Updated
Secondary Essay Examples: Real Prompts From 17 Schools
Below are 60 real secondary essay prompts from 17 medical schools (16 MD, 1 DO), each quoted exactly from the school's own admissions page with the limit the school states. Six of them come with an annotated outline of what a strong answer covers. The outlines are ours, and none is a full essay, so what you write stays your own.
For the prompt types, timing and how to pre-write, read our medical school secondary essays guide.
Secondary prompts by school
Most schools here are MD programs. Few DO schools we checked post their prompts publicly as of October 2026. Of these schools, 8 count every limit in characters and 7 in words. Tap a school for its prompts. Some schools ask more questions for specific tracks or programs, so the school's page has the full list.
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine2026-27 · 5 prompts · character limits
“Personal Challenge: The Admissions Committee is interested in gaining more insight into you as a person. Please describe a significant personal challenge you have faced that helped shape you as a person. Examples may include a moral or ethical dilemma, a situation of personal adversity, or a hurdle in your life that you worked hard to overcome. Please include how you got through the experience and what you learned about yourself as a result.”
2,000 characters
“Context of Care: Describe an experience (or experiences) that changed how you understand the relationship between a person's health and the conditions of their life.”
1,500 characters
“Career Goals: What does your ideal career entail fifteen years after medical school graduation?”
1,000 characters · Optional or for some applicants
“If applicable, please reflect on the time you are taking between college graduation and medical school matriculation, including why you chose to take a gap/growth year(s) and what you will be doing or have done during this time.”
1,000 characters · Optional or for some applicants
“Is there any further information that you wish to share with the Admissions Committee that may not be captured in the rest of your application?”
2,000 characters · Optional or for some applicants
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
University of Michigan Medical School2026-27 · 4 prompts · character limits
“How do you hope to impact medicine and improve patient care in the future? Why do you need a medical degree to fulfill these goals?”
1,500 characters with spaces
“Please describe the impact of your identity and experiences on your growth and development, and how it may impact your career as a physician.”
1,500 characters with spaces
“The University of Michigan Medical School strives to be a place of empowerment, advocacy and change in health care. What experiences have you had in empowerment and advocacy for others that would help to advance this mission?”
1,500 characters with spaces
“Outside of medicine, and beyond what we can read in your application, tell us what you are curious about or what you have chosen to explore.”
1,500 characters with spaces
University of Michigan Medical School admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine2026-27 admissions page · 4 prompts · word limits
“Please reflect on the upbringing, background, and experiences in your life that have shaped who you are as a person and will help define the person you want to be in the future. In other words, what makes you who you are?”
800 words
“Tell us about a time when you interacted with someone who is different than you. What did you learn? Would you do anything differently and if so, what?”
600 words
“It is important to understand that everyone needs help at various times in their lives. Reflecting on the last five years, describe a time you asked for help and what you gained from that experience that has influenced your approach to asking for help.”
600 words
“Optional: Please briefly summarize your activities since graduating from college. If you are still enrolled in undergraduate studies, please comment on any new projects, roles or initiatives undertaken since submitting your AMCAS application”
200 words · Optional or for some applicants
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine2027 cycle page · 3 prompts · word limits
“At Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, we seek students whose values align with our mission to put the needs of the patient first. Please share why you would like to study medicine at our school, including specifically why at the top campus track you selected.”
500 words
“Reflect on how your professional and lived experiences have shaped your identity. Tell us how these experiences will help you contribute to a collaborative learning environment, support your patients and colleagues, and advance Mayo Clinic's commitment to excellence.”
500 words
“Mayo Clinic's Bold. Forward. strategy integrates digital innovation with a deeply humanistic approach to transform healthcare. What role do you see yourself playing in shaping this future? Describe the skills, experiences, or aspirations in artificial intelligence and innovation that prepare you to contribute meaningfully to this transformation.”
500 words
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
NYU Grossman School of MedicineNo cycle year on the page · 3 prompts · character limits
“If applicable, please comment on significant fluctuations in your academic record.”
No limit stated · Optional or for some applicants
“If you have taken any time off from your studies- before, during, or after college- please describe what you did during that time and your reasons for doing so.”
No limit stated · Optional or for some applicants
“Medical training demands continuous improvement. Share an example of feedback you received that was difficult to hear. How did you act on it, and what changed as a result?”
