University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Secondary Essay Prompts
These are the secondary application essay prompts for University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) Medical School. To put your best foot forward and maximize your chance of an interview invitation, visit our secondary application editing page.
About University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) Medical School
Secondary Deadline: November 15, 2024
Secondary Fee: $0
FAP Waiver: N/A
CASPer Required: Yes
Screens Applications: Yes
Accepts Application Updates: No
Mission
Promoting health and a healthy society that enables achievement of full human potential
We:
- EDUCATE
Physicians, scientists, and caregivers optimally prepared to serve the needs of patients and society- DISCOVER
Research that solves for unmet needs by finding better treatments, cures, and prevention with a commitment to ensuring real world application- HEAL
Best care possible today, with continuous improvement and innovation for better care tomorrow
Vision
- Excellence: We strive for the highest standards of clinical excellence, educational distinction, research integrity, and administrative quality in all we do. We are rigorous in our commitment to ongoing improvement.
- Innovation: We endeavor to develop new knowledge about diseases and treatment, enhance the lives of patients through better care and treatments, creatively approach challenges, and inspire the next generation of physicians, scientists, and health professionals.
- Teamwork: We work collaboratively and with a shared purpose, drawing on our diverse backgrounds, talents and ideas, and bringing an unwavering integrity to everything we do.
- Compassion: We foster an environment in which patients, visitors, and colleagues are treated with respect, dignity, and kindness in every encounter, every day.
2024-2025
1. Describe a group project or activity that you are most proud of. Consider the following in your response: What aspect makes you most proud? How was it accomplished? How did you deal with disagreement or conflict in the group? How did you get fellow group members to embrace a position or view your perspective?
2. Describe a time that you have witnessed someone acting unethically or dishonestly, or an experienced behavior of harassment or discrimination. What did you do? Describe your reaction, is there anything you might do differently now in retrospect.
3. Describe an interaction or experience that has made you more sensitive or appreciative of cultural differences, and/or how you have committed yourself to understanding and aiding in the pursuit of equity and inclusion in your academic, professional or personal life.
Questions 4 & 5 are truly optional, answer if they apply to you.
4. (Optional) Have you engaged in any public service activities for a duration of one year or greater in length (examples: Military, Peace Corps, Teach for America, etc.). Yes or No?
If so, please describe the experience and impact on your personal and professional development.
5. (Optional) Please explain any academic discrepancies or extenuating circumstances that you feel the Admissions Committee should know.
MD/PhD Questions: (All MD/PhD apps and MSTP apps go through AMCAS)
1. Describe the type of research you are currently most interested in pursuing for your PhD training. You can be general or specific (e.g., genetics, biochemistry, Alzheimer’s disease, rational drug design, etc.) (500 characters)
2. Why are you interested in MD/PhD training at UT Southwestern in particular? (500 characters)
3. List names of up to five UT Southwestern faculty whose research is of particular interest to you (faculty must have a laboratory website at Labs).
4. If accepted, would you be able to start with a laboratory rotation by June 28, 2025?
2023-2024
1. Describe a group project or activity that you are most proud of. Consider the following in your response: What aspect makes you most proud? How was it accomplished? How did you deal with disagreement or conflict in the group? How did you get fellow group members to embrace a position or view your perspective? (2500 characters)
2. Describe a time that you have witnessed someone acting unethically or dishonestly, or an experienced behavior of harassment or discrimination. Consider the following in your response: What did you do? What made the situation difficult for you personally? Describe your reaction and what you might do differently now in retrospect. (2500 characters)
3. Describe an interaction or experience that has made you more sensitive or appreciative of cultural differences, and/or how you have committed yourself to understanding and aiding in the pursuit of equity and inclusion in your academic, professional or personal life. (2500 characters)
4. Have you engaged in any public service activities for a duration of one year or greater in length (examples: Military, Peace Corps, Teach for America, etc.). Yes or No? If so, please describe the experience and impact on your personal and professional development. (Optional)(2500 characters)
5. Please explain any academic discrepancies or extenuating circumstances that you feel the Admissions Committee should know. (Optional)(2500 characters)
MSTP (MD/PhD Applicants) (500 characters each)
1. Describe the type of research you are currently most interested in pursuing for your PhD training. You can be general or specific (e.g., genetics, biochemistry, Alzheimer’s disease, rational drug design, etc.)
