colorado medical school secondary essays

University of Colorado Secondary Application Essay Prompts

• Cracking Med School Admissions

The University of Colorado secondary application is short, so you can work on this quickly and submit it soon after you receive the official secondary application . The University of Colorado School of Medicine has several tracks for medical school. Most of our students apply to the general MD program, but some students select to also apply to the Fort Collins and Rural program. Make sure to read about each program before applying. 

Whichever program you choose, it is important to highlight WHY you want to go to the University of Colorado. Read our other Cracking Med School Admissions University of Colorado secondary application tips down below! 

Contact us if you have any questions about how to stand out in this secondary application. 

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University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2023 – 2024

University of colorado secondary application essay prompts – md program (for all applicants).

• The pillars of our curriculum are Leadership, Curiosity, and Commitment. Tell us about how you have embodied one or more of these attributes in your path to medicine thus far. In which of these areas do you see the most opportunity for personal growth and why? (1,000 words max)
• Please describe how your background and/or your unique lived experiences contribute to our culture of inclusive excellence.  (300 words max)
• Please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission.  (1,500 characters max)

University of Colorado Secondary Application Essay Prompts – Fort Collins Program

*MSTP Applicants CANNOT apply to this program

• Please tell us why you are interested in being a part of the 4-year CUSOM at CSU (Fort Collins Branch campus)? With the background that FCB’s smaller class sizes and unique structure lead to a highly interactive curriculum, please tell us how this campus matches your learning style and personal philosophy. (300 words max)

University of Colorado Secondary Application Essay Prompts – Rural Program

• Describe your personal and professional goals in becoming a rural physician. In particular, describe your interest and ability to spend your clinical year in a rural community. You may also include how past experiences living and/or working in a rural area and your ties to or interest in rural Colorado communities aligns with your goals. (300 words max)

Tips to Answer University of Colorado Secondary Application Essays

University of Colorado Secondaries Pre-Writing Guidance:  We would definitely pre-write the University of Colorado secondaries, especially if you are an in-state applicant! There is one question that has a 1,000 word limit, which is longer than a personal statement! So start this secondary early. 

• Learn how to stand out to the Admissions Committee by downloading our FREE and HIGH-YIELD Cracking Med School Secondary Essays Guide

University of Colorado Secondary Application Tip #1: One thing that will make you a favorable medical school applicant is if you have ties to Colorado. If you have lived in Colorado, conducted community service, or completed any clinical experiences in Colorado, make sure to mention them! Additionally, make sure you discuss “Why University of Colorado School of Medicine.”

• For more information on how to answer “Why University of Colorado?” read our informative blog post Why this Medical School? Secondary Essay Example.

University of Colorado Secondary Application Tip #2: For the University of Colorado secondary application question, “ Tell us about how you have embodied one or more of these attributes in your path to medicine thus far. In which of these areas do you see the most opportunity for personal growth and why? ” students often write 1 story per pillar. Contact us if you want to brainstorm or check whether your stories for leadership, curiosity, and commitment will help you stand out!

University of Colorado Secondary Application Tip #3: If you are going to apply to a specific track, make sure you talk about your experiences in rural medicine or urban medicine. Specifically, if you have lived or worked in rural / urban Colorado, that would be a great fact to mention! Then, talk about how these tracks will help you in your journey towards practicing in urban or rural areas.

University of Colorado Secondary Application Tip #4: Have questions about how you can stand out? Contact us below. Need editing help on your secondary? We can help you through our secondary essay packages . 

University of Colorado Secondary Application Tip #5: For the re-applicant essay, it is important to discuss the following.

• Reflections about why your application was not as strong last cycle. 
• How you addressed the weaknesses. 
• Clinical opportunities you’ve improved. Reflect on what you learned about patient care. 
• For the University of Colorado Medical School secondary application, any activities you’ve had in to Colorado will be a huge plus, especially patient care experiences!

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Q: Do I need to use the 1,000 words in the Colorado medical school secondary application essay #1 ? You should optimize the space. We recommend using at least 500 words. This is a tough secondary because you have so much space, so contact us if you need help with editing this essay! Make sure your essays complement your primary application personal statement. We are successful in helping students get interview invites and acceptances!
• Q: Can you tell me more about the Fort Collins program and the University of Colorado School of Medicine rural track? Read more about the rural track here and the Fort Collins branch here . The Fort Collins track started in 2021 and medical students receive clinical training in Northern Colorado. The University of Colorado rural track started in 2005 and focuses its clinical training and clinical experience in rural medicine. As stated on the University of Colorado website, “Students in the Rural Program spend the year at dispersed sites in one rural Colorado community or several neighboring towns. Each site typically has one or two learners, so our students have extensive opportunities for hands-on experiences and participation in procedures.”

