If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)
2.From which languages can you translate scholarly material into English?
3. In what collegiate extracurriculars did you engage? (400 words)
4. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)
5. What challenges do you expect to arise from living and working in a complex urban environment? How will you meet them? (300 words)
6. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (300 words)
7. Please describe your parents’ occupations: (100 words)
2016-2017
1. If your name is often mispronounced, how do you pronounce it? What is your preferred name? (25 chars)
If your last name is often mispronounced, how do you pronounce it? (25 chars)
2. If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)
3. From which languages can you translate scholarly material into English? (no apparent limit)
4. In what collegiate extracurriculars did you engage? (400 chars)
5. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)
What challenges do you expect to arise from living and working in a complex urban environment? How will you meet them? (300 words)
6. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (300 words)
7. Please describe your parents’ occupations. (100 chars)
Disclaimer: The information on this page was shared by students and/or can be found on the medical school’s website. Med School Insiders does not guarantee the accuracy of the information on this page.
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