Open MSAR: http://open-msra.herokuapp.

com/#/

University of Colorado:
The way in which medicine is practiced in this country has evolved over time. Significant
societal and technological changes have occurred over the past 50 years, for example. Please
comment on this phenomenon, what you think the near future holds and which values (or
principles) the medical profession should retain. In your discussion, you may wish to explore
ethics, economics, access to healthcare or any topic you consider relevant. (2500 characters)
The underlying mission of physicians has not changed much in the last 100 years - to first do no
harm, and secondly to heal patients. However, the rise of medicare, medicaid, and the aging
baby boomer population outpacing the production of new primary care doctors, has
fundamentally changed the way medicine is practiced in the U.S. Primary patient care is often
quantity over quality, partly due to the diminishing reimbursement of medicare and the fact that
more patients are trying to squeeze into limited time slots. Simple diagnostic tests are replaced
with very expensive but more sophisticated body scans, and patients are inundated with
information and multiple prescriptions from their family practice doctor and two or three other
specialists in their cadre. Further complicating matters is the family and interpersonal dynamic,
often more the focus of a doctor’s visit than the ailment itself.
Moving forward, physicians need to continue to address the patients’ illnesses taking into
account the unique family situations concerning each patient. Additionally, the family (if
available) should be used as a tool to provide support for their family member, from children to
the final stages of life. This commitment to treating the whole patient’s life and not just an illness
should be emphasized and practiced not only in family medicine but all specialties.
Related to this, the access of healthcare in the U.S., especially in rural populations and poorer
urban locations can be vastly improved compared to current conditions. Efficiently run hospitals
in poorer areas of the country are closing their doors while the same companies are
constructing new buildings in wealthier suburbs, even if they will be less efficient. Solving this
issue needs future physicians to take on the responsibility to help the underserved financially,
but also those with limited access to healthcare geographically. Future physicians need to fill
this need by not shying away from practicing in lower income areas, especially those in large
cities and rural areas. Access to healthcare should not be limited to those who are wealthy or
privileged enough to live close to hospitals and clinics.

Required Colorado Essay

Part A. The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor
in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background
that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your
path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race,
ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these
have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.
Growing up in a poor household had it’s share of difficulties. While I always had a meal to eat
for dinner or clothing to wear, my and my family’s quality of life was reduced in other ways,
especially if we needed to visit the doctor or needed a medical procedure done. Because my
stepdad was often in between jobs (meaning we did not have any health insurance), check ups
for me and my brothers were delayed, and my mother refused to get a desperately needed hip
replacement until she was sure that it wouldn’t cripple us financially for years to come. I saw
first hand how medical care in this country is first dispersed to those who can afford it, and to
those that cannot are treated as an afterthought. I wish to help change that trend during my
time as a physician any way that I can by working in free clinics and raising awareness about
those who are uninsured and need medical care. This desire to finally make a difference to
those who are suffering the same fate which I went through growing up is the fundamental drive
on my path in medicine.

Part B. Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of
Colorado School of Medicine. If you are a reapplicant, please include information on how your
application has changed.B.) My background of working in public service jobs has allowed me to
interact with those from all walks of life - from wealthy students to older, homeless members of
the Madison community. I am comfortable working with those of all races and creeds from my
time at UW-Madison as a member of the Vietnamese Student Association communicating with
other multicultural student organizations. Additionally, I would be able to use my financially
disadvantaged circumstances to better understand and relate to those patients who similarly
lack access to many things are needed for a decent quality of life.

Please answer both parts in this single essay, limiting it to 2000 words.

