What Does School Mission Fit Mean? How to Show School Fit

What does school mission fit mean? A school’s mission is simply the values and goals of the institution distilled down into a simple sentence or paragraph. The idea of mission fit is a bit of a  buzzword that we’ve been seeing pop up more and more online and on message boards.

Let’s break down what people mean when they talk about school mission fit, as well as what you can do to illustrate to admissions committees that you’re the ideal fit for their program.

What Does School Mission Fit Mean?

Every medical school has a unique mission statement that’s specific to the institution, and this statement provides clues as to the kind of medical student they’re looking for. Admissions committees only want to accept the applicants who most closely align with their mission, values, and goals. This is called “mission fit”. While it’s becoming a bit of a buzzword, understanding a school’s mission statement enables you to determine if your own values, goals, and interests fit with those of the school.

It is imperative that you pay close attention to the mission statement of each of the medical schools you’re interested in attending, as you will be asked directly in your secondary application and during interviews why you’re a good fit for that specific school.

Does the mission statement emphasize science and innovation, humanitarian efforts, or a bit of both? Do they want to advance their community or medicine as a whole?

For example, the University of Washington is a highly regarded primary care medical school, so they’re looking for candidates with more clinician and community engagement experiences.

This is the University of Washington School of Medicine’s mission statement:

“The University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM) is dedicated to improving the general health and well-being of the public. In pursuit of its goals, the School is committed to excellence in biomedical education, research and healthcare.”

On the other hand, Stanford, a school with a vast amount of resources, is looking for candidates who have already shown promise with regard to leadership and innovation, as their mission is to advance medicine through clinical trials and research.

This is Stanford’s mission statement:

“To educate and inspire a diverse group of leaders in medicine and science who will improve human health through discovery, innovation, scholarship, education, and the delivery of outstanding patient-centered care.”

What it comes down to is: do your experiences, letters of recommendation, and overall application fit with the primary goal of the medical school you’re applying to? It’s your job to convince admissions committees that not only do you fully understand and relate to their mission, but you’ll also actively and intentionally help them accomplish it based on your previous experiences and future goals.

How Do You “Fit” a School’s Mission?

1 | Do Your Research

The first step in achieving mission fit for the schools you’re applying to is doing your research. As you make your school list, continue to research any school you’re interested in. Your research should include a detailed overview of the school’s website but don’t limit yourself to the website exclusively.

Continue your research online and in person. Ask questions of students and staff who have or are currently attending, and if it’s a top choice school, visit the campus yourself if possible.

What insider information can you glean from other students to add to what you already know about the school’s mission and values?

Unfortunately, mission statements are often vague and share many similarities from one school to the next. Mission fit isn’t only about a school’s mission statement; it’s also a broader term for ensuring you have a deep understanding of what the school wants from its students. How do you fit the mold of what they’re looking for, and how will you help the school reach its goals?

2 | Adapt Your Answers to Each School

Both your secondary application essays and your interview answers must be tailored to each school you apply to. Schools are looking for candidates they believe will ultimately choose to attend their school, which is why it’s so critical to illustrate your interest and enthusiasm early on and throughout the application process.

Use all of the in-depth research you completed during your school search to craft answers that align with what each medical school is looking for.

Undoubtedly, there will be plenty of overlap across the schools, but do all that you can to distinguish one from the next. How can you illustrate that you have a deep understanding of the school’s goals and values? How can you show you’ve thought deeply about how their goals match your own education and career goals?

For example, Stanford Medical School places high importance on diversity and inclusion. The admissions committee looks for students who share these values and, ideally, already have experiences that exemplify a passion for serving diverse populations.

3 | Give Concrete Examples

Simply stating that you share a school’s mission isn’t enough to convince an admissions committee. Every single applicant is going to say the same thing. Show, don’t tell. Instead of listing appealing adjectives, prove your commitment to their mission with tangible, concrete anecdotes from your past. When specifically have you exemplified their mission statement and values?

If the school’s mission statement puts an emphasis on helping the underprivileged, focus on your volunteering experiences. When have you lived those values? If the school’s mission is geared more toward advancing medicine and medical practices, put more emphasis on your research experience.

If you feel as though you can’t live up to their expectations, take a deep breath and reflect. Do not allow imposter syndrome to rear its ugly head. What’s a positive memory that stands out from your research, clinical, or volunteering experiences? Think back on those a-ha moments that crystallized your ambition to devote your life to medicine. What stands out as impactful? What stands out as fun? Now, think about how those experiences relate to the school’s mission statement.

4 | Illustrate How You Will Advance Their Goals

As you illustrate how you align with the school’s mission, take it one step further to show how you would advance their goals if you were to be a student there.

Remember that this is a give and take relationship. You want to know what the school will offer your education and future career, and admissions committees are looking for the same from you. They want to determine what you can offer their school and how you will help them achieve their mission, values, and goals.

Make the job of the admissions committee easier by clearly explaining the value you would add to the student body and why you specifically are the ideal student to contribute to their mission. What can you uniquely offer that other candidates might not? What research are you excited to continue? How will you continue to serve underprivileged populations while attending their medical school? What initiatives are you planning to spearhead if accepted?

Earning an acceptance is just the first step. What do you hope to achieve in medical school beyond earning your doctorate, and how does that relate to the school’s mission?

How Much Does School Fit Matter?

Mission statements are often broad and may contain multiple elements. Don’t feel like you need to cover every aspect of the mission statement in order to achieve mission fit.

Instead, zero in on one or two key elements of the school’s mission statement that best align with your own values, goals, and previous experiences. No matter the mission statement, there’s sure to be something you can relate to and get behind. Choose what’s most important to you and the application narrative you are crafting.

But beyond a school’s mission statement, it is critical that you align with the mission of the schools you are applying to. By the time you deeply research the schools you’re interested in and craft your school list, you should have a pretty good idea of what you’re looking for from a medical school.

Can you see yourself as a part of the student body? Does the school have the resources you need to achieve your goals? How do you feel about the teaching and grading style? Do you like the city and community the school is a part of? Will you be able to pursue your preferred medical specialty?

There are many factors that go into determining which schools are the best fit for you. If you are working on your school list or narrowing down schools, check out our guide: How to Decide Which Medical Schools to Apply to (12 Important Factors).

Med School Insiders can help you choose the medical schools that are the ideal fit for you. We can also help you improve your application in order to get noticed by your top choice schools. Learn more about our Comprehensive Medical School Admissions Packages, which are tailored to your needs and the specific schools you are applying to.