Medical University of Pittsburgh Medical School Secondary Application Essay Tips [2022 – 2023]

UPSOM places special emphasis on their collaborative problem-based curriculum and the fact that their medical students begin interacting with patients in their first year of medical school. Providing the best care to patients through research, education, leadership and diversity is central to their mission.

They seek future medical students who demonstrate high academic achievement, the attributes of curiosity and self-discovery, and an empathic will to serve others.

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University of Pittsburgh 2022-2023 secondary application essay questions​

Pitt Med secondary essay #1​

Tell us about a challenging problem you faced and how you resolved it. Include how the experience contributed to the person you are today. (250 words or less.)​

Given UPSOM’s focus on one-on-one patient interactions, use an experience in which you were able to resolve a professional conflict. Emphasize the role that you played in finding a solution and the skills you employed to identify and implement a positive outcome that was mutually beneficial for all parties involved. I recommend using an issue that has a clear positive resolution.

The challenging problem you write about must have been important enough to you that it contributed to your maturity and growth. Rather succinctly, you’ll have to articulate the integration of this experience with “who you are today,” and explain how this challenging problem and its resolution imprinted you for the better, triggered growth, sensitivity, insight, understanding – or any other quality that is a mature attribute.

Pitt Med secondary essay #2​

At UPSOM, diversity and inclusion are measures of distinction, integral to achieving institutional excellence, and essential to the development of future physicians who become leaders in medicine. Describe how you have demonstrated a commitment to diversity and inclusion in the past, and how you hope to grow that commitment in medical school. (250 words or less.)​

This prompt replaces a broader prompt about diversity that asked applicants to address “opposing” racism, gender and identity discrimination, and misogyny. This new prompt flips the approach to your narrative about this relatively standard “diversity” secondary prompt. Instead of writing about “the fight” inherent in opposition, this prompt speaks to the higher order of diversity and inclusion as values of character and leadership. Also, they ask you not to speak to these values as ideals, rather, they ask for action – how have you demonstrated a commitment to these values? They seek a story, not a manifesto. The story should resonate with what others can expect to see from you in the future. What have you done to combat this problem? How have you advocated for diversity and inclusion?

Pitt Med secondary essay #3​

Please write about anything else you would like to add to your application, or anything you would like to emphasize to the Admissions Committee. (250 words or less.)​

Applicants may write about a hardship they encountered, if it is not addressed in another part of the application. Some applicants might explain a circumstance associated with an aberrant grade on a transcript, without blame, without complaint.

Other applicants may write about a job opportunity or volunteer commitment that arose since submitting their AMCAS application. You may even respond with a positive situation. Perhaps explain some aspect of your talent that is not represented in the primary application and is not associated with medicine: will you judge a 4H competition, ride a bull, officiate at a wedding, play in a summer orchestra, run a marathon, have paintings displayed at a gallery opening, publish a short story, travel to provide humanitarian relief?

Applying to University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine? Here are some stats:​

UPSOM average MCAT score: 516

UPSOM average GPA: 3.83

UPSOM acceptance rate: 3.5%

U.S. News ranks UPSOM #14 for research and #10 for primary care.

Check out the Med School Selectivity Index for more stats.

Has this blog post helped you feel more confident about approaching your UPSOM 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!

UPitt School of Medicine application timeline 2022 – 2023​

AMCAS deadline	October 15th
Supplemental application deadline	November 15th

Source: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s 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. is the Medical Humanities Director at Elmira College and 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!

Alicia McNease Nimonkar worked for 5 years as the Student Advisor & Director at the UC Davis School of Medicine’s postbac program where she both evaluated applications and advised students applying successfully to med school and other health professional programs. She has served Accepted’s clients since 2012 with roughly a 90% success rate. She has a Master of Arts in Composition and Rhetoric as well as Literature. Want Alicia to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!




Related Resources:

• How to Create Successful Secondary Applications, a free webinar
• Writing About Overcoming Obstacles in Your Application Essays
• Simple Steps to Writing an Excellent Diversity Essay

This article originally appeared on blog.accepted.com

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