Colorado springs essay: Apart from the smaller town feel (compared to Denver at least!), I’m
interested in the Colorado Springs program because I have family friends who live there. While I
wouldn’t rely upon them for support, it would be nice to be close to people who I know and could
get acclimated to the city more easily. I have been able to get used to Madison, WI (with a
population of ~240,000) which more closely resembles Colorado Springs than Denver.

https://www.cusys.edu/admissions/nelnet/AMC.html

University of Illinois:
1. Describe a situation in which you were really stressed. Tell us how you dealt with it. Please
detail your reaction(s), and how it affected you. If this situation, or a similar one, were to happen
again, how would you handle it? (Do not exceed 250 words)
During finals week of my second sophomore semester, I was a mess. I had four finals in three
days, as well as 15 hours of work over the first two days. Because I knew that I would be
working so much and had all of my finals clustered into a short amount of time, I had reviewed
much of the material ahead of time, but I still had much to study in a short period of time. I
overcame the situation by reducing all extraneous activities such as working out, volunteering,
research, and (to the best of my ability) sleeping and focused solely on two things - studying,
and working. By the end of the week I had three solid exam scores, but my sleep schedule and
health were a little worse for wear. I also had something else that I could not have learned in a
classroom - the confidence to know that I could dig deep to perform well under academic stress
while sleep deprived while taking care of all of my most important obligations. I’m certain that
this skill and confidence to succeed under enormous pressure and adopting a “bend but don’t
break” mindset will allow me to do the same thing if another similar situation presents itself. I
would also rely on friends to put me in a better mood and support me if I encounter a situation I
cannot handle on my own.

2. Describe a hobby or activity other than something in medicine, in which you have a keen
interest. Why? (Do not exceed 250 words)
Weightlifting and bodybuilding has been a passion of mine for the past four years, and will
continue to be a hobby throughout my life. Weightlifting has always interested me because it’s
completely different activity than the majority of what I do. Research and studying for classes
occupy almost a strictly mental realm. Pushing a bar loaded up with weights heavy enough to
do serious damage to your body if it falls or you cannot re-rack the bar fulfills the other, more
physical desires of my life. It helps me relieve stress, boost my self esteem and confidence,
stay healthy, and meet new people who are similarly motivated to improving themselves in the
gym. When I’m not in the weight room, I often look up peer-reviewed research articles for the
active ingredients in different supplements that are popular in the bodybuilding scene to
determine their efficacy, and forward the results to my bodybuilding club to better inform them of
what they’re putting in their bodies. I also love testing out new workout programs to see what
my body responds to best, as well as coaching those in my club to help them achieve their
goals.
To me, weightlifting is much more than a hobby. It’s something I can always fall back on no
matter where I am in my life. I always can be sure that when I load up 300 lbs on a bar and
squat it, I know exactly how it should feel.

Temple University:
1.) What is the nature of your special interest in Temple University School of Medicine?
My interest in Temple University School of Medicine is mainly due to the plethora of student
organizations and research opportunities. As a club president, I enjoy running and participating
in a student organization for the camaraderie, personal development, and community service.
My particular interest is in the Student Interest Group in Neurology, which I am excited to
contribute to. Additionally, I wish to continue research during my time at Temple University,
specifically in the field of neuroscience. Due to the new Center for Neuroscience program and
the Medical Education and Research Building, Temple will be a great location for me to continue
my research career.

2.) How do you anticipate contributing to the TUSM community?

Apart from going to SIGN meetings and events and continuing research at Temple, I would want
to give back to the Philadelphia community by participating in Temple Emergency Action Corp
Homeless Initiative and/or Student Nutrition Advocacy & Community Wellness. Due to my
background in teaching others in my bodybuilding club about proper nutrition on a budget, I
would feel comfortable continuing teaching others about nutrition and health. I would also be
interested in advocating for legislation improving the nutrition in the local school district, and
helping improve the fitness of those at the school and in my community.

3.) If you indicated St. Luke's Regional Campus or one of our clinical campuses (Crozer-Chester
Medical Center, Geisinger Health System, or West Penn Allegheny Health System) as your first
choice, please describe the nature of your special interest. Otherwise, please type N/A to
continue.
N/A

