2025-2026 Medical College of Wisconsin Secondary Prompts
1. At MCW, we are guided by the values of acting in caring ways, engaging in collaborative efforts, approaching our world with curiosity, advancing inclusive practices, demonstrating integrity in all that we do, and treating everyone with respect. Describe how your unique experiences, interests, and talents have embodied one or more of these values, and how they will shape the way you plan to contribute to the MCW learning community. (1000 characters)
2. How will MCW uniquely prepare you for your future goals? (1000 characters)
3. Recount a time when you made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (2000 characters)
4. MCW is committed to its missions of community engagement and improving health for all. MCW medical students play an important role in advancing these missions by working with and within various communities throughout Wisconsin which requires adaptability and a willingness to learn from new experiences. Describe a time where you entered a new environment or situation, how you adapted, what you learned, and how that experience helped you grow in your ability to serve others and contribute to MCW’s missions during your education. (2000 characters)
5. Reapplicant Essay: Please explain how your application has changed since your last application to MCW Medical School. How have you enhanced your preparation for medical school and future career as a physician (e.g., additional academic work, employment, volunteer experience, etc.)? You may wish to elaborate on the process you employed to critique your application’s strengths and weaknesses or share life changes or circumstances that have impacted your application. (2000 characters)
6. MCW values the unique backgrounds and identities of our incoming students. If you are comfortable, please indicate if any of the following apply to you. Check all that apply (several boxes listed). (2000 characters)
7. We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic may have had lasting effects on your academic, personal, or professional journey toward a career in medicine. If you wish, please share any significant or enduring impacts that may have influenced your preparation for medical school and are not fully captured elsewhere in your application. Do you have additional information you’d like to provide? (2000 characters)
2024-2025
1. Explain how your unique background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the MCW community. (1000 characters)
2. How will MCW uniquely prepare you for your future goals? (1000 characters)
3. Recount a time when you made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (2000 characters)
4. The Medical College of Wisconsin is committed to educating health professionals who are dedicated to improving health equity across the diverse populations we serve. Share with us what you have learned or how you have grown through working with or serving people from cultural backgrounds or groups different than your own. How do you believe you can contribute to improving health equity or reducing health disparities as a physician? (2000 characters)
5. Reapplicant: Please explain how your application has changed since your last application to MCW Medical School. How have you enhanced your preparation for medical school and future career as a physician (e.g., additional academic work, employment, volunteer experience, etc.)? You may wish to elaborate on the process you employed to critique your application’s strengths and weaknesses or share life changes or circumstances that have impacted your application. (2000 characters)
There are also additional demographic checkboxes (economic disadvantage, grew up in rural community, LGBTQ, Veteran). If you choose one or multiple, you have 2000 characters to elaborate.
2023-2024
1. Explain how your unique background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the MCW learning community. (1000 characters)
2. How will MCW uniquely prepare you for your future goals? (1000 characters)
3. Recount a time when you made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (2000 characters)
4. The Medical College of Wisconsin is committed to educating health professionals who are dedicated to improving health equity across the diverse populations we serve. Share with us what you have learned or how you have grown through working with or serving people from cultural backgrounds or groups different than your own. How do you believe you can contribute to improving health equity or reducing health disparities as a physician? (2000 characters)
There are also additional demographic checkboxes:
I identify as part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or asexual (LGBTQIA) community.
I am the first person in my immediate family to attend college (excluding siblings).
I was born or grew up in a rural community.
I am a military veteran (including active duty and those transitioning to civilian life).
I come from an economically disadvantaged background.
I attended an underperforming elementary, middle, or high school.
My primary language is NOT English.
I have overcome a significant hardship.
If you choose one or multiple, you have 2000 characters to elaborate.
