September 23, 2025
Written By
Michael Minh Le
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As a premed, there’s a moment when the excitement of “I want to be a doctor” meets the overwhelming reality of how to actually get there. You start researching the application process and suddenly, it’s not just about GPA and the MCAT. There’s the personal statement, letters of recommendations, and medical school secondary essays.
Dozens of them. With tight deadlines, vague prompts, and an unspoken pressure to sound impressive and authentic.
That’s exactly what this guide is here to clear up. We’ll walk through the fundamentals: what secondaries are, when they show up, how many you’ll face, and how fast you need to respond. Then we’ll break down the only six types of essays you’ll actually need to write, and show you how to prep smart before you write a single sentence.
At Premed Catalyst, we don’t leave your application to chance. Our medical school admissions consulting is built around a team-based approach that guides you through every stage of the process, including secondary essays. If you’re serious about getting in this cycle, we’ll show you how to make your story unforgettable. Plus, if you don’t get in, we work with you again for free.
Book a free call here.
When people talk about applying to med school, they usually focus on the “primary application,” like your GPA, MCAT, personal statement, activities, and letters of recommendation. But that’s only step one.
After you submit your primary, most schools send you a second wave of essays called secondary applications.
These aren’t optional.
They’re a huge part of the admissions process, and if you're not prepared, they can completely derail your shot at acceptance.
Here’s what you need to know about medical school secondary essays before you write them, so you’re not blindsided when they hit your inbox.
Think of the primary app as your general resume. It goes out to every school. Secondaries are where each school gets specific.
They want to know: Why us? Why this school? Why should we give you one of our few interview spots?
These essays are your chance to show that you understand the school’s values, curriculum, patient population, and mission, and that you’re not just applying to every med school.
It’s about fit.
Once your primary application is verified (which can take a few weeks after submission), the secondaries start coming in. Some schools send them out to everyone; others screen applicants first.
Either way, you can expect them to start arriving in late June or early July, and they’ll keep coming as long as you're applying. It's not uncommon to get multiple secondaries in a single day.
Secondary essay length varies by school and by prompt. Most are in the 250–500 word range, but some will be shorter (even under 200 words), and others will ask for responses of up to 800 words.
Every school sets its own word count, and following it is critical. It’s part of how they evaluate your ability to communicate clearly and follow instructions.
Speed matters—a lot.
Med schools operate on a rolling admissions basis, which means the earlier you complete your application (primary + secondaries), the earlier your file gets reviewed.
A good rule of thumb: aim to submit each secondary within 1 to 2 weeks of receiving it. That’s why you need to start prewriting secondaries based on common prompts before you even apply.
If you apply to 20–30 schools (which is typical), you could end up writing 200+ secondary essays. No joke. Some schools ask for 2–3 prompts; others throw in 5–6.
And while there’s some overlap in the types of questions they ask, you still have to tailor each response to the individual school. That’s why it’s crucial to know what’s coming and to have a game plan early.
There are hundreds of secondary essay prompts across all U.S. med schools. But when you really dig into them, you’ll realize they’re all asking some version of the same six questions.
Once you understand these core types, you can start building strong, adaptable responses before secondaries even hit your inbox. That means less panic, better quality writing, and faster turnaround times.
What they’re asking:
“How will you contribute to the diversity of our class or our campus?”
What they want to know:
Medical schools are building a community. That means they’re looking for students with different backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences, whether that’s cultural, socioeconomic, educational, geographic, or even ideological.
The key isn’t to prove that you’re “diverse.” It’s to explain how your identity, experiences, or worldview will bring something valuable to the class.
Pro tip:
Everyone can write a meaningful diversity essay, even if at first you don’t feel like you have anything interesting to bring to the table. If you’ve ever felt like an outsider, if you’ve overcome unique challenges, or if you’ve learned to navigate two different worlds (culturally, academically, socially), then this is your space to show that.
What they’re asking:
“Tell us about a time you faced a significant challenge and how you handled it.”
What they want to know:
How do you respond when things fall apart? Can you persevere, adapt, grow? This essay isn’t about trauma for the sake of drama. It’s about resilience. Schools want future doctors who can handle pressure, bounce back from setbacks, and reflect with maturity.
Pro tip:
Focus on what you did, not just what happened to you. Be honest, but don’t stay in the pain. Shift the focus toward how you grew, what you learned, and how that moment shaped who you are today.
