University of Toledo College of Medicine Secondary Questions

Here are the secondary prompts for the University of Toledo College of Medicine.

2021-2022 

Essays

1. One of the AAMC Core Competencies for entering medical students involves cultural competence. The competency involves several distinct domains, including:

a. Demonstrating knowledge of socio-cultural factors that affect interactions and behaviors;

b. Showing an appreciation and respect for multiple dimensions of diversity;

c. Recognizing and acting on the obligation to inform one’s own judgment;

d. Engaging diverse and competing perspectives as a resource for learning, citizenship, and work;

e. Recognizing and appropriately addressing bias in selves and others;

f. Interacting effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.

Discuss a specific experience from your life that you feel demonstrates your level of competence in one of the above domains. (Clearly indicate which of the six domains above that you are responding to.) As part of your discussion, explain how you feel this experience will impact your future contribution to the culture of diversity and inclusion at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences and later in your career as a physician. Max word count: 600

2. One of the AAMC Core Competencies for entering medical students involves resilience and adaptability. This competency involves the ability to tolerate stressful or changing environments or situations and adapt effectively to them. Additional characteristics of this competency are persistence and the ability to recover from setbacks.

Discuss a specific experience from your life that you feel demonstrates your level of competence in resilience and adaptability as described above. As part of your discussion, explain how you feel this experience will help you meet new challenges you may face in medical school. Max word count: 600

3. (Optional) Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health crisis. Possible topics might include, for example: your biggest lessons and insights from the pandemic; creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis; hardships you may have faced as a result of the virus or quarantine. (You will have an opportunity to specifically discuss impacts to your coursework/grades in a separate item). Max word count: 600

Affiliations and Experiences

1. We invite you to briefly discuss any other connections you may have to The University of Toledo, the UToledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, the city of Toledo, or the region of Northwest Ohio or to provide additional information about the affiliations you noted above. Max word count: 500

2. Will one or more years have passed between your graduation from college/university (bachelor’s degree) and your expected matriculation to medical school? YES/NO

If ‘YES’, please briefly describe what activities you are/have been engaged in during the period between undergraduate and medical school. Max word count: 300

3. Are you a re-applicant to the MD program at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences?

If you indicated ‘YES,’: Please briefly describe how your application has changed since applying previously to our program. Max word count: 300

4. If you feel you have any aspects of your record that may potentially negatively influence your application to our medical school, we encourage you to use this space to discuss them in order to provide the admissions committee with further context about your application. (Examples of possible topics include MCAT scores lower than our class average, low grades, withdrawn course, institutional action/student conduct violation.) Max word count: 500

2020-2021

We invite you to briefly discuss any other connections you may have to The University of Toledo, the UToledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, the city of Toledo, or the region of Northwest Ohio or to provide additional information about the affiliations you noted above. (500 words)

If you feel you have any aspects of your record that may potentially negatively influence your application to our medical school, we encourage you to use this space to discuss them in order to provide the admissions committee with further context about your application. (Examples of possible topics include MCAT scores lower than our class average, low grades, withdrawn course, institutional action/student conduct violation.) (500 words)

The Admissions Committee considers a wide variety of factors in evaluating applicants, including fit between applicants and our program’s mission, goals, and culture. In the essays below, we invite you to share information about yourself with regard to two aspects of our program. We encourage you to provide information and insights that may not be easily gleaned from other aspects of your medical school application. In responding to the essay prompts below, you should interpret the questions to the best of your ability.

One of the AAMC Core Competencies for entering medical students involves cultural competence. The competency involves several distinct domains, including:

1. Demonstrating knowledge of socio-cultural factors that affect interactions and behaviors;
2. Showing an appreciation and respect for multiple dimensions of diversity;
3. Recognizing and acting on the obligation to inform one’s own judgment;
4. Engaging diverse and competing perspectives as a resource for learning, citizenship, and work;
5. Recognizing and appropriately addressing bias in selves and others;
6. Interacting effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.

Discuss a specific experience from your life that you feel demonstrates your level of competence in one of the above domains. (Clearly indicate which of the six domains above that you are responding to.) As part of your discussion, explain how you feel this experience will impact your future contribution to the culture of diversity and inclusion at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences and later in your career as a physician. (600 words)

One of the AAMC Core Competencies for entering medical students involves resilience and adaptability. This competency involves the ability to tolerate stressful or changing environments or situations and adapt effectively to them. Additional characteristics of this competency are persistence and the ability to recover from setbacks. (600 words)

(Optional) Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the corona virus (COVID-19) public health crisis. Possible topics might include, for example: your biggest lessons and insights from the pandemic; creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis; hardships you may have faced as a result of the virus or quarantine. (You will have an opportunity to specifically discuss impacts to your coursework/grades in a separate item.) (600 words)

2019-2020

Under the Affiliations and Experience tab:

We invite you to briefly discuss any other connections you may have to The University of Toledo, the UToledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, the city of Toledo, or the region of Northwest Ohio or to provide additional information about the affiliations you noted above. (500 words)

If you feel you have any aspects of your record that may potentially negatively influence your application to our medical school, we encourage you to use this space to discuss them in order to provide the admissions committee with further context about your application. (Examples of possible topics include MCAT scores lower than our class average, low grades, withdrawn course, institutional action/student conduct violation.) 500 words

Under Essay tab:

The Admissions Committee considers a wide variety of factors in evaluating applicants, including fit between applicants and our program’s mission, goals, and culture. In the essays below, we invite you to share information about yourself with regard to two aspects of our program. We encourage you to provide information and insights that may not be easily gleaned from other aspects of your medical school application. In responding to the essay prompts below, you should interpret the questions to the best of your ability.

