Tufts University School of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts

These are the secondary application essay prompts for Tufts University School of Medicine. To put your best foot forward and maximize your chance of an interview invitation, visit our secondary application editing page.

about Tufts University School of Medicine

Secondary Deadline: January 15, 2025
Secondary Fee: $130
FAP Waiver: Yes
CASPer Required: No
Screens Applications: Yes
Accepts Application Updates: Yes

Mission

The mission of Tufts University School of Medicine is to educate a diverse body of students and advance medical knowledge in a dynamic and collaborative environment. We seek to foster the development of dedicated clinicians, scientists, public health professionals, and educators who will have a sustained positive impact on the health of individuals, communities, and the world.

Values

Commitment to Excellence
To cultivate a perpetual spirit of inquiry and creativity, leading to outstanding evidence-based health care, rigorous research and scholarship, and inspired teaching.
Commitment to Humanism
To relieve suffering and improve quality of life. To treat all people with compassion, respecting human dignity and autonomy.
Commitment to Social Responsibility
To serve and advocate for all people, especially underserved and vulnerable patients and populations, by addressing social determinants of health, health equity, social justice, and stewardship of social resources.
Commitment to Professionalism
To act in accordance with the highest standards of integrity, demonstrating personal accountability and resilience, collegiality and teamwork, and the pursuit of lifelong learning.

2024-2025

(1000 characters each)

1. Do you wish to share a specific reason why have you chosen to apply to Tufts University School of Medicine? (Yes/No)

2. Please briefly describe your plans for the coming year. Will you be a student, working, conducting research, volunteering, or other activities?

3. Please tell us about your journey to medical school and how your background and experiences will positively impact your future as a medical student and physician. If you have experienced personal circumstances or hardships that have helped you develop qualities that you believe will allow you to better serve your future patients and the medical community as a whole, please share those experiences in your response.

4. Which of your experiences with clinical medicine or healthcare has best prepared you for a future career as a physician, and why? Please tell us about the specific experience, the skills you acquired, and the insights you gained about the profession of medicine.

5. Tufts University School of Medicine is committed to social responsibility, and to serve and advocate for all people. Have you done substantial work or service that has contributed to societal good, or addressed social determinants of health, health equity, or social justice? (Yes/No)

6. Do you have any withdrawals or repeated coursework listed on your transcript(s)?

7. Did you take any leaves of absence or significant breaks from your undergraduate education? (Do not include time off after graduation.)

8. Because your academics (grades and MCAT scores) will not be shared with interviewers until after you complete your interview, we encourage you to use this space to elaborate on any academic challenges you have overcome since completing high school. We understand that many applicants encounter academic hardships along the way. We believe that such difficulties offer an opportunity for growth and would appreciate learning how your experiences have affected your approach to academics. If you have not encountered any difficulties, you may answer ‘No.’

2023-2024

All prompts have a 1,000 character limit.

1. Do you wish to include any comments (in addition to those already provided in your AMCAS application) to the Admissions Committee at Tufts University School of Medicine?

2. Please briefly describe your plans for the coming year. Include in this explanation if you will be a student, working, conducting research, volunteering, etc.

3. Please tell us about your journey to medical school and how your background and experiences will positively impact your future as a medical student and physician. If you have experienced personal circumstances or hardships that have helped you develop qualities that you believe will allow you to better serve your future patients and the medical community as a whole, please share those experiences in your response.

4. Tufts values include a commitment to social responsibility; to serve and advocate for all people, especially underserved and vulnerable patients and populations, by addressing social determinants of health, health equity, social justice, and stewardship of social resources. Have you done substantial work or volunteer service in such communities?

5. Do you have any withdrawals or repeated coursework listed on your transcript(s)?

6. Did you take any leaves of absence or significant breaks from your undergraduate education? (Do not include time off after graduation.)

7. Because your academics will not be shared with interviewers until after you complete your interview, we encourage you to use this space to elaborate on any academic challenges you have overcome. We understand that many applicants encounter academic hardships along the way. Please comment on any academic difficulties that you have encountered since completing high school (grades and MCAT scores). We believe that such difficulties offer an opportunity for growth and would appreciate learning how your experiences have affected your approach to academics. If you have not encountered any difficulties, you may answer ‘No.’

