University of Massachusetts School of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts

Q1) Please respond to four of the following seven prompts related to competencies that are important for a physician to possess. (150 words/item, 600 words/total; please use the text box below for your answer, separate each of your four responses by writing the competency above/before your response; example: Teamwork – All teams have their struggles but they can be overcome…)

1) Describe a time when you have made a decision that was not popular and how you handled this. (Leadership competency)

2) Describe a time when you were on a team that was dysfunctional in some regard. How did you address the situation? (Teamwork)

3) Describe a meaningful interaction you have had with a person whom you have helped at work, school or another activity. (Empathy/Compassion)

4) Have you ever been in the middle of a situation where there was poor communication? What did you do to improve it? (Communication)

5) Describe a time when you have “thought outside the box” to solve a problem. (Inquiry)

6) Describe a time when you suffered a setback. How did you respond to this challenge? (Persistence/Grit)

7) Describe a challenging time when you advocated for someone. (Advocacy/Cultural Competence)

Q2) Please discuss any part of your application that you feel requires further explanation – for example, grades or MCAT scores that do not reflect your true ability, a gap in time that is not explained elsewhere in your application. If you are reapplying to UMass SOM, highlight how you have strengthened your application. (250 word limit)

Q3) If you have participated in UMass SOM or UMass Memorial Health Care, or UMMS Baystate sponsored programs (SEP, Summer Research Program, Worcester Pipeline Collaborative, AHEC, BaccMD, HSPP, Academic Internships, BSEP, Summer Scholars) please describe how these programs helped you decide to apply to UMass SOM. (200 word limit)

Q4) Why are you interested in UMass SOM? What will you bring to your class and the SOM community? (200 word limit)

Q5) If you are currently taking a gap year, in what activities are you engaged? (200 word limit)