Carle Illinois College of Medicine

1. For example, if you have worked or are currently working in a research lab, we are more interested in understanding your contributions and whether you were able to be innovative, rather than in a detailed description of the science. While the content of your portfolio is of primary importance, our reviewers will also evaluate your presentation. This does not mean you need to be "artistic," but it is valuable to demonstrate an innovative approach. Instead of focusing solely on what we want, include what you wish to share. What drives you? What do you want us to know? Show us who you are and why you are uniquely suited to our school.

2. Our secondary application is unique, as we are seeking physician-innovators. Does this describe you? This is your opportunity to demonstrate the compassion, curiosity, and creativity that we believe are essential qualities for a physician-innovator. We ask you to complete a portfolio consisting of three artifacts and three very short essays (100 words each). The portfolio allows you to SHOW US and TELL US how compassion, curiosity, and creativity have manifested in your life through visual artifacts and short essays. How do you exemplify these values? How have you developed in these areas? Show us and tell us the connections between these values and your experiences. The artifacts should be somewhat reflective, so please share your thoughts and insights. For example, if you have worked or are currently working in a research lab, we are more interested in understanding what you actually did, how YOU contributed, and whether you were able to be innovative, rather than a detailed description of the science. Was the activity you are presenting part of a class for credit, or was it something you pursued independently? Were you part of a team? If so, what was YOUR role? Show us and tell us who you are and why you are a strong applicant for our program.

3. Tell us how this artifact reflects the Carle Illinois College of Medicine's value of compassion. Please specify the number of hours you committed to the activities presented in the artifact, excluding the time spent creating the artifact itself. Additionally, describe your level of commitment: were you a group participant, a project leader, an idea initiator, or did you undertake this activity independently?

4. Tell us how this artifact reflects the Carle Illinois College of Medicine's value of curiosity. Please specify the number of hours you committed to the activities presented in the artifact, rather than the time spent creating the artifact itself. Regarding your level of commitment, were you a group participant, a project leader, an idea initiator, or did you undertake this activity independently?

1. In the three artifacts, we ask you to demonstrate how compassion, curiosity, and creativity have manifested in your life and how you exemplify these values. Each artifact should be uploaded as a PDF (one page for each value, formatted no larger than 8.5″ x 11″). No hyperlinks or embedded videos are allowed. We encourage you to make your artifacts image-focused, but you may include captions or brief notes on the artifact to help us understand the context of your images. Your artifacts will be most impactful if you include multiple activities for each value and clearly indicate the quality and depth of your experiences, but only include what is meaningful for each value. The artifacts should be somewhat reflective in nature, so please share your thoughts and insights. You may repeat experiences listed on your AMCAS application and/or include new ones. Our screeners will evaluate your portfolio independently before they evaluate your AMCAS application, so do not assume they are aware of any information in your AMCAS. Please do not include activities from high school or earlier unless they are of very high quality or impact (for example, achieving Eagle Scout rank). Family interactions or relationships ("spending time with family") are unlikely to score well unless you can demonstrate how they are unusual or significant (for example, being a full-time caregiver for a family member for a period). Please make your role clear. Was the activity you are presenting part of a class for credit, or was it something you did on your own? Was this part of a team? If so, what was your role?

2. Show us how you demonstrate that you have an active mind. What are you truly proud of? For example, have you used technology in novel or unique ways? What innovative solutions have you implemented in your work, healthcare, or hobbies? Have you taken risks to address a problem, express yourself, or achieve your goals? Describe how you live and lead a creative life.

3. Show us how you demonstrate that you have an active mind. What are you truly proud of? For example, have you used technology in novel or distinct ways? What innovative solutions have you implemented in your work, healthcare, or hobbies? Have you taken risks to address a problem, express yourself, or achieve your goals? Describe how you live and lead a creative life.

4. Please upload one 1-page artifact (as a PDF; formatted no larger than 8.5×11″) for each value (Compassion, Curiosity, Creativity). While images, certificates, text, or other visual options are allowed, hyperlinks and embedded videos are prohibited. You are encouraged to include multiple examples (i.e., a collage) to demonstrate your qualifications and achievements, and you may repeat experiences listed on your AMCAS application or include new ones. Compassion: We believe in creating physicians who, in addition to solving healthcare's most complex problems, are also tender, kind, and warm. From day one, you will be working with patients. Show us: How have you changed the lives of others? What experiences have fostered a deep sense of compassion in you? For example, have you had a moving volunteer experience, worked in a difficult environment, or taken care of others? Have you learned through adversity and shared those lessons with others in need? Help us see how you will be the type of physician we would entrust with our most beloved community members. Tell us: explain how this artifact reflects Carle Illinois College of Medicine's value of Compassion. For your time commitment in hours, please indicate the time spent on the activities presented in the artifact, not the time taken to create the artifact itself. Regarding your level of commitment, were you a group participant, a project leader, an idea initiator, or did you engage in this activity independently? Curiosity: Carle Illinois College of Medicine values lifelong learners. We want to see your passion for learning and growing! Show us: Curiosity is a strong desire to know or learn something. Have you explored new interests, cultures, or people? Has your curiosity grown in a particular area? Did your curiosity lead to a research project, a hobby, or a change at work? Let us see where your curiosity has taken you. Tell us: explain how this artifact reflects Carle Illinois College of Medicine's value of Curiosity. For your time commitment in hours, please indicate the time spent on the activities presented in the artifact, not the time taken to create the artifact itself. Regarding your level of commitment, were you a group participant, a project leader, an idea initiator, or did you engage in this activity independently? Creativity: Have you approached complex problems with dynamic thinking and creative solutions? Do you express your creativity through hobbies, artