Secondary Essay Prompts for the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Below are the secondary essay prompts for the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, NY.
2020-2021
- If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)
- Did you work for compensation during college, during the year, or the summer? If so, how many hours a week? (300 words)
- If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)
- Please describe your most meaningful leadership positions. (300 words)
- Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician? (300 words)
- Is there anything else you would like us to know? (400 words)
2019-2020
- Biological sciences (biology, microbiology, zoology, etc.)
- Physical sciences (biochemistry, chemistry, engineering, etc)
- Social sciences/humanities (sociology, economics, English, etc)
- Other health professions (nursing, pharmacy, etc.)
- All Others (including double majors and mixed disciplines)
- Yes or No
- Yes or No
- Yes or No
Learn about Columbia Medical School Admissions.
2018-2019
MD-Only:
- If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)
For this question, we suggest a straightforward response. Write in full sentences and be clear about what you did elaborating as space allows.
2. Â In what collegiate extracurriculars did you engage? (400 characters)
The biggest concern applicants have about this question is repeating information that is already in the primary application. EVERY applicant will be forced to repeat information! You cannot recreate what you did as an undergraduate. With such a brief character limit, there is little opportunity to elaborate. Depending on how many activities you have, you can create a bulleted list with brief descriptions of each activity or you can write a narrative explaining your extracurriculars.
3.  If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in  the interim. (300 words)
Like prompt #1, it’s best to be direct with this prompt. If you are graduating this year, write about what you plan to do in the upcoming year. If you aren’t sure yet, include information about the types of opportunities you are currently exploring for your gap year.
4. What challenges do you expect to arise from living and working in a complex urban environment? How will you meet them? (300 words) (This is the only required question)
This is a question our applicants often find challenging. Columbia wants to know that you understand the challenges of living in New York City which is very urban. Think about your living conditions; you might not have much space. What about the noise? Sometimes it is tough to escape the hustle bustle of the city. How about transportation? Not everyone loves New York City subways, the unexpected delays, and the crowds. New York is also a very diverse city both in the hospital and outside. While very exciting, this can also present challenges. Show that you truly understand the challenges of urban living.
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5. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (300 words)
If anything new has happened since you submitted your application that you haven’t mentioned, write about that here. Did you leave anything out of your application that you’d like to include? Some students use this place to explain his or her specific interest in Columbia since there is no other opportunity to do that. However, if you have nothing to add, there is nothing wrong with leaving this space blank.
6. Please describe your parents’ occupations. (100 characters)
Make this one short and sweet. Be direct. Be honest.
7. If you answer yes to the “Did you work during undergrad?” checkbox, this question appears:
“Did you work for compensation during college during the year or the summer? If so, what did you do? How many hours a week did you work? (300 words)”
This another question that requires a direct response. Elaborate as much as space allows.
MSTP:
- What Academic Honors Have You Received? (e.g. prizes, scholarships, fellowships, honors societies). (5000 Characters)
- What are your major research interests? (20 words)
- PhD Goals (5000 characters)
- Additional Information (5000 Characters)
Columbia Bassett:
- Columbia-Bassett application adds one essay of “What aspect of Columbia-Bassett has the most appeal to you?”
Medical Schools in New York
Get individualized help on your Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons secondary essays.
Personalized Secondary Editing.
- What challenges do you expect to arise from living and working in a complex urban environment? How will you meet them? (300 words) (This is the only required question) $225
- Up to two revisions per essay
- Please allow 3-4 business days per revision
- After submitting payment, send an email to info@MedEdits.com indicatng which essay editing option you are purchasing. We will then set up your account and send directions on how to proceed. Â
- Read about our outstanding team.
- Have questions? Call 646.217.4674
What challenges do you expect to arise from living and working in a complex urban environment? How will you meet them?
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Admissions Requirements
Learn more about this school:
Admissions Office, Room 105
New York City, NY 10032 USA
(212) 305-3595
Below are the secondary essay prompts for the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
MedEdits advises against using outdated prompts for the current season.
2017 – 2018
- The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons strives to ensure that its students become respectful physicians who embrace all dimensions of caring for the whole person. Please describe how your personal characteristics or life experiences will contribute to the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons community and bring educational benefits to our student body. (1000 characters)
- 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? (1000 characters)
- Why have you chosen to apply to the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and how do you think your education at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons will prepare you to become a physician for the future? (1 page, formatted at your discretion, upload as PDF)
- If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)
- From which languages can you translate scholarly material into English?