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University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2022 – 2023

*MSTP Applicants CANNOT apply to these programs

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University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2021 – 2022

University of colorado school of medicine secondary application essay prompts: 2020 – 2021.

• The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine. (300 words max)
• Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. (300 words max)

University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2019 – 2020

University of colorado school of medicine secondary application essay prompts: 2018 – 2019.

• Part A. The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine. 
• Part B. Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. If you are a reapplicant, please include information on how your application has changed.
• If you are a re-applicant, please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission. (1,500 characters max – including spaces)

University of Colorado Secondary Application Essay Prompts –  Urban Track

*Only if you selected this optional track

• 1. Reasons for your interest in the CU-UNITE Urban Underserved track.
• 2. If you have had a prior experience in an urban underserved community either volunteer, work-related, and/or personal, describe how this has impacted your decision to apply to this track.
• B. Describe how you plan to incorporate urban underserved health care into your career following completion of your schooling.
• C. You are a student spending your first summer working in an urban-underserved, uninsured community in Denver. You are on a field visit and notice a car that appears to be abandoned, but then on closer observation you notice that there are small children asleep in the back seat wearing dirty clothes with left over fast food on the floor boards. You notice a strong odor of urine and feces coming from the car. A woman is sitting under a tree nearby and is also poorly dressed and unkempt and appears to be in her last trimester of pregnancy. She has visible lesions on her legs and arms. Identify the needs that you see in this family from the perspective of a student working with urban underserved uninsured populations. Please describe how you would attempt to address the needs of this family both in context of their potential health issues and social situation.

University of Colorado Secondary Application Essay Prompts –  Rural Track

• Describe your experience in and commitment to rural Colorado and your vision of working as a primary care physician in rural Colorado. Please limit your rural track essay to 1500 characters or less. (300 words max)

University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2017 – 2018

University of colorado secondary application essay prompts – , university of colorado school of medicine secondary application essay prompts: 2016 – 2017.

• If you are a re-applicant, please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission.  (1,500 characters max – including spaces)
• (Optional) If after reviewing the information for these optional tracks you would like to apply to one of them, complete the essay for the track you wish to apply to in the appropriate box below. (1,500 characters max – including spaces)

University of Colorado Secondary Application Essay Prompts – Colorado Springs

• Please submit a short statement regarding your interest in the Colorado Springs Branch. You may address characteristics of the Branch that would be a fit for your strengths, experiences, and/or career plans. You may also note your ties to or interest in Colorado Springs or other similar communities. (1,500 characters max – including spaces)

University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2015 – 2016

• Part A.  The School of Medicine Admissions Committee regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine. 
• Part B.  Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. If you are a reapplicant, please include information on how your application has changed.

University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2014 – 2015

• Part A.  The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine. 
• Part B.  Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. If you are a reapplicant, please include information on how your application has changed.

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University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Questions

Here are University of Colorado School of Medicine’s secondary questions.

Please do not repeat content from your AMCAS personal statement in these essays. To the extent that there is overlap in the personal statement to what you want to write here, please choose a different approach to discussing the issue(s), such as influence on your values and beliefs, changes you made in your life, reflections that are from a different perspective. The committee utilizes this important information in the selection process.

1) The pillars of our curriculum are Leadership, Curiosity, and Commitment. Tell us about how you have embodied one or more of these attributes in your path to medicine thus far. In which of these areas do you see the most opportunity for personal growth and why? Limit this response to 500 words.

2) Please describe how your background and/or your unique lived experiences contribute to our culture of inclusive excellence. Limit the response to 300 words.

1.  The pillars of our curriculum are Leadership, Curiosity, and Commitment.  Tell us about how you have embodied one or more of these attributes in your path to medicine thus far. In which of these areas do you see the most opportunity for personal growth and why? Limit this response to 500 words.

2. Reapplicant to Colorado: Please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission. (Limit this response to 1500 Characters.)

3. Fort Collins Track: Please tell us why you are interested in being a part of the 4-year CUSOM at CSU (Fort Collins Branch campus)? With the background that FCB’s smaller class sizes and unique structure lead to a highly interactive curriculum, please tell us how this campus matches your learning style and personal philosophy. (Limit your statement to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

4. Rural Track: Describe your personal and professional goals in becoming a rural physician. In particular, describe your interest and ability to spend your clinical year in a rural community. You may also include how past experiences living and/or working in a rural area and your ties to or interest in rural Colorado communities aligns with your goals. (Limit your statement to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

MD Program, (All applicants write this one)

• The pillars of our curriculum are Leadership, Curiosity, and Commitment. Tell us about how you have embodied one or more of these attributes in your path to medicine thus far. In which of these areas do you see the most opportunity for personal growth and why? Limit this response to 1000 words.

Fort Collins program:  

*Please note: MSTP applicants CANNOT apply to these programs.

• Please tell us why you are interested in being a part of the 4-year CUSOM at CSU (Fort Collins Branch campus)? With the background that FCB’s smaller class sizes and unique structure lead to a highly interactive curriculum, please tell us how this campus matches your learning style and personal philosophy. Limit your statement to 1500 characters , including spaces (approximately 300 words).

Rural program:  

• Describe your personal and professional goals in becoming a rural physician. In particular, describe your interest and ability to spend your clinical year in a rural community. You may also include how past experiences living and/or working in a rural area and your ties to or interest in rural Colorado communities aligns with your goals. Limit your statement to 1500 characters , including spaces (approximately 300 words).

The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.

• Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine

Required Colorado Essay

Part A. The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.

Part B. Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. If you are a reapplicant, please include information on how your application has changed.

Please answer both parts in this single essay. Limit the essay to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

Part C. If you are a re-applicant, please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission. Limit this response to 1500 Characters.

Urban Track (only if you select this optional track):

Please answer each of the questions below separately. This statement should not exceed 4500 characters, including spaces (approximately 750 words). Do not repeat the content from your AMCAS or Colorado Secondary Application essays. ● A. Describe the type of urban community health project that would be of greatest interest to you. Try to be as specific as possible regarding a particular culture or population of patients you are interested in and a topic you would like to study.

○ 1. Reasons for your interest in the CU-UNITE Urban Underserved track.

○ 2. If you have had a prior experience in an urban underserved community either volunteer, work-related, and/or personal, describe how this has impacted your decision to apply to this track.

● B. Describe how you plan to incorporate urban underserved health care into your career following completion of your schooling.

● C. You are a student spending your first summer working in an urban-underserved, uninsured community in Denver. You are on a field visit and notice a car that appears to be abandoned, but then on closer observation you notice that there are small children asleep in the back seat wearing dirty clothes with left over fast food on the floor boards. You notice a strong odor of urine and feces coming from the car. A woman is sitting under a tree nearby and is also poorly dressed and unkempt and appears to be in her last trimester of pregnancy. She has visible lesions on her legs and arms. Identify the needs that you see in this family from the perspective of a student working with urban underserved uninsured populations. Please describe how you would attempt to address the needs of this family both in context of their potential health issues and social situation.

Rural Track (only if you select this optional track):

Describe your experience in and commitment to rural Colorado and your vision of working as a primary care physician in rural Colorado. Please limit your rural track essay to 1500 characters or less (about 300 words).

Required Colorado Essay Part A. The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.

Urban Track  (only if you select this optional track): Please answer each of the questions below separately. This statement should not exceed 4500 characters, including spaces (approximately 750 words). Do not repeat the content from your AMCAS or Colorado Secondary Application essays.

• 1. Reasons for your interest in the CU-UNITE Urban Underserved track.
• 2. If you have had a prior experience in an urban underserved community either volunteer, work-related, and/or personal, describe how this has impacted your decision to apply to this track.
• B. Describe how you plan to incorporate urban underserved health care into your career following completion of your schooling.
• C. You are a student spending your first summer working in an urban-underserved, uninsured community in Denver. You are on a field visit and notice a car that appears to be abandoned, but then on closer observation you notice that there are small children asleep in the back seat wearing dirty clothes with left over fast food on the floor boards. You notice a strong odor of urine and feces coming from the car. A woman is sitting under a tree nearby and is also poorly dressed and unkempt and appears to be in her last trimester of pregnancy. She has visible lesions on her legs and arms. Identify the needs that you see in this family from the perspective of a student working with urban underserved uninsured populations. Please describe how you would attempt to address the needs of this family both in context of their potential health issues and social situation.