2,500 characters
NYU Grossman School of Medicine admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
The Ohio State University College of Medicine2027 admission cycle · 3 prompts · word limits
“Describe an experience that shaped your understanding of health inequities in the United States. What factors were involved, and how did this experience influence your perspective or actions?”
250 words
“The mission statement of The Ohio State University College of Medicine is to "improve people's lives" through innovation in research, medical education, and patient care. Describe experiences that best demonstrate your potential to contribute meaningfully to two of these areas. What did you learn through these experiences, and how do they shape your goals as a future physician?”
250 words
“What interests you about training in a smaller city in a rural setting? Have you ever lived in a similar setting? How do you hope this environment will shape your development as a physician?”
250 words · Optional or for some applicants
The Ohio State University College of Medicine admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
University of Cincinnati College of MedicineNo cycle year on the page · 3 prompts · character limits
“Mission Fit: Describe your interest in the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Which opportunities or resources would you pursue as a student, and why are they important to your goals?”
Page says “with a total of 2000 characters”
“Personal Growth: Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee. (This could include explanation of metric trends, institutional actions, legal violations, etc.). You may answer N/A if there are no concerns you would like to discuss.”
Page says “with a total of 2000 characters” · Optional or for some applicants
“Are you a UCCOM re-applicant? Explain how you and your application have changed since your previous submission, and tell us what you have learned along the way.”
Page says “with a total of 2000 characters” · Optional or for some applicants
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
University of Nevada, Reno School of MedicineNo cycle year on the page · 4 prompts · word limits
“Why UNR Med? Please share why you want to pursue your medical education at UNR Med. Describe any connections to Northern Nevada communities and how you are prepared to contribute to UNR Med's vision of "A Healthy Nevada."”
300 words
“Teamwork Challenge: Describe a time when you were part of a team that was struggling to meet objectives. How did you react? What would you do differently? What did you take away from this experience that will influence your approach to working on a team in the future?”
300 words
“Failure or Crisis: Describe a time when you faced a significant life crisis or an academic, personal, or professional failure. How did you respond, what did you learn, and how did the experience influence your future actions?”
300 words
“Optional: You are invited to provide a brief statement regarding anything not previously addressed or disclosed in your application that you would like considered during the review of your application.”
500 words · Optional or for some applicants
University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences2026-27 dates on the page · 4 prompts · character limits
“Describe an ethical dilemma that presented itself to you. Identify your choices, potential consequences and your resolution of the dilemma. In hindsight, what did you learn about yourself?”
1,200 characters
“Describe and reflect on a specific experience you have had with people of a different socioeconomic, ethnic, racial, cultural or religious/spiritual background than yourself. What preconceived notions did you have prior to the experience? How did the experience challenge your preconceived notions?”
1,200 characters
“Reflect on your role in a particularly impactful leadership or team experience in which your efforts resulted in a meaningful outcome.”
1,200 characters
“What are your career plans if you do not ever get admitted to medical school?”
600 characters
University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
University of Georgia School of Medicine2027 matriculants' cycle · 4 prompts · word limits
“What draws you to the University of Georgia School of Medicine, and in what ways have your experiences prepared you to contribute to and serve communities across Georgia?”
300 words
“Career Celebration (300 words): Imagine you've reached the end of a fulfilling and impactful career. A trusted colleague or mentee is delivering a speech in your honor at a celebration of your professional life. What would you want them to say about the kind of work you did, the values you embodied, the relationships you built, and the legacy you left behind?”
300 words
“Academic Journey (300 words): Tell us about the decisions and experiences that have defined your academic journey. This space is for you to provide context for any element of your academic history that you believe would help us better understand your path, persistence, and personal growth.”
300 words
“Reflection (300 words): What are the core values that guide you? Describe a time when those values were challenged, either by circumstances or by encountering someone whose perspectives differed from your own. How did you respond, and what did you learn about yourself in the process?”
300 words
University of Georgia School of Medicine admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine2026-27 · 3 prompts · no limits stated
“Reflect on a trait or characteristic you are proud of that you feel is most vulnerable to being lost on your journey to becoming a physician. How do you plan to protect it?”
No limit stated
“Describe a time when doing the "right" thing conflicted with rules, authority, or expectations. How did you handle it?”
No limit stated
“Beyond the rise of AI, what do you consider the greatest challenge facing your generation, and how do you plan to address it?”
No limit stated
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
Burnett School of Medicine at TCU2026-27 cycle page · 3 prompts · word limits
“Which trait do you think you embody most and how will that be valuable to patient care?”
250 to 300 words
“Which trait might you need to improve upon? How will you improve in this area and how will this be of value in your role as a physician?”
250 to 300 words
“Describe any personal qualities and/or lived experiences that add context to your application that shape who you are as an individual and aspiring healthcare leader.”
250 to 300 words
Burnett School of Medicine at TCU admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine2027 matriculation page · 4 prompts · character limits
“Please explain both of the following: 1) The specific reason(s) you have chosen to apply to WMed and 2) how you will utilize the unique features of WMed's mission, vision, and curriculum to achieve your career goals.”
2,000 characters
“What unique values, skills, talents, and/or life experiences will you bring to WMed and the practice of medicine?”
2,000 characters
“Optional: Please explain any connection you have to Southwest Michigan.”
2,000 characters · Optional or for some applicants
“Optional: Is there any additional information not included elsewhere in your application you would like the admissions committee to know?”
2,000 characters · Optional or for some applicants
Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine (Belmont University)2026-27 · 3 prompts · character limits
“As a newer medical school, our students will help shape a new culture and build lasting community. Reflect on a time when you embraced ambiguity, sharing specific examples where you contributed to creating a culture of growth, collaboration, and adaptability.”
2,000 characters
“Our curriculum centers around a whole-person approach to healing in a community of service learning, inspired by the love and grace of Christ. Discuss how your spiritual experiences, faith, or personal beliefs have influenced your life and your decision to pursue medicine as a career.”
2,000 characters
“Reapplicants only - Describe the changes to your application from previous cycles - include developments to your academics, experiences, and/or personal attributes.”
2,000 characters · Optional or for some applicants
Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine (Belmont University) admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
Medical College of Wisconsin2027 cycle · 4 prompts · character limits
“How will MCW uniquely prepare you for your future goals?”
1,000 characters
“Recount a time when you made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”
2,000 characters
“Describe a time where you entered a new environment or situation, how you adapted, what you learned, and how that experience helped you grow in your ability to serve others and contribute to MCW's missions during your education.”
2,000 characters
“Please explain how your application has changed since your last application to MCW Medical School.”
2,000 characters · Optional or for some applicants
Medical College of Wisconsin admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of MedicineUpdated each April (school's note) · 3 prompts · word limits
“Describe a meaningful setback in your academic, professional, or personal journey. How did you respond, and how has that experience shaped the habits, skills, and mindset you have developed to succeed in medical school?”
No limit stated
“Have you experienced any road bumps in your academic career? (low academic performance, dropping, retaking, or failing courses, etc.)”
250 words · Optional or for some applicants
“Please share with us your ideal practice. For example: Where would you practice? Who would your patients be? What would your specialty be?”
100 words
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)Entering class of 2027 page · 3 prompts · no limits stated
“There are philosophical and tangible differences between osteopathic and allopathic medicine. Describe what being an osteopathic physician means to you, and what qualities make a good osteopathic physician. What have you done to gain knowledge and experience of osteopathic medicine?”
No limit stated
“Describe the community in which you were nurtured or spent the majority of your early development. What core values did you receive and how will these translate into the contributions you hope to make to your community as a medical student and later as a physician?”
No limit stated · Optional or for some applicants
“There are multiple paths that lead to medical school and many obstacles along the way. Please describe the unique path that has led you to medicine as well as any obstacle or adversity that you had to overcome in achieving this goal. How will this experience affect your career as a physician?”
No limit stated · Optional or for some applicants
Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine admissions page, read October 27, 2026.
Writing to one of these prompts? Confetto's Essay Coach reviews personal statements and secondaries and gives you a score and notes on your exact lines.
Annotated outlines for six prompts
Each outline lists what a strong answer covers, in order, and the most common way answers to that prompt fall short. These are our outlines, not full essays.
Michigan: what you are curious about (1,500 characters with spaces)
“Outside of medicine, and beyond what we can read in your application, tell us what you are curious about or what you have chosen to explore.”
University of Michigan Medical School
Our outline, not a full essay
- One interest, named in the first line: a craft, a question, a language, a sport, a subject you read about on your own.
- A concrete detail that shows how far you have gone with it, such as something you made, practiced or found out.
- What keeps pulling you back, in your own words.
- A light link to the kind of doctor or classmate it makes you, kept to a sentence or two.
