2020-2021 Geisinger Commonwealth

[TheDataKing]

Please tag a pre-allo moderator when the secondary prompt is posted.

Good luck to everyone applying!

Interview Feedback: The Commonwealth Medical College

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[vroom14]

anyone hear anything from this school

 

[theoriginalyaga]

anyone hear anything from this school

not yet :\

 

[adamir154]

Nah

 

[vroom14]

OOS secondary received just now

 

[Smareo]

OOS secondary received just now

+1

 

[deleted1058452]

+1

+2

 

[theoriginalyaga]

OOS secondary received just now

nice! do you mind posting the prompts?

 

[deleted1058452]

nice! do you mind posting the prompts?

Given Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's unique mission and values, please tell us why you feel you are a good fit for our institution. is required.

2. List the five most important attributes you feel a physician should possess. Please choose one that you feel you embody and describe a personal experience that demonstrates this trait. is required.

3. Geisinger Commonwealth values diversity and is committed to maintaining an inclusive environment. How do you think you can contribute to our commitment to diversity and inclusion? is required.

Something of note is that if you say you are interested in their primary care scholars program then the first prompt changes to be
“Please share with the Admissions Committee what primary care means to you, and why you feel you are a good fit for the Geisinger Primary Care Scholars Program.”

@TheDataKing

No indicated character/word limit

 

[vroom14]

Given Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's unique mission and values, please tell us why you feel you are a good fit for our institution. is required.

2. List the five most important attributes you feel a physician should possess. Please choose one that you feel you embody and describe a personal experience that demonstrates this trait. is required.

3. Geisinger Commonwealth values diversity and is committed to maintaining an inclusive environment. How do you think you can contribute to our commitment to diversity and inclusion? is required.

Something of note is that if you say you are interested in their primary care scholars program then the first prompt changes to be
“Please share with the Admissions Committee what primary care means to you, and why you feel you are a good fit for the Geisinger Primary Care Scholars Program.”

@TheDataKing

also it looks like theres no word/character limit

 

[sports215]

+2

+3 IS

 

[theoriginalyaga]

+3 IS

+4, IS, verified 6/4

 

[TabbyTuxy]

+5 OOS, verified

 

[annperkins]

+5 OOS, verified

+6

 

[deleted1040408]

is there really no word or character limit?

 

[annperkins]

is there really no word or character limit?

I don't see one!

 

[adamir154]

is there really no word or character limit?

Correct, there are no limits this year. But same 3 questions as last year.

 

[deleted1058452]

It seems like the character limit last year was 1500

Are people going to write as if that’s the limit this year even though it isn’t specified?

 

[TabbyTuxy]

It seems like the character limit last year was 1500

Are people going to write as if that’s the limit this year even though it isn’t specified?

I am, just because I've pre-written them and I figure there's a reason they wanted that length last time.

 

[annperkins]

I am, just because I've pre-written them and I figure there's a reason they wanted that length last time.

I rewrote mine because I didn't want to come off as lazy if we still followed last year's 1500 character limit because they can probably tell we wrote them ahead of time and didn't want to bother doing more work even with the clear lack of character limit for this year (not calling anyone lazy if they didn't rewrite, am just scared to be perceived that way by adcom )

 

[future_dr_j]

OOS also received. So far, I like my prewritten answers so I will most likely keep them. I think it's weird they don't have a character / word count. Maybe they will send some follow up email with an error?

 

[deleted1058452]

OOS also received. So far, I like my prewritten answers so I will most likely keep them. I think it's weird they don't have a character / word count. Maybe they will send some follow up email with an error?

I don’t think you can go wrong either way. The lack of a limit I would think is intentional but if you have a solid response within the 1500 character limit of last year you’ll be fine regardless

 

[TabbyTuxy]

I rewrote mine because I didn't want to come off as lazy if we still followed last year's 1500 character limit because they can probably tell we wrote them ahead of time and didn't want to bother doing more work even with the clear lack of character limit for this year (not calling anyone lazy if they didn't rewrite, am just scared to be perceived that way by adcom )

There's no character counter, so they wouldn't know that it was around 1500, most likely. I can't imagine most people would care if it was pre-written. Pre-writing is more ambitious/proactive than it is lazy, in my opinion. Can't go wrong!

 

[amoney904]

I am a little confused about the Primary Care Scholars Program. The change in the first question is just to gauge interest in the program and primary care right? I am assuming that you can't apply for until you are actually accepted. Also even if you are interested is it better just to do the normal version of the question?

 

[future_dr_j]

I am a little confused about the Primary Care Scholars Program. The change in the first question is just to gauge interest in the program and primary care right? I am assuming that you can't apply for until you are actually accepted. Also even if you are interested is it better just to do the normal version of the question?

I listened to a podcast about the school and they went really into detail about the program. It’s a scholarship program

Personally i am just doing the normal version

 

[deleted1058452]

I am a little confused about the Primary Care Scholars Program. The change in the first question is just to gauge interest in the program and primary care right? I am assuming that you can't apply for until you are actually accepted. Also even if you are interested is it better just to do the normal version of the question?

I do believe that it’s meant as an initial gauge of interest. I think I saw on their website that there’s an application for accepted students with an essay they’d have to do to be officially considered.

