Stanford secondaries are some of the most challenging essays you’ll face, and they play a key role in showing the admissions committee who you are beyond your GPA and MCAT. I’ve guided students whose essays helped their medical school application stand out, even when their stats were average. In this guide, I’ll show you how to prepare for your medical school application, walk you through Stanford’s prompts, and share real essay examples that worked. For even more insights, explore our complete Stanford medical school guide.

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Stanford Secondaries Examples

Essay 1

Are there any current or pending disputes concerning your academic status? If yes, please explain. Limit: 300 characters

Sample Answer: Yes. During my sophomore year, I received a grade dispute for a research paper. After review, my professor confirmed my academic standing. The experience strengthened my commitment to clear communication, proper citations, and academic honesty moving forward.

Characters: 259

Essay 2

Was your enrollment status ever interrupted during your undergraduate or graduate program, not including summer term (e.g. medical, personal, or academic reasons, military service, other)? If yes, please explain. Limit: 150 characters

Sample Answer: Yes. I took one semester off for medical reasons, fully recovered, and returned to complete my studies without delay.

Characters: 117

Essay 3

Are you a community college TRANSFER student? This designation specifically only refers to individuals that enrolled at a community college with the express purpose of transferring to a four year institution. This EXCLUDES courses taken at community college during high school, during interruptions in your undergraduate studies (from a four year institution), or post-undergraduate studies. If you completed community college coursework during the excluded periods indicated, do not answer yes to this question. Limit: na

Sample Answer: Yes, I enrolled in community college with the intention of transferring and successfully transitioned to a four-year university.

Characters: 128

Essay 4

Has your education included any formal, pre-medical post-baccalaureate programs? Limit: na

Sample Answer: No, my education has not included any formal pre-medical post-baccalaureate programs.

Characters: 85

Looking for college essay tips? Check out the infographic below:

Essay 5

What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career? Choose the single answer that best describes your career goals and clinical practice setting:

Academic Medicine (Clinical)
Academic Medicine (Physician Scientist)
Health Policy
Primary Care
Public Health/Community Health
Global Health

Please describe your motivation for this practice scenario. Why do you feel you are particularly suited for this practice scenario? What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path? Limit: 1,000 characters

Sample Answer: it seems to me that in our climate of misinformation and social media holding far too much influence over the opinions of the populace, we in the medical community have an obligation to concern ourselves with public health and safety, and a large part of that job includes information flow.

I want to create a system that directs the best information to the public in a reliable way, which would mean eliminating biases and perceptions of biases, allowing for rapid dissemination of information.

I think that I have a good skill set for this because in university I studied communications, focusing on new media like social media and public streaming platforms.

During my studies, I had to create social media accounts and campaigns to coordinate events. I created a successful news platform that was used at the local level. I think that my success there, and the skills and experiences gained, will allow me to assist in developing the role of public health in relation to the public.

Characters: 983

Essay 6

How will you take advantage of the Stanford Medicine Discovery Curriculum and scholarly concentration requirement to achieve your personal career goals? Limit: 1,000 characters

Sample Answer: My university degree is in social work, and I remain passionately committed to it as an integral part of my life, who I am as a person, and who I hope to become in the medical community. The Stanford Medicine Discovery Curriculum features a pathway for an MD and master’s degree in any field. I would like to continue my studies in social work by obtaining my master’s in that field.

Medicine and social work are intrinsically linked. It is often the disenfranchised and underrepresented who suffer from a lack of health care.

As a social work-oriented physician, I would seek to prevent the suffering of those who are underrepresented. There are countless voiceless persons, many of whom are minors as part of the foster care system, who cannot speak for themselves. I want to be their advocate.

I believe that the MD and master’s program will facilitate this goal better than anywhere else, and I believe Stanford’s Discovery Curriculum provides me with the best opportunity to achieve that goal.

Characters: 995

Essay 7

Describe in a short paragraph your educational and family background. (For example) I grew up in New York City, as the 3rd child of a supermarket cashier and a high school principal. I attended Mann High School where my major interests were boxing and drama. Limit: 600 characters

Sample Answer: I grew up on a farm, about thirty minutes’ drive from Chicago. My parents were farmers. I attended McCann High School, and I pursued studies in mathematics, participating in mathlete challenges. I contributed to my home farm as well. I also have a strong interest in landscape painting.

Characters: 286

Essay 8

Are you a re-applicant to the Stanford Medicine MD Program? What experiences illuminate the most significant difference between the prior and current application? (Research, Community/Volunteer Services, Paid Employment, Awards/Honors) Limit: 350 characters

Sample Answer: Yes. Since I reapplied, I have done more community service by working at a free health clinic, where I also trained new volunteers as a leader. This experience taught me how to relate to patients and work with colleagues from different backgrounds on healthcare teams.

Characters: 268

Essay 9

Please describe which aspects of your life experiences, interests, and character would help you to make a distinctive contribution to Stanford Medicine Limit: 2,000 characters

Sample Answer: As the oldest child in a bilingual immigrant household, I had to speak for my parents and translate for them at the doctor. This first job taught me how important it is to be clear, patient, and friendly when you work in healthcare. It also made me want to be a doctor to help those who can't get it.

I kept my promise better in college because I studied public health and worked at a clinic in my community that helped families who did not have health insurance. I learned that people could have trouble getting the care they need because of cultural differences and a lack of finances. To fix this, I established a campaign to teach people about health. It included printing brochures in several languages and holding small group meetings. These experiences not only made me a better leader and organizer, but they also made me more committed to fighting for equal healthcare.

My desire to learn and help others has also made me want to learn more about a lot of subjects. I worked in a neuroscience lab and looked into how stress over a long period of time affects memory. After a meeting for undergraduate researchers, I told other people what I had learned. I learned how to think more critically and how important it is for a research team to work together.

I am strong and knowledgeable about many cultures, and I advocate for my beliefs. These are the things that set me apart in medicine. I want to help Stanford by working on projects that help those who are currently at a disadvantage get the help they need, researching health inequities, and making sure that everyone feels welcome and heard. I think that my skills and My interests align well with Stanford's goal of training physician-leaders who aspire to improve the world and are skilled at assisting patients.

Characters: 1777

Essay 10

Please describe how you have uniquely contributed to a community with which you identify. Limit: 1,000 characters

Sample Answer: Most people don’t think of “anime fans” as a community, but we are. I love Japanese animation for its breadth of subjects and unique artistic styles.

I speak Japanese, but there are many members of the community who do not speak or read Japanese. They often have to face the frustration of inferior or rushed translations.

So, I contributed to a fan translation site which provides more accurate translations and notes on cultural context.

Over the course of my involvement, I have helped with the translations of over three dozen works of anime, most of which have received five-star ratings on the site.

This might sound like nerd talk to somebody who is not interested in this hobby but let me point out some key benefits.

Anime is an art form, and my work has allowed me to share that art in a more meaningful way for many, many viewers.

Also, my studies connected me to new ideas, and I love being open to new ideas. I consider it a privilege to be able to engage with a different culture.

Characters: 988

Want to know the most common secondary essay prompts? Watch this video:

Essay 11

Please describe an experience/ situation when you advocated for someone else. Limit: 1,000 characters

Sample Answer: Mike at work wasn’t a bad guy, but he had had a bad day, and messed up a lot. He looked white as a sheet when he came out of the supervisor’s office, and he told me he thought he was going to be fired.

We weren’t working anywhere glamorous – it was just an industrial bakery – but we needed these jobs to pay for college. Mike was really, really worried.

Mike was going through a lot in his personal life: stress with his parents splitting up on top of academic studies. He was losing a lot of sleep. I asked what he had said to the supervisor, and while he had tried to convey what he was going through, he hadn’t gotten it across.

So, with all this on the line, I went to our supervisor and told him that Mike leaving would mean me leaving, too; I told him everything Mike was going through and said he should give Mike another shot. Eventually, he relented, although he made me responsible for improving Mike’s performance at work. I was fine with that, and I helped Mike through.

Characters: 980

Essay 12

Please include anything else that will help us understand better how you may uniquely contribute to Stanford Medicine? (OPTIONAL) Limit: 1,000 characters

Sample Answer: I’m sure I’m not the smartest student you’ll read about in these pages because my academics are good, but not the best. I’m sure I won’t have as many awards or special distinctions, either. What I do have is my sister Gillian, who has been in a wheelchair since she was four years old—paralyzed in a car accident.

I have been frustrated and angry with her, like any brother, and I love her and care for her, like any brother. I have learned how to help her with her medical needs and limitations and to respect her and value her for who she is as a person—despite and because of her unique limitations.

I know that the medical community needs understanding and care intertwined, and I know that it isn’t all pleasant. Yes, I have conflict with my sister sometimes—we’re siblings. But doctors will have conflict with patients. We need to remember to put care and humanity first, and I know that I can do that from years and years of very personal experience.

Characters: 956

Conclusion

Writing your Stanford secondaries is a chance to show the admissions committee who you are beyond your transcript and scores. By following the BeMo method, preparing early, and studying strong examples, you can write essays that truly stand out. If you need personalized help, our team of admissions experts is here to guide you every step of the way.

FAQs

1. Are these prompts different depending on the year?

Yes, but only marginally. Very similar prompts come up in most years, and you can bet that “Why this school?” or similar ones will feature at some point in the list of prompts.

2. Are prompts the same at different schools?

No, there is variation; however, you will still encounter similar prompts. “Why Questions like "Why this school?" and "Why medicine?" are common.

3. Can I reuse my essays in different applications?

You can reuse essays only if the prompt is very similar, or identical, to the other. However, you should not just copy-paste one essay from one secondary application to another. The reason is that you might have left school-specific artifacts in the text. Make sure you double-check any essays that you want to reuse.

4. Can I go over the character limit?

No, not even by one character. Character and word limits are hard, and character limits include spaces, so make sure you measure appropriately.

5. How long should I take to write my essays?

We recommend that you spend between 2 and 3 weeks writing your essays, with at least a small amount of time set aside for writing each day. The sooner you start working on your essays, the better.

6. Are these essays graded?

Most admissions essays are not formally graded, but your essays are still being read and judged according to their intrinsic merit, and in relation to other applicants’ essays. So, definitely consider them as being graded to the extent that the quality matters.

7. Does my spelling matter? Can I have spelling and grammar errors?

Of course they do. Even though you aren’t going to get “docked points” for having a spelling error or two, every error – no matter how small or infrequent – is going to send a message to the admissions committee. Errors mean a lack of proofreading, attention to detail, skill, or all of the above. Give the impression of being a qualified, competent communicator.

8. Do I have to write the optional essays?

Write all the essays. You should consider all of them required, even the optional ones. Optional essays are not required, but they are a chance to impress the admissions committee.

To your success,

Your friends at BeMo