2022-2023 Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) Secondary Essay Prompts
1. Explain how your unique background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the MCW learning community. (1000 characters)
2. How will MCW uniquely prepare you for your future goals? (1000 characters)
3. Recount a time when you made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (2000 characters)
4. The Medical College of Wisconsin is committed to educating health professionals who are dedicated to improving health equity across the diverse populations we serve. Share with us what you have learned or how you have grown through working with or serving people from cultural backgrounds or groups different than your own. How do you believe you can contribute to improving health equity or reducing health disparities as a physician? (2000 characters)
2021-2022
- Explain how your unique background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the MCW learning community. (1000 characters)
- How will MCW uniquely prepare you for your future goals?(1000 characters)
- Recount a time when you made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (2000 characters)
- The Medical College of Wisconsin is committed to educating health professionals who are dedicated to improving health equity across the diverse populations we serve. Share with us what you have learned or how you have grown through working with or serving people from cultural backgrounds or groups different than your own. How do you believe you can contribute to improving health equity or reducing health disparities as a physician? (2000 characters)
2020-2021
- Explain how your unique background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the MCW learning community and how MCW will uniquely prepare you for your future goals.(2000 characters)
- Recount a time when you made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?(2000 characters)
- Describe your motivation for pursuing a primary care focused, community-based medical education program. Focus on how an MCW regional campus educational experience will prepare you for your unique future career in medicine. Include the influence of key experiences with rural or medically under-served communities.(2000 characters)
- Describe the community in which you envision yourself ultimately living and practicing medicine. Address the benefits and challenges of life in your specified community.(2000 characters)
2019-2020
- Explain how your unique background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the MCW learning community and how MCW will uniquely prepare you for your future goals. (2000 characters)
2018-2019
- Explain how your unique background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the MCW learning community and how MCW will uniquely prepare you for your future goals. (2000 characters)
- Recount a time when you failed or made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (2000 characters)
- MCW values the unique backgrounds and identities of our incoming students. Please indicate if any of the following apply to you.Check all that apply.
- I belong to a race or ethnicity considered underrepresented in medicine.
- I identify as part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or asexual (LGBTQIA) community.
- I am the first person in my immediate family to attend college (excluding siblings).
- I was born or grew up in a rural community.
- I come from an economically disadvantaged background.
- I attended an underperforming elementary, middle, or high school.
- My primary language is NOT English.
- I have overcome a significant hardship.
- Checking any of the above boxes creates a text box titled “Please provide additional details.” 2000 characters.
2017 – 2018
- Explain how your unique background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the MCW learning community and how MCW will uniquely prepare you for your future goals. (3000 char)
- Describe your motivation for pursuing a community-based medical education program and how it will prepare you for your future career in medicine. Identify experiences in which you have lived or otherwise interfaced with rural or medically under-served communities and how they have influenced you. (3000 char)
- Describe the community in which you envision yourself ultimately living and practicing medicine. Address the benefits and challenges of life in your specified community. (1500 char)
- Describe a time when you found a creative solution to a challenging or unfamiliar situation. Include what you learned from the experience. (2000 char)
2016 – 2017
- Why Medical College of Wisconsin? (1000 char including spaces)
2015 – 2016
- Why MCW? (1,000 char including spaces)
- Regional Campus Essays
- Describe your motivation for pursuing a community-based medical education program. Include how your motivation will prepare you for your future career in medicine. Identify experiences in which you have lived or otherwise interfaced with rural or medical under-served communities and how they have influenced you. (3,000 char including spaces)
- Describe the community in which you envision yourself ultimately living and practicing medicine. Address the benefits and challenges of life in your specified community.
(2,000 char including spaces) - Describe a time when you found a creative solution to a challenging or unfamiliar situation.Include what you learned from the experience.
(2,000 char including spaces)
2014 – 2015
- Both Campuses:
The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is dedicated to leadership and excellence in four distinct areas identified in our mission statement – Education,Research,Patient Care,Service. Choose one of these areas and discuss how you will contribute to our mission, both as a medical student and a practicing physician. (3,000 char) - Green Bay Campus Only:
Describe your motivation for pursuing your medical school training in a community-based medical education program and how this will prepare you for your future career in medicine. Identify experiences in which you have lived or otherwise interfaced with rural or medical underserved communities and how they have influenced you.(3000 char) - Describe the community in which you envision yourself ultimately living and practicing medicine, addressing the benefits and challenges of life in that community.(3000 char)
- Describe a time when you found a creative solution to a challenging or unfamilar situation and what you learned from the experience.(3000 char)
