Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts
These are the secondary application essay prompts for Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. To put your best foot forward and maximize your chance of an interview invitation, visit our secondary application editing page.
about Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Secondary Deadline: December 15, 2024
Secondary Fee: $70
FAP Waiver: Yes
CASPer Required: No
Screens Applications: Yes
Accepts Application Updates: Yes
Mission
To develop physician thought leaders through inquiry, research and discovery, using an innovative curriculum based upon adult learning methods in a patient-centered context. Our graduates are physicians with outstanding clinical skills and significantly enhanced research capabilities who will remain life-long learners. They have an understanding of the importance of interprofessionalism to enable them to more effectively function as part of a modern healthcare team.
Vision
The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine will be the first choice of a diverse class of medical students who are seeking an educational experience grounded in inquiry, research, and discovery, set in a learning environment of interprofessionalism, and cultural competency.
Values
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine values human diversity because it enriches our lives and the School. We acknowledge and respect our differences while affirming our common humanity. As caregivers and educators, we value the inherent dignity and value of every person and strive to maintain a climate for work and learning, based on mutual respect and understanding.
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine values the concept of patient-centered care, manifested in physicians who are receptive and expressive communicators, developing patient plans grounded in evidence-based medicine with an emphasis on safety, quality, professionalism, and cultural competency.
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine values the science of medicine and its application to the resolution of clinical problems, and the development of self-instruction skills that keep physicians informed regarding developments in medical sciences.
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine values continuous improvement of quality in its broad application to clinical care and to the development of new knowledge.
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine values communication, interpersonal skills, and interprofessionalism to make the healthcare system better for patients and all healthcare professionals.
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine values community service by providing service learning opportunities, encouraging students to see themselves as having the responsibility to improve the world around them
2024-2025
1. Describe how AI could affect the integrity of medical professionals.
2. What can a recovering addict who didn’t finish high school teach their physician?
3. Discuss a recent time when you were wrong. What made you change your mind and what did you do about it?
4. Who is your role model, and why?
2023-2024
1.Explain why integrity is more important than intelligence and perseverance using an example from your life.
2,Explain how your concept of diversity is both the same and different from the mainstream view.
3.Choose one aspect about yourself, not already reflected in your application, that you are most proud of. Explain your choice below.
4.Please describe something you deserved but didn’t get and how you felt about it.
2022-2023
A. From the following list of human qualities, choose the ONE you think is most important and explain your choice: intelligence, honor, humility, perseverance, optimism
. B. What advice would you give someone your age but from a different culture who is new to our country?
C. What do you think your chances of being accepted into medical school are this year? Please explain your answer.
D. Please describe something you deserved but didn’t get and how you felt about it.
2021-2022
B. Explain how interactions with people who are different from you have shaped your world view and relate how you would enrich the VTC community.
C. Describe three aspects of VTCSOM and how those align with your philosophy of medicine.
D. Please describe a research passion: If funding were no object, what scientific study would you design? Please also describe a non-research passion.
2020-2021
2019-2020
1. Tell us about constructive criticism you have received, or a personal challenge you have experienced, that you found particularly impactful. Please describe how that experience has advanced your development as a future physician thought leader. (600 words, 400 word min)
If writing about constructive criticism, be sure to choose something that pointed out a weakness of yours which you improved with work and effort, but not a character flaw which cannot be corrected. Discuss what efforts you took to improve upon this weakness and how you have grown from the feedback.
If writing about a challenge, consider when you had a personal struggle which you overcame. What were times in your life you almost quit but did not? Which accomplishments required particular perseverance? Once you have chosen the experience, make sure there is a lesson you learned that you can explain. How did you grow as a person? Consider focusing on the following traits for growth: dedication, perseverance, discipline, interpersonal skills, leadership.
In both cases, be sure to explain how this has helped you advance toward becoming an effective physician.
2. Explain how interactions with people who are different from you have shaped your world view and relate how you would enrich the VTC community. (600 words, 400 word min)
Choose 1-3 components of this prompt (self-identity where gender identification, racial and/or ethnic self description, geographic origin, socioeconomic, academic, and/or other characteristics) which are particularly unique for you and help define you as a person. Brainstorm how these unique traits affect your personal values and influence your desire to be a physician. Next consider how and when you have interacted with individuals different from yourself. How did these interactions shape your values and world-view. Be sure to demonstrate your appreciation for diverse individuals and desire to help people regardless of background. Finally, discuss how all this will contribute to the VTC community. Consider the effect you will have on you peers, teachers, and patients.
3. What, in your opinion, makes the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine different, and why is that important to you? (600 words, 400 word min)
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. Be sure to tailor your answer to the unique aspects of VTC SOM.
2018-2019
The secondary application essay prompts from this medical school application cycle are the same as above.
2017-2018
Please respond to the following two required essay prompts (1 and 2) below: Your response for each should be a minimum of 400 words.
1. VTC’s curriculum fosters a culture of compassion through its community service learning initiatives. Through their inter-professional learning group projects (IPL), students demonstrate leadership and innovation while making a positive difference in the community. Describe an event or a time when your personal contribution was instrumental to the success of a team or made a positive impact on someone else’s life.
2. Each member of the VTC community has a unique and enriching life-story. Interactions with heterogeneous populations increase compassion, understanding, and the ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with others. Explain how your life experience has shaped your world view, describe your approach to people who see the world differently, and relate how you would enrich the VTC community.
3. What, in your opinion, makes VTC different, and why is that important to you?
2016-2017
1. VTC’s curriculum fosters a culture of compassion through its community service learning initiatives. Through their inter-professional learning group projects (IPL), students demonstrate leadership and innovation while making a positive difference in the community. Describe an event or a time when your personal contribution was instrumental to the success of a team or made a positive impact on someone else’s life. (500-600 words)
2. VTC is committed to strengthening the diversity of its community. Through interactions with a heterogeneous population, people broaden their knowledge about other cultures and ultimately develop the ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with others. Tell us about how your life experience has broadened your perspective of the world and relate how you would add to the diversity of your class, if admitted to VTC. (500-600 words)
3. Optional essay to update VTCSOM on activities not mentioned on AMCAS
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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