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How to Answer Adversity Secondary Essay Prompts for Medical School

Including successful essay examples.

Medical schools desire applicants that can effectively manage stress, overcome challenges, and navigate their way through life's curveballs. Successful applicants must prove they can endure the rigors of both medical school and a career as a physician. The secondary application adversity essay is a way for the admissions committee to evaluate your resilience as an applicant. Keep reading for everything you need to know about the adversity essay, including successful essay examples and strategies for how to answer this prompt type, even if you feel you haven't faced adversity.

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Article Contents 9 min read

What is an adversity essay for medical school.

In addition to writing a  diversity essay for medical school , an adversity essay for medical school is one you'll likely have to write when filling out your medical school secondary applications. Although the AMCAS work and activities  section includes up to 15 experiences, medical school secondary essays dive deeper into unique applicant characteristics that haven't already been covered. While most schools send out secondary applications to all applicants, some schools are choosier about who they send secondaries to, often screening using MCAT and GPA scores. While there are many medical school secondary essay examples , the adversity secondary essay is among the most common. Typically, in the essay prompt, you'll be asked to discuss a challenging time you experienced as well as how you overcame that challenge. 

Adversity prompts often come in the form of an "overcoming challenges" question. These questions ask the applicant about a difficult situation they were faced with, an obstacle they encountered, or a hurdle they had to push past in order to succeed. Check out our blog for a comprehensive list of medical school secondary essays which are sorted by school so you can see which prompts you'll likely receive depending on your chosen school. The following prompt examples fit into the adversity category:

1. Discuss a time in your life in which you have failed at something other than an academic experience. How did you confront the failure and what did you learn from it? Please describe how you typically approach challenges that you face in your life.

2. What has been your biggest challenge in pursuing medicine? What have you learned as a result?

3. The admissions committee is interested in gaining more insight into you as a person. Please describe a significant personal challenge you have faced, one which you feel has helped to shape you as a person. Examples may include a moral or ethical dilemma, a situation of personal adversity, or a hurdle in your life that you worked hard to overcome. Please include how you got through the experience and what you learned about yourself as a result.

4. Describe a major problem you have had to deal with at some time in your life. Include how you dealt with it and how it influenced your growth.

5. Please describe to the Admissions Committee a challenge you have overcome and what you learned about yourself from that experience.

First, you need to make sure you read the prompt thoroughly and understand what the prompt is asking. In some cases, the challenge the admissions committee wants you to discuss is a professional challenge, in other cases, they are looking for a personal challenge. If the med school adversity question should be answered using a particular type of example, it will be specified in the prompt. Secondly, check the word or character count and keep this in mind when structuring your answer. Some prompts may allow for 1000 words while others are limited to only 200 words. These limits must be strictly adhered to, any violation of the limit will be seen as a red flag and will exclude you from progressing further through the admissions process. When answering these prompt types, begin by reflecting on your past experiences, which you likely already did when you wrote your medical school personal statement. Think about a time when you faced a difficult situation. What happened? What were the steps you took to overcome the challenge? What did you learn from the experience? Often, you won't have a lot of available words or characters to answer the question, so you need to make sure your answer is direct and to the point.

Start your essay with a brief introduction to the situation or experience, notice the word brief here. The least important part of this essay is describing what happened and all the details surrounding the experience. Make sure you don't get lost in the story because you won't have any words left to describe the important aspects which are covered in the body paragraph. This includes how you felt, how you were affected, and what you learned. Discussing how you felt is particularly important as it helps the admissions committee understand your thought process when you're faced with adversity as well as how you cope in these situations. Tie everything together with a short conclusion that summarizes how the experience changed you. Have you become a stronger person because of the obstacle you faced? Have you learned to be more compassionate? Did you gain a better understanding of a complicated issue? Everyone's experience will be different, so it's important to reflect on your individual experience to determine how you gained something positive from it. 

Some students struggle with the "overcoming challenges" prompt because they feel truly fortunate in life and don't feel that they've faced adversity. So, if you haven't faced adversity, what should you write in this section? The truth is, everyone has faced adversity, the struggle that students face in answering this question is that they are categorizing the prompt incorrectly. Adversity simply means difficulty or misfortune, but students often take this term to the most extreme and feel that it only applies to a serious situation such as the loss of a loved one, a serious disability or a life-altering illness. While these are certainly hardships worth discussing, they are not the only hardships people face. Everyone has overcome a difficult situation, but if you're having a hard time identifying such a time in your life, read these questions below to help determine a hardship that affected you personally. If you answered yes to any of the below questions, you likely have a good topic for discussion, as long as you can expand the topic and think about how it affected you and what you learned moving forward.

Did you have to move because of issues at school?  Have you been bullied before?  Have you had a hard time making friends?  Did you face an obstacle while gaining shadowing or clinical experience?  Do you have a poor grade or a gap in your academic record? What do you think the main cause of this was?  Have you been the new person at school? "},{"number":"2","title":"Family Challenges","comment":" Have you lost a loved one?  Have you or a loved one faced injury or illness?  Has a loved one struggled with addiction?  Did your parents get divorced?  Do you or a loved one struggle with a physical, physiological, or developmental condition or disability?  Has your family lost their home?  Was your family forced to move? "},{"number":"3","title":"General Challenges","comment":" Can you think of a time when something didn't go the way you had hoped? For example, maybe you could have played professional basketball but an injury forced you to change plans.  Have you faced discrimination or prejudice of some kind?  Have you had to learn a new language?  Have you had to manage a financial hardship?  Have you fallen out with a best friend?  Have you made a mistake that had unfortunate consequences? "}]">

Check out our video for adversity essay examples:

1. Please describe any significant barriers or challenges you may have overcome in the pursuit of your personal/professional goals.

During my senior year of undergraduate studies I had struggled to cope with my diagnosis of vitiligo. It started off as a faint light spot near my eyes that I did not pay much attention to at first. Eventually, that spot became whiter and I noticed two other small spots forming near it and other around my lips. I became concerned at that point for my health.

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Can i write in my hardship that i didnot match last year

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Hello Ambresha! Thank you very much for your question. You can absolutely include this obstacle in your essay. Do not forget to discuss what you learned and how you worked to overcome this hurdle.

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Why Resilience Is Key to Medical School Success

Resilience, the ability to quickly recover from difficulty, is crucial as a premed and as a doctor.

Why Resilience Is Key to Med School Success

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Physicians develop resilience through risk, struggle and failure.

It is difficult to emphasize just how essential resilience is to medicine.

From the time you first become a medical student until you retire as a physician, the inherent unpredictability and challenge of the profession demands that doctors be adaptable and persistent in the face of circumstances that would seem to preclude both of these traits. Even the strongest med students will encounter difficult spaces in which stepping back is more appealing than leaning into the work.

For instance, I helped take care of a young patient who died the day before a major holiday. I have gotten too many practice questions wrong the night before a big test, sending myself into a panic . Once, I sutured up a surgical wound at the end of a case, only to have my resident easily unravel the stitches and ask that I try again.

Over and over, I and my fellow trainees endure failure . And while failure is certainly part of the learning process, it also comes with a steep emotional burden. Without resilience, we would be unable to shoulder that burden and would be prevented from becoming effective practitioners.

Resilience does not grow from playing it safe or from easy success. It sprouts from risk, struggle and failure. We learn more about ourselves when things go wrong than we do when everything goes according to plan.

To gain admittance into medical school , however, a lot of things have to go right. You have to have a high MCAT score and undergraduate GPA, as well as a resume filled with items attesting to your suitability for medicine. In the face of these high standards, taking risks and failing can seem like ways to ensure a rejection letter .

But the Association of American Medical Colleges lists resilience among its recommended prerequisite qualities for future physicians, and students who have shown adaptability in the face of struggle are thus valued in the med school admissions process.

While deliberately seeking struggle and failure is not advised, seeking pursuits that do not guarantee success and that require you to move beyond your comfort zone is. Foster resilience by learning to sit with uncertainty.

In addition to taking risks, premed students can cultivate resilience by building a strong network of social support. Humans are social beings, and we are often better able to cope with stress when we can share our experiences with a group.

Part of becoming resilient is making connections with people who will support you as you navigate the rigors of medical education. Becoming a physician can be isolating, but having pre-existing supports in place before you start med school can help to ease the intensity of the experience.

Since med schools look for evidence of resilience when admitting applicants, it is crucial that you demonstrate on your application and during interviews that you possess this quality. Your personal statement is an obvious place to highlight your adaptability and emotional maturity, but other places in your application – such as descriptions of your activities – can also serve as spaces to demonstrate your resilience.

On interview day, it is common to be asked about personal or academic struggles and how you navigated them. Though you may have an impulse to move on quickly from a question that seemingly highlights a weakness, take time to answer this type of question thoughtfully. Own your narrative: Describe what was hard about the circumstance, where you made mistakes and what you learned from it.

Throughout the med school admissions process , reflect on your struggles not as sources of mistakes, but rather as stories about your ability to learn and grow from unexpected circumstances.

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About Medical School Admissions Doctor

Need a guide through the murky medical school admissions process? Medical School Admissions Doctor offers a roundup of expert and student voices in the field to guide prospective students in their pursuit of a medical education. The blog is currently authored by Dr. Ali Loftizadeh, Dr. Azadeh Salek and Zach Grimmett at Admissions Helpers , a provider of medical school application services; Dr. Renee Marinelli at MedSchoolCoach , a premed and med school admissions consultancy; Dr. Rachel Rizal, co-founder and CEO of the Cracking Med School Admissions consultancy; Dr. Cassie Kosarec at Varsity Tutors , an advertiser with U.S. News & World Report; Dr. Kathleen Franco, a med school emeritus professor and psychiatrist; and Liana Meffert, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Iowa's Carver College of Medicine and a writer for Admissions Helpers. Got a question? Email [email protected] .

