Now that primary applications are sent in and far out of our minds, take a moment to let yourselves breathe and relish in the fact that we are halfway through the medical school application process! So what comes next?

Before you start stressing about secondaries, take a moment to be proud of yourself for just submitting your primary medical school application! The application you just submitted encompasses years of your life, not just the number of hours you spent on your personal statement. This is a huge accomplishment.

The important takeaway is to not narrowly define what diversity means. Try to brainstorm and be creative about what makes you unique or different. The key aspect of this prompt is to connect the way in which you’re unique to the way that uniqueness will allow you to contribute to the school and incoming class.

This prompt is NOT just about what challenge you faced and your adversity is not being compared to other people’s. This prompt is trying to understand how you deal with stress and adversity, so the specific challenge itself does not matter as much.

This question is basically your opportunity to express your specific interest in the school and explain why you would be a good fit. The best way to do this is by connecting your experiences, passions, and interest to the mission and values of that institution.