2019-2020 UT Southwestern

[PapaGuava]

Please tag a pre-allo moderator when the second prompt is posted.

Good luck to everyone applying!

Interview Feedback: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School

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[swaggerdoodle]

Got the secondary on May 10th, 2019, around 8am or so.
Here are the prompts:

• Required:
  • Describe a group project or activity that you are most proud of. Consider the following in your response: What aspect makes you most proud? How was it accomplished? How did you deal with disagreement or conflict in the group? How did you get fellow group members to embrace a position or view your perspective? (2,500 characters)
  • Describe a time that you have witnessed someone acting unethically or dishonestly, or an experienced behavior of harassment or discrimination. Consider the following in your response: What did you do? What made the situation difficult for you personally? Describe your reaction and what you might do differently now in retrospect. (2,500 characters)
  • Describe an example of a very difficult assignment, task, or situation that you did not think you could accomplish. Consider the following in your response: How did you approach it? If you were tempted to quit, why did or didn’t you? What made you stay the course despite obstacles? What did you learn from the experience? (2,500 characters)
• Optional:
  • Have you engaged in any public service activities for a duration of one year or greater in length (examples: Military, Peace Corps, Teach for America, etc.). Yes or No? If so, please describe the experience and impact on your personal and professional development. (Optional) (2,500 characters)
  • Please explain any academic discrepancies or extenuating circumstances that you feel the Admissions Committee should know. (Optional) (2,500 characters)

If I failed to tag a pre-allo moderator by mistake, just let me know and I can fix this post.

 

[rtb43]

How much is the fee to submit the secondary app?

 

[deleted927529]

How much is the fee to submit the secondary app?

UTSW has no fee. (I know, right?)

 

[esob]

UTSW has no fee. (I know, right?)

The fee is the 6 pages of writing you do to fill out the secondary prompts, lol.

 

[issh4335]

Which secondary prompt would be appropriate to talk about ties to the school? As an OOS student, is it important to express that I do have ties?

 

[esob]

Which secondary prompt would be appropriate to talk about ties to the school? As an OOS student, is it important to express that I do have ties?

If your ties to the school don't fit neatly into any of those prompts, I would suggest you don't try to force it. My personal opinion is that ties to the school probably don't make a difference. OOS that get accepted to UTSW are simply going to have beastmode stats (519 avg MCAT and 3.93 avg GPA) and probably heavy research backgrounds.

My MCAT was low but still in their bottom 10th percentile, while my GPA was at their 90th percentile. I had two LORS from school faculty, and two publications with them and didn't get an invite as in in-state applicant, so, at least n=1, ties to the school didn't seem to help. I finished the cycle with ~13 invites, so my application was apparently decent. Thus, I would say to just write your best essay and not worry about trying to shape it around the fact that you have ties there.

 

[Agentcross]

How should I approach the military prompt when TMDSAS added this question as part of the primary?

 

[wysdoc]

How should I approach the military prompt when TMDSAS added this question as part of the primary?

Can you bring out a different quality that your military experience has brought out in you? Since you already wrote about it in the primary you might not need all the words alotted but see where your ideas take you.

 

[Agentcross]

Can you bring out a different quality that your military experience has brought out in you? Since you already wrote about it in the primary you might not need all the words alotted but see where your ideas take you.

I am sure I could. I am just worried about repeating things I have already said in my PS, primary, and activity descriptions. My primary military essay focused quite a bit on diversity and confidence. My activity descriptions contain a lot of leadership qualities. While typing my response to this, I just thought of something. I think I am going to write about teamwork/collaboration. I was told to avoid discussing the actual medical skills/knowledge because civilian medicine is vastly different and I was not a military doctor, which I understand.

 

[Belphegor]

Got the secondary on May 10th, 2019, around 8am or so.
Here are the prompts:

• Required:
  • Describe a group project or activity that you are most proud of. Consider the following in your response: What aspect makes you most proud? How was it accomplished? How did you deal with disagreement or conflict in the group? How did you get fellow group members to embrace a position or view your perspective? (2,500 characters)
  • Describe a time that you have witnessed someone acting unethically or dishonestly, or an experienced behavior of harassment or discrimination. Consider the following in your response: What did you do? What made the situation difficult for you personally? Describe your reaction and what you might do differently now in retrospect. (2,500 characters)
  • Describe an example of a very difficult assignment, task, or situation that you did not think you could accomplish. Consider the following in your response: How did you approach it? If you were tempted to quit, why did or didn’t you? What made you stay the course despite obstacles? What did you learn from the experience? (2,500 characters)
• Optional:
  • Have you engaged in any public service activities for a duration of one year or greater in length (examples: Military, Peace Corps, Teach for America, etc.). Yes or No? If so, please describe the experience and impact on your personal and professional development. (Optional) (2,500 characters)
  • Please explain any academic discrepancies or extenuating circumstances that you feel the Admissions Committee should know. (Optional) (2,500 characters)

If I failed to tag a pre-allo moderator by mistake, just let me know and I can fix this post.

So happy to see the character limits aren’t 5,000 this cycle.

