University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts
These are the secondary application essay prompts for University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) Perelman School of Medicine. To put your best foot forward and maximize your chance of an interview invitation, visit our secondary application editing page.
About University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) Perelman School of Medicine
Secondary Deadline: November 15, 2024
Secondary Fee: $100
FAP Waiver: Yes
CASPer Required: No
Screens Applications: Yes
Accepts Application Updates: Yes
Mission
Our mission is to advance knowledge and improve health through research, patient care, and the education of trainees in an inclusive culture that embraces diversity, fosters innovation, stimulates critical thinking, supports lifelong learning, and sustains our legacy of excellence.
Vision
To empower the talent within our integrated Academic Medical Center to find new cures, disseminate knowledge, and improve
health for all people.
2024-2025
2. During the Covid-19 pandemic, if you were offered an option to continue courses with a standard grading system or switch to Pass/Fail, and you elected Pass/Fail, please describe the reason(s) for your decision here. (500 characters)
3. Independently of the Covid-19 pandemic, have you taken any online courses for credit? (Y/N) (simply list if yes)
4. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization? (Y/N) (simply list if yes)
5. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? (Y/N) (500 characters if yes)
6. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? (Y/N) (1000 characters if yes)
7. Did you participate in a pre-medical enrichment or pathway program during your undergraduate studies? (Y/N) (1000 characters if yes)
8. The Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) is deeply committed to recruiting a class inclusive of diverse perspectives and experiences; this enriches the instruction we provide, enhances team-based learning, and ensures our students’ preparation to address the health needs of a pluralistic society. How would your life experiences contribute to the student body and how would you contribute to an inclusive atmosphere at PSOM?
Please explain and limit your response to 1,000 characters.
9. We are all navigating through challenging times at home and abroad, and physicians and physician-scientists must contend with many instances of uncertainty. Please describe a time when you faced a situation that was ambiguous, confusing, or uncertain, and how you navigated making a decision without complete information. (3000 characters)
10. Do you identify as a first-generation college graduate and/or having a low-income background? We recognize that the definition of “low income” can vary based on geographic location, zip code, and size of your household, but there are some factors typically associated with being low-income, such as qualifying for free/reduced lunch in middle/high school, receiving Pell grants or work-study aid during college, qualifying for Medicaid/Social Security benefits, or attending a high school with low per capita funding, Title 1 designation and/or a low percentage of seniors receiving a high school diploma. (Y/N)
11. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships, regardless of current income status? (Y/N) (1000 characters if yes)
12. Have you ever been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a University of Pennsylvania faculty mentor(s)? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty member(s), and start/end dates (Y/N) (list only, no essay)
13. Please share your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine. (note 1,000-character limit)
Additional MSTP prompts: (very specific! including how to type and format it)
1. Please use keywords or phrases, separated by commas, to identify your research interests more specifically. Do not use tabs or add lines by hitting the enter key. There is a limit of 500 characters.
2. List you research experience chronologically, starting with the most recent, and including your anticipated experience for the remainder of this academic year. For each experience, please provide clear information about the time commitment. (For instance, if you worked continuously in one lab for a year, putting in full time hours during the summer, and part time hours during the school year, you might state: “full time (about 50 hours a week) from mid May until the end of August, continuing part time (about 10 hours a week) from September to April”. Note that if you worked two summers in the same lab, but did *not* work in that lab at all during the school year, these should be listed as two separate research experiences.)
For each experience, indicate whether your mentor will provide a letter of recommendation. If you do not select a letter from an individual with whom you had an extensive research experience, please provide an explanation in the comments section.
3. If you are out of undergrad and are currently doing research, please list your primary institution for the coming year below. (This will also be included in the summary above, but is helpful to us to have as a separate data field)
4. How many months of FT research effort do you expect to have had by August of next year when you would join our program? We are asked to report this data to NIH for matriculants.
Calculation Instructions: For many individuals, this value will reflect months of summer research experience or full-time research experience following college. Part-time research, for example during the school year, should be converted to full time – e.g., 15 hrs/week for 8 months = 3 months. (Here’s how the calculation works. When converting part time to full time, we use a standard 40 hour work week. So, we take 15 and divide by 40 = .375 (aka ~37.5% of full time). 8 months times .375 gives you 3 months). If you worked full time in a lab for 6 months and you averaged a lot more than 40 hours a week, it still only counts as 6 months full time – don’t adjust for that. We only use the 40 hour standard when converting part time experiences. Labs associated with a course, such as an organic chemistry course lab, should NOT be included.
5. If you have publications as the result of your research, please provide the full citations here. It would be helpful to distinguish them using the following categories: Published/peer reviewed, published/not peer reviewed, submitted and under revision. Please note that manuscripts “in prep” should not be included. You may add other descriptors or information if helpful. If you do not have any publications at this time, please indicate that (eg by typing “no publications yet”).
2023-2024
2. The Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) is deeply committed to recruiting a class inclusive of diverse perspectives and experiences; this enriches the instruction we provide, enhances team-based learning, and ensures our students’ preparation to address the health needs of a pluralistic society. How would your life experiences contribute to the student body and how would you contribute to an inclusive atmosphere at PSOM? Please explain and limit your response to 1,000 characters.
3. We are all navigating through challenging times, and physicians and physician-scientists must contend with many instances of uncertainty. Describe a time when you faced a situation that was ambiguous, confusing, or uncertain, and how you navigated making a decision without complete information (3000 characters).
4. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters.
2022-2023
If Yes, please describe these changes during this time in 500 characters or less.
2. If you were offered an option to continue courses with a standard grading system or switch to Pass/Fail, and you chose Pass/Fail, please describe the reason(s) for your decision here. (500 characters)
3. Have you taken any online courses for credit (not due to the COVID-19 pandemic)? (Lets you list the courses)
4. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization? (Allows you to list them)
5. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? If so, explain in 500 characters or less.
6. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? If so, explain in 1,000 characters or less.
7. The Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) is deeply committed to recruiting a diverse class to enrich an inclusive team-based learning experience. How would you and your experiences contribute to the diversity of the student body and/or how would you contribute to an inclusive atmosphere at PSOM? Please explain and limit your response to 1,000 characters.
8. We are all navigating through challenging times, and physicians and physician-scientists must contend with many instances of uncertainty. Describe a time when you faced a situation that was ambiguous, confusing, or uncertain, and how you navigated making a decision without complete information (3000 characters)
9. Do you identify as a first-generation college graduate and/or having a low-income background? We recognize that the definition of “low income” can vary based on geographic location and size of your household, but there are other factors that may be consistent with low-income, such as having qualified for free/reduced lunch in middle/high school, having received Pell grants or work-study aid during college, having qualified for Medicaid/Social Security benefits, or having attended a high school with low per capita funding or title 1 designation and/or a low percentage of seniors receiving a high school diploma. (Does not ask for any elaboration if you say yes.)
10. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? (Yes/No)
If Yes, please explain in 1,000 characters or less.
11. Have you ever been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a University of Pennsylvania faculty mentor(s)? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty member(s), and start/end dates.
12. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters.
2021-2022
2. If you were offered an option to continue courses with a standard grading system or switch to Pass/Fail, and you chose Pass/Fail, please describe the reason(s) for your decision here. (500 characters max)
3. Have you taken any online courses for credit? (Not due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
4. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization?
5. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? (500 characters max)
6. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? (1,000 characters max)
7. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.) (If yes, 1,000 characters max)
8. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? (1,000 characters max)
9. Have you been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a Penn faculty mentor? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty, and start/end dates.
10. The Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) is deeply committed to recruiting a diverse class to enrich an inclusive team-based learning experience. How would you and your experiences contribute to the diversity of the student body and/or how would you contribute to an inclusive atmosphere at PSOM? (1,000 characters max)
11. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine. (1,000 characters max)
2020-2021
2. If you were offered an option to continue courses with a standard grading system or switch to Pass/Fail, and you chose Pass/Fail, please describe the reason(s) for your decision here. (500 characters max)
3. Have you taken any online courses for credit? (Not due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
4. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization?
5. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? (500 characters max)
6. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? (1,000 characters max)
7. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.) (If yes, 1,000 characters max)
8. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? (1,000 characters max)
9. Have you been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a Penn faculty mentor? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty, and start/end dates.
10. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine. (1,000 characters max)
2019-2020
1. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization?
2. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? If yes, 500 character limit.
3. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? If yes, 1000 character limit.
3. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.) If yes, 1000 character limit
4. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? If yes, 1000 character limit.
5. Have you been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a Penn faculty mentor? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty, and start/end dates.
6. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters.
2018-2019
MD:
1. Have you taken any online courses for credit?
Answer as appropriate based on your past academic experience.
2. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization?
Answer as appropriate based on your prior scholastic achievements.
3. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? If you answer yes, a 1,000 char prompt to elaborate appears.
If you have taken or will be taking time off between undergraduate and medical school, describe the experiences you had during that time. For each experience, explain how this helped you grow and become a better medical school candidate, which is the most important goal of the gap year in the admissions committee’s eyes. Focus on the lessons you learned and skills you gained during the time off. Do not repeat what is in your primary application. This is a key to all secondaries. If you use a prior experience from the AMCAS primary (which can be difficult to avoid given the nature of some secondary questions), try to adopt a new angle or describe a different aspect of the experience than has been presented before. Consider using an anecdote to spice up the answer.
4. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application?
Discuss any prior experiences which are relevant here, including but not limited to medical mission work, medical volunteer work or clinical experience abroad, other volunteer work abroad, study abroad programs. Be sure to discuss how the experiences expanded your horizons and helped you grow as a person and future physician. If interested in global health, this is a perfect time to discuss it.
5. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.) (1000 characters if you answer yes)
Start by brainstorming what is unique about your background. Is it your place of birth, your family, your culture, or you path to medicine? Next consider prior adversity you have had to overcome and how that has shaped your values. Consider 1-2 of these experiences and weave a story about them which show your unique characteristics. Specifically answer how this can contribute to your medical school class; consider the effect you might have on your peers, professors and patients. Be sure not to repeat issues discussed elsewhere.
6. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? (1000 characters if yes)
If relevant to you, discuss your prior experiences here. Be sure not to make yourself sound like a victim as this can reflect poorly. Instead focus on the lessons these hardships taught you and how they made you stronger. How did they help develop your perseverance, discipline or drive to succeed. Focus on the positive growth from these hard times.
7. Have you been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a Penn faculty mentor? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty, and start/end dates
List past experiences as appropriate.
8. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters.
The first step to answering this question is doing some research on the program website to understand some of its nuances. Is it very strong in a particular field of research, or perhaps in community clinical work for the underserved? If one of these aspects aligns with your strengths or interests, explain how you are a great fit for this reason. Outline how these opportunities will help you grow toward your career goals as you envision them. Think about the opportunities the location provides in terms of clinical experience and social experience as well.
9. Sexual and Gender Identity (optional)
Do you identify as (please check all that apply):
Heterosexual/Straight
Gay
Lesbian
Bisexual
Asexual
Queer
Other
Do you identify as (please check all that apply):
Cisgender
Transgender
Gender non-conforming
Gender non-binary
Other
Please let us know if you have a preferred name and/or preferred Gender Pronouns.
Answer the above questions as you see fit.
MSTP:
10. Additional pages to check your preferred research group at the time of application (History and Sociology of Medicine, Anthropology, and Business/Economics have further requirements). Also a 500 character box to list keywords related to your research interests.
List your preferred research group. For your research interests, do your research on existing labs, mentors, and research opportunities at the University of Pennsylvania and detail those which interest you. Tie them to your prior experiences and your future career goals. If you discuss topics which were touched on in your primary application, try to approach your prior research experience from a new angle, perhaps employing anecdotes to convey a point. Make sure you answer how these opportunities will prepare you to achieve your goals in medicine.
2017-2018
- Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization? Yes/No… “Add Award”
- Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? Yes/No… If yes, 500 characters given.
- Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? Yes/No… If yes, 1000 characters given.
- Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.) Yes/No… If yes, 1000 characters given.
- Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? Yes/No… if yes, 1000 characters given.
- Have you been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a Penn faculty mentor? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty, and start/end dates.
- Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters.
2016-2017
1. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization? If so, please describe; each line allows 100 characters. (Please do not list awards from high school or earlier.)
2. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? (500 characters to describe plans, if yes)
3. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? (1000 characters to describe, if yes)
4. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.) (1000 characters if yes)
5. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? (1000 characters, if yes)
6. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters.
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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