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The Adversity Essay for Medical School

Our team of editors have put together a step by step process on how to approach the most common secondary essays . Follow the below 6 step writing process for the adversity essay medical school secondary. 

What is the Medical School Adversity Essay?

Writing the Adversity Essay

Adversity Essay Example Prompts 

Medical School Adversity Essay Examples

Introduction 

Adversity feels like an intense word, and in some ways, it is. Do a quick thesaurus search and you’re likely to find way more negative synonyms than positive ones. Bad luck, hardship, distress…and you have to write a secondary essay for your medical school application about it?

The adversity essay, sometimes known to applicants as the ‘challenge essay,’ is a common prompt on medical school secondaries . But contrary to the name, its purpose isn’t to make you rehash something terrible you’ve experienced, or list all the obstacles that have ever come onto your path. The adversity essay is actually a chance to infuse some positivity into your secondary application.

The key to demystifying and stunning your admissions committees with this essay is responding in a way that shows how you rose to meet a challenge…and why you’re better for it!

If you’re struggling to understand how to go about responding to an adversity essay prompt, don’t worry…we’ve got your back. With a clearer understanding of this secondary, as well as some tips and tricks to guide you, you’ll soon be well on your way to crafting an effective adversity essay; one that shows admissions committees how effectively you turn lemons into lemonade.

Why is the Adversity Essay a Secondary Prompt?

I’m going to let you in on a little secret…med school is tough. But you knew that! After all, your premed journey hasn’t always been easy. You’ve worked exceptionally hard to get to this place; the place where you’re writing a secondary essay for your dream medical school. But because medical education is a marathon , and because becoming a physician is a serious undertaking, medical schools want to know that you’re up to the task. They ask adversity questions to get a sense of how you react when faced with a challenge or obstacle. They want to know that when the going gets tough, you have a toolbox and a means to respond.

What the Adversity Essay is…and is not

Importantly, the adversity essay is a place to show how an experience you faced brought you to be the person you are today. It is not a place to complain about something that happened to you, nor is it a place to process emotional events. The adversity essay is an opportunity to show how you can evolve and change . It’s an essay that should be mature, thoughtful, and introspective. It’s not a place to bemoan past events, express grievances, or unpack situations that you haven’t fully processed for yourself.

Writing the Adversity Essay: Begin with the End in Mind

Just like our other secondaries we need to start this one with a solid outline. In fact, for the adversity essay, I argue that the end is even more important than the beginning. Because this essay is intended to build a narrative, show growth, and change, we need to be mindful of our structure. Like any good story, the adversity essay for medical school must have a beginning, middle, and an end. This sounds overly simplistic, but it can be exceptionally hard to do. We don’t often think about the things that happen to us as having a narrative arc…but when we write about them for admissions essays, this is what we must work hard to accomplish. Let’s explore my approach to the 6 steps of this process and see if we can make this act of storytelling a bit clearer.

Step 1: Choosing Your Situation

Some students feel they haven’t faced enough hardship to successfully tackle this essay. They wonder how to choose a scenario when nothing ‘that bad’ has really happened to them.

This is a misunderstanding about the adversity essay, most likely born of its unfortunate name. When choosing what to write about, remember; you’re thinking about a challenge, or a struggle…not necessarily a terrible memory or a life event that caused you pain.

To be honest, I was intentional about NOT writing about the worst things that had ever happened to me. That was a lot of pressure for a small essay and it was much harder to articulate the skills and attributes I used to meet challenges when writing about topics like trauma or grief. That isn’t to say that you can’t or shouldn’t write about these topics if you are comfortable doing so.

Vulnerability in your application is a very personal choice. You must be mindful though, that whatever you chose to write about has to be reflective, and demonstrate growth. It is also fair game to be asked about on the interview trail; if you can’t talk comfortably about the experience and its impact on you, you shouldn’t write about it in your essay.

When considering what to write for this essay, reflect on a difficult situation or experience ; maybe this was a class in school, or a tricky research problem. Maybe you had a problem to solve at work or a difficult family dynamic to address. Ask yourself:

• What made this experience a challenge?
• What happened?
• Why was it meaningful?

As we start this essay, we begin by providing some context on the situation. I like to start with a little bit of background and storytelling. I will first introduce my setting and my characters before I move on to the next step: identifying the obstacle or explaining the problem.

Step 2: Identifying the Obstacle 

Once we’ve picked a situation, the next step in writing this essay is identifying the obstacle for readers. In order to build this narrative, I have to explain what the problem was ; this is the key element that we will ‘overcome’ if you will, in our response. Think back to what you identified as being challenging in the experience you chose. Once you’ve named the problem that you needed to solve, for your readers, you’re ready to move on to the next step of the process.

Step 3: the “Uh-Oh” Moment

This is the part of the essay, after we’ve laid out the background and the problem, where we, as central actors in the story, realize we’ve got a problem. I like to think of the “uh-oh,” moment in the adversity essay as the place where the protagonist (that’s you!) recognized there was a challenge to surmount . Maybe there were some feelings of hopelessness, worry , or fear. Maybe you didn’t know what to do and panicked. This is when you recognized the setback that ultimately set you up for the comeback. Be honest about your emotions, and the reactions you experienced as well as the emotions and reactions of other people in the story

Step 4: The Turning Point

The turning point is where we explain how things changed . For example:

• You were fearful, but you took a deep breath and kept going.
• It was mile 22 of the marathon and you gave yourself a pep talk; it wasn’t easy but you kept putting one foot in front of the other.

This is the part of the essay where you indicate a change occurred . Tell readers how you made the pivot, and how you became more in that moment than you thought you could be. If we think about this in relation to our narrative arc, this is the climax of the story. All the action is building to this point; our hero (that’s you!) has finally realized how to solve their problem. Nothing can stop you now!

Step 5: Establishing Growth

As we wind down our essay, we want to consider;

• What did the turning point teach you?
• What lessons did you take away from the turning point?
• How did overcoming this challenge make you feel?

Show us how far you’ve come in this essay; remind us where you started, and show the impact of this story on your life today.

Step 6: Reflecting and Looking Forward

As we bring this story to its conclusion, we want to end by reflecting on those big lessons learned by you, our protagonist, over the course of this story. We also want to look ahead and comment on how you will apply these skills to your future work as a member of the academic community to which you are applying, and even later on, as a physician.

Important Points to Remember

When finishing up this essay, you’ll want to make sure of a couple things.

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• Another thing to check is that you’re centering yourself as the main focus of the action. This is, I’ll reiterate, not an essay about something hard you went through. This is an essay about how you responded, how you grew, and how this event shaped who you are today. This difference is distinct and important. Make sure your emotions, responses, and reactions are center stage, but in a way that shows you in control of the narrative. This is not a place to express victimhood or complain; it’s an essay of strength and positivity.
• Finally, make sure that you’re connecting this essay to the skills that will be necessary in your medical career. What did this experience teach you about resilience? About persistence? How will your ability to transcend this obstacle serve you well in the future?

So while this might be an ‘intense,’ essay, it certainly does not have to be filled with hardship. You’re ready to write a strong, powerful essay about your ability to overcome…and get into a great medical school .

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Adversity Essay Medical School Example Prompts

Example 1: “What has been your biggest challenge in pursuing medicine? What have you learned as a result? (250 words maximum) “ (California Northstate University College of Medicine)

Example 2: “The admissions committee is interested in gaining more insight into you as a person. Please describe a significant personal challenge you have faced, one which you feel has helped to shape you as a person. Examples may include a moral or ethical dilemma, a situation of personal adversity, or a hurdle in your life that you worked hard to overcome. Please include how you got through the experience and what you learned about yourself as a result. Please limit your response to 1 page (about 3,500 characters), and leave a blank line between paragraphs. ” (Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine)

Example 3: “Please discuss challenges in your journey thus far to medical school. (150 words) ” (Rosalind Franklin University – Chicago Medical School Secondary)

Example 4: “Describe how you have dealt with a personal challenge or major obstacle that you have overcome. Focus on what you learned about yourself and how it will help you during the challenges you might face in medical school. (2000 characters ” (Creighton University School of Medicine)

Example 5: “We seek students who are self-aware, resilient and adaptable. Discuss a personal or professional challenge you’ve experienced and how you resolved it. Please include insight on what you learned about yourself as a result. ” (Rutgers New Jersey Medical School)

Example 6: “Describe a time when you suffered a setback. How did you respond to this challenge? (Persistence/Grit) ” (University of Massachusetts Medical School)

Example 7: “Describe a situation in which working with a colleague, family member or friend has been challenging. How did you resolve, if at all, the situation as a team and what did you gain from the experience that will benefit you as a future health care provider? ” (New York University School of Medicine )

Example 8: “Other than work-life balance, what will be your greatest challenge in becoming a physician? (1550 characters) ” (Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine)

Adversity Essay Examples

This specific prompt asked me to consider a time when I had failed at something. I used variations of this adversity essay for multiple medical school secondary applications, always making sure to make adjustments to be specific for what the prompt was asking.

My first task, at my new job on the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Community Health team, was to create a database for Community Health Workers (CHWs) to enter Protected Health Information (PHI) secure data. I had a background in monitoring & evaluation & I knew all about data collection from my years in sociology. The problem?