 

[StarSpangled]

Would volunteer EMT part-time for two years be an experience I should address in the first optional essay? It’s certainly not the military or peace corps, nor was it full-time, but I guess it was a “public service”?

 

[texasvandy]

Would volunteer EMT part-time for two years be an experience I should address in the first optional essay? It’s certainly not the military or peace corps, nor was it full-time, but I guess it was a “public service”?

The choices of service listed are all full time and paid albeit not fully compensated since they defer some money to future education grants. EMT is a volunteer and a different type of experience when it is part time.

 

[thegrind33]

Has anyone gotten an II leaving part essay 4 about service blank? I have done service for well over a year but not peace corp or military

 

[brownPiano]

Has anyone gotten an II leaving part essay 4 about service blank? I have done service for well over a year but not peace corp or military

I said " no I have not" and left it. My other essays I thought were well done. Hopefully that gets me through...they're a research powerhouse so hopefully they like the strength of research in my app.

 

[texasvandy]

Has anyone gotten an II leaving part essay 4 about service blank? I have done service for well over a year but not peace corp or military

This is a very specialized area and the school is not looking for everyone to take a gap year to fulfill this requirement. They are identifying people who did this type of service to give them additional consideration.

 

[MDFUTURE123]

Does UTSW give secondaries to just about everyone?

 

[penicillinman]

Does UTSW give secondaries to just about everyone?

Yes I believe so

 

[wysdoc]

Does UTSW give secondaries to just about everyone?

@MDFUTURE123 last year UTSW had instructed that you could just get the link and did not need to wait for an invitation.

This year they may be screening first and sending invitations. I don't know what their screen criteria are.

Secondary app information here:
Secondary Applications

 

[clutchtho]

@MDFUTURE123 last year UTSW had instructed that you could just get the link and did not need to wait for an invitation.

This year they may be screening first and sending invitations. I don't know what their screen criteria are.

Secondary app information here:
Secondary Applications

Hey Wysdoc, I was wondering are you a mod here full time? You are super helpful and you're everywhere and i was wondering how that's possible

 

[wysdoc]

Hey Wysdoc, I was wondering are you a mod here full time? You are super helpful and you're everywhere and i was wondering how that's possible

LOL thanks, I have way too much spare time sometimes and I've spent the last 3 years becoming the go-to person for Texas questions.
Since the Texas system is a little different it takes time to get it figured out. I'm not on any admissions committee.

 

[penicillinman]

Got this email from utsw, is this generic or does this mean Im going to the back of the pile :

Thank you for applying to UT Southwestern. Your medical school application is now complete. It is difficult to anticipate when you might hear from us regarding the status of your application. There is no additional information you need to provide to us at this time. If you are selected for an interview, we will contact you via email.

 

[wysdoc]

Got this email from utsw, is this generic or does this mean Im going to the back of the pile :

Thank you for applying to UT Southwestern. Your medical school application is now complete. It is difficult to anticipate when you might hear from us regarding the status of your application. There is no additional information you need to provide to us at this time. If you are selected for an interview, we will contact you via email.

This is generic, but nice to know all your app and supporting documents are in place. UTSW is pretty quiet and silent throughout the app season so don't take it the wrong way. They generally are a little later than other TX schools with their first interview invites (think August rather than July).

 

[Etopn23]

Got this email from utsw, is this generic or does this mean Im going to the back of the pile :

Thank you for applying to UT Southwestern. Your medical school application is now complete. It is difficult to anticipate when you might hear from us regarding the status of your application. There is no additional information you need to provide to us at this time. If you are selected for an interview, we will contact you via email.

I got the same email on 6/1. I think they send that to everyone that's complete.

 

[LALAlandDOC]

Is anyone’s link to their secondary not working. I can’t get it to go to the create account website. Does anyone have it?

 

[Belphegor]

Is anyone’s link to their secondary not working. I can’t get it to go to the create account website. Does anyone have it?

I think mine sent me to a log in page but there was a button I had to click to change the log in box to a create an account box. Maybe I’m confusing it with another secondary tho.

 

[LALAlandDOC]

I think mine sent me to a log in page but there was a button I had to click to change the log in box to a create an account box. Maybe I’m confusing it with another secondary tho.

Mine says can’t find page

 

[yaboi98]

Is it okay to leave this topic blank? And if not, does anyone have recommendations on what to write?
"Please explain any academic discrepancies or extenuating circumstances that you feel the Admissions Committee should know. (Optional)"

 

[wysdoc]

Is it okay to leave this topic blank? And if not, does anyone have recommendations on what to write?
"Please explain any academic discrepancies or extenuating circumstances that you feel the Admissions Committee should know. (Optional)"

Yes, leave blank or write “not applicable” if there’s nothing relevant to you.

 

[yaboi98]

What qualifies as a public service activity for the fourth question? I work under my university as a student who provides peer academic support, and I'm wondering if this can count because I'm employed by a public institution.

 

[Skittsie13]

What qualifies as a public service activity for the fourth question? I work under my university as a student who provides peer academic support, and I'm wondering if this can count because I'm employed by a public institution.

