What is Inspira’s Secondary Essay Prompt Database?

A complete list of med school secondary essay prompts designed to help you stay proactive and organized during the 2023-2024 admissions process.

(Note: We recommend using this resource alongside our free 109-page Medical School Admissions guide)

Medical school secondary essays are the second component of the application process. Each school has its own set of application requirements, whereas the primary application is a single submission sent to multiple schools through AMCAS, TMDSAS, or AACOMAS.

Secondary applications typically consist of a series of questions or essay prompts. While the specific questions may vary from one school to another, they often overlap. If you submitted your primary application in June, you can anticipate receiving secondary applications starting in July and continuing throughout the summer.

However, it's worth noting that not all schools send applications to every applicant. Some schools utilize the application as a screening tool and only extend secondaries to students they wish to further consider for admission.

Purpose of Medical School Secondary Essays

Med school secondary essays offer an opportunity to showcase how your aspirations and principles align with the school you wish to attend. They also allow you to demonstrate how you can contribute to their program as a student. These essays help schools ensure that you are a fit for their program and provide insights about you beyond what is covered in your AMCAS work and activities section.

If you're looking for tips and insights on composing effective responses for medical school secondary essays, check out our guide. This resource will offer guidance to help your application stand out!

Common Med School Secondary Prompts

Below are 5 common prompts you will likely find in your secondaries:

Describe yourself…
Why did you choose to apply to our program? / Why are you a great fit for our school?
The mission of our school is ___. How would you help us fulfill this mission?
Where do you see your medical career ___ years from now?
Discuss a time in your life in which you failed. What did you learn?

Wondering How We Can Help You?

Med School Application Support

Our start-to-finish medical application consulting is meant to supercharge your ability to get accepted at the country’s most competitive medical schools.

Learn More

Early Candidacy Prep

Through our pre-health advising, we help you pick the right courses, plan MCAT prep, participate in the right extracurriculars, and get the right clinical experience you need for med school applications.