2. [Optional] Please describe major hardships or adversity you have overcome to reach this point in your life.
3. Why are you interested in MD/PhD training at UT Southwestern in particular?
4. List names of up to five UT Southwestern faculty whose research is of particular interest to you (faculty must have a laboratory website at Labs).
5. If accepted, would you be able to start with a laboratory rotation by June 29, 2023? (yes or no)
2022-2023
2021-2022
2020-2021
All prompts have a 2,500 character limit.
1. Describe a group project or activity of which you are most proud. Consider the following in your response: What aspect made you most proud? How was it accomplished? How did you deal with disagreement or conflict in the group? How did you get fellow group members to embrace a position or view your perspective?
2. Describe a time that you have witnessed someone acting unethically or dishonestly, or experienced behavior of harassment or discrimination. Consider the following in your response: What did you do? What made the situation difficult for you personally? Describe your reaction and what you might do differently now in retrospect.
3. Describe an example of a very difficult assignment, task, or situation that you did not think you could accomplish. *Required
Consider the following in your response: How did you approach it? If you were tempted to quit, why did or didn’t you? What made you stay the course despite obstacles? What did you learn from the experience?
Optional
4. Have you engaged in any public service activities for a duration of greater than a year in length (examples: Military, Peace Corps, Teach for America, etc.). Yes or No? If so, please describe the experience and impact on your personal and professional development. Please limit your response to 5000 characters or less.
5. Please explain any academic discrepancies or extenuating circumstances that you feel the Admissions Committee should know. Please limit your response to 5000 characters or less2
2019-2020
The secondary application essay prompts from this medical school application cycle are the same as above.
2018-2019
Respond to all three questions below and limit answers to 5000 characters per question. Please use specific, concrete examples from your past experiences.
1. Describe a group project or activity of which you are most proud. *Required
Consider the following in your response: What aspect made you most proud? How was it accomplished? How did you deal with disagreement or conflict in the group? How did you get fellow group members to embrace a position or view your perspective?
2. Describe a time that you have witnessed someone acting unethically or dishonestly, or experienced behavior of harassment or discrimination. *Required
Consider the following in your response: What did you do? What made the situation difficult for you personally? Describe your reaction and what you might do differently now in retrospect.
3. Describe an example of a very difficult assignment, task, or situation that you did not think you could accomplish. *Required
Consider the following in your response: How did you approach it? If you were tempted to quit, why did or didn’t you? What made you stay the course despite obstacles? What did you learn from the experience?
4. Have you engaged in any public service activities for a duration of greater than a year in length (examples: Military, Peace Corps, Teach for America, etc.). Yes or No?
If so, please describe the experience and impact on your personal and professional development. Please limit your response to 5000 characters or less. *Optional
5. Please explain any academic discrepancies or extenuating circumstances that you feel the Admissions Committee should know. Please limit your response to 5000 characters or less. *Optional
2017-2018
1. If you think that one or more of the following interests apply to you, check the appropriate box(es) and list specific experiences (academic, co-curricular, employment, personal, etc.) related to and supportive of this interest in the text box provided below. Do not use a paragraph format; list in bulleted format. (3500 characters)
Interested in establishing a medical practice in an underserved area
Interested in a career in research
Interested in a career in teaching
Interested in a career in primary care medicine
2. In the text box provided below, describe the setting in which you envision conducting your medical career. Also include how and why you think this setting would help fulfill your interests related to the practice of medicine. (3500 characters)
2016-2017
The secondary application essay prompts from this medical school application cycle are the same as above.
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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