I had zero background programming. I struggle to program the microwave to bake a sweet potato.

I was going to need help.

I started first by meeting with the CHWs— to create a system that met their needs, we needed to understand what they needed. They told me stories about their patients. We identified our collection goals. I met scholars in Dartmouth academia, asking for their advice. I read forums, watched videos, & created the first draft.

It did not work.

When our CHWs tried to enter data, it felt clunky. We had to start again.

Thomas Edison once said that he learned many ways not to make a lightbulb. We did the same; for databases. I sought out my boss & her boss. I enlisted programmers & web experts to join our team. The CHWs & I met again & again. Five months later, we succeeded. Our system has been rolled out to three separate population health programs; CHWs report an improved ability to care for patients through reduced burden of data collection.

Over those months, we became great at making bad databases. We did not give up, in part, because I pushed forward.  “Failure” is often a misnomer. Experience is not the sum of its parts. The same is true of people; in shared effort we create something far greater than we ever might have on our own. As a physician, I’ll apply this same spirit of collaboration to my team based care. If given the privilege of a ______Medical School education, I will bring this same problem solving ability to all my clinical and interpersonal endeavors.

View more Medical School Adversity Essay Examples Here.

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Medical School Adversity Essay

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The medical school adversity essay also called the "challenge essay" by applicants, is a typical question on medical school secondaries. However, it is not meant to make you relive a terrible moment in your past or compile a list of all the challenges you have faced. 

The medical school adversity essay is an opportunity to add optimism to your secondary application.

The secret to impressing your admissions committees with your medical school adversity essay is to react in a way that demonstrates how you met a challenge head-on and why it helped you become a better person. 

This article focuses on a medical school adversity essay. You will soon be well on your way to writing a successful adversity essay demonstrating to admissions committees that you are worthy of entry. 

What is a Medical School Adversity Essay? 

You will need to write an adversity essay when completing your secondary applications , in addition to a diversity essay . 

The medical school adversity essay is one of the most popular samples of secondary essays. Usually, the essay question will ask you to talk about a difficult time you have gone through and how you overcame it.

The question regarding your prior struggles is one that the admissions committees for medical school use to assess your ability to handle and handle adversity. In essence, they examine how you approach problems and move toward resolving conflicts in your life. 

The admissions committee will evaluate your level of communication, resilience, and maturity based on how you handle moral and ethical quandaries.

The adversity prompt depends on whether you should write about a personal or professional experience. The prompt might, however, leave it up to your judgment. 

Since your main application already delves into the specifics of your academic experiences, the adversity essay is a fantastic chance for you to share fresh and pertinent experiences. 

Medical school adversity essays highlight your capacity to surmount challenges and cope with the pressure outside of the classroom.

5 Tips for Answering Medical School Adversity Essays

The purpose of asking about adversity is to help admissions committees for medical schools understand how you handle challenging circumstances. They want to know that you are resilient, responsible, and capable of improvement so that you may succeed in medical school.

In other words, medical schools are not attempting to establish a contest to see whose students have faced the most hardship. Instead, they would like to know who you are. 

Here are the most effective tips on how to write a solid medical school adversity essay:

Read the Prompt Thoroughly

To start with, make sure you read the prompt carefully and comprehend what it is asking. 

For example, the admissions committee may ask you to talk about a professional obstacle in some situations while they may be searching for a personal challenge. 

If a certain kind of example is required for the med school adversity question, it will be noted in the prompt. Check the word or character limit next, and structure your response accordingly. 

Start by thinking back on your past experiences when responding to various prompts, as you probably did when you prepared your personal statement for medical school . 

Consider a period when you had to deal with a challenging circumstance. 

Frequently, you will not have a lot of words or characters to respond to the question, so you must be sure that your response is concise and direct.

Start with the End in Mind

Like our other secondary assignments, you must begin this secondary with a strong framework. In fact, the conclusion of the adversity essay is much more significant than the start. 

The medical school adversity essay aims to develop a story, demonstrate progress, and demonstrate change.

Adversity essays for medical school need a beginning, middle, and end, just like any excellent story. Although it may seem overly straightforward, doing this can be incredibly difficult.

You do not frequently consider the events in your life as having a narrative arc. 

Still, when you write about them for admissions essays, you must make a concerted effort to achieve this. 

Start your essay with a succinct description of the circumstance or experience. The least significant aspect of this essay is the description of what occurred and all the specifics surrounding the incident.

Avoid getting lost in the story, or you will not have enough words to express the crucial details in the body paragraph. This includes your feelings, how things affected you, and what you discovered. 

The admissions committee will better grasp how you think when faced with difficulty and how you handle these circumstances if you talk about how you feel.

Focus on How and What You Learned 

Describe your approach to the specific difficulty. 

For instance, did you seek scholarships or land a job if you were writing about your struggles to make ends meet? 

On the other hand, if you are writing about academic difficulties, have you improved your study techniques or humbly sought assistance from your peers or professor?

To get through your struggle, concentrate on your justifications and cognitive processes. 

Whenever you think it is appropriate, express your emotions to the reader and let them enter your mental space. It is crucial to explain your thought process since admissions committees want to know how you approach conflict resolution. 

Be Honest and Objective 

Explain the circumstance that challenged you at the outset of your essay. Make sure to state facts when describing your challenge. This will demonstrate your ability to be objective to the reader.

However, if you describe your difficulty subjectively, it might sound like you are looking for pity. 

As an illustration, the statement " My teacher talked to me about my poor performance in class " is objective, and " My teacher rolled her eyes and berated my performance in class " is subjective.

In a similar spirit, only include background material that advances the plot. For example, for some types of hardship stories, details like the precise date or the city you lived in might not be pertinent.

Medical School Adversity Essay Sample Prompts 

A medical school adversity essay can be challenging to write. However, you must be humble while still making an impression on the admissions committee. Therefore, it would be beneficial if you gave creating a fantastic essay much thought. 

Here are a few samples of medical school adversity essay prompts that you might see when applying to medical schools to get you started:

Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

We are looking for students who are resilient, adaptive, and self-aware. Talk about a problem you've faced personally or professionally and how you handled it. Please elaborate on the lessons you took away from the experience regarding yourself.

New York University School of Medicine

Give an example of when working with a friend, family member, or coworker was difficult. What lessons did you learn from the event that will help you in your future work as a healthcare provider? How did you address the matter as a team, if at all?

University of Massachusetts Medical School

Tell us about a time when you faced a setback. What response did you have to this challenge?

California North State University College of Medicine

What has been your toughest obstacle in pursuing a career in medicine? What have you learned as a result?

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

The admissions committee is eager to learn more about you personally. Please give an example of a significant personal difficulty you have overcome that you believe has molded you. Examples could include a moral or ethical problem, a circumstance involving personal adversity, or a challenge you overcame. Please mention how you overcame the situation and what you discovered about yourself.

Sample Medical School Adversity Essays 

Without a solid medical school adversity essay, your application to medical school will fall short of the mark. Remember that you are competing with a large number of other applications. Put forth your best effort. 

Here are a few medical school adversity essay examples for you to reference.

Medical School Adversity Essay Sample 1:

At my new position on the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Community Health team, my first assignment was to build a database where Community Health Workers (CHWs) could enter secure PHI data. I have experience in monitoring and assessment and was well-versed in data collecting because of my time studying sociology. The issue?

I did not run any background programs. I have trouble getting the microwave set up to roast sweet potatoes. I would require assistance...

I began by meeting with the CHWs since we wanted to learn what they needed to design a system that satisfied those demands. They shared tales with me involving their patients. We determined what we wanted to collect. I sought the opinions of academics I met at Dartmouth. I wrote the first draft after watching videos and reading forums.

It was ineffective and felt awkward for our CHWs to enter data. It was time to start over.

As Thomas Edison famously remarked, he discovered numerous methods not to create a lightbulb. The same was done for our databases. After five months, we were successful. Our technology has been implemented in three different community health initiatives. CHWs indicate that the decreased workload associated with data gathering has enhanced their capacity to provide patient care.

In those months, we mastered the art of creating useless databases. I kept moving forward, which is partly why we didn't give up. "Failure" is frequently a misnomer. The total experience is not what it is. The same is true of humans; we do far more than we could have done separately through teamwork. As a doctor, I'll use this collaborative attitude to provide team-based patient care. If granted the opportunity to attend ______ Medical School, I will use the same problem-solving skills in my clinical and interpersonal pursuits.

Medical School Adversity Essay Sample 2:

I had trouble adjusting when I was diagnosed with vitiligo in my last year of college studies. I initially paid little attention to the first dim light spot near my eyes. That spot eventually turned whiter, and I saw two more small areas forming nearby and another one around my lips. At that moment, I started to worry about my health.

Peers started noticing the white blotches on my face at this point. People were looking at me strangely and making whispered remarks about what was on my face. I dismissed what was going on with my face as some skin rash. I was unsure of how to explain it to them. As I thought about my future and how my condition would affect my objectives of finding a partner and a job without being judged or discriminated against, my mind filled with self-doubt.

My primary care physician finally saw me and merely informed me that I had vitiligo without thoroughly inspecting my face or performing any extra tests to confirm the diagnosis. Hearing this verdict devastated me, and I was upset with myself for allowing this condition to become so bad in the first place. After my quick consultation with the primary care doctor and a little booklet explaining my problem and how to apply the cream, I was prescribed a steroid cream to treat my spots. I chose to get a second opinion from a dermatologist, Dr. Maggie, who meticulously examined my skin under a wood light because this made me doubt my diagnosis.