Rural Track  (only if you select this optional track): Describe your experience in and commitment to rural Colorado and your vision of working as a primary care physician in rural Colorado. Please limit your rural track essay to 1500 characters or less (about 300 words).

Good luck to everyone applying!

(Optional) If after reviewing the information for these optional tracks you would like to apply to one of them, complete the essay for the track you wish to apply to in the appropriate box below. Please limit each essay to 1500 characters, including spaces

Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. If you are a reapplicant, please include information on how your application has changed.

Please answer both parts in this single essay, limiting it to 1500 characters.

Optional Colorado Springs Essay: Please submit a short statement regarding your interest in the Colorado Springs Branch. You may address characteristics of the Branch that would be a fit for your strengths, experiences, and/or career plans. You may also note your ties to or interest in Colorado Springs or other similar communities. (1500 char)

Please answer both parts in this single essay, limiting it to 2000 words.

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University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts

These are the secondary application essay prompts for University of Colorado 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 Colorado School of Medicine

Secondary Deadline : November 30, 2024 Secondary Fee : $100 FAP Waiver : Yes CASPer Required : Yes Screens Applications : Yes Accepts Application Updates : 

The mission of the University of Colorado School of Medicine is to provide Colorado, the nation and the world with programs of excellence in: Education – through the provision of educational programs to medical students, allied health students, graduate students and housestaff, practicing health professionals and the public at large; Research – through the development of new knowledge in the basic and clinical sciences, as well as in health policy and health care education; Patient Care – through state-of-the-art clinical programs which reflect the unique educational environment of the University, as well as the needs of the patients it serves; and, Community Service – through sharing the School’s expertise and knowledge to enhance the broader community, including our affliated institutions, other healthcare professionals, alumni and other colleagues, and citizens of the state.

1. Part A. The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine. Part B. Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Limit the essay to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

2. If you are a re-applicant, please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission. Limit this response to 1500 Characters.

Urban Track: Optional

3. Describe the type of urban community health project that would be of greatest interest to you. Try to be as specific as possible regarding a particular culture or population of patients you are interested in and a topic you would like to study. Reasons for your interest in the CU-UNITE Urban Underserved track. If you have had a prior experience in an urban underserved community either volunteer, work-related, and/or personal, describe how this has impacted your decision to apply to this track.

4. Describe how you plan to incorporate urban underserved health care into your career following completion of your schooling.

5. You are a student spending your first summer working in an urban-underserved, uninsured community in Denver. You are on a field visit and notice a car that appears to be abandoned, but then on closer observation you notice that there are small children asleep in the back seat wearing dirty clothes with left over fast food on the floor boards. You notice a strong odor of urine and feces coming from the car. A woman is sitting under a tree nearby and is also poorly dressed and unkempt and appears to be in her last trimester of pregnancy. She has visible lesions on her legs and arms. Identify the needs that you see in this family from the perspective of a student working with urban underserved uninsured populations. Please describe how you would attempt to address the needs of this family both in context of their potential health issues and social situation.

1. Required Colorado Essay Part A. The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.

Part B. Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. If you are a reapplicant, please include information on how your application has changed.

Please answer both parts in this single essay. Limit the essay to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

Part C. If you are a re-applicant, please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission. Limit this response to 1500 Characters.

2. Urban Track (only if you select this optional track): Please answer each of the questions below separately. This statement should not exceed 4500 characters, including spaces (approximately 750 words). Do not repeat the content from your AMCAS or Colorado Secondary Application essays.

A. Describe the type of urban community health project that would be of greatest interest to you. Try to be as specific as possible regarding a particular culture or population of patients you are interested in and a topic you would like to study.

1. Reasons for your interest in the CU-UNITE Urban Underserved track.

2. If you have had a prior experience in an urban underserved community either volunteer, work-related, and/or personal, describe how this has impacted your decision to apply to this track.

B. Describe how you plan to incorporate urban underserved health care into your career following completion of your schooling.

C. You are a student spending your first summer working in an urban-underserved, uninsured community in Denver. You are on a field visit and notice a car that appears to be abandoned, but then on closer observation you notice that there are small children asleep in the back seat wearing dirty clothes with left over fast food on the floor boards. You notice a strong odor of urine and feces coming from the car. A woman is sitting under a tree nearby and is also poorly dressed and unkempt and appears to be in her last trimester of pregnancy. She has visible lesions on her legs and arms. Identify the needs that you see in this family from the perspective of a student working with urban underserved uninsured populations. Please describe how you would attempt to address the needs of this family both in context of their potential health issues and social situation.