Where answers fall short: Turning it back into a medicine essay. The prompt says outside of medicine and beyond your application.
Case Western: context of care (1,500 characters)
“Context of Care: Describe an experience (or experiences) that changed how you understand the relationship between a person's health and the conditions of their life.”
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Our outline, not a full essay
- One patient, client or community you worked with, described with care and without identifying details.
- The condition of their life that shaped their health: cost, housing, transport, work, language or something else you saw.
- What you believed before and what changed.
- What you now do differently, or will do as a student.
Where answers fall short: Writing about health inequity in general terms. The prompt asks for an experience that changed your understanding.
Vanderbilt: a time you asked for help (600 words)
“It is important to understand that everyone needs help at various times in their lives. Reflecting on the last five years, describe a time you asked for help and what you gained from that experience that has influenced your approach to asking for help.”
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Our outline, not a full essay
- A time in the last five years when you needed help, set up in two or three sentences.
- Why asking was hard for you, honestly.
- Who you asked, how, and what happened.
- How you ask for help now, with one example since.
Where answers fall short: Picking a moment where you helped someone else. The prompt asks about a time you asked for help.
Cincinnati: mission fit
“Mission Fit: Describe your interest in the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Which opportunities or resources would you pursue as a student, and why are they important to your goals?”
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Our outline, not a full essay
- One or two specific programs or resources at the school, named the way the school names them.
- For each, the experience of yours that makes it a fit.
- What you would do with it as a student.
- How it moves you toward the goal you describe elsewhere in your application.
Where answers fall short: Praise that would fit any school. If you could swap in another school's name, the answer is too general.
UNR: teamwork challenge (300 words)
“Teamwork Challenge: Describe a time when you were part of a team that was struggling to meet objectives. How did you react? What would you do differently? What did you take away from this experience that will influence your approach to working on a team in the future?”
University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine
Our outline, not a full essay
- The team, the goal and why it was slipping, in a few lines.
- Your first reaction, including what you got wrong.
- What you did next and how the team responded.
- What you would do differently, which the prompt asks for directly.
- The habit you carry into teams now.
Where answers fall short: Skipping the question about what you would do differently, or making yourself the hero of every step.
Ohio University Heritage (DO): what being a DO means
“There are philosophical and tangible differences between osteopathic and allopathic medicine. Describe what being an osteopathic physician means to you, and what qualities make a good osteopathic physician. What have you done to gain knowledge and experience of osteopathic medicine?”
Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Our outline, not a full essay
- What being an osteopathic physician means to you, in your own words.
- The qualities you think make a good DO, tied to someone you observed if you can.
- What you have done to learn about osteopathic medicine: shadowing, conversations, reading, events.
- Where you see yourself fitting in that picture.
Where answers fall short: Answering only the first question. This prompt asks three things, so check each one is covered.
How to use these examples
- Find your schools above, or on each school's own page if it isn't listed. Prompts can change between cycles, so check the cycle label.
- Note each limit and whether it counts words or characters before you draft.
- Pick one story per prompt from your own experiences, then outline it the way the examples above do.
- Write, cut to the limit, and read it aloud to hear whether it sounds like you.
Reuse the story, not the essay. The AAMC's advisor article says “you must resist the urge to take that similarity as an invitation to send the same answer.” For why-us prompts, our “Why this medical school?” guide shows how to research a school, and the same reasons carry into your interview. Start from your personal statement and add what it leaves out.
Sources: the admissions pages of the 17 schools linked above and the AAMC Advisor Corner on secondary applications. Prompts and limits are quoted exactly. Outlines are ours. All checked October 27, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find real secondary essay examples?
Start with each school's own admissions page, where many post their prompts and limits before invitations. This page collects prompts from schools that do, with links. We give outlines rather than full essays, so your answer stays in your own words.
How long are medical school secondary essays?
It depends on the school. On this page, limits run from 100 words or less (Texas Tech's ideal practice question) to 800 words maximum (Vanderbilt), and from 600 characters (North Dakota) to 2,500 characters (NYU). Check whether a school counts words or characters, and whether spaces count.
Do DO schools have secondary essays?
They can. Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, for example, asks every applicant for at least two essays, including one on what being an osteopathic physician means to you.
Can I reuse secondary essays for different schools?
Reuse the story, not the essay. The AAMC's advisor article tells applicants to resist sending the same answer to similar questions. Keep your core experience and change the details you stress to fit each school's prompt and mission.