How to Approach Duke Medical School Secondary Essays (2025 Guide)

Secondary essays can be one of the most time-consuming parts of the medical school application process, and Duke University School of Medicine is known for having one of the longest sets of prompts. Getting started can feel overwhelming, but with the right approach, your essays can highlight your individuality and strengthen your application.

At Go Elective, we support pre-med students through global health internships and medical electives abroad. Many of our alumni use these experiences to enrich their applications, often drawing on clinical encounters or service projects when writing secondary essays for schools like Duke.

Duke Secondary Essay Prompts

Duke often assigns nine essay prompts, though not all are mandatory. Prompts typically cover themes such as:

• Personal story and identity
• Building trust with people different from you
• Advocacy and taking risks
• Coping with setbacks and failure
• Leadership and teamwork values
• Critical thinking and research experience
• The role of critical thinking in your career
• Health disparities and social justice (including Duke’s “Moments to Movement” initiative)
• Reflections on COVID-19 and its impact on your path to medicine (optional)

Tips for Writing Strong Duke Secondary Essays

Tip 1: Anchor your essays in real stories

Choose meaningful anecdotes that reveal your character, not just your achievements. For example, in essays about leadership or setbacks, share how you grew from the experience. Humility and self-awareness stand out more than perfection.

Tip 2: Tie in personal experience with broader healthcare issues

For prompts about disparities or COVID-19, combine personal insight with awareness of systemic issues. A strong essay might connect a volunteer experience with an understanding of public health challenges.

Tip 3: Use clear structure

Keep essays engaging by using a simple narrative arc: introduce the situation, describe the challenge, explain your actions, and reflect on what you learned.

Tip 4: Research Duke’s mission and programs

Duke values service, interdisciplinary collaboration, and social justice. If specific initiatives, like their focus on health equity, resonate with you, show how your experiences connect.

Tip 5: Avoid repetition

Your essays shouldn’t rehash your CV. Instead, expand on experiences to demonstrate qualities like resilience, empathy, and curiosity.

Tip 6: Approach optional prompts honestly

Only answer if you have something meaningful to say. For example, if you’ve experienced unique barriers or perspectives, the optional essay can be a powerful way to share your story.

Tip 7: Revise carefully

Secondary essays are long, leaving room for mistakes. Ask mentors, peers, or trusted readers to give feedback before submitting.

Duke Secondary Essay Angle Examples

I. Coping with Disappointment

A student with dyslexia can reflect on developing resilience through setbacks, showing self-awareness and growth.

II. Value Systems

An international student can describe navigating cultural differences during a group project, highlighting empathy and teamwork.

III. COVID-19

Applicants can also explain how the pandemic deepened their commitment to medicine and taught adaptability in learning and service.

Each essay works because it balances honesty with reflection and ties personal experiences to qualities valued in medicine.

FAQs: Duke Med School Secondary Essays

#1. How many essays are required for Duke Medical School?

Duke’s secondary application usually includes up to nine prompts, with two optional.

#2. Does Duke screen applicants before sending secondaries?

No. Duke sends secondaries to all applicants who complete their primary application, but the length of the essays makes many students opt out—giving those who finish an advantage.

#3. How should I answer Duke’s prompts about leadership, advocacy, or setbacks?

Focus on authentic experiences that demonstrate growth. Use specific examples rather than generic traits.

#4. Should I write the optional essays?

Only if they genuinely apply to you. Admissions committees value honesty over forced responses.

#5. What makes Duke’s essays unique?

They emphasize personal identity, social responsibility, and health disparities, giving you space to show your values as well as your academic preparation.

Final Thoughts

Duke’s secondary essays may feel daunting, but they also give you a rare opportunity to share your story in depth. By approaching each prompt with honesty, self-reflection, and awareness of healthcare’s broader challenges, you’ll be able to demonstrate why you’re a strong fit for Duke’s mission.

For students looking to deepen their application with meaningful experiences, Go Elective offers global internships in Kenya and Tanzania that provide both clinical exposure and cultural competence—two qualities highly valued by schools like Duke. Apply or inquire here. 

Article Details

Categories

Recent Articles , Pre-health, MCAT/MSAR/USMLE, Med Schools,

Author: Go-Elective Abroad

Date Published: Sep 20, 2025