3. Rural Track (only if you select this optional track):

Describe your experience in and commitment to rural Colorado and your vision of working as a primary care physician in rural Colorado. Please limit your rural track essay to 1500 characters or less (about 300 words).

1. Part A. The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.

2. Part B. Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. If you are a reapplicant, please include information on how your application has changed.

3. Please answer both parts in this single essay. Limit the essay to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

4. Part C. If you are a re-applicant, please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission. Limit this response to 1500 Characters.

5. (Optional) If after reviewing the information for these optional tracks you would like to apply to one of them, complete the essay for the track you wish to apply to in the appropriate box below. Please limit each essay to 1500 characters, including spaces

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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• Secondary Essay Prompts

Secondary Essay Prompts – University of Colorado School of Medicine

Secondary Essay Prompts for the University of Colorado School of Medicine

Below are the secondary essay prompts for the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, CA.

2019 – 2020

• Required Colorado Essay- Please answer both parts in this single essay. Limit the essay to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.

• Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. If you are a reapplicant, please include information on how your application has changed.
• If you are a re-applicant, please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission. Limit this response to 1500 Characters.
• Urban Track (only if you select this optional track):Please answer each of the questions below separately. This statement should not exceed 4500 characters, including spaces (approximately 750 words). Do not repeat the content from your AMCAS or Colorado Secondary Application essays.
• Describe the type of urban community health project that would be of greatest interest to you. Try to be as specific as possible regarding a particular culture or population of patients you are interested in and a topic you would like to study.
• Reasons for your interest in the CU-UNITE Urban Underserved track.
• If you have had a prior experience in an urban underserved community either volunteer, work-related, and/or personal, describe how this has impacted your decision to apply to this track.
• Describe how you plan to incorporate urban underserved health care into your career following completion of your schooling.
• You are a student spending your first summer working in an urban-underserved, uninsured community in Denver. You are on a field visit and notice a car that appears to be abandoned, but then on closer observation you notice that there are small children asleep in the back seat wearing dirty clothes with left over fast food on the floor boards. You notice a strong odor of urine and feces coming from the car. A woman is sitting under a tree nearby and is also poorly dressed and unkempt and appears to be in her last trimester of pregnancy. She has visible lesions on her legs and arms. Identify the needs that you see in this family from the perspective of a student working with urban underserved uninsured populations. Please describe how you would attempt to address the needs of this family both in context of their potential health issues and social situation.
• Rural Track (only if you select this optional track). Please limit your rural track essay to 1500 characters or less (about 300 words):
• Describe your experience in and commitment to rural Colorado and your vision of working as a primary care physician in rural Colorado.

2018 – 2019

This school requires CASPer (Computer Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics) as part of the medical school secondary application.

Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. If you are a reapplicant, please include information on how your application has changed. Please answer both parts in this single essay. Limit the essay to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

Below are the secondary essay prompts for the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

2017 – 2018.

• The University of Colorado School of Medicine strives to ensure that its students become respectful physicians who embrace all dimensions of caring for the whole person. Please describe how your personal characteristics or life experiences will contribute to the University of Colorado School of Medicine community and bring educational benefits to our student body. (1000 characters)
• Is there any further information that you would like the Committee on Admissions to be aware of when reviewing your file that you were not able to notate in another section of this or the AMCAS Application? (1000 characters)
• Why have you chosen to apply to the University of Colorado School of Medicine and how do you think your education at University of Colorado School of Medicine will prepare you to become a physician for the future? (1 page, formatted at your discretion, upload as PDF)

2016 – 2017

• Part A. The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.
• Part B. Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. If you are a reapplicant, please include information on how your application has changed. Please answer both parts in this single essay. Limit each essay to 1500 characters, including spaces.
• Part C. If you are a re-applicant, please explain how you and your application has changed since your previous submission. Limit each essay to 1500 characters, including spaces.
• (Optional) If after reviewing the information for these optional tracks you would like to apply to one of them, complete the essay for the track you wish to apply to in the appropriate box below. Limit each essay to 1500 characters, including spaces.