What they’re asking:
“Why are you applying to our school specifically?”
What they want to know:
Did you do your homework? Do you actually know what makes this school unique, or are you just shotgunning your app to 30 schools, hoping for one to stick? A great “Why Us” essay connects you to the school’s curriculum, mission, community work, research opportunities, or clinical focus.
Pro tip:
Mentioning the name of the school and saying “it’s a great program” is not enough. Dig deeper. Show that you’ve read their mission statement, looked into specific programs or values they emphasize, and can articulate why that matters to you personally.
What they’re asking:
“If you’re not currently in school, how have you spent your time?”
What they want to know:
What have you been doing between graduation and now? Did you use that time to grow, gain clinical experience, deepen your passions, or contribute meaningfully to your community? This is especially important if you’re applying after taking a gap year or more.
Pro tip:
It’s totally fine if you didn’t change the world in your gap year. But you should be able to explain why you chose the path you did, and how it moved you forward on your journey to becoming a physician.
What they’re asking:
“Tell us about a time you took on a leadership role or influenced a group.”
What they want to know:
Being a doctor is being a leader—on rounds, in the OR, in patient conversations. This essay is your chance to show that you’ve already started developing the skills of initiative, communication, and accountability. They want someone who can lead with humility, not ego.
Pro tip:
Leadership doesn’t just mean being the president of a club. It could be organizing a volunteer effort, mentoring younger students, or stepping up during a tough group project. Focus on how you made an impact and what you learned about leading others.
What they’re asking:
“Is there anything else you want us to know?”
What they want to know:
This is the wild card. Some students use it to explain red flags, like a low GPA semester or disciplinary action. Others use it to highlight a part of their journey that didn’t fit into the primary app but still matters (like a new research project or a recent job change).
Pro tip:
Don’t feel obligated to fill this space unless you have something truly important to share. But if you do, especially something that adds new insight or addresses a potential weakness, this is the place to do it clearly, concisely, and professionally.
Before you even type the words “I believe I would be a strong candidate,” you need to zoom out and think like a strategist. Secondary essays aren’t just about answering questions. They’re about building a consistent, authentic story across dozens (or even hundreds) of prompts. And the secret to staying sane during this phase isn’t writing faster. It’s planning smarter.
Let’s break down how to prep before the floodgates open.
Secondary essays will hit your inbox like a tidal wave. The schools don’t coordinate their timelines, and some will send secondaries within days of receiving your primary. If you try to write everything from scratch, one essay at a time, you’ll burn out fast, and your writing will suffer.
That’s where prewriting saves you.
Start by identifying the six major essay types (scroll up if you missed them), and brainstorm personal experiences that fit each category. From there, you’ll build what’s called a core content bank. That’s a set of pre-drafted, flexible paragraphs and stories you can tweak and repurpose as new prompts come in.
And yes, recycling is not only okay, it’s expected.
Just make sure you’re recycling with precision. That means customizing intros, conclusions, and details to match each specific school. If your essay sounds like it could’ve been sent to any program in the country, it’s not doing its job.
Once your content is outlined, it’s time to dial in your delivery.
Voice:
Aim for a tone that’s honest, humble, and driven. You don’t need to sound like a walking thesaurus or pack your writing with “I have always been fascinated by the intricate complexities of human physiology…”
Just be real.
AdComs are reading hundreds of essays per day, so they can spot fluff from a mile away.
Structure:
Answer the question directly, then flow into a brief story or example. Follow that with a short reflection on what you learned or how it shaped your goals.
Think of it like this:
→ Direct answer
→ Story
→ Reflection
This rhythm keeps your writing tight, readable, and emotionally engaging.
Polish:
Proofreading isn’t just about catching typos. Read your essay once like a writer (focusing on tone and flow), then once like an editor (checking grammar, clarity, and word count).
Better yet, read it out loud. If it sounds stiff or robotic, it probably needs another pass.
Secondaries aren’t the time to “wing it” or try to impress with fancy words and vague compliments. With every essay, you're either building trust or giving a school a reason to move on.
Here are five common pitfalls that can tank an otherwise solid application:
Secondary season is a marathon, not a sprint, and without a system, it’s easy to fall behind or burn out. The schools don’t wait for you to catch your breath. To survive (and thrive) during this phase, you need three things: a timeline, some basic tools, and a strong mental game.
