[2021 Applicants] secondary apps, committee letters, virtual interviews, ocs interview resources
by Morimoto, Emiko Taira Adachi
Dear Applicants,
1. Timing of turning around secondary applications. We recommend that you turn around your secondary applications in 10-14 days. Some, but not all, schools will give you a specific deadline. Remember just to complete these as they arrive, and do not prioritize your reach schools over your 'safer'/target schools. Our rationale for suggesting 10-14 days is three-fold. First, being early in this process is an advantage and you lose that advantage if you sit on your secondary applications. Second, turning them around quickly shows interest, good organization, and time management. Third, in our experience, hanging on to them just makes them pile up and causes more stress and anxiety. However, do not worry if something comes up and some take you a bit longer to get in. There is nothing magic about our 10-14 day guideline. You do not need to stress over them excessively, but do make sure they are error free. Be aware that some schools expect you to access their secondary applications on their websites or through their application portal, so check MSAR and your school websites to make sure you know what to expect with regard to receiving secondary applications from the schools you have selected. Also see the FAQs for Applicants > Secondary Applications at https://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/amcas.
A note on writing and submitting secondaries in the 2021 application cycle:
* Many medical schools have extended their usual deadline for submitting their secondary by as much as a month. As stated above, we have heard from a number of medical school Deans and Directors of Admissions that given the impact of the pandemic and everything else that has occurred in the country and in the world at large during these past months, they will ensure that every primary and secondary application submitted by this cycle's deadlines will be given full and equal consideration regardless of submission dates. Therefore we want to reassure all of you that even if you turn in your secondaries later than what we normally recommend, your application should not therefore be negatively impacted. That said, if you are able to submit your secondaries by the usual recommended turnover time, we recommend that you do so, and especially for schools that practice rolling admissions where an earlier secondary application receipt may mean an earlier interview invitation, which *may* confer some advantage (though this too will be carefully monitored by rolling admissions schools with a view to how some applicants facing greater COVID-related or other challenges submitted later secondaries as a result).
* See https://students-residents.aamc.org/advisors/article/medical-school-admissi…<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__students-2Dresidents.a…> you will find the following compiled reports about secondary application timelines and policies, extracted from MSAR (free and accessible with or without an MSAR subscription):
* See https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fastly.net/production/media/filer_public/a7/…<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__aamc-2Dorange.global.s…> for a compiled list of each medical school's 2021 application deadlines (corresponding to their individual MSAR entry; subject to continued revision and updates).
* See https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fastly.net/production/media/filer_public/b3/…<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__aamc-2Dorange.global.s…> for a compiled list of each medical school's 2021 secondary application policies and deadlines.
*
* If you do not yet have an MCAT score, or if you are still waiting for a new (retake) MCAT score, does it matter if you submit your secondary before the schools have your MCAT? The answer here is somewhat nuanced and school specific. Some schools have said that this cycle, they will make an exception to their usual policy of not reviewing apps prior to receipt of MCAT score/s, and will begin evaluating apps prior to receiving MCAT scores delayed by the COVID situation. Therefore, it is still important to submit your secondary as soon as you can, as you may actually be invited to an interview by some schools before they have your MCAT score/s.
* See the relevant AAMC MSAR reports available at https://students-residents.aamc.org/advisors/article/medical-school-admissi…<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__students-2Dresidents.a…>, as well as each of your school's individual MSAR entry for more information about their specific timelines and requirements for being ready for evaluation, including COVID accommodation policies for applicants with late or no MCAT score. Above all, pay careful attention to all communications you will be receiving directly from the schools to which you are applying about their specific criteria for starting to evaluate your application, as this will vary among the schools and may still be further revised in the coming months. *Be sure to check spam folders not to miss a secondary app/link to secondary app, or other important emails from your schools, and take a moment to review how your schools manage communication with its applicants (i.e., do they use a portal, email, social media, snail mail, etc. to communicate with you?).
1.
1. Optional Secondary Application Questions-Are they optional? It really depends on the wording. At times, the question is worded in such a way that they only want you to answer if you have clearly had a hardship, a disadvantage, or a significant bump in the road. Other times, it is an invitation to tell them something else.
A note on additional secondary questions inviting you to address and share COVID-related challenges you have experienced in the process so far:
* Many schools have added a new question to their secondary about how you have been affected by the pandemic. Use it to convey anything that has set you back in terms of your timeline or ability to perform up to your usual levels in your classes; that impacted your ability to raise your GPA as a result of not receiving letter grades this past semester (if you were still an enrolled student); that disrupted your MCAT preparation and led to exam date cancellations and format changes that you found challenging and that may have caused you to underperform on the test; to address any changes to your ongoing or planned extracurricular activities, including adding more shadowing and clinical experience hours; to address changes to your work situation, ability to continue to perform clinical responsibilities you may have had, or other disruptions to your work role or hours; the impact on your postgrad job search; and anything else you deem important for the schools to be aware of in terms of how COVID-19 has affected you, your family and loved ones, and your daily routines and access to technology when forced to study or work from home or another place where you have been or were sheltering since March. If you need feedback on how best to use this added space in your secondaries, reach out to your House advisers for their input.
* Should you use this additional secondary essay space to address potential impact of the pandemic on your MCAT score?: If you feel that any COVID-19 related circumstances significantly and negatively impacted either your preparation and/or your exam day itself, and thereby preventing you from getting the score you would have been capable of earning under normal circumstances, you can explain this your secondary and the added space provided in this extra prompt is a good place to do so. If you are unsure whether it will be helpful to draw attention to a lower than expected overall or section score/s, please confer with your premed tutor/s, remembering that you also need to report any new MCAT score you have received after completing your PIF or House Questionnaire to your tutors so that they will be able to address the score, if deemed helpful to your app to do so, in your Committee Letter.
1. Committee letters. Please check in your AMCAS to see if your committee letter has been received. If it has not, and you abided by all your House deadlines, please reach out to your House Academic Coordinator.
1. What to expect from the switch to a virtual interview season:
* Pre-health advisers across the country have been receiving information both from the AAMC and from individual medical schools about plans for moving all 2021 cycle interviews to a virtual format. We will be sending more information about this and how we and your House teams will help you prepare for virtual interviewing as the summer continues.
* Preliminarily, we want you to be aware of the following: The AAMC has launched a new virtual interview tool called the AAMC Video Interview Tool for Admissions (AAMC VITATM) for use during the 2021 application cycle. Many medical schools do not plan to use this tool, which is available to all the schools, and are instead opting to use a system and platform of their own choice and/or design. Most of the schools that will use their own system (e.g., HMS, Vanderbilt) and many others seem to be opting for Zoom. Some of the schools using a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format, including UMass, have shared that they will run their MMI on Zoom using breakout rooms for the individual MMI stations. The schools to which you are applying will be communicating their interview plans to you, so just like in previous years, you will receive detailed instructions and information about what to expect on interview day from each of the schools to which you are applying. *Also stay tuned for announcements about upcoming school-hosted virtual info sessions for current applicants, which are great opportunities to learn more and ask questions about interview formats as well as other important information for 2021 applicants.
* Medical Schools that do plan to use the AAMC VITA tool can make use of one or both interview formats offered on this platform. The first is a recorded interview to which applicants will be invited by the medical school/s using VITA. For this step, applicants will respond to a curated set of interview questions while being recorded. Once the recording is done, it will be available to all schools using VITA to which the applicant is applying, so you would only need to make one recording that can then be sent to all the schools on your list using VITA and that choose to ask you for this recorded interview. The second format is a live interview, to which your schools would be inviting you. A hybrid approach of using both the VITA and their own system may also be adopted by some schools, for which you may then do a recorded and/or live VITA interview, followed by the school's own virtual interview (which could be a Zoom-based MMI, for example).
* Since these virtual interview tools and plans are new for medical schools and applicants alike, we do not want you to be overly concerned about how this change from the usual in-person interview and school visit to virtual formats will impact your application. Medical schools are paying attention to the fact that some applicants will not have an ideal space from which to do the interview; they are aware that some of you may experience a poor wifi connection or may be in a time zone that means that you are possibly meeting them and interviewing early in the morning or later in the day than usual, when you may not be at your best; and all schools will be prepared for the unexpected hickups that could occur on each side of a virtual interview. HMS shared that they are busy training their interviewers in how to conduct a successful online virtual interview, so remember that the schools are also working hard to get ready for a successful, fair, and productive virtual interview season. In sum, the schools are all committed to holistic evaluation and recognition of potential obstacles to a successful virtual interview. If you have concerns that the virtual interview process is placing you at an unfair disadvantage due to unequal access to important resources for doing well in this setting, do not hesitate to reach out to the Admissions Offices directly.
* Along the same lines of ensuring that all applicants are equally able to compete and do their best on interview day, we do want you to share with us and your House teams any concerns you have about your wifi and computer set-up, time zone challenges, or other issues you are worried may negatively impact your interview performance. But before you reach out to your House teams (in July), or to the OCS advisers and your House teams, about interview-related concerns and questions, please review the following resources:
* https://www.aamc.org/system/files/2020-05/Virtual_Interview_Tips_for_Medica…<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.aamc.org_system_fi…>
* An AAMC advisor report in which many medical schools have updated their 2021 interview plans and formats (this content should correspond to what the schools have added to their MSAR entry also): https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fastly.net/production/media/filer_public/9d/…<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__aamc-2Dorange.global.s…>
* You may also find this medical school facing resource informative: https://www.aamc.org/what-we-do/mission-areas/medical-education/conducting-…<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.aamc.org_what-2Dwe…>
* For general tips and information that will still pertain also to a virtual interview day, you can review last year's presentation and resources on our website at: https://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/medical-interview and you will also find helpful resources at https://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/interviewing.
5. OCS Interview Resources. Some of you have received some interview invitations, but most of you have not. The season is long and invitations continue to be extended into February and March. Here are some ways you can prepare.
* All Houses offer mock interview prep and you should avail yourself of these resources. Reach out to your assigned non-resident or resident tutor to arrange a mock interview.
* Go on the OCS website, in the interview section<https://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/interview-stream>, and sign up for Interview Stream using your harvard.edu address. There is a section specifically for medical school interviews.
* Use the resources on the OCS premed website about interviews<https://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/medical-interview>.
* Join us for the interview webinar on Thursday August 27 from 1-2pm EST. This webinar will feature preparation for both traditional interviews and MMI and we have adapted the material to make it relevant to the virtual interviews you will do this year. We ask that only current applicants or seniors who will be applying in a future application cycle sign up. Students applying to other health-related schools (e.g., dental and vet) are also welcome and will find the information relevant to interviewing for those schools. PLEASE REGISTER TO ATTEND<https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3255809369723623948>. We will record this webinar, so if you are unable to watch live, please email us at premed(a)fas.harvard.edu<mailto:premed@fas.harvard.edu> after August 31, and we will send you the recording link.
Best,
Emiko & Oona