Secondary essay webcast with Dr. Jessica Freedman, founder and president of MedEdits Medical Admissions.   Read more about Dr. Freedman.

University of Colorado School of Medicine Secondary Application

Topics covered in this presentation:

• When should I submit my secondary essays?
• Pay attention to the word/character limits.
• Can I recycle secondary essay prompts for multiple schools?
• Identify topics that you left out of your primary application.
• And, much more.

University of Colorado School of Medicine Admissions Requirements

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Secondary Essay Prompts for Other Schools

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Secondary Essay Prompts By School

*Data collected from MSAR 2022-2023, 2022 Osteopathic Medical College Information Book, and institution website.

Disclaimer: The information on this page was shared by students and/or can be found on each medical school’s website. MedEdits does not guarantee it’s accuracy or authenticity.

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Secondary Essay Prompts – Mayo Medical School, Rochester, MN

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Ready, Set, Apply — Strategizing Your Secondary Prompts

By: Alessandra Santiago

In an earlier article of the Ready, Set, Apply series, we introduced how the secondary applications work. Typically, these are a set of essays that pre-med students receive after submitting their primary applications, waiting 4-6 weeks for administrative review by AMCAS, and passing the minimum GPA and MCAT requirements of the medical schools to which they have applied. For a student that applies to 30 schools, that can mean up to 30 secondary applications. At over 2-9 essays per secondary application, this can lead to a potentially staggering 270 prompts . How do you prepare to handle the flood of incoming essays? 

For starters, taking the 4-6 week administrative review period between the primary application submission and secondary application reception to compose answers to traditional secondary prompts is a good use of time. Expect to answer a few common questions that get at your motivation to become a physician and why each medical school to which you have applied can help you obtain your goals. With each prompt set between 2000-4000 characters, it is a good idea to compose a master document where you list your reasons for pursuing medicine as well as brainstorming why those reasons align with unique opportunities at each medical school.

Even with the huge number of prompts, there is a fair amount of overlap between the prompts sent out by each school, though they may need some tweaking to specify your answers to each school. Most medical schools will send out a combination of different types of prompts, but most of them are aimed at elucidating aspects of your experiences, goals, and identity that would make you a good fit for their school. Consider the following prompts as guideposts for your brainstorming process:

• Why do you want to attend this medical school?
• Describe a humbling or ethically challenging experience. What did you learn from it? How did you address it?
• Summarize what you did after you graduated from your undergraduate program.
• What diverse or unique element do you bring to our school?
• Do you feel that your academic record is a reflection of your abilities?
• If there was an identifiable person that influenced your career choice, who was it? How did they influence you?
• After receiving licensure, what are your goals as a physician?
• What are your interests outside of the field of medicine?
• From your primary application, please select and describe the activity that has directly influenced your decision to become a physician.

For the prompts asking about why you have chosen this particular school, make sure you have completed effective research on your list: what programs at each school make them stand out for you? How do they fit your personal goals? What about the school’s mission statement appeals to you? Make sure you answer each of these prompts with that specific school in mind.

Other prompts try to elucidate what you will uniquely offer to each school. This is where you can tie back to the theme of your primary application and Personal Statement, in addition to the mission of the school itself. If you have provided a specific description of your character as an applicant in your Personal Statement, use that description to highlight qualifications unique to you, and only you. This can help you answer what you bring that other applicants don’t.

Be honest, humble, and accurate when answering “personal challenges” prompts. You should not exaggerate the adversity you have experienced in your life, nor should you downplay what experiences you have overcome on your road to medical school. You want to highlight the types of challenges that have propelled you forward during your clinical experiences, your school work as a team leader, or your extracurricular activities. Above all else, focus on what you — and only you — bring to this school. Only you know your story. Tell it fully.

Finally, we have already addressed your strategies for which secondaries to get out first, but here is a quick reminder: be sure to submit within two weeks of receiving your secondaries , and focus on the schools you are most likely to attend. Don’t overload your efforts to submit secondaries for your reach schools at the expense of schools to which you may be more likely to be admitted. Avoid repeating experiences found elsewhere in your application materials, but do take the time to highlight important facets of your application that have not appeared elsewhere, like your cultural/familial background that drove you to medicine. With a methodical approach to preparing and editing your secondaries, your secondaries lay the foundations for a successful med school interview, which we will cover in the next article.

If you want to learn more about navigating the Pre-Med journey, check out our Getting Into Med School: Tips and Tricks Blog .

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