8. Have you ever been convicted of, or pleaded guilty or no contest to, a Misdemeanor crime, excluding 1) any offense for which you were adjudicated as a juvenile 2) any convictions which have been expunged or sealed by a court, or 3) any misdemeanor convictions for which any probation has been completed and the case dismissed by the court (in states where applicable)? For more information please visit our web site.

2022-2023

All prompts have a 1,000 character limit.

1. Do you wish to include any comments (in addition to those already provided in your AMCAS application) to the Admissions Committee at Tufts University School of Medicine? Please explain briefly.

2. Please briefly describe your plans for the coming year. Include in this explanation if you will be a student, working, conducting research, volunteering, etc.

3. How might you contribute to the diversity of the student body of Tufts University School of Medicine? Please explain briefly.

4. Given how the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the world these past few years, please contextualize how your experiences have been affected which might include your personal, professional and educational journey.

5. Do you have any withdrawals or repeated coursework listed on your transcript(s)? Please explain briefly.

6. Did you take any leaves of absence or significant breaks from your undergraduate education? (Do not include time off after graduation.) Please explain briefly.

7. We understand that many applicants encounter academic hardships along the way. Please comment on any academic difficulties that you have encountered since completing high school (grades and MCAT scores) and that you believe might adversely affect your likelihood of medical school acceptance. We believe that such difficulties offer an opportunity for growth and would appreciate learning how your experiences have affected your approach to academics. If you have not encountered any difficulties, you may answer ‘No’.

8. Have you ever been convicted of, or pleaded guilty or no contest to, a Misdemeanor crime, excluding 1) any offense for which you were adjudicated as a juvenile 2) any convictions which have been expunged or sealed by a court, or 3) any misdemeanor convictions for which any probation has been completed and the case dismissed by the court (in states where applicable)?

2021-2022

1. Additional Comments (1000 characters)

2. Please briefly describe your plans for the coming year. Include in this explanation if you will be a student, working, conducting research, volunteering, etc. (1000 characters)

3. Do you consider yourself a person who would contribute to the diversity of the student body of Tufts University School of Medicine? (1000 characters)

4. Given how the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the world this year, please contextualize how your experiences have been affected which might include your personal, professional and educational journey. (1000 characters)

5. We understand that many applicants encounter academic hardships along the way. Please comment on any academic difficulties that you have encountered since completing high school (grades and MCAT scores) and that you believe might adversely affect your likelihood of medical school acceptance. We believe that such difficulties offer an opportunity for growth and would appreciate learning how your experiences have affected your approach to academics. If you have not encountered any difficulties, you may answer ‘No’. (1000 characters)

2020-2021

1. Do you wish to include any comments (in addition to those already provided in your AMCAS application) to the Admissions Committee at Tufts University School of Medicine? (1,000 characters max)

2. Please briefly describe your plans for the coming year. Include in this explanation if you will be a student, working, conducting research, volunteering, etc. (1,000 characters max)

3. Do you consider yourself a person who would contribute to the diversity of the student body of Tufts University School of Medicine? (1,000 characters max)

5 .Do you have any withdrawals or repeated coursework listed on your transcript(s). (1,000 characters max)

6. Did you take any leaves of absence or significant breaks from your undergraduate education? (Do not include time off after graduation.) (1,000 characters max)

2019-2020

All prompts have a 1,000 character limit.

1. Do you wish to include any comments (in addition to those already provided in your AMCAS application) to the Admissions Committee at Tufts University School of Medicine?

2. Please briefly describe your plans for the coming year. Please include in this explanation if you will be a student, working, conducting research, volunteering, etc.

3. Do you have any withdrawals or repeated coursework listed on your transcript(s).

4. Did you take any leaves of absence or significant breaks from your undergraduate education? Do not include time off after graduation.

2018-2019

The secondary application essay prompts from this medical school application cycle are the same as above.

2017-2018

1. Do you wish to include any comments (in addition to those already provided in your AMCAS application) to the Admissions Committee at Tufts University School of Medicine? (1000 characters)

2. Do you consider yourself a person who would contribute to the diversity of the student body of Tufts University School of Medicine? (1000 characters)

3. Do you have any withdrawals or repeated coursework listed on your transcript(s). (1000 characters)

4. Did you take any leaves of absence or significant breaks from your undergraduate education? (Do not include time off after graduation.) (1000 characters)

There is also a prerequisite section which asks to show which classes you have completed to complete each pre req

2016-2017