One of the AAMC Core Competencies for entering medical students involves cultural competence. The competency involves several distinct domains, including:

1. Demonstrating knowledge of socio-cultural factors that affect interactions and behaviors;
2. Showing an appreciation and respect for multiple dimensions of diversity;
3. Recognizing and acting on the obligation to inform one’s own judgment;
4. Engaging diverse and competing perspectives as a resource for learning, citizenship, and work;
5. Recognizing and appropriately addressing bias in selves and others;
6. Interacting effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
7. Discuss a specific experience from your life that you feel demonstrates your level of competence in one of the above domains. As part of your discussion, explain how you feel this experience will impact your future contribution to the culture of diversity and inclusion at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences. (600 words)
8. One of the AAMC Core Competencies for entering medical students involves resilience and adaptability. This competency involves the ability to tolerate stressful or changing environments or situations and adapt effectively to them. Additional characteristics of this competency are persistence and the ability to recover from setbacks. Discuss a specific experience from your life that you feel demonstrates your level of competence in resilience and adaptability as described above. As part of your discussion, explain how you feel this experience will help you meet new challenges you may face in medical school. (600 words)

2018-2019 

Briefly describe why you wish to attend medical school at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences. As part of this essay, please discuss, if applicable, any personal connection you may have to The University of Toledo, the UT College of Medicine and Life Sciences/former Medical College of Ohio, the city of Toledo, or the region of Northwest Ohio. 300 words

Discuss any important aspects of your personal background, identity, or educational journey that you feel would give the Admissions Committee greater insight into your medical school application. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation to pursue a career in medicine. Examples might include: challenges you’ve overcome in accessing education; identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity; unique pathways to medical school application via professional employment, military service, family caregiving, and other circumstances. 700 words

One of the AAMC Core Competencies for entering medical students involves cultural competence: “Demonstrates knowledge of socio-cultural factors that affect interactions and behaviors ; shows an appreciation and respect for multiple dimensions of diversity; recognizes and acts on the obligation to inform one’s own judgment; engages diverse and competing perspectives as a resource for learning, citizenship, and work; recognizes and appropriately addresses bias in themselves and others; interacts effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.” Discuss a specific experience from your life that you feel demonstrates your cultural competence. 700 words

2017 – 2018

Briefly describe why you wish to attend medical school at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences. As part of this essay, please discuss, if applicable, any personal connection you may have to The University of Toledo, the UT College of Medicine and Life Sciences/former Medical College of Ohio, the city of Toledo, or the region of Northwest Ohio. (300 words)

Discuss any important aspects of your personal background, identity, or educational journey that you feel would give the Admissions Committee greater insight into your medical school application. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation to pursue a career in medicine. Examples might include: challenges you’ve overcome in accessing education; identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity; unique pathways to medical school application via professional employment, military service, family caregiving, and other circumstances. (700 words)

One of the AAMC Core Competencies for entering medical students involves cultural competence: “Demonstrates knowledge of socio-cultural factors that affect interactions and behaviors ; shows an appreciation and respect for multiple dimensions of diversity; recognizes and acts on the obligation to inform one’s own judgment; engages diverse and competing perspectives as a resource for learning, citizenship, and work; recognizes and appropriately addresses bias in themselves and others; interacts effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.” Discuss a specific experience from your life that you feel demonstrates your cultural competence. (700 words)

2016 – 2017

One of the AAMC Core Competencies for entering medical students involves cultural competence: “Demonstrates knowledge of socio-cultural factors that affect interactions and behaviors; shows an appreciation and respect for multiple dimensions of diversity; recognizes and acts on the obligation to inform one’s own judgment; engages diverse and competing perspectives as a resource for learning, citizenship, and work; recognizes and appropriately addresses bias in themselves and others; interacts effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.” Discuss a specific experience from your life that you feel demonstrates your cultural competence. (1000 word limit)

One of the AAMC Core Competencies for entering medical students involves resilience and adaptability: “Demonstrates tolerance of stressful or changing environments or situations and adapts effectively to them; is persistent, even under difficult situations; recovers from setbacks.” Discuss a specific experience from your life that you feel demonstrates your resilience and adaptability. (1000 word limit)

Optional essay:

Briefly explain any extenuating circumstances (e.g., poor grades, course withdrawals, etc.) which you feel may be pertinent to your application. (1000 word limit)

2015 – 2016

Essay #1 (Required): The University of Toledo College of Medicine is committed to excellence in education which prepares graduates to deliver quality health care. Developing cultural competence is an important goal in our curriculum. Cultural competence is defined as an awareness, understanding and ability to use specific methods to deal effectively with cultural issues and its role in health and health care. Please discuss a life experience in which you feel you demonstrated cultural competence.

2014 – 2015

Briefly discuss any extenuating circumstances which you feel are pertinent to your application (poor grades, course withdrawals, etc).

Essay #1 (Required): The University of Toledo College of Medicine is committed to excellence in education which prepares graduates to deliver quality health care. Developing cultural competence is an important goal in our curriculum. Cultural competence is defined as an awareness, understanding and ability to use specific methods to deal effectively with cultural issues and its role in health and health care. Please discuss a life experience in which you feel you demonstrated cultural competence.

Word count is not specifically stated on the application. 2013-2014 essays had a 2000 character limit.