Here’s your secondary essay survival kit.
Aim to submit each secondary within 14 days of receiving it. Period.
Faster is even better (7–10 days is ideal), but two weeks is the upper limit if you want to stay competitive on a rolling admissions schedule. This is why prewriting is so powerful. If your core content is already drafted, polishing and tailoring take a fraction of the time.
Staying organized isn’t optional. When secondaries start rolling in all at once, you need more than good intentions. These simple tools will keep your workflow clean and your stress levels low.
You can’t power through secondaries on caffeine and willpower alone. This part of the process is intense, and burnout is real.
Here’s how to protect your energy and keep your momentum steady:
Below are real medical school secondary essay prompts from the most recent application cycle, along with strategic advice on how to approach each one. For each prompt, you'll learn what the school is really asking, what kind of response they’re hoping for, and how to tailor your answer without sounding generic.
Use these examples to start building your own content bank and recognize which types of questions you’re most likely to see.
“In addition to training as a competent physician, please select up to two additional areas of interest from the items below that you may want to pursue during your medical studies. Your responses will have no bearing on applications to joint degrees or special programs to which you might also apply.
Clinical Research
Healthcare/disparities/medically underserved communities
Academic Medicine
Community Health
Simulation in medical education
Health systems science
Telehealth
Advocacy
What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path? (1000 characters.)”
Advice:
“Describe a significant challenge that has prepared you for the MD career path (1000 characters).”
Advice:
“Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics or experiences that would add to the learning environment for your classmates.” (750 characters)
Advice:
“Is there anything else you would like the admissions committee to know when reviewing your application? If so, please use the space provided (1000 characters).”
Advice:
When you’re applying to med school, it doesn’t take long for the excitement to get buried under a pile of to-dos: personal statement, secondaries, letters, school list strategy, interview prep. Every piece matters, and the pressure to get each one right can leave even the most capable premeds feeling stuck.
At Premed Catalyst, we help you stop guessing and start executing, with expert support on every part of your application. You’ll work with a dedicated team that guides you through the entire process, from story strategy to final edits. That includes your secondary essays, where we help you prewrite, personalize, and polish every response, so they don’t just sound good, they actually stand out.
If you're serious about getting in this cycle, book a free call here.
You don’t need to have started a nonprofit or survived a natural disaster to write a compelling essay. What matters most is depth over drama. Everyday experiences, like mentoring a sibling, learning from a job, overcoming academic struggles, can be incredibly powerful when you reflect on them honestly and show how they shaped you. Focus on growth, not flash.
If you have something meaningful to add, then yes, absolutely. Optional essays are often where applicants can explain gaps, highlight late-breaking achievements, or show more of their personality. But don’t force it. If you’re stretching just to fill space, it’s better to leave it blank than to submit something weak or repetitive.
Start by being clear, specific, and personal. Avoid generalizations (“I love helping people”) and lean into stories that only you could tell. Use strong structure. Answer the question, share a focused experience, and end with reflection. A grounded, authentic voice will always cut through the noise better than forced “wow” moments.
Yes, and you should, if those parts of your application raise questions. But don’t just list excuses. Take responsibility where appropriate, give brief context, and focus on what changed: how you adapted, what you learned, and how you've improved. AdComs respect growth and maturity, not perfection.
It’s totally normal to hit a wall, especially when writing dozens of essays. That’s why prewriting and building a content bank are so helpful. You likely have more to say than you think; sometimes it just takes reframing the question or revisiting an experience from a different angle. Ask: What did this teach me? How did it shape the kind of doctor I want to be?
Definitely, but tweak it. It’s smart (and necessary) to repurpose core stories. Just make sure you’re customizing the framing to match each prompt. A leadership story might look different in a diversity context versus an adversity one. The core content can stay, but the lesson and lens should shift.
As honest as possible, within reason. Vulnerability can be powerful when it’s paired with reflection and maturity. But this isn’t a therapy session. Don’t share personal trauma unless you’ve processed it and can tie it back to your growth. Honesty builds trust, but it should always serve your overall narrative and show forward momentum.
Only if you actually did your homework. Randomly name-dropping a professor from the faculty page screams copy-paste. But if you’ve read their work, attended a webinar, or interacted meaningfully with a program, bring it up. Be specific and sincere. Vague flattery won’t move the needle, but genuine interest might.
