David Geffen School of Medicine (UCLA) Secondary Application Essay Tips [2021 – 2022]

By Mary Mahoney on August 22, 2021

Geffen School of Medicine secondary essay tips and deadlines

The David Geffen School of Medicine (UCLA) is interested in physician excellence, leadership and impact. According to Clarence H. Braddock, III, MD – the Vice Dean of Education and Chief Medical Education Officer, the Geffen SOM is interested in change, innovation, research, health, education, advocacy and humanistic care. Also, UCLA is standing by an initiative to change their policies and procedures to fix infrastructure that thwarts diversity, inclusion and equity in their institution. The Geffen School of Medicine is an institutional leader in rectifying systemic racism.

UCLA Medical School secondary application essay questions 2021-22

UCLA secondary essay #1

At the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, students are provided with curriculum and experiences enabling them to become an “Outstanding Physician, AND…,” dedicating themselves to important societal missions. What missions do you want to embrace? What have you done toward your missions? (800 characters)

A physician is a citizen of the world. Clearly, you have a passion for some aspect of humanity. When you envision your life as a physician, what humanitarian aspect will still resonate for you? What is that other thing that will always accompany your professional engagement? What lights a fire for you in terms of effecting positive change, making good trouble, advocacy. Why are you, as a future physician, confident that you will remain passionate about Habitat for Humanity? Training guide dogs? Cooking at a free community kitchen? Helping veterans? You should already have experience doing whatever that is. This prompt seeks out applicants who know who they are and are actively engaged in a cause uniquely suited to what moves them.

A particular research goal might be a suitable answer to this prompt as well, as long as your application demonstrates your involvement with an area of research. What’s your particular long-term vision working with stem cells?

Perhaps you’re a writer. Do you have books to write about being a doctor, or perhaps about patients’ social determinants of health?

Perhaps you’re a visionary. Have you developed a particular interest in medical ethics to affect policy and practice on the ethical use of animals in medical research? In twenty years, will AI have helped reduce the number of animals used in medical research?

UCLA secondary essay #2

Respond to the following and indicate how these areas of experience have impacted your progress toward your future career goals in relation to becoming an “Outstanding Physician, AND…”.

A-Describe your most unique leadership, entrepreneurial, or creative activity. (800 characters)
B-Describe your most important volunteer work and why it was meaningful. (800 characters)
C-Describe your most scholarly project (thesis, research or field of study in basic or clinical science or in the humanities) and provide the total number of hours, dates and advisor. (800 characters)

This year, this prompt is rewritten slightly. It used to say “what has been your most…” – which is revised to the word “describe.” Clearly, DGSOM wants more detail than just stating your answer. Do you play electric guitar? Do you draw anatomical figures? In what context? What does this do for you? What does this do for others? Don’t forget that all three of these sub prompts need to conclude with a tie-in to your career goals.

UCLA secondary essay #3

Describe how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted your pathway to medical school. Include any academic, personal, financial or professional barriers, as well as other relevant information. (800 characters)

UCLA has updated their website with very specific information for applicants about having been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Be sure to read their statement on their expectations for applicants who have been affected academically.

They will not judge applications that show online courses, or a shift to Pass/Fail grades for 2020 or 2021. They strongly encourage applicants who took the MCAT later than one hoped and therefore still do not know their score, to NOT wait to apply. In the COVID-19 information on their website, they isolate the word “resilience” as the key quality that they found to be true for their applicants during the pandemic. Clearly they like that. So do surmise that strong answers to this prompt should demonstrate resounding resilience.

UCLA secondary essay #4

[If you answer yes to this question,] Do you identify as being part of a group that has been marginalized (examples include, but are not limited to, LGBTQIA, disabilities, federally recognized tribe) in terms of access to education or healthcare?

then you also have this prompt:

-Describe how this inequity has impacted you or your community and how educational disparity, health disparity and/or marginalization has impacted you and your community. (800 characters)

It is okay to say “no” here. The prompt replaces the Geffen SOM “hardship” question. This new prompt is a hardship prompt, but it is specifically tied to issues of marginalization, identification with a marginalized group, or marginalization due to disability that impacted your access to education or healthcare. How does this story begin? How does this story play out? Tell that story explaining the significance of the consequences of your marginalization or the same marginalization for your community. How did you or your community adjust to an adverse event? How did you come to terms with your or your community’s marginalization as a reality? How and why did this experience change or deepen your passion to become a doctor?

Applying to David Geffen School of Medicine? Here are some stats:

Geffen average MCAT score: 512

Geffen average GPA: 3.69

UCLA medical school acceptance rate: 2.8%

U.S. News ranks Geffen #21 for research and #12 for primary care.

Has this blog post helped you feel more confident about approaching your Geffen School of Medicine secondary application? We hope so. It’s our mission to help smart, talented applicants like you gain acceptance to your top choice medical school. With so much at stake, why not hire a consultant whose expertise and personalized guidance can help you make your dream come true? We have several flexible consulting options—click here to get started today!

David Geffen School of Medicine (UCLA) application timeline 2021-22

AMCAS application deadline	October 1 (5PM PST)
Supplemental application	2 weeks from invitation
Screening of completed applications	July – November
Invitations for interviews	July – December
Interviews	August – January
Rolling offers of admission	Starting October 15

Source: Geffen School of Medicine website

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.***

Dr. Mary Mahoney, Ph.D. has over 20 years of experience as an advisor and essay reviewer for med school applicants. She is a tenured English Professor with an MFA in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College and a PhD in Literature and Writing from the University of Houston. For the last twenty years, Mary has served as a grad school advisor and essay reviewer for med school applicants. Want Mary to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!