4.) What are your plans for the current year- June 2012 until June 2013?
I am going to continue to volunteer in the emergency room of Meriter Hospital and work while
finishing my graduation requirements, with the very attainable goal to graduate in May 2015
from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Meharry:
“Why Meharry?” (no character limit)
I’m interested in Meharry Medical College primarily because it focuses greatly on treating
people as patients and not diseases. I’m a firm believer that physicians need to return to healing
through learning about the patient as a whole - their family, environment, and anything else that
would be helpful in determining a course of action to best serve their needs. Often times
patients, especially those who are underserved due to financial or geographic considerations,
require special circumstances of “going the extra mile” for their care. Whether it’s making sure
that they have the support at home to care for them, listening to their concerns about side
effects of medication, or finding ways to attain their healthcare goals even if they lack proper
insurance, Meharry seems like the right place to learn these skills and more. Meharry matches
my goal of working as a primary care physician in an area which lacks adequate health care
perfectly due to your mission statement of graduating physicians who strive to accomplish just
that. Additionally, my background of working in public service jobs at a library has allowed me
to interact with those from all walks of life - from very wealthy students to older, homeless
members of the Madison community. I have become more comfortable with working with those
of all races and creeds from my time at UW-Madison as a member of the Vietnamese Student
Association working with other multicultural student organizations, and look forward to attending
such a diverse school as Meharry.

Georgetown:
Georgetown University School of Medicine strives to ensure that its students become respectful
physicians who embrace all dimensions of diversity. Please describe how any personal
characteristics or life experiences will contribute to the diversity of, and bring educational
benefits to, our student body. (c. 1,000 characters)
My background of working in public service jobs at a library has allowed me to interact with
those from all walks of life - from very wealthy students to older, homeless members of the
Madison community. I have become more comfortable with working with those of all races and
creeds from my time at UW-Madison as a member of the Vietnamese Student Association
working with other multicultural student organizations. Additionally, I would be able to bring my
past financially disadvantaged circumstances to better understand, relate to, and serve those
patients who similarly lack access to many things which aren’t completely necessary for
survival, but are needed for a decent quality of life. My personality of always going above and
beyond what is necessary when helping others is something I will continue to strive for when I
can practice as a physician.

Why have you chosen to apply to Georgetown University School of Medicine, and how do you
think your education at Georgetown will prepare you to become a physician for the future? *
Please note: Essays should not exceed one single-spaced page at 12 point font (c. 5,000
characters).
I’m interested in GUSoM primarily because it focuses greatly on treating people as patients and
not diseases. I’m a firm believer that physicians need to return to healing through learning about
the patient as a whole - their family, environment, and anything else that would be helpful in
determining a course of action to best serve their needs. Often times patients, especially those
who are underserved due to financial or geographic considerations, require special
circumstances of “going the extra mile” for their care. Whether it’s making sure that they have
the support at home to care for them, listening to their concerns about side effects of
medication, or finding ways to attain their healthcare goals even if they lack proper insurance,
Georgetown seems like the right place to learn these skills.
The underlying mission of physicians has not changed much in the last 100 years - to
first do no harm, and secondly to heal patients. However, the rise of medicare, medicaid, and
the aging baby boomer population outpacing the production of new primary care doctors, has
fundamentally changed the way medicine is practiced in the U.S. Primary patient care is often
quantity over quality, partly due to the diminishing reimbursement of medicare and the fact that
more patients are trying to squeeze into limited time slots. Simple diagnostic tests are replaced
with very expensive but more sophisticated body scans, and patients are inundated with
information and multiple prescriptions from their family practice doctor and two or three other
specialists in their cadre. Further complicating matters is the family and interpersonal dynamic,
often more the focus of a doctor’s visit than the ailment itself.
Moving forward, physicians need to continue to address the patients’ illnesses taking
into account the unique family situations concerning each patient. Additionally, the family (if
available) should be used as a tool to provide support for their family member, from children to
the final stages of life. This commitment to treating the whole patient’s life and not just an illness
should be emphasized and practiced not only in family medicine but all specialties.
Related to this, the access of healthcare in the U.S., especially in rural populations and
poorer urban locations can be vastly improved compared to current conditions. Efficiently run
hospitals in poorer areas of the country are closing their doors while the same companies are
constructing new buildings in wealthier suburbs, even if they will be less efficient. Solving this
issue needs future physicians to take on the responsibility to help the underserved financially,
but also those with limited access to healthcare geographically. Future physicians need to fill
this need by not shying away from practicing in lower income areas, especially those in large
cities and rural areas. Access to healthcare should not be limited to those who are wealthy or
privileged enough to live close to hospitals and clinics.

