These are the secondary application essay prompts for Albany Medical College. To put your best foot forward and maximize your chance of an interview invitation, visit our secondary application editing page.
Secondary Deadline: December 1, 2024
Secondary Fee: $115
FAP Waiver: Yes, the secondary fee is waived for applicants who have an AMCAS fee waiver
CASPer Required: No
Screens Applications: Yes
Accepts Application Updates:
Mission
We are committed to improving health by attaining the highest standard of quality in care delivery, education, and research initiatives.
Vision
As an academic medical system, we will deliver the best possible experience for all patients wherever we interact with them. We will foster teaching, learning and discovery, fiscal responsibility, and adaptability to change.
Values
1. Describe yourself (1000 characters)
2. Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores. If the question does not apply to you, please put N/A in the box provided.
3. Has your college or university, graduate or professional school attendance been interrupted for any reason? If yes, please explain. Also, please explain any extended gaps in activity/employment in your post-graduate history. If the question does not apply to you, please put N/A in the box provided.
4. Describe a significant challenge that has prepared you for the MD career path (1000 characters)
5. Please describe your personal experiences with the structural and social determinants of health in your life and community, how they shaped your engagement with medicine and your future ideas for doctoring (1000 characters)
6. Tell us about a community with which you identify and how you are involved with it. (1000 characters)
7. Is there anything else you would like the admissions committee to know when reviewing your application? If so, please use the space provided. (1000 characters)
8. Describe what aspect of that experience best equips you to make an impact in the medical profession. (1000 characters, applicant will choose one of their AMCAS activities from the list)
All prompts have a 1,000 character limit.
1. Describe yourself.
2. Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores. If the question does not apply to you, please put N/A in the box provided.
3. Has your college or university, graduate or professional school attendance been interrupted for any reason? If yes, please explain. Also, please explain any extended gaps in activity/employment in your post-graduate history. If the question does not apply to you, please put N/A in the box provided.
4. Describe a significant challenge that has prepared you for the MD career path.
5. Please describe your personal experiences with the structural and social determinants of health in your life and community, how they shaped your engagement with medicine and your future ideas for doctoring.
6. Tell us about a community with which you identify and how you are involved with it.
7. Is there anything else you would like the admissions committee to know when reviewing your application? If so, please use the space provided.
All prompts have a 1,000 character limit.
1. Describe yourself.
2. Describe a significant challenge that has prepared you for the MD career path.
3. Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores.
4. Has your college or university, graduate or professional school attendance been interrupted for any reason? If yes, please explain. Also, please explain any extended gaps in activity/employment in your post-graduate history.
5. Tell us one thing about yourself that would help the Admissions Committee determine if you should be admitted to our program.
6. If your school has a Premedical Advisory Committee but you are not using that service,
please indicate why.
7. In the “Work and Activites” section on your AMCAS application, you provided the following list of experiences (lists all experiences). Please select the experience that you feel has been the most meaningful in influencing your desire to pursue a career in medicine, explain why, and also describe what aspect of that experience best equips you to make an impact in the medical profession.
1. If you have previously applied to medical school, but were unsuccessful, what do you believe are the major reasons for not being accepted and what have you done since to overcome these concerns? (1,000 characters)
2. The COVID-19 epidemic has changed the landscape of medicine. Please tell us how the COVID-19 epidemic has changed the landscape of medicine from your perspective. (You will have an opportunity to specifically discuss impacts to your coursework/grades in a separate item. (1,000 characters)
3. If applicable, please use the space below to explain any ways in which your ability to meet the course prerequisite requirements were impacted by COVID-19. (1,000 characters)
4. Describe yourself: (1,000 characters)
5. Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores. (1,000 characters)
6. Has your college or university, graduate or professional school attendance been interrupted for any reason? If yes, please explain. Also, please explain any extended gaps in activity/employment in your post-graduate history. (1,000 characters)
7. Tell us one thing about yourself that would help the Admissions Committee determine if you should be admitted to our program. (1,000 characters)
8. In the “Work and Activities” section on your AMCAS application, you provided the following list of experiences. Please select the experience that you feel has been the most meaningful in influencing your desire to pursue a career in medicine, explain why, and also describe what aspect of that experience best equips you to make an impact in the medical profession. (1,000 characters)
9. If your school has a Premedical Advisory Committee but you are not using that service, please indicate why.
All prompts have a 1,000 character limit with the exception on question seven.
1. If you have previously applied to medical school, but were unsuccessful, what do you believe are the major reasons for not being accepted and what have you done since to overcome these concerns?
2. Describe yourself.
3. Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores.