- In what collegiate extracurriculars did you engage? (400 words)
- If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)
- What challenges do you expect to arise from living and working in a complex urban environment? How will you meet them? (300 words)
- Is there anything else you would like us to know? (300 words)
- Please describe your parents’ occupations: (100 words)
2016 – 2017
- If your name is often mispronounced, how do you pronounce it? What is your preferred name? (25 characters)
- If your last name is often mispronounced, how do you pronounce it? (25 characters)
If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words) - From which languages can you translate scholarly material into English?
- In what collegiate extracurriculars did you engage? (400 words)
- If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)
- What challenges do you expect to arise from living and working in a complex urban environment? How will you meet them? (300 words)
- Is there anything else you would like us to know? (300 words)
- Please describe your parents’ occupations. (100 characters)
Secondary essay webcast with Dr. Jessica Freedman, founder and president of MedEdits Medical Admissions. Â Read more about Dr. Freedman.
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Secondary Application
Topics covered in this presentation:
- When should I submit my secondary essays?
- Pay attention to the word/character limits.
- Can I recycle secondary essay prompts for multiple schools?
- Identify topics that you left out of your primary application.
- And, much more.
Secondary Essay Prompts for Other Schools
Do you want to see secondary essay prompts for other medical schools?
Select a school below:
Secondary Essay Prompts By School
University of Arizona College of Medicine (Phoenix)
A.T. Still University–School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA), Mesa
Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University (AZCOM), Glendale
University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Mobile
Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM), Dothan
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine–Auburn Campus (VCOM-Auburn), Auburn
Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM), Fort Smith
Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles
Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda
Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford
University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento
University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine
University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles
University of California, Riverside, School of Medicine, Riverside
University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla
University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco
Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine–California (TUCOM-CA), Vallejo
Western University of Health Sciences/ College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (Western U/COMP), Pomona
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine (RVUCOM), Parker
University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington
Yale School of Medicine, New Haven
George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington
Howard University College of Medicine, Washington
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Miami
Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee
University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando
University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville
University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, Miami
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Bradenton Campus (LECOM Bradenton), Bradenton
Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSU-KPCOM), Fort Lauderdale
Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University, Augusta
Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon
Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta
Georgia Campus–Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (GA-PCOM), Suwanee
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood
Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago
Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center, Chicago
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield
University of Chicago Division of the Biological Sciences The Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago
University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago
Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University (CCOM), Downers Grove
University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City
Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MU-COM), Indianapolis
University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville
University of Pikeville–Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine (UP-KYCOM), Pikeville
Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport, Shreveport
Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Bethesda
University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore
Harvard Medical School, Boston
Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston
University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, East Lansing
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Rochester
University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit
Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, Kalamazoo
Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM), East Lansing
William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine (WCUCOM), Hattiesburg
University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine, Columbia
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City
Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis
A.T. Still University–Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM), Kirksville
Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCU-COM), Kansas City
University of Nebraska College of Medicine, Omaha
Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine (TUNCOM), Henderson
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark
Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway
Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM), Stratford
Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine (BCOM), Las Cruces
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx
City University of New York School of Medicine, New York
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York
Hofstra North Shore – Northwell School of Medicine, Hempstead
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo
New York Medical College, Valhalla
New York University School of Medicine, New York
State University of New York Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine, Brooklyn
State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse
Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester
Weill Cornell Medicine, New York
New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM), Old Westbury
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine–New York (TouroCOM-NY), New York City
The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill
Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, WinstonSalem
Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine (CUSOM), Lillington
Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown
Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus
The University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton
Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-HCOM), Athens
Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine (OSU-COM), Tulsa
Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia
Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey
Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia
The Commonwealth Medical College, Scranton
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), Erie
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), Philadelphia
San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, Caguas
Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine, Bayamon
University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan
University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia
University of South Carolina School of Medicine – Greenville, Greenville
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine–Carolinas Campus (VCOM-Carolinas), Spartanburg
Meharry Medical College, Nashville
University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine, Memphis
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville
Lincoln Memorial University–DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM), Harrogate
Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Bryan
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, El Paso
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock
The University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio, San Antonio
University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin
University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine, Galveston
University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, Harlingen
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Southwestern Medical
University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine (UIWSOM), San Antonio
University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth/Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNTHSC/TCOM), Ft. Worth
University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke
Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM), Lynchburg
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine–Virginia Campus (VCOM-Virginia), Blacksburg
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine (PNWU-COM), Yakima
*Data collected from MSAR 2022-2023, 2022 Osteopathic Medical College Information Book, and institution website.
Disclaimer: The information on this page was shared by students and/or can be found on each medical school’s website. MedEdits does not guarantee it’s accuracy or authenticity.