As a musician, I was ecstatic when I learned about Weill’s “Music and Medicine” initiative. It was exciting and validating to find a school that saw as much value in both fields as I did. Music and Medicine is certainly not the primary reason that I am applying, but is just one small example of how deeply Weill invests in all aspects of their students’ growth. For example, Weill also encourages its students to form authentic connections with the surrounding community through service. A vital part of medicine is the ability to understand and serve patients of all backgrounds, and genuinely trying to integrate into their community. By promoting and honoring service among its students, Weill shows that it prioritizes creating community-engaged physicians. In addition to supporting students’ extracurricular interests, Weill offers its students an unparalleled preclinical and clinical education. Whether by allowing students to delve into a passion with an Area of Concentration, or partnering with the most eminent medical institutions in NYC, Weill ensures that its students are poised to contribute significantly to medicine. I know that at Weill, I would feel challenged yet supported, learn broadly and deeply, and emerge prepared to be a compassionate, resourceful physician.

Please describe a challenge you faced and how you addressed it.

In college, I was Co-Director of [insert retreat name here], a diversity immersion retreat. My senior fall, I was excited to begin my second semester with my new Co-Director, [name]. However, I quickly became frustrated with her; she was late to meetings, didn’t complete delegated tasks and was unfocused. I shouldered most of the work, and grew resentful. I eventually recognized that I was not dealing with the situation effectively or maturely and reached out to our advisers for support. They suggested that I simply sit down with Alice and have an open conversation about my frustrations. I took their suggestion and shared my feelings in an honest, yet non-accusatory way. She was receptive and expressed regret, also sharing that she was struggling with mental health issues - I felt guilty, as her behavior made sense within the context of her personal life. While I still felt that I deserved more from her, Alice also deserved more support from me as a friend. With greater mutual understanding, our collaboration grew stronger. The retreat went on to be a success, and I emerged with a greater appreciation for the importance of being open with collaborators, and an improved ability to constructively address frustrations.