Application
A secondary application, also popularly known as a supplemental application, is a school-specific application that is sent to an applicant after submitting the primary application. The purpose of a secondary application is to provide medical schools with additional information about yourself, such as a personal statement, letters of recommendation, and a transcript. Due to the highly competitive nature of securing a seat in a medical school, Caribbean MD programs are becoming a viable alternative among applicants with high chances of rejection from medical schools in the U.S. and Canada. A secondary application aims to determine if a particular applicant is a good fit for medical school.
Completing the secondary application is an important step in medical school admissions, therefore, a lot of thought and effort should go into it in order to portray yourself in the best light possible. The secondary application process can vary from school to school, so it is important for applicants to carefully review the requirements and instructions for each school to which they are applying.
Caribbean medical schools have a holistic admission procedure. Apart from assessing academic abilities through GPA and MCAT scores, Caribbean medical schools also send out secondary essays to find out more about the applicants and discover qualities that may not have been presented in the AMCAS work activities on medical school personal statements.
Here are some things a medical school applicant must know about secondary applications for medical schools:
- Medical schools send secondary applications after reviewing the primary applications.
- Some medical schools charge additional fees to complete the secondary application process.
- The secondary application typically includes additional essay questions, which may require you to expand and elaborate upon your statement or explain the reasons behind your interest in attending a particular medical school.
- The secondary application is your opportunity to demonstrate to the medical school that you are a good fit for their MD program by highlighting additional information that was not included in your primary application.
- Medical school applicants must start preparing their secondary application as soon as they complete their primary application, so they have ample time to complete the secondary application thoroughly and thoughtfully for medical school.
- The secondary application process can vary from school to school. Therefore, applicants need to review the requirements and instructions for each school to which they apply. Medical school graduates are also recommended to budget additional time and resources for completing secondary applications, as they can be time-consuming and require careful thought and planning.
If you are applying to Caribbean medical schools, you may need to submit secondary applications in addition to the primary application. Acing your secondary essays can increase your chances of getting interview invites, which is the final stage of the Caribbean medical school application process. The Caribbean islands are home to some of the most reputable medical schools that can help you earn a medical degree to establish a lucrative career as a doctor in the dynamic and in-demand healthcare industry.