Once more, learning that I have vitiligo broke my heart. I was afraid that the disease would spread to other regions of my body or my entire face because the booklet I had initially gotten was not very informative. After receiving this diagnosis, my heart started to race with fear and panic as I thought about what my life would be like. I was worried that because of social shame and societal isolation, this issue would only worsen and may limit my chances. Dr. Maggie, on the other hand, thoroughly and carefully described my problem to me, unlike the first doctor I visited.

He added blood testing and numerous allergy tests to my treatment. He comforted me by saying there was a good chance my skin's pigmentation would come back naturally. He added that laser light therapy would be an option in the worst-case situation. He patiently answered all of my inquiries and assisted in developing a food strategy that would strengthen my immune system.

Following this reassuring consultation, I decided to continue being the same person I have always been, regardless of what other people thought of my vitiligo. With Dr. Maggie's assistance, I concluded that vitiligo does not impact me inside. Eventually, my condition shouldn't stand in the way of achieving my goals of starting a family and becoming a doctor.

After a few months, I saw that my face's pigmentation had improved, and the vitiligo had not migrated to other parts of my body. I could arm myself with the knowledge and awareness of my condition under Dr. Maggie's direction. She changed my life perspective and fortified my will to treat my vitiligo.

This first-hand experience demonstrated a doctor's beneficial impact on a patient's life when given the proper care and consideration. To soothe their concerns and assist them, I aim to one day comfort my patients in the same way and with the same level of care Dr. Maggie has shown me.

Medical School Adversity Essay Sample 3:

One of the biggest life lessons I've learned so far is how to live with a sister who has been diagnosed with autism. When my sister was just a few months old, her diagnosis was initially made public. I was just five years older than her, so I never thought her individuality was terrible. Not until I entered my teenage years.

We all tend to pay greater attention to other people's viewpoints as teenagers. That is what happened to me. I became increasingly ashamed to be around my sister when I started observing adverse reactions from the public and hearing disparaging remarks. Our relationship started deteriorating. Until I happened to read a book entitled Following Ezra. This turned out to be a mind- and heart-altering event; it persisted throughout my high school and college years.

After finishing the book, I continue to come to know and understand my sister, which makes me a stronger, more compassionate, and more self-assured person overall. And although if it still presents challenges occasionally, for me, it serves as a daily opportunity for learning and improvement.

Additional FAQs - Medical School Adversity Essay

Which essay should i work on first, how long are medical school adversity essays, you're no longer alone on your journey to becoming a physician.

Adversity Essay Medical School Ultimate Guide Plus Example Topics

Jul 30, 2021

The medical school adversity essay is almost a guaranteed essay prompt on your medical school secondary applications. In this essay, schools will ask you to write about an experience that challenged you. Prompts may resemble the following:

• During your career as a physician, you will potentially encounter many obstacles and be required to overcome many challenges. Resilience is a prerequisite for success in medical school and beyond. Describe your experience with a situation that had an unfavorable outcome. How did you react, and how might you have responded differently? What did you learn about yourself? ( Kaiser Permanente Medical School ).
• Please describe to the Admissions Committee a challenge or disappointment you have overcome and what you learned about yourself from that experience. ( Irvine School of Medicine )

In this guide, we will teach you how to approach the adversity secondary essay on your medical school secondary applications.

But first, why do medical schools ask about hardship?

Medical school admissions committees ask you about your past hardships to gage how you operate through and respond to adversity. Essentially, they are analyzing your thought process during challenges and how you take steps towards resolving conflict in your life. Admissions committees will determine your level of maturity, communication, and resilience based on how you respond to moral and ethical dilemmas.

The adversity prompt will often be specific about whether you should write about a personal or professional experience. However, the prompt may also leave it open to your discretion. Since your primary application already dives into details of your academic experiences, the adversity essay is an excellent opportunity for you to share new and relevant experiences that demonstrate your ability to overcome obstacles and manage stressful situations outside the classroom.

Misconceptions about adversity essays for medical school

The belief that it’s a competition..

Medical schools are not fishing for tragic stories, nor looking for the students who have endured the direst situations. Adversity and hardship are not a competition. The essence of your essay will be how you overcame challenges that you had little to no control over. In the process of telling your story, describe how you regained control of the situation and took steps to conquer obstacles. Admissions committees want to gain insight into your thought process, resilience, and perseverance.

The belief that you have to explain poor grades or poor test scores.

Many students believe if they have poor grades on their transcript or they failed their first MCAT, they must explain the low score in their adversity essay. This is a misconception. Medical schools understand that undergraduate science classes are hard. They also understand the MCAT is hard. Therefore, no one is expecting you to have perfect grades and perfect scores across the board. If you have a dip in your grades or a poor MCAT score, you are not always expected to explain this. You definitely do not want to make up a hardship to explain poor scores either.

However, if you were experiencing a hardship that contributed to the low scores, the adversity essay is a good place to explain that hardship and how it impacted your academic performance.

The belief that you have nothing to write about.

Another common misconception students have is that they don’t have any significant hardships. As mentioned above, the adversity essay is not a competition. Therefore, it is perfectly fine not to have any extreme challenges.

If you have been through an extreme hardship, you will have an obvious topic to discuss. However, a significant difficult alone will not make your essay great. Your thoughtfulness and the way you handled your challenges will set you apart.

Example topics for your medical school admissions adversity essay

A hardship is any significant event that impacted your life or an event you had little to no control over. A couple of examples include:

• Academic challenges in your transition from high school to college
• A family crisis or loss
• Financial hardship
• Illness or injury
• Military deployment
• Natural disasters
• Job transfers

When brainstorming your adversity essay topics, remember that not all hardships immediately hinder your growth – some hardships are endured for years.

Above all, your hardship should be relatable.

How to outline your adversity essay

1. briefly introduce your challenge objectively..

Begin your essay by explaining the situation that posed a challenge to you. While describing your challenge, make sure you are stating facts. This will show the reader you know how to be objective. Describing your challenge subjectively, however, could be misinterpreted as you seeking sympathy. For example: “My teacher gave me a talk about my poor performance in class” is objective, while “My teacher rolled her eyes and berated my performance in class” is subjective.

In the same vein, only use background information that contributes to the story. For example, the exact date or the city you lived in might not be relevant information for certain types of hardship stories.

2. Explain how you responded to the adversity.

Describe how you responded to the particular challenge. For instance, if you are writing about financial hardships, did you apply for scholarships or get a job? On the other hand, if you are writing about academic hardships, did you improve your study habits and/or humbly ask your classmates or professor for help?

Focus on your rationale and thought process while overcoming your hardship. Where you deem it appropriate, describe your feelings and allow the reader to be in your headspace. Illustrating your thought process is important because admissions committees want to know how you take steps toward resolving conflict. Therefore, the main purpose of your body paragraph(s) should be to give readers insight into your thought process and feelings while you navigated adversity.

Questions to consider:

• How did you feel?
• How did this event hinder your plans or alter the course of your life?
• What were your priorities?
• What was unfamiliar to you, and how did you seek out help?
• Who were the mentors that helped you through the process?
• If you are writing about a mistake you made, how did you respond to it?
• Did you experience any cognitive dissonance?
• How did you manage to surpass it?

3. Summarize the results of the outcome and the lessons you learned.

Share the details of how your specific hardship changed your perspective on a particular topic. During conflict-resolution, a person’s priorities often change. Did yours? If they did, explain to the readers how hindsight of the situation helped you move on to achieve a positive outcome. What did you learn about yourself and others? Demonstrating that you overcame hardship is the core of your essay. Make sure you take time to reflect.

End your story by telling your readers how you grew from the situation. Throughout your entire medical career, you will encounter moral and ethical dilemmas surrounding your professional and personal life. Be honest about any hard truths you had to face and whether or not you are still improving or growing. It’s okay if you are still managing a hurdle, managing grief, or sorting out a difficult situation as long as you explain what you are learning in the process.

What to avoid in your adversity essay.

1. being dishonest..

Lying is the biggest mistake you can make. Remember that an essay about hardship is not a competition. You want to show that you are capable of managing pressure and tension when it’s least expected. There are many examples of hardship that will suffice for your medical school applications and there is no need to exaggerate or make something up. Remember that you still have interviews! Admissions committees will have the opportunity to ask you anything in person and will be able to determine your level of authenticity. Do not get caught in a lie.

If you are having trouble thinking of something to write, try to answer the following questions:

• Have I ever been caught off guard by a change of plans?
• What was one situation out of my control that I managed well or that I learned from?
• Was there a first-time experience that was particularly difficult for me? How did I overcome it?
• Have I ever made a mistake that turned into a valuable lesson for me?

2. Victimizing yourself.

Victimizing yourself will not make admissions committees favor you in any way. On the contrary, it may play against you. This does not mean that you must minimize your troubles at all. Instead, be thoughtful about the language you use and be mindful of the reader’s point of view when they are reading your essay. 

3. Not ending on a good note.

Not all conflicts are resolved easily and not all challenges are conquered. It’s okay if things didn’t work out in your favor or if you are still dealing with hardship. If your life took an unexpected turn, refrain from complaining about it. In your conclusion, express yourself with maturity, gratitude, and with a positive perspective about how this hardship will shape you to be a dedicated and compassionate physician. 

Further reading:

Medical School Secondary Applications: The Ultimate Guide 2023

Secondaries Fees List | Medical School Applications 2023

Med School Letters of Recommendation (LORs) | The Ultimate Guide 2023

Update Letter Medical School Guide, Examples and Templates

How to form effective study groups, what is msar medical school admissions requirements database.

