How to Answer COVID-19 Questions on Med School Apps | COVID-19 Essay

One question that's sure to show up on medical school applications this year, and possibly for the next few years, is how COVID-19 has impacted you. How should you write your COVID-19 essays? What should you be thinking about, and what should you avoid?

It's already been announced that the primary application for DO schools will contain a COVID-19 essay this year. And even if the AAMC doesn't follow suit on the primary app, many schools will be looking for a COVID-19 essay on their secondary applications.

In this video, I talk about how you can use these COVID-19 essays to further tell your story. And I give the right mindset to approach them with!

[MylenasBeautyRoom]

My heart truly goes out to everyone experiencing hardship at this time ❤ never forget that your life has purpose and that your story matters.

[michellecao]

Dr. Gray...whenever I feel unmotivated or like I don't deserve to be in medical school, I watch one of your videos. Thank you for all that you're doing for the premeds out there during this difficult time. It feels good to have someone on our side.

[Makala]

I know this sounds bad but what if I wasn’t affected by COVID-19 apart from having to go home? I’m really lucky to be close with my family and to be in a good environment that made it pretty easy to transition to online learning. What do I say then?

[Sleepygirlyy]

Im really glad we will be able to talk about what has been happening in our lives outside of academics. Its so important

[ic]

Do we talk about the initial anxiety and uncertainty when the virus hit? Having no PPE? Afraid of getting sick and bringing it home to our families? I’m an EMT, and we were all scared when it hit. Then I was laid off. No income, had to borrow money from my mom to eat and pay my bills. Applied for unemployment. Do we talk about the grief that we felt when things were not the way we wanted or expected- I lost months with the physician that I have been following and loved it. I felt tremendous sadness from that. Not being able to see my friends or family. Do I talk about having surgery (minor but nonelective) during a pandemic? I am having a hard time with writing this. Feeling sad that I was not on the frontlines to see first-hand what was happening to patients? I feel like I missed out as an EMT on treating patients in the middle of a global pandemic. I feel a little sad from that too.

[mari-khaleesi]

Is it okay to mention mental health challenges such as depression throughout a lot of this? I fortunately was able to work but the stress became unbearable at work, always being home when I wasn’t working and rejections from the program last year.

[elizabeth]

Thank you for this video. From a bit of a different angle, if we have been overall positively impacted by the quarantine, is that still a story we should tell? Or will it just look insensitive because it was a time of adversity for most people? Thanks.

[OVOXOIsMyMotto]

You definitely helped me through writing my COVID 19 secondary thank you!

[RhesusMedicine]

Great advice here, wish the channel existed when I was applying 👴

[katiemackoul]

Would you consider it acceptable to include a bit of recent Covid-related story in your Personal Statement if it has been incredibly impactful and relates to an overall theme? Or save it for this specific question? :)

[karenjiang]

Hi! I was wondering if there was a word count limit on this section? And is this still ongoing for those planning to apply this upcoming may?

[shubhammachhi]

Could you do a video on Pass/Fail? I was wondering if I should take a pass in Physics 2 (calc based) and Orgo 2 to keep my 4.0 GPA. I will most likely end with a C in physics and B in Orgo. This semester was hard for me and I was not at my 100%. Thanks, these videos are of great help.

[mbiana]

This was super helpful thank you so much!

[sarahvue]

I know that you said to not talk about research opportunities that were lost but would it be okay if it is was how I was going to find a place to live? I applied to around 8 REUs, hoping I could get into one of them because I don’t have a home to go to and all the REUs I applied to had either free housing or a stipend for housing. So now, I don’t really know what I am going to do for housing for the summer but I am probably going to charge it to my student account and get summer housing and maybe take out a loan to pay for it. Thank you!

[kw]

Yea, for me Im working so we all got sent home. but I did start making hand made cards for Ronald McDonald houses? I tried to pick up fun hobbies. does that count for anything. My situation wasn't horrible from COVID.