I don’t think it’s better or worse per se. They are a school with a big focus on primary care anyway so if you can show an interest in that it would be good.

If you’re genuinely interested and can show that then say yes and answer the question. If not then opt for the standard question

 

[amoney904]

I do believe that it’s meant as an initial gauge of interest. I think I saw on their website that there’s an application for accepted students with an essay they’d have to do to be officially considered.

I don’t think it’s better or worse per se. They are a school with a big focus on primary care anyway so if you can show an interest in that it would be good.

If you’re genuinely interested and can show that then say yes and answer the question. If not then opt for the standard question

I get what you are saying. I guess my concern was that if it is a specific track than it may be more competitive and limit my chances for admission. I am very open to being a community based primary care provider so the program seems pretty intriguing. Obviously the loan forgiveness will get anyones attention. Thanks for your input!

 

[Med16484]

Anyone else still waiting to be complete? On the main status it says they haven’t received my LORs but when I click on the link it says they received it on the 14th

 

[456432]

Anyone else still waiting to be complete? On the main status it says they haven’t received my LORs but when I click on the link it says they received it on the 14th

Same. Mine was a Committee Letter (University Recommendation plus 3 individual letters attached) and it's marking it as incomplete. I'm guessing because the minimum LOR requirement is 3 separate letters? I can't tell if the Committee Letter doesn't fulfill the requirement.

 

[TabbyTuxy]

Anyone else still waiting to be complete? On the main status it says they haven’t received my LORs but when I click on the link it says they received it on the 14th

I'm also waiting, they haven't downloaded my MCAT score (which I took in a previous year) for some reason.

 

[TabbyTuxy]

Is anyone else waiting for their MCAT to be received to be marked complete, despite having taken the MCAT already? I submitted 7/19 and am not complete due to the MCAT. Not sure if I should email them.

 

[deleted1058452]

Is anyone else waiting for their MCAT to be received to be marked complete, despite having taken the MCAT already? I submitted 7/19 and am not complete due to the MCAT. Not sure if I should email them.

I submitted on the same day and they had received all my materials. My mcat was from a prior year so probably check with them what’s up

 

[MooDoc]

Is anyone else waiting for their MCAT to be received to be marked complete, despite having taken the MCAT already? I submitted 7/19 and am not complete due to the MCAT. Not sure if I should email them.

Same here. I actually emailed them yesterday inquiring about it, but haven't received a response.

 

[TabbyTuxy]

Same here. I actually emailed them yesterday inquiring about it, but haven't received a response.

When was your MCAT? Mine was in 2018.

 

[MooDoc]

When was your MCAT? Mine was in 2018.

I took it twice: Jan 2018 and June 2020, so they should have received both since they're on my AMCAS

 

[back2skewl]

Anyone else not receive the secondary yet? I was verified in June!

 

[penguinsfan71]

I am a little confused about the Primary Care Scholars Program. The change in the first question is just to gauge interest in the program and primary care right? I am assuming that you can't apply for until you are actually accepted. Also even if you are interested is it better just to do the normal version of the question?

Last cycle you didn't apply to the Primary Care Scholars Program until after you were accepted. The program is pretty new though (I'm not sure if it even existed this time last year), so they could be doing it differently this cycle.

 

[future_dr_j]

Just to clarify, there is not a character limit this year for responses? Is everyone submitting longer responses?

Thanks!

 

[deleted1058452]

Just to clarify, there is not a character limit this year for responses? Is everyone submitting longer responses?

Thanks!

No limit this year but I made my responses all roughly around the 1500 limit from last year

 

[gljj]

Anyone else not receive the secondary yet? I was verified 7/10!

+1
I'm IS and my app was verified in late June/early July... :'(

 

[scaredhamstermeme]

Anyone else not receive the secondary yet? I was verified 7/10!

I just received mine on the 19th even though I was verified in June. They seem to be moving a bit more slowly with the app reviews

 

[MoonQuail]

No secondary yet!! OOS. Was verified in June!

 

[Tirade]

Same here. I actually emailed them yesterday inquiring about it, but haven't received a response.

Did you get a response? Same issue for me

 

[MoonQuail]

Do lots of people still not have a secondary? Starting to wonder if I should email them?

 

[back2skewl]

Do lots of people still not have a secondary? Starting to wonder if I should email them?

+1

 

[gljj]

+1

+2

 

[deleted1040408]

does anyone know when they start sending IIs?

 

[back2skewl]

Still no secondary here- has anyone reached out?

 

[TabbyTuxy]

does anyone know when they start sending IIs?

Last year, the earliest complete dates received IIs the first week of August. Since the cycle has been shifted two weeks, it's unclear if we can expect IIs to begin at the same time as before or in mid/late August instead.

 

[gljj]

I still haven't received a secondary...

https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fastly.net/production/media/filer_public/cf/0b/cf0bdea9-72bc-4fd0-a9cc-640d312ee444/msar_secondary_application_2020.pdf

Saw this link on another thread and it says a secondary will be sent to "all applicants upon receipt of verified AMCAS application." My app was verified before July 10 and I received secondaries from all the other schools I applied to... Not sure if I should reach out or just be patient...