Secondary Essay Prompts Database

University of Southern California (USC) Keck School of Medicine (Los Angeles, CA)

These are the secondary application essay prompts for University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. To put your best foot forward and maximize your chance of an interview invitation, visit our secondary application editing page.
Program Overview

University of Southern California (USC) Keck School of Medicine (Los Angeles, CA)

Secondary Deadline
December 1, 2026
Secondary Fee
$100
FAP Waiver
Yes
Casper Required
No
Screens Applications
Yes
Accepts Application Updates
No
Mission

We are dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals and society by promoting health, preventing and curing disease, advancing biomedical research and educating tomorrow’s physicians and scientists.

  • Groundbreaking discoveries in basic science clinical research
  • Excellence in educating the next generation of academic clinicians and basic scientists
  • Advanced university-level patient care with breakthroughs that fundamentally change the practice of medicine
Vision

Our vision is to be the heart of the most influential medical center of the Pacific Rim, resulting in an extraordinary transformation in the ways we understand, treat and cure diseases, thus improving the quality of life for individuals and families.

Values

We invite you to support the school’s outstanding medical research, patient care programs and medical education. We greatly appreciate your support and partnership as we strive to realize this vision.

Application Cycles
2026-2027
Application Cycle
All questions have a 250-word limit.
  1. The following questions allow the Admissions Committee to become acquainted with you as an individual. Please answer the questions in 3-5 sentences. Each answer must be 65 words or less (max 550 characters).
  • What is the most fun you’ve had lately?
  • If you had to give yourself a nickname, what would it be?
  • What are three things you don’t care about at all?
  • Describe a situation in which you didn’t get something you felt you deserved.
  1. Is there anything else you would like us to know? Please respond in 200 words or less (max 1400 characters).
2025-2026
Application Cycle
All questions have a 250-word limit.
  1. The following questions allow the Admissions Committee to become acquainted with you as an individual. Please answer the questions in 3-5 sentences. Each answer must be 65 words or less (max 550 characters).
  • What is the most fun you’ve had lately?
  • If you had to give yourself a nickname, what would it be?
  • What are three things you don’t care about at all?
  • Describe a situation in which you didn’t get something you felt you deserved.
  1. Is there anything else you would like us to know? Please respond in 200 words or less (max 1400 characters).
2024-2025
Application Cycle
All questions have a 250-word limit.

The following questions allow the Admissions Committee to become acquainted with you as an individual. Please answer the questions in 3-5 sentences. Each answer must be 65 words or less (max. 550 characters).

1. What is the most fun you’ve had lately?

2. If you had to give yourself a nickname, what would it be?

3. What are three things you don’t care about at all?

4. Describe a situation in which you didn’t get something you felt you deserved.

5. Have you previously applied to or attended medical school (M.D. , D.O., international)? Yes/No

6. If you answered yes, please provide an explanation on what occurred with your application process or previous matriculation to medical school.

7. Is there anything else you would like us to know? Please respond in 200 words or less (max. 1,400 characters)

2023-2024
Application Cycle
All questions have a 250-word limit.

1. What is the most fun you’ve had lately? (65 word limit)

2. If you had to give yourself a nickname, what would it be? (65 word limit)

3. What are three things you don’t care about at all? (65 word limit)

4. Describe a situation in which you didn’t get something you felt you deserved. (65 word limit)

5. Are you a member of a group that is under-represented in medicine? (If yes) Which Group? How does under-representation affect your community? (200 word limit)

6. Have you previously applied to medical school (M.D. , D.O., international)? (If yes) Upon reflection, what do you think went wrong? (200 word limit)

7. (Optional): Is there anything else you would like us to know? If yes, please answer the question in 200 words or less.

Make Your Secondary Application Stand Out

The secondary application is just as important as the primary. We'll make sure you get it right.