I think it implies a full-time service experience. The examples they give are like TFA, Peace Corps, etc. I don't think tutoring is quite the same thing.

 

[yaboi98]

I figured, I just felt like it wouldn't be a good idea to leave it blank but at the same time I don't want to put something that's not applicable to what's being asked.

 

[zeerabiscuit]

For #2, would it be ok to talk about a classmate telling you they cheated on a test, but not doing anything? (It was minor and I was a freshman and I would write about how I would report it if I could do it over)

 

[m1515]

For "Describe a time that you have witnessed someone acting unethically or dishonestly, or an experienced behavior of harassment or discrimination. Consider the following in your response: What did you do? What made the situation difficult for you personally? Describe your reaction and what you might do differently now in retrospect."

Is it ok to talk about something I did not "witness" but still knew about? (i.e. my college athletic team had a strict no drinking policy and I was on the leadership team and learned that some of my team was drinking the week of playoffs but I did not directly witness it?)

 

[wysdoc]

For "Describe a time that you have witnessed someone acting unethically or dishonestly, or an experienced behavior of harassment or discrimination. Consider the following in your response: What did you do? What made the situation difficult for you personally? Describe your reaction and what you might do differently now in retrospect."

Is it ok to talk about something I did not "witness" but still knew about? (i.e. my college athletic team had a strict no drinking policy and I was on the leadership team and learned that some of my team was drinking the week of playoffs but I did not directly witness it?)

It says something you witnessed. This event sounds too second-hand and remote from you. See if you can recall any personal instances where you stayed a passive bystander but later regretted not saying /doing something?

 

[deleted958760]

For the second prompt, i really can't think of anything to write. would it be alright to talk about how another undergrad in my research lab used to do other things in lab that she wasn't supposed to be (watching netflix, doing hw, etc...), leading her to make a ton of mistakes with data entry? i initially didn't say anything even though i watched her do these other things. i eventually spoke up when i noticed a lot of consistent mistakes she had made, but i never said anything about her watching netflix and such.

 

[yaboi98]

For the group activity prompt, would it be appropriate to talk about my intramural basketball experience and the impact playing on a team competitively for the first time had on me? I do have some academically related topics, but they've either been mentioned in my primary app or I don't feel like I can get a good essay out of it.

 

[JustAUser]

For the second prompt, i really can't think of anything to write. would it be alright to talk about how another undergrad in my research lab used to do other things in lab that she wasn't supposed to be (watching netflix, doing hw, etc...), leading her to make a ton of mistakes with data entry? i initially didn't say anything even though i watched her do these other things. i eventually spoke up when i noticed a lot of consistent mistakes she had made, but i never said anything about her watching netflix and such.

I think it should be fine depending on how you word it.
I saw a fellow lab member not participating and instead watching netflix in the lab... However, when I saw she was making many errors and the quality of our research was being undermined, I spoke to the PI..

Something like that with more details would be good

For the group activity prompt, would it be appropriate to talk about my intramural basketball experience and the impact playing on a team competitively for the first time had on me? I do have some academically related topics, but they've either been mentioned in my primary app or I don't feel like I can get a good essay out of it.

Did you accomplish anything? Perhaps go on to win the tournament? Was there any disagreement or conflict that you had to overcome?
If it's able to address the prompt and answer all the questions, you should be fine.

 

[texasvandy]

Does anyone know what date applications TMDSAS is currently processing?

 

[yaboi98]

Does anyone know what date applications TMDSAS is currently processing?

According to their Twitter, today they're processing apps submitted on 6/13

 

[texasvandy]

According to their Twitter, today they're processing apps submitted on 6/13

Thank you. An email response said it can take upto 6 weeks which was quite worrisome.

 

[clutchtho]

did southwestern change the length of their secondaries from 5000 to 2500 since last cycle? or is the 2500 characters a minimum lol

 

[wysdoc]

did southwestern change the length of their secondaries from 5000 to 2500 since last cycle? or is the 2500 characters a minimum lol

Changed the length. You can get to the point faster and embellish less! LOL

 

[clutchtho]

Changed the length. You can get to the point faster and embellish less! LOL

thank god

 

[krish2012]

I got an email when I was complete

 

[krish2012]

No I'm missing an extra LOR, I have my committee letter in though

 

[ljdkfhans]

My application was transmitted to UTSW on 06/11. I have gotten some sort of email communication from all of the texas medical schools except for UTSW and UTMB. Is it typical to be waiting this long to hear anything back from them?

It usually takes a few weeks to hear back from UTMB after your application is transmitted.

 

[Lunatunes]

welp, I guess I have no choice but to wait hahaha

My app transmitted on June 12th, I got a received email from UTSW the next day with secondary information in it.

 

[appropriatepeanut]

Has anyone received an interview invite yet? They said they start giving them out in July according to their website and now my neurotic side is kicking in haha.

 

[Lunatunes]

Has anyone received an interview invite yet? They said they start giving them out in July according to their website and now my neurotic side is kicking in haha.

In the past it’s August 1st.