Shortened version I used for something...The underlying mission of physicians has not
changed much in the last 100 years - to first do no harm, and secondly to heal patients.
However, the rise of medicare, medicaid, and the aging baby boomer population outpacing the
production of new primary care doctors, has fundamentally changed the way medicine is
practiced in the U.S. Rather than helping as many patients as possible, physicians are attracted
to hospitals and clinics in the suburbs, where the financial rewards are greater. The access of
healthcare in the U.S., especially in rural populations and poorer urban locations can be vastly
improved compared to current conditions. Efficiently run hospitals in poorer areas of the country
are closing their doors while the same companies are constructing new buildings in wealthier
suburbs, even if they will be less efficient. Solving this issue needs future physicians to take on
the responsibility to help the underserved financially, but also those with limited access to
healthcare geographically. Future physicians need to fill this need by not shying away from
practicing in lower income areas, especially those in large cities and rural areas. Access to
healthcare should not be limited to those who are wealthy or privileged enough to live close to
hospitals and clinics.

Is there any further information that you would like the Committee on Admissions to be aware of
when reviewing your file that you were not able to notate in another section of this or the
AMCAS Application? (c. 1,000 characters)

University of Minnesota:
*1. Beyond what you have written in your AMCAS Personal Comments, please discuss your
early life experiences, family background and aspects of your home community that have led to
your decision to become a physician. 1500 ch
Both of my parents are the farthest thing from working in the field of healthcare. My mother has
had a few jobs including a preschool teacher, Home Depot cashier, and finally running a
daycare through our home. My father is a computer repair technician. Even though my mother
was the only one to complete a degree - an associate’s degree at a technical school, they
instilled in me a desire for hard work in school and in all aspects of my life. This led me to
search from an early age for what I was truly interested in, and to fully involve myself in my
interests. I had many over the years, from working on repairing bicycles and cars (following in
my dad’s footsteps, who often worked on cars on the side for extra income) to being a
psychologist or veterinarian. I finally settled on becoming a physician after I discovered being a
veterinarian was out of the question because I couldn’t stand to see animals euthanized. I felt a
strong connection with the medical field because of my family’s hereditary health problems such
as cancer and type 1 diabetes. I saw how much a primary care physician can improve their lives
if they are empathetic, caring, and treat the whole person instead of just their health problem.
From

Chicago Medical School

I forgot what the prompt was. Here’s the essay though.
The underlying mission of physicians has not changed much in the last 100 years - to first do no
harm, and secondly to heal patients. I’m a firm believer that physicians need to return to healing
through learning about the patient as a whole - their family, environment, and anything else that
would be helpful in determining a course of action to best serve their needs. Often times
patients, especially those who are underserved due to financial or geographic considerations,
require special circumstances of “going the extra mile” for their care. Whether it’s making sure
that they have the support at home to care for them, listening to their concerns about side
effects of medication, or finding ways to attain their healthcare goals even if they lack proper
insurance, the Medical College of Wisconsin seems like the right place to learn these skills.
Moving forward, physicians need to continue to address the patients’ illnesses taking into
account the unique family situations concerning each patient. Additionally, the family (if
available) should be used as a tool to provide support for their family member, from children to
the final stages of life. This commitment to treating the whole patient’s life and not just an illness
should be emphasized and practiced not only in family medicine but all specialties.
Related to this, the access of healthcare in the U.S., especially in rural populations and poorer
urban locations can be vastly improved compared to current conditions. Efficiently run hospitals
in poorer areas of the country are closing their doors while the same companies are
constructing new buildings in wealthier suburbs, even if they will be less efficient. Solving this
issue needs future physicians to take on the responsibility to help the underserved financially,
but also those with limited access to healthcare geographically. Future physicians need to fill
this need by not shying away from practicing in lower income areas, especially those in large
cities and rural areas. Access to healthcare should not be limited to those who are wealthy or
privileged enough to live close to hospitals and clinics.