4. Has your college or university, graduate or professional school attendance been interrupted for any reason? If yes, please explain. Also, please explain any extended gaps in activity/employment in your post-graduate history.
5. Tell us one thing about yourself that would help the Admissions Committee determine if you should be admitted to our program.
6. In the “Work and Activities” section on your AMCAS application, you provided the following list of experiences. Please select the experience that you feel has been the most meaningful in influencing your desire to pursue a career in medicine, explain why, and also describe what aspect of that experience best equips you to make an impact in the medical profession.
7. The COVID-19 epidemic has changed the landscape of medicine. Please tell us how the COVID-19 epidemic has changed the landscape of medicine from your perspective. (You will have an opportunity to specifically discuss impacts to your coursework/grades in a separate item.) 100 character
All prompts have a 1,000 character limit.
1. If you have previously applied to medical school, but were unsuccessful, what do you believe are the major reasons for not being accepted and what have you done since to overcome these concerns?
2. Describe yourself.
3. Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores.
4. Has your college or university, graduate or professional school attendance been interrupted for any reason? If yes, please explain. Also, please explain any extended gaps in activity/employment in your post-graduate history.
5. Tell us one thing about yourself that would help the Admissions Committee determine if you should be admitted to our program.
6. In the “Work and Activities” section on your AMCAS application, you provided the following list of experiences. Please select the experience that you feel has been the most meaningful in influencing your desire to pursue a career in medicine, explain why, and also describe what aspect of that experience best equips you to make an impact in the medical profession.
1. If you are interested in obtaining the MD/Ph.D. or the MD/MBA degrees, please check the corresponding box. The application for the Ph.D. is submitted after the second year of the MD program; the application for the MBA is submitted after acceptance to the MD program. Please note that admittance to the MD program does not guarantee admittance to either of these programs.
MD/Ph.D. MD/MBA
2. If you have previously applied to the Albany Medical College, indicate the year(s) and the disposition of your application. (Check all boxes that apply)
3. If you have previously applied to medical school, but were unsuccessful, how have you spent your time since then? (1,000 character limit)
Focus on personal growth during this year. Rather than avoiding the elephant in the room which is the failed application cycle, introspect on why you did not get accepted. Find something that is a weakness in your application which could be worked on, and then demonstrate how in your off year you were able to strengthen yourself in this regard. Examples include GPA (post bacc), research (additional research work or publications), clinical work (additional clinical hours).
4. Describe yourself: (1,000 character limit)
This can be a challenging question to approach but you will improve as you answer it more. From your introspection on your personal statement, you may have already identified your personal strengths as they pertain to your candidacy for medical school. See if you can work these into your description. Do not make them the sole focus though. Another key is do not simply repeat statements made in the personal statement. See if you can highlight related but different attributes. Also discuss other aspects of your nature that would otherwise not be highlighted in your application. Tell a story if possible. Above all, be humble. Subtlety is key.
5. Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores. (1,000 character limit)
If this is pertinent to you, give an honest and explicit explanation of something which may be of concern on your application. Do not feel the need to concoct something if it does not exist. But consider if there is something you might be concerned about a reviewer reading, and provide a circumstantial explanation. Do not make excuses. Be careful not to sound like a victim in your explanation.
6. Has your college or university, graduate or professional school attendance been interrupted for any reason? If yes, please explain. Also, please explain any gaps in your post-graduate history. (1,000 character limit)
Similar to above, explain if pertinent without making excuses or sounding victimized.
7. Tell us one thing about yourself that would help the Admissions Committee determine if you should be admitted to our program. (1,000 character limit)
The first strategy to answering this question is doing some research on the program website to understand some of its nuances. Is it very strong in a particular field of research, or perhaps in community clinical work for the underserved. If one of these aspects aligns with your strengths or interests, explain how you are a great fit for this reason. Second, see if you can have a stock answer to the questions of why you are unique and a good fit for that medical school community. Consider drawing on your experiences with interpersonal skills or teamwork which would make you a great addition to the community. Perhaps you can illustrate this with a memorable work experience.
8. In the “Work and Activities” section on your AMCAS application, you provided the following list of experiences. Please select the experience that you feel has been the most meaningful in influencing your desire to pursue a career in medicine, explain why, and also describe what aspect of that experience best equips you to make an impact in the medical profession. (1,000 character limit)
This is a difficult question because the key is to answer effectively while not repeating what was stated in the primary app. Choose an experience you feel strongly about and then try to think about how you could explain its importance from a fresh angle. Perhaps there was a deeper or different lesson it taught you than what you previously described. Tie the experience to a tangible skill you gained or lesson you learned which will help you impact the medical profession.
+ additional personal info/ letters of rec info