The Ohio State University College of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Tips and Timeline [2025–2026], Class Profile
The Ohio State University College of Medicine positions itself as an evolving, innovative, and collaborative leader – uniting education, research, and care to transform health while cultivating compassionate leaders and a culture of inclusivity. In addition to traditional four-year MD programs, The Ohio State College of Medicine offers several MD-granting program options, an accelerated three-year Primary Care Track, a Community Medicine MD Track, and seven dual degrees, including MD/PhD.
Are you a good fit for The Ohio State College of Medicine? If you are looking for a large interdisciplinary university, would like to translate research into better community health, and are a compassionate leader, the answer is yes!
Table of Contents
- The Ohio State College of Medicine Secondary Essay Tips
- The Ohio State College of Medicine Application Timeline
- The Ohio State College of Medicine Class Profile
The Ohio State College of Medicine Secondary Essay Tips
Essay #1
The mission statement of The Ohio State University College of Medicine is to “improve people’s lives” through innovation in research, medical education, and patient care. Please describe how your past experiences predict your potential to contribute in two of these three areas. (250 words)
Think about which of these areas applies to you most with regard to contributing to The Ohio State College of Medicine as both a medical student and a practicing physician. The school values people who take initiative, are empathetic, and are compassionate about medical care. As you prepare your response to this essay prompt, consider the following:
- Research: Have you worked on a project that improved the life of patients? Did your work teach you a new set of skills? Make sure to share which problem you were solving, the impact you had on this work, and how it will impact your medical journey.
- Medical education: Share specific experiences that highlight your communication skills. Have you ever mentored a student? Are you a good listener? Have you helped someone? Think about how these skills relate to the physician you want to be.
- Patient care: Emphasize clinical or volunteer experiences that showcase empathy, compassion, and a commitment to improving quality of life or health-related outcomes.
Essay #2
Provide examples of factors contributing to health inequities that exist in the United States. (250 words)
Emphasize your understanding of health equity and how it shapes your perspective. Focus your response on evidence-based examples showing how social, racial/ethnic, and environmental disparities – as well as limited access to care and geographic barriers – contribute to health inequity. If possible, include a personal experience or an observation from your volunteering, work, or school experience that relates to the prompt.
In your conclusion, connect your answer to The Ohio State College of Medicine’s mission. Highlight the actions you – as a future medical student and physician – would want to address to minimize health inequities, such as patient advocacy, education, or improving medical training to better recognize and address these issues.
Essay #3
Please indicate any affiliations with Ohio or Ohio State University that would not otherwise be apparent from your application.
Highlight any affiliations you have with the state of Ohio, including if Ohio is your home state, if you have family who live in the state, or other strong ties with the Buckeye State. In addition, identify if you are an OSU graduate, if you have family members who currently attend OSU, or if any of your relatives work for OSU.
Essay #4
Complete this section only if you are a reapplicant. Please list any medical schools you have previously applied to (up to 25): School and Year of Application.
When answering this question, be sure to include both MD and DO schools.
The Ohio State College of Medicine Application Timeline
| Date | Event |
| August 2025 to March 2026 | Interview season |
| September 2025 | Final MCAT administration date accepted |
| November 1, 2025 | Primary application deadline |
| December 15, 2025 | Secondary application deadline |
| October 15, 2025, and onward | Admission decisions announced; subsequent decisions released roughly every two weeks |
| February 19, 2026 | AAMC “Plan to Enroll” choice becomes available |
| April 15, 2026 | Accepted students narrow offers to three medical schools (if applicable) |
| April 30, 2026 | AAMC “Commit to Enroll” choice becomes available for accepted students |
| July 1, 2026 (5:00 p.m. ET) | MD “Commit to Enroll” deadline |
| April 30 to July 1, 2026 | Accepted students must notify The Ohio State College of Medicine within 24 hours if they receive another acceptance offer |
| Any time during application process | Withdrawal: Accepted students must notify The Ohio State College of Medicine via email if matriculating elsewhere |
Source: The Ohio State College of Medicine website
***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with The Ohio State College of Medicine directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***
The Ohio State College of Medicine Class Profile
Here is a look at The Ohio State College of Medicine 2024 entering class (data taken from The Ohio State College of Medicine website):
Applicant Profile Numbers
National AMCAS applications: 49,495
Total Ohio State COM applications: 7,634
Total Ohio resident applications: 1,186
Total non-resident applications: 6,448
Total applicants interviewed: 700
Total acceptances: 409
Total new entrants: 224
Class Composition
Women: 57%
Men: 43%
Other: < 1%
Ohio residents: 55%
Non-residents: 45%
Class GPA: 3.82
Class science GPA: 3.76
MCAT composite: 514
Took at least two growth years: 36%
First-generation college attendees: 11%
Have a physician parent: 18%
Participated in research: 99%
Community Medicine Track (CMT): 15
Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP): 9
Three-year Primary Care Track (PCT): 4
MedPath: 14
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