How to Write About Obstacles When Applying to Med School | Ask Dr. Gray
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2019
- When you're applying to medical school, your story matters. Admissions committees really do look at the obstacles you've overcome. If you've faced adversity or struggled on your path to medical school, you may feel like you don't want the admissions committee to pity you. But you need to tell your story. That's what we talk about today.
For more Ask Dr. Gray: Premed Q&A episodes, check out askdrgray.com. And for all of our Meded Media podcasts, check out premedpodcasts.com.
Our student this week, Telisha, is asking how to write about obstacles in her medical school secondary essays. It's a common question because if you've overcome struggles on your path to medical school, you may feel like you don't want the admissions committee to pity you.
Another difficult part of writing about the obstacles you've overcome is that you don't want to play the comparison game with other students. But still you need to tell your story.
Between two students who both got a 3.5 GPA, admissions committees are generally going to favor the student who has overcome struggles and still achieved that outcome. It's about what you've done with what you've been given.
Telisha had some bad grades in college because she was working a lot to support herself through college and was also a student athlete. Telling that story is key because it gives context to those weaker points in her application.
Telisha also had a question about perfectionism with writing her secondary essays. My advice is basically to check over the essay 3 times, not 5 times. Cut down your perfectionism a BIT. But you'll probably get faster at writing your secondary essays as the process goes on because many of the schools have very similar essay prompts anyway.
We also talk about how to prioritize which secondary essays you write first, considering both your preference of schools and also the two-week turnaround guideline.
Lastly, we discuss how to include explanations in your secondary essays about your ties to the geographical area of the specific medical school. Should you mention that you have family nearby and you've visited for the past 15 years?
Hopefully this episode of Ask Dr. Gray: Premed Q&A helped you with knowing how to write about adversity and overcoming obstacles in your secondary essays and your med school application in general!
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This lady! I adore her!
Awesome topic!
nicely put
I was born and raised in Hawaii, but I'm now living in Wyoming, so I plan on applying to JABSOM and the University of Colorado as well. :)
I still have about 2.5 years of undergrad and pre-reqs, though.
Make sure you look into University of Washington if you establish residency in Wyoming. I actually think Wyoming is one of the best states to be premed at just due to their linkage to UWash and how few people actually apply from Wyoming. If I recall right, only 60-70ish people apply to med schools as Wyoming residents each year.
@@Kickbackfool87 physical campus or WWAMI? I'm looking for schools with close ties to hospital residency opportunities in states I'd be willing to live.
@@raver2be WWAMI. For sure, I can understand that. I'd just be wary of being too picky at first and instead casting a wide net and then being picky when you have the acceptances in hand :)
@@Kickbackfool87 for sure. I plan on applying to about a dozen schools.
@@raver2be That's pretty low TBH. I'm going to be applying to 30-35. If you're a rockstar applicant, you can maybe get away with it, though.
Should you write a disadvantaged statement if you’ve had to overcome a lot personally, but your application wouldn’t allude to any of it if you didn’t speak of it? - ie you don’t come off as being from a low SES, great college grades, and ECs etc.?
what if I have a good science and overall, but during my first year of college I slack and fail a class and drop 3 is that going to affect my application ? and if so how much
Explain that as part of your application. Don’t fear. Put yourself out there
As another comment said, make sure to include that setback in your essays. Don’t overtly dwell on it through, just make sure to overview it. Good luck 👍
Is listing anxiety problems also a red flag just as addiction?
cool
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Mayyyybbee... Yeah No.
Is a C considered sufficient for pre-req courses?
Yes C is passing and they will accept it, but you should aim for at least a B, the vast majority of the pre-reqs should be A's ideally.
Yes, if it's like one or two but you really should get A's in most of them. Don't be satisfied with B's or C's, but also don't let them keep you from medical school
Can u elaborate on what type of hardships count
It will help me out in high school and get into a medical program
Sounds like bull shit. No adcom would want to read how I've been beaten every few days all my life until college, how my parents called me the "reason his life sucks", my mom says "I deserved the pain" (with the migraines I get), and being completely isolated from the other kids from middle school to high school.
I only survived and not commited suicide because I'm strong.
But of course, no one wants to read my TRUE Story.
I've been though fucking shit.
I hope you’re doing better now💞🙏🏾
@@lizzie17214
Yes. I'm doing well on my own. Thanks!
First and foremost, I want to say that I'm so truly sorry to hear that. I can't even begin to imagine what your life is like, no matter how many movies or books or songs I listen to that may describe similar experiences. You are strong - stronger than I could ever imagine to be, and your courage is inspirational. If you're watching this video, I assume you are applying to medical school. Although I'm a random person to you behind a computer screen, I want you to know that people do want to hear your true story. I want to hear your true story. The abusively competitive pre-med nature and feeds online make adcoms appear alien to us - but there are human beings behind the applications. I can't pretend to confirm whether or not these individuals care, but I have faith in humanity that there are individuals on adcoms who walk away from written statements truly changed and inspired, as they're human too. If you wanted my advice, and feel free to completely disregard this message as I'd take no offense whatsoever, I would describe exactly what you mention. I would tell your story exactly how it is. No fluff, no lessening: YOUR truth. You shouldn't shape your essays to what they want to hear. Medical schools would be LUCKY to have you, not the other way around. I hope wherever you are you are well, and one day living your dream of being a doctor, if that is what you desire. All the best to you my friend.