I’ve recently received several questions about optional secondary essays and their necessity. I would recommend completing these essays if you have something new or important to say. Writing these essays just to have more “stuff” on your application won’t further your candidacy.
Another tip on secondaries: Start early. Although there is overlap among schools, you may have twenty to thirty of these to write, depending on the number of applications you send.
Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to
stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital.
She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated
Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes. Read more