I applied to Chicago Medical School because I appreciated their desire for advancing medical
research. Due to my background in research, I wish to continue improving patient care around
the world in any small way that I can. I also am excited to be trained by a school that stresses
compassion in patient care, treating the whole person and not just a disease. Due to these
considerations, Chicago Medical School is a perfect fit for my inclination toward humanitarian
patient care and scientific research.
My background of working in public service jobs has allowed me to interact with those from all
walks of life - from wealthy students to older, homeless members of the Madison community. I
am comfortable working with those of all races and creeds from my time at UW-Madison as a
member of the Vietnamese Student Association communicating with other multicultural student
organizations. Additionally, I would be able to use my financially disadvantaged circumstances
to better understand and relate to those patients who similarly lack access to many things are
needed for a decent quality of life.

University of Virginia

Why are you interested in attending the University of Virginia School of Medicine? What factors
will be most important to you in choosing a medical school?
I’m most interested in the University of Virginia School of Medicine for its multitude of research
opportunities during the summer months and the school year. I have been involved in research
during my undergraduate career, and I enjoy expanding the boundaries of scientific
knowledge. While my research project on the effects of ionizing radiation on the neural
proliferation in the brains of fruit flies did not have immediate applications to patient care, I wish
to continue to perform research in a clinical setting during my time in medical school.

Additionally, I am interested in the curriculum that the school employs, for the fact that it
integrates hands-on learning in conjunction with traditional lecture based learning. I learn best
by observing and performing skills. I believe that this will be a huge plus for me on my quest to
provide excellent patient care. The pass/fail system during the first two years is also appealing
to me, as it would relieve some of the stress of the transition from undergraduate classes to
medical school.

The camaraderie in the student class is also very important for me, as supporting and being
supported by others emotionally and intellectually has helped me immensely in undergraduate
classes. Attending a school in a warmer climate would be a welcome change compared to
living in Wisconsin for 21 years, although that is very low on my criteria for medical schools!

How will you contribute to the diversity of your medical school class and the University of
Virginia School of Medicine?
My background of working in public service jobs at a library has allowed me to interact with
those from all walks of life - from very wealthy students to older, homeless members of the
Madison community. I have become comfortable cooperating with those of all races and creeds
from my time at UW-Madison as a member of the Vietnamese Student Association working with
other multicultural student organizations. Additionally, I would be able to bring my past
financially disadvantaged circumstances to better understand, relate to, and serve those
patients who similarly lack access to many things which aren't completely necessary for
survival, but are needed for a decent quality of life. My personality of always going above and
beyond what is necessary when helping others is something I will continue to strive for when I
can practice as a physician.

Additionally, I have experience in research as an undergraduate. Being on the cutting edge of

science and expanding the current field of knowledge is incredibly exciting, and is something I
wish to continue during my time in medical school. I believe that I will have a bigger impact on
patient care with research at a medical school compared to undergraduate research.

Describe a situation which you found challenging. How did you manage it?
During finals week of my second sophomore semester, I was a mess. I had four finals in three
days, as well as 15 hours of work over the first two days. Because I knew that I would be
working so much and had all of my finals clustered into a short amount of time, I had reviewed
much of the material ahead of time, but I still had much to study in a short period of time. I
overcame the situation by reducing all extraneous activities such as working out, volunteering,
research, and (to the best of my ability) sleeping and focused solely on two things - studying,
and working. By the end of the week I had three solid exam scores, but my sleep schedule and
health were a little worse for wear. I also had something else that I could not have learned in a
classroom - the confidence to know that I could dig deep to perform well under academic stress
while sleep deprived while taking care of all of my most important obligations. I’m certain that
this skill and confidence to succeed under enormous pressure and adopting a “bend but don’t
break” mindset will allow me to do the same thing if another similar situation presents itself. I
would also rely on friends to put me in a better mood and support me if I encounter a situation I
cannot handle on my own.