• 15 White Coat Ceremony Gift Guide – [2023 edition]

Emergency Medicine Research Programs for Undergraduate Students 2023

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How success and resilience intertwine in a medical career (and life)

New section.

It can be easy to assume that academic metrics are all that matters in the admissions process. However, admissions committees are looking at many different factors when evaluating applications. Learn about two of the 15 Core Competencies that are important qualities for entering medical students.

Sometimes it’s easy to assume that only those students with perfect transcripts, superior GPAs, and exceptional MCAT® scores are ensured admission into medical school. But admissions committees consider many different factors when evaluating applications, including the 15 Core Competencies for entering medical students.

Many medical school applicants know that resilience and adaptability (which together make up one of the Core Competencies) are two of the most valuable traits a physician can have. The ability to demonstrate effective coping skills in stressful or changing environments is essential, and premed students can exhibit these traits when recovering from setbacks while persevering through advanced coursework, moving through the application process, or facing rejections. Success is measured oftentimes not by how you fare on your first try, but how you recover from a setback and grow stronger in the process.

The majority of medical students profiled in the AAMC’s Anatomy of an Applicant highlight “Resilience and Adaptability” as one of their key traits for getting into and thriving in medical school. These students faced daunting obstacles at the start of their medical careers in personal and academic aspects of their lives:

• Fiora dropped out of high school at the age of 14 and served in the military. After fulfilling her GED requirements, she obtained her full undergraduate education in 15 years and went on to attend Eastern Virginia Medical School, where she will graduate in 2020.
• Erin , a current medical student at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, completed school while dealing with spinal disc injuries, which affected her ability to work. Erin ended up earning an overall GPA of 4.0 for the year.
• Hannah , a current medical student at Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, was inspired to pursue medicine after witnessing the care given by physicians after the Boston Marathon bombings. Initially, she was a reapplicant who was waitlisted, but ultimately she gained admission to medical school in 2016.

There are several more stories of students exhibiting resilience and adaptability available in the Anatomy of an Applicant library that describe how students demonstrated the 15 Core Competencies on their medical school applications. You can also read other inspiring stories where students write about overcoming personal setbacks before beginning their medical training. Success does not mean merely doing well in everything you do, but also how you can handle and recover from the difficulties you encounter along the way.

To further learn about how real students demonstrated competencies on their applications, check out Anatomy of an Applicant , where you can review competency definitions, learn about ways students demonstrated competencies, and complete a workbook to figure out what competencies you want to further develop and how.

Medical School Secondary Essays: Your Full Guide

Mark Bradford

Getting into medical school is like solving a big mystery - full of ups, downs, and surprises. After conquering the MCAT and acing your main application, there's one more challenge waiting for you: secondary essays. Imagine them as tricky puzzles, asking for more than just book smarts. What do they want from you, and how can you tackle them successfully? Join us as we explore the world of these follow-up essays, uncovering their secrets and giving you the tools to ace this important part of your medical school journey.

Purpose of Med School Secondary Essays

So, what are secondary essays for medical school, and why do they matter? Well, med school secondary essays play a vital role in giving applicants a chance to shine beyond their academic credentials. These essays allow aspiring medical students to showcase their uniqueness and explain why they are an excellent fit for a specific program.

The main goal of these essays is to delve deeper into the applicants' personalities and motivations. While primary applications provide essential information, secondary essays offer a platform to highlight personal attributes and experiences that make candidates stand out. Admissions committees look for qualities aligning with the values of the medical program, making these essays a crucial step before the interview stage.

While prompts may differ, common types of secondary essays frequently appear:

Challenge Essay:

• Overcoming Adversity: Discuss a significant challenge, emphasizing resilience, problem-solving, and personal growth.

Diversity Essay:

• Embracing Differences: Share experiences that showcase unique perspectives, backgrounds, or contributions to inclusivity.

Gap Year Essay:

• Justifying Time Away: Explain how experiences during a gap year contribute to skills, understanding, and commitment to medicine.

‘ Anything Else You'd Like Us to Know?’ Essay:

• Open-Ended Reflection: Use this space to discuss hobbies, passions, or aspects of personality not covered elsewhere.

‘Why Us?’ Essay:

• Demonstrating Program Fit: Articulate why a specific medical program aligns with your goals, values, and experiences.

Don't forget that we're always here to lend a helping hand. Just ask us, ' Write essay for me ', and together, we'll create an authentic narrative that showcases the real you.

Medical School Diversity Essay

Now that we've uncovered the basics of secondary essays, let's shine a spotlight on a specific one - the Medical School Diversity Essay. This particular essay isn't just about showcasing your GPA or test scores; it's an opportunity to let your unique story and background shine. The purpose? Well, medical schools aren't just looking for cookie-cutter candidates. They want a diverse group of future doctors who bring different perspectives and experiences to the table.

The Medical School Diversity Essay gives you the chance to share how your background, culture, or life experiences have shaped you and will contribute to the rich tapestry of the medical community. It's your time to stand out and show that you're not just a student with good grades but a person with a valuable and unique perspective to offer.

Medical School Diversity Essay Prompts

Now that we understand the importance of the Medical School Diversity Essay, let's tackle the next challenge: the prompts. These essay prompts are like the roadmap guiding you to articulate your individuality and experiences effectively. The questions might vary, but they all share a common thread—inviting you to reflect on your background, culture, or experiences that make you stand out.

Here are some common prompts you might encounter:

• Share your unique background or experiences and how they will contribute to the diversity of the medical school community.
• Describe a situation where you faced adversity related to your background and how you overcame it.
• Discuss a time when you had to navigate and bridge a cultural gap, and how this experience influenced your journey to medicine.
• Reflect on a personal experience that shaped your perspective on diversity and inclusion in healthcare.
• How do your cultural, socioeconomic, or educational background and experiences contribute to your future role as a healthcare professional?

Medical School Diversity Essay Example

Medical school adversity essay.

In the maze of medical school applications, there's another essay that tests your storytelling prowess – the Medical School Adversity Essay. Unlike other sections, this one isn't about showcasing achievements; it's about resilience and growth. The purpose? Medical schools want to know how you handle challenges, setbacks, and obstacles because, let's face it, the journey to becoming a doctor isn't always smooth sailing.

The Adversity Essay prompts might ask you to recount a difficult experience, discuss how it impacted you, and reveal what you learned from it. This is your chance to demonstrate your ability to navigate adversity and emerge stronger. Whether it's a personal struggle, academic setback, or a professional challenge, use this essay to showcase your resilience and highlight the qualities that will make you a determined and capable future physician.

Medical School Adversity Essay Prompts

The Medical School Adversity Essay prompts are like keys that unlock your ability to handle life's curveballs. Here are some common prompts you might encounter, each inviting you to share your experiences of overcoming challenges:

• Discuss a significant personal challenge you have faced and how it has impacted your journey to medicine.
• Describe a time when you encountered a setback in your academic or professional life. How did you respond, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Share a difficult personal experience that tested your resilience. How did you cope, and what growth emerged from that adversity?
• Reflect on a situation where you faced ethical or moral dilemmas. How did you navigate through it, and what lessons did you take away?
• Discuss any obstacles you encountered on your path to medical school. How did you overcome them, and what did those challenges teach you about yourself?

Adversity Essay Medical School Examples

The medical school 'why us' essay.

As you navigate the intricate landscape of medical school applications, there's a pivotal essay that requires you to play matchmaker – the 'Why Us?' essay. This piece is your opportunity to demonstrate not just why you want to become a physician but specifically why you're drawn to a particular medical school. It's the moment to connect the dots between your aspirations and what the school uniquely offers.

The purpose of the Why Us Medical School Essay is twofold: medical schools want to know if you've done your homework about their institution and if you see yourself thriving within their academic and community environment. It's more than listing facilities or programs; it's about articulating a genuine and well-informed connection.

Why Us Medical School Essay Prompts

Here are some common prompts that might pop up, urging you to elaborate on your connection with the medical school:

• Explain why you are drawn to our medical school and how our mission aligns with your personal and professional goals.
• Share specific aspects of our curriculum, faculty, or research opportunities that resonate with your aspirations in medicine.
• Discuss any unique programs, initiatives, or community outreach efforts at our institution that you find particularly appealing. How do you see yourself contributing to these activities?
• Describe a firsthand experience or interaction with our medical school community that left a lasting impression on you. How did it influence your decision to apply here?
• Highlight any specific resources or support systems at our institution that you believe will contribute to your success as a medical student and future physician.

Approaching these prompts requires thorough research and a personal touch. Showcase your understanding of the medical school's distinct features and convey how these align with your goals and values. Remember, it's not just about why you want to be a doctor but specifically why you envision yourself thriving within the unique environment of that particular medical school.

Why Us Medical School Essay Example

Gap year essay medical school.

In the realm of medical school applications, the Gap Year Essay serves as a platform to explain the space between your undergraduate studies and embarking on your medical journey. Whether you spent that time gaining experience, pursuing a passion, or facing unforeseen challenges, this essay allows you to share the valuable lessons you've learned during this period.

The purpose of the Gap Year Essay is to illustrate that the time away from traditional academics was not a detour but rather a strategic and purposeful part of your journey towards becoming a healthcare professional. It's your opportunity to showcase personal and professional growth, highlighting how these experiences have uniquely equipped you for the challenges of medical school.

Gap Year Essay Medical School Prompts

The Gap Year Essay prompts for medical school applications are designed to help you articulate the purpose and value of the experiences you gained during your time away from traditional academia. Here are some common prompts that might invite you to reflect on your gap year:

• Explain the reasons behind taking a gap year and how this time contributed to your personal and professional development.
• Describe specific experiences or challenges encountered during your gap year and how they influenced your decision to pursue a career in medicine.
• Share any skills, perspectives, or insights gained during your time away that you believe will benefit you as a medical student and future physician.
• Discuss any unique opportunities or projects you undertook during your gap year that have shaped your understanding of healthcare or your commitment to the medical field.
• Explain how your gap year aligns with your long-term goals in medicine and how the experiences gained have prepared you for the demands of medical school.

Gap Year Essay Medical School Example

Medical school leadership essay.

Imagine the application process as a cool journey, and the Leadership Essay is like a special stop where you get to share times when you led the way. Medical schools aren't just looking for good grades; they want folks who know how to guide and inspire others in the world of healthcare.

This essay is your chance to tell stories about when you took charge, maybe in a formal role or just helping out when needed. It's about showing how you encouraged others, faced challenges, and made things better in your community or team.

Medical School Leadership Essay Prompts

The prompts for the Medical School Leadership Essay are like friendly invitations, asking you to share moments where you've taken charge and made a positive impact. Here are some common prompts that might prompt you to reflect on your leadership experiences:

• Describe a specific situation where you demonstrated leadership skills, formal or informal and the impact it had on those around you.
• Share an example of a challenge you faced as a leader and how you navigated through it. What did you learn from the experience?
• Discuss a time when you collaborated with others to achieve a common goal, highlighting your role in fostering teamwork and achieving success.
• Explain how you've contributed to the improvement of a community or organization, showcasing your leadership role in creating positive change.
• Reflect on your personal leadership style and how it aligns with your future goals in medicine. How do you envision incorporating leadership into your medical career?

Approach these prompts with openness and honesty, using them as an opportunity to highlight your unique leadership experiences and how they have shaped your journey toward becoming a healthcare professional.

Medical School Leadership Essay Example

How to write secondary essays for medical school.

Here's a guide on how to approach and master medical school secondary essays for a compelling and well-rounded application:

1. Understand the Purpose : Before diving into writing, grasp the purpose of each secondary essay. Whether it's about diversity, adversity, or why you're drawn to a particular school, each prompt serves a unique function in painting a complete picture of you as an applicant. Tailor your responses to showcase different facets of your personality, experiences, and motivations.

2. Personalize Your Responses : Avoid generic responses and personalize each essay to reflect your individual journey. Share specific anecdotes, experiences, and reflections that offer depth and authenticity. Admissions committees are interested in understanding how your unique qualities will contribute to the diverse and collaborative environment of medical school.

3. Conduct Research on Each School : For 'Why Us?' essays, conduct thorough research on the medical school's values, programs, and community. Be specific about what attracts you to that particular institution. Mentioning unique features, initiatives, or faculty members shows that you've invested time in understanding the school's offerings and how they align with your aspirations.

4. Showcase Reflection and Growth : Adversity essays provide an opportunity to showcase resilience and personal growth. Discuss challenges you've faced, how you navigated through them, and the lessons learned. Emphasize how these experiences have uniquely prepared you for the demands of medical school and strengthened your commitment to a career in medicine.

5. Address Gaps in Your Application : If there are gaps or potential concerns in your application, such as a lower GPA or a gap year, address them proactively. Be honest and focus on how these aspects have contributed to your overall readiness for medical school.

6. Maintain Conciseness and Clarity : Admissions committees read through numerous applications, so clarity and conciseness are crucial. Be direct in your responses, avoiding unnecessary jargon or excessive details. Focus on conveying your message effectively without overwhelming the reader with information.

7. Seek Feedback : Before finalizing your essays, seek feedback from mentors, peers, or pre-health advisors. Outside perspectives can provide valuable insights and help ensure that your essays are clear, impactful, and free of errors.

Final Outlook

As you finish up your secondary essays, keep it simple and sincere. They are like snapshots, capturing unique parts of your story. Share your experiences, talk about challenges, and explain why a specific medical school feels like the right fit for you.

Think of each essay as a chance to show the real you beyond grades and achievements. Be yourself, be honest, and let your passion for medicine shine through. The medical school secondary essays examples are not just about getting into your dream school; they're about finding the place where you belong and can grow into the doctor you want to be!

Why Do Medical Schools Require Secondary Essays?

Can i reuse content from my primary application in secondary essays, how should i approach the diversity essay.

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> Blog > Applying to medical school > Resilience – How My Experiences Shaped Me

Resilience – How My Experiences Shaped Me

Resilience. A quality that is pushed throughout medical school and for good reason.

A bit about me now

I am a few months into my second year now and I physically roll my eyes every time I see a seminar titled ‘Learning resilience’ or something along a similar track. Now this is not reflective of my attitude towards this trait – being able to deal with setbacks is vital in this career – but these qualities can’t be taught in a classroom. Nonetheless, resilience will often come up on your journey when applying to medical school.

Someone once described me as ‘hard as nails ‘ and I took this as a compliment; although I didn’t think it really described me. My mum had always described me as overemotional, and as a child, I would get very indignant over something that I thought was unfair; teachers told me I needed to grow a thicker skin. I mulled over this description of me a little longer – perhaps I had changed more than I had realised in the last five years.

Thinking back over the past 5 years

I thought back through all the obstacles I had dealt with over the past few years. Witnessing and dealing with my mum’s battle with alcoholism; deteriorating health and dependence on pills. Then being removed from her care, moving country and schools in the middle of my exam years.

I thought I wasn’t going to finish school with GCSEs, let alone get to do an actual degree. Then, there were the mental health issues that came along with going through all of that. When I first brought up these stories with my friends it yielded raised eyebrows and looks of horror. They told me that my teenage years were far from healthy or typical.

I thought back through the obstacles I have faced over the last few years. My mum had a heavy dependency on alcohol, and my parent’s divorce spurred her to go to rehab. This led to a brief period of sobriety, where she decided to go on a soul-seeking journey across Europe, taking her thirteen-year-old daughter (me!) with her.

When she relapsed she fell hard. I was left to pick up the pieces on my own with very little support from anyone. When I talk about the things I was exposed to, that were my normal, my peers were horrified.

I was fifteen when I was removed from her care and moved back to the UK in the middle of my GCSE years. My world crumbled around me – I had lost my mum, my friends, and my school.

Everything I owned was packed into a single suitcase. I had to give up volunteering at my local stables which had been my lifeline throughout my difficulties. Part of me just wanted to give up; why should I even try at school?

School back in the UK

I was already on the backfoot having missed half of the curriculum and it took everything I had in me to actually try. I stayed in the school library until the caretaker kicked me out every evening, teaching myself from borrowed textbooks, pleading with teachers to mark extra practice essays that I had done off my own back. This is what gave me the work ethic that has enabled me to do medicine.

The mental toll all of this had taken finally caught up with me when I started my A levels. My grades suffered and I was constantly at the point of breaking.

My brother caught me in the middle of one of my breakdowns. He proceeded to then drag me along to the GP to get help. This resulted in a referral to local adolescent mental health services.

Reflecting back on my experiences

It was a long journey to deal with the trauma I had faced – but I did get to the other side. That being said, I don’t resent the experience I had growing up.

The choices that were made by the people around me yielded such an unstable life. However, the experiences they gave me are the reason I am here today. This forced me to adapt to change and make me take on more responsibility than most at my age. My life has given me something that no amount of private tuition or nepotism could. Experiences that have set me up to deal with setbacks. It taught me resilience. I am in medicine because of the adversity I have faced, not in spite of it!

How this can help you?

For anyone else wanting to apply for medicine but think you don’t have the option because you didn’t go to private school, you aren’t the captain of the rugby team and your parents aren’t doctors (the stereotypical ‘gold standard’ for medicine applicants)– you absolutely can!

Utilise your lived experiences, and the skills you have learned from it.

Resilience when applying to medical school

Medical schools are looking for you to demonstrate a time when you were resilient. Linking this with your own past shows you can utilise (or reflect on) your past experiences and grow from them. This is something you should focus on when writing your personal statement and at the interview.

Some examples may include:

• Did living in a low-income household mean you had to take on more roles in the family and grow up quicker than others?
• Did you care for siblings or elderly relatives?
• How did this teach you empathy?
• Did you attend an underperforming school? Did this force you to be self-motivated to succeed?

Demonstrate how you have learned skills far beyond anything you could have been taught in school.

What setbacks have you faced in life, and how did you go beyond that to get to where you are now? You already have all the skills you need in your arsenal; you just need to demonstrate that to your interviewer!

• Learning from the challenges you face is extremely important. They are what build you as a person and as a doctor.
• Resilience is an extremely important skill in medicine and it is worth reflecting on how you have built yours when applying.
• The interview and personal statement is the place for you to show off the skills you have developed. Medical Schools want to see them!
• When applying to medical school, resilience is one of many skills assessed in the interview

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• Research article
• Open access
• Published: 25 July 2019

Training medical students to manage difficult circumstances- a curriculum for resilience and resourcefulness?

• Barry Wright 1 &
• Joseph Richmond Mynett   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4266-9709 1  

BMC Medical Education volume  19 , Article number:  280 ( 2019 ) Cite this article

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In response to the growing prevalence of physical and emotional burnout amongst medical students and practicing physicians, we sought to find a new methodology to scope a five-year undergraduate curriculum in detail to assess for teaching, learning objectives and experiences that seek to promote resilience in medical students. This was undertaken to test whether this methodology would enable curriculum discussions to enhance training for future cohorts through the introduction of a curriculum dedicated to the development of resilience and resourcefulness.

Based on literature review, a rating-scale was devised to generate quantitative data in four key areas of resilience; internal resources, lifestyle factors, external resources (self-mediated) and external resources (agent mediated). This scale was used to evaluate the entire five-year undergraduate curriculum of a medical school in the north of England through systematic evaluation of learning outcomes and planned activities. The methodology used was a four-stage process including i) identifying the learning objectives, ii) mapping them onto the criteria outlined, iii) assessing them against clear objective standards (planned, explicit, universal and quantifiable), and iv) rating data collected.

The evaluation provided a clear, quantitative overview of the curriculum in terms of resilience building. Strengths and gaps were identified and work was undertaken leading to suggestions for change. This facilitated helpful discussions with course leaders and planners, received universally positive feedback and led to new learning objectives, activities and experiences that have been identified and begun to be implemented.

Conclusions

“ The HYMS CARE Criteria” and our methodology for assessing it in a medical school curriculum context, offers a valuable perspective to aid the planning of improvements in curricula. This model for scoping and structuring resilience related learning experiences is offered for consideration by other schools.

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Physician and medical student burnout

Burnout describes a reaction to ongoing stress, a state of emotional exhaustion that can lead to reduced perceived or actual personal accomplishment [ 1 , 2 ]. A meta-analysis of medical students in the United States suggests that both physicians in training and practicing physicians experience high rates of burnout, whilst factors contributing to burnout such as depersonalisation and low personal accomplishment were found to be highly prevalent in a similar UK study [ 3 , 4 ].

Following a scoping literature review to explore the effects of burnout (including number of sick leave days, work ability, and intent to either keep practicing or change jobs) the majority of studies we identified indicated a negative relationship between burnout and safe and productive practice [ 5 ]. One factor that could reduce levels of burnout is resilience. Higher resilience levels are associated with lower levels of burnout and better tolerance of uncertainty [ 6 ]. Conversely, a wide range of issues are associated with low resilience levels, including stress, depression and substance misuse, all of which can also have a negative impact on patient care [ 7 ].

Defining resilience

The term ‘resilience’ has been interpreted in many different ways. In order to focus our curriculum evaluation methodology, we have framed resilience as the mechanisms by which an individual might be equipped to engage with stressors with minimum negative impact, whilst experiencing personal growth and leading to the development of new coping mechanisms [ 8 ].

This context allows literature-based identification and exploration of the factors that contribute to building this form of coping resilience, and subsequently the development of a means to identify these within a curriculum.

What factors affect resilience in medical school?

Internal resources.

The current research base looking at resilience in medical school appears to follow several distinct themes relating to coping and wellbeing. The most prominent of these is the building of internal resources. A regression analysis in a study of Chinese medical students found that a resilience scale moderated negative life events and mental health problems where the scale essentially measures ability to endure difficult circumstances [ 9 , 10 ]. The teaching of communication skills in difficult circumstances (e.g. breaking bad news) is widely seen as positive and valued by medical students in equipping them with skills for improved coping and reduced stress in those situations, supporting the idea that practical solutions can be an effective means to enhance resourcefulness and coping in difficult situations [ 11 ]. Using an applied literature search, Dunn and colleagues proposed a coping reservoir model that can be replenished or drained [ 12 ]. This work focused on personal traits, temperament and coping style, all of which can be seen as internal resources [ 12 ].

Another theme that has been explored is the effect of lifestyle factors. Healthy spare time experiences have been shown to promote resilience in young people at school, suggesting that this may also be the case in medical school with good personal life and work life balance leading to improved satisfaction at graduation [ 13 , 14 ].

Self-efficacy and seeking to employ external resources

Howe and colleagues suggested that important elements of resilience in medical training included self-efficacy, ability to engage support, self-control, learning from difficulties and tenacity in the face of challenges [ 15 ]. Research also suggests that good social support and developing active coping strategies play a protective role, encompassing not just lifestyle factors but also connectedness and supportive social frameworks [ 9 , 16 , 17 ]. A longitudinal observational study at one medical school investigated the effect of maintaining physical activity on resilience, with the results suggesting that promotion and provision of physical activity may encourage improved general health and therefore resilience [ 18 ].

Agent mediated resources and training

There is an emerging body of evidence that training to improve resilience may be helpful; however, the methodologies of these studies is limited [ 19 , 20 ]. More comprehensively, a broad scale, holistic approach applied at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine based on adjustments to course content such as timetabling, grading and electives, combined with specific resilience and mindfulness content was shown to reduce depression, anxiety and stress symptoms in participating students [ 21 ]. This supports the idea that bespoke resilience teaching incorporating a comprehensive range of factors could produce positive results with the correct execution. There is also evidence that suggests tailored training of individual skills such as empathy and communication can be highly effective, however these are shown in isolation and not as part of a wider, holistic training programme [ 22 , 23 ].

Based upon this evidence, there are a number of aspects and perspectives to consider when beginning to understand or construct a curriculum that wishes to address the issue of resilience. This implies the endeavour should be ambitious in scope, fully integrated into the curriculum and become part of the journey of life-long learning. Stand-alone training (e.g. in mindfulness) only constitutes a small part of a bigger picture; however, a more considered and comprehensive approach should arm students with the tools to cope more effectively. An ability to assess a curriculum by taking a range of learning experiences into account therefore becomes important.

In the spirit of searching out better ways of training the doctors of the future from a supportive framework, we sought to devise an evaluation tool that could be used to fulfil the following objectives:

Identify a comprehensive list of factors that contribute to resilience building

Evaluate an existing medical school curriculum for teaching and experiences that promote or teach resilience

Identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement within a curriculum

Provide data that can be used as a basis for future planning and discussion within the medical school

Extract all elements of resilience building from a medical school curriculum and assemble and articulate a standalone curriculum across time to enhance resilience and resourcefulness

Assessment criteria concept

In order to create a comprehensive resilience assessment tool, it was first necessary to seek out the factors shown to contribute to resilience within the relevant general literature, and the specific literatures relating to factors affecting medical students as discussed in the previous background section. Following this we put together an expert group of educators, clinicians and students, including expertise in psychiatry, psychology, palliative care, general practice, public health, student support services and academia. This group discussed and agreed upon the principles on which the curriculum would be assessed based on this literature. Following the assessment, discussed recommendations to create new learning objectives and experiences to enhance the curriculum based upon the data.

Criteria design

The organisation of our assessment tool, the HYMS CARE criteria (HCC) (Table  1 ), was based upon grouping of the resilience factors discussed in the literature, allowing us to design a catalogue of itemised factors in the context of larger themes. In order to generate versatile data sets, we implemented three levels of organisation; 31 individual elements, 10 groups of elements and 4 overall themes, all of which can be visualised independently following a curriculum evaluation.

The themes chosen were designed to isolate the differing forces acting upon resilience and resourcefulness, from an individual’s impact on their environment to the environmental impact on the individual. This resulted in four distinct categories of resilience building; internal resources, lifestyle factors, external resources (self-mediated) and external resources (Agent mediated). “Internal resources” represents the personal traits and skills of the individual. These include factors such as empathy, personality and temperament, and ethical development [ 24 , 25 ]. “Lifestyle factors” are the elements used to strengthen work-life balance and promote self-care, encompassing elements such as self-compassion, positive self-beliefs, maintaining physical health and maintaining energy levels [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ]. “External resources (self-mediated)” refers to the ability to identify and interact with support networks and institutional frameworks. This includes factors such as connectedness and actively seeking out and enlisting support [ 30 , 31 , 32 ]. The final category, “External factors (agent mediated)” refers to the influence of the institution on the individual through provision of resources and support. This category is distinct in that it reflects the structure of the organisation, in this case a medical school, as opposed to identifying skills that can be enhanced within the individual students.

The HCC is intended as an itemised inventory of factors believed to influence resilience and resourcefulness among practicing medics and medical students. It is not intended as a definitive exposition of resilience, rather a tool that can be used to navigate areas of interest and assess current curricula to enable meaningful discussion about strengths and opportunities for improvement.

The CARE criteria were coined in the expert workshop groups with the acronym representing Compassion to self and others, Adaptability, Resourcefulness and Emotional wellbeing. They are listed in Table 1 .

In order to evaluate this tool, we set out to apply a robust methodology in the assessment of a medical school curriculum using a four-stage process including i) identifying the learning objectives, ii) mapping them onto the criteria outlined, iii) assessing them against clear objective standards (planned, explicit, universal and quantifiable), and iv) rating data collected.

Methodology for identifying resilience building in a medical school curriculum using the CARE criteria

The curriculum assessed.

A 5-year undergraduate MBBS programme in a medical school in the North of England, UK.

Identifying relevant course content

The medical school used in this study arranges teaching into three sequential Phases: Phase I (years 1&2) builds a knowledge base predominantly through classroom teaching, Phase II (years 3&4) places students in clinical environments full time, focussing on clinician teaching, self-directed study and topic-based masterclasses, and Phase III (Year 5) enlists students as junior members of multidisciplinary teams, rotating through different specialities. The curriculum was assessed in three stages, correlating to these course phases. In collaboration with senior course leaders and administrative staff, relevant documents outlining course content for each phase were identified for appraisal and mapped in order to clearly display the activities and objectives included in each phase of the curriculum. Mapping was carried out by two medical students, with access to two academic leads for advice and discussion about decision making where necessary.

Criteria for viability

In order to be viable for assessment, course components had to achieve the set criteria of being planned, explicit in their content, universal to all students and quantifiable in time, objective or value (Table  2 ). Whilst some components such as clinical placements contained variable experiences, only the constant elements of these were considered for assessment, for example learning objectives or planned activities for each individual placement.

Unit of measurement

In order to standardise and quantify the curriculum analysis, the Resilience Outcome (RO) classification system was devised. Learning objectives or activities considered to support the development of resilience through one or more of the 31 HCC factors were assigned one RO to each HCC factor fulfilled.

Classification

Two specific systems of classification were employed to the entire curriculum based upon activity type. All assessed course content was categorised as either discrete learning objectives (e.g. explicit learning points of a lecture) or components of structured activities (e.g. the elements involved in completing a research module). Content was then appraised according to the following standards;

Discrete learning objectives

Learning objectives identified as influencing resilience were taken from student module guides, phase handbooks and tutor guides. Each identified learning objective was appraised for ROs using the HCC. As numerous learning objectives fulfilled multiple categories, each learning objective was allowed a maximum allocation of 3 ROs. Examples of qualifying learning objectives are shown in Table  3 .

Components of structured activities

Structured activities were appraised on the basis of explicitly stated objectives, processes and requirements. These were identified through manual review of handbooks and individual assignment specifications. No RO limit was applied to structured activities due to a notable increase in complexity when compared to discrete learning objectives.

RO counts for all 31 resilience factors of the HCC were manually logged using Microsoft Excel for each learning block across the three phases sequentially. This was executed using a 2-stage rating system. Initial ROs were assigned by a single rater. These were then reviewed and verified by a second rater, with discrepancies being discussed with the project lead. Once all identified course elements had been considered and classified, the completed RO totals were collapsed into the ten parent categories to facilitate comparison and analysis between phases.

RO assignments were logged for each of the 31 resilience factors of the HCC and combined under each of the ten parent categories (e.g. “Developing empathy skills”) to produce quantitative representations of the number of ROs assigned to each. Upon completion of the curriculum review, a total of 2124 ROs were identified (Table  4 ). These counts were then used to generate an average RO number for each of the ten parent categories over the five years of study (Fig.  1 ).

Average number of ROs assigned across the 9 categories over the 5-year MBBS course. The Y-axis values represent the number of ROs assigned per category

The totals showed a consistent pattern across all three phases of the MBBS course. The category with the highest average LO assignment was “Internal factors”, comprised of subcategories “Developing empathy skills”, “Developing insight”, “Developing resourcefulness” and “Team work and communication”. These subcategories all represent the development of core skills and traits that are vital for successful clinical practice.

The category with the lowest average LO assignment was “Lifestyle factors”, comprised of subcategories “Physical health self-efficacy” (e.g. Nutrition/sleep/physical activity), “Mental health self-efficacy” (e.g. Managing emotions) and “Achieving work-life balance” (e.g. pursuit of hobbies). These subcategories lack the dual functionality of providing both resilience and academic achievement seen in the “Internal factors” section. There were limited learning activities in the curriculum related to these factors.

Assessing the curriculum

We found that this methodology for assessing the curriculum had a number of advantages. Firstly it allowed for systematic exploration of the curriculum across the full five years exploring resilience from a range of perspectives. It was easy to use and received good feedback from the curriculum planners. The methodology was clear and all participants agreed it would be easy to replicate. Weaknesses included the fact that resilience is a broad concept and therefore different tools or people may interpret elements in the curriculum as being related or unrelated depending on their own views. We sought to address this by using terms in plain English that had face validity such as ‘reflective’ and ‘team working ability’. It also requires time to carefully examine all aspects of the 5 year curriculum. Some medical schools may also have ‘hidden’ curricula activities that would not be visible to assess.

Responding to the data

The curriculum analysis provided an overview of the 5-year course that could be used to identify and bolster areas of the curriculum that were less well represented in the data. This was carried out through collaboration with numerous senior staff members from the medical school, alongside senior clinicians from the main local NHS trust. This multidisciplinary collaboration resulted in a comprehensive list of short, medium and long-term recommendations, including both modification of existing course elements and the creation of bespoke learning experiences to fulfil the specific needs identified. These recommendations were presented for each of the three course phases, and an additional category comprising of medical school culture, student support and wellbeing .

Example recommendations; phase 1

Enhance the Phase I to Phase II transition program in order to buffer the effects of changing to a more placement-based environment and help students develop skills in managing workplace transitions.

Increase focus on the emotional aspects of medicine through increased essay options. Enhanced reflective essay writing based on placement experiences or interviews with senior healthcare staff including the topic of resilience, self-efficacy and work life balance:

Opportunities for Balint Groups.

Example recommendations; phase 2

Re-map or expand reflective assignments to enhance the focus on resilience and resilience theory. This could include examples such as structured essays based on self-compassion and self-reflection.

Extend reflective exercises to incorporate the reality of the healthcare environment and culture. This would include general culture, pressures, staffing levels and their effects, hierarchies and attitudes of more senior medics. This could take the form of structured or unstructured essays, reflective diary keeping or group discussion-based environments. Problem solving, assertiveness, whistleblowing skills and processes could be incorporated with opportunities for Schwartz rounds to promote open discussion skills.

Example recommendation; phase 3

Negative mental health effects surrounding making mistakes or facing scrutiny may be more pronounced in high-achieving students such as medics. Current literature could guide the construction of a framework to teach students to mediate the emotional impact of making errors or mistakes, facing scrutiny and receiving complaints (managing emotions).

Example recommendations; culture, student support and wellbeing

Increase focus and communication of the medical school educational philosophy, ethos and values in order to bolster connectedness. This includes ongoing work into engaging with the student voice and developing good lines of communication

Run workshops teaching emotional wellbeing skills and techniques such as mindfulness and meditation. These could be offered to year groups, placement groups, PBL groups or open signup for students of all years. These workshops could be designed to be incorporated into learning blocks such as psychological health or palliative care

Second to providing the basis for discussion, analysis and action planning, the data sets were collated into an itemised, standalone curriculum detailing week-by-week activities and experiences that possess elements of resilience building (see Fig.  2 for an example). This was undertaken for the entire five-year course, resulting in a complete directory of resilience outcomes (learning outcomes with a clear resilience component). It is hoped that this separate curriculum will prove a useful tool in both cataloguing and further enhancing the undergraduate course by providing a complete record of resilience building activities, and additionally maintaining focus on this aspect of medical education through enhanced visibility and ease of access.

Excerpt from the standalone curriculum for resilience. This section represents year one, week one. The curriculum is organized to display different activity types, and the learning objectives found within

We found that this methodology was a straightforward way of assessing a medical school curriculum. It came with a helpful blend of theoretical underpinnings and down to earth applicability and this appeared to enhance engagement with curriculum developers and teachers.

We found the concept of resilience to be very broad in the general literature. We have tried to be clear about those experiences that promote coping, adaptability, resourcefulness and enhanced empathy and self-compassion skills, using the acronym CARE to encapsulate this. By contrast the medical literature can be very narrow in what it considers intervention to promote resilience, with one recent systematic review’s main findings focusing on psychosocial skills training and mindfulness [ 33 ]. We would encourage educators to think broadly, incorporating and building upon the factors detailed in the HCC (Table 1 ), and for there to be further research to refine this objective.

The detailed evaluation of the curriculum was helpful in allowing us to visualise the strengths and opportunities for improvement in terms of teaching resilience and resourcefulness. The results showed that the curriculum could be improved in a number of areas, especially emotional wellbeing and physical health support, and in particular supporting students to develop a healthy work life balance. Various medical schools are seeking to address this issue. On many occasions this is using voluntary additional elements to the curriculum [ 28 ]. We would argue that this should be directed at all medical students and not optional, and medical students should be actively involved in planning.

Importantly we have found that this piece of work has prompted discussion across the medical school that has been profoundly productive, and wide ranging. This includes the responsibility of the medical school to provide the necessary processes and to support students to carefully consider roles of the future and the curriculum in promoting resilience. Studies suggest that doctors experiencing burnout are more likely to use ineffective coping strategies [ 34 ]. It would be beneficial, therefore to infuse medics with more positive, varied and comprehensive coping tools during their education. It is hoped that both the provision and normalisation of these tools and activities paves the way for more competent, rational and progressive coping strategies in both students and practicing medics.

Availability of data and materials

Although we have provided summary data, the full data sets collected during this research is available upon request of the authors.

Abbreviations

HYMS Care criteria

Resilience outcome

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to the following, for consultation, workshops and individually for advice Professor Ian Watt, Dr. Steven Oliver, Dr. Chris Buswell, Ms. Sarah Cox, Dr. Niki Taylor, Dr. Dean McMillan, Ms. Gwen Irving, Dr. Alison Blakeborough, Ms. Janet Tosker, Dr. Janine Henderson and Dr. Demian Whiting.

Thanks to Aisha Jallow for curriculum assessment assistance and second rating of ROs.

This research was unfunded, with permission of the Hull York Medical School.

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BW led initial concept, performed literature review in the generation of the CARE criteria, performed literature review for background, led interpretation of results, and led discussion. JRM performed curriculum analysis, generation and collation of data and data analysis. BW and JRM conducted meetings and interviews in both the generation of the CARE criteria, and the formation of recommendations detailed in the discussion, oversaw classification of curriculum elements. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Joseph Richmond Mynett .

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Wright, B., Richmond Mynett, J. Training medical students to manage difficult circumstances- a curriculum for resilience and resourcefulness?. BMC Med Educ 19 , 280 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-019-1712-x

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Received : 02 October 2018

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Published : 25 July 2019

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-019-1712-x

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BMC Medical Education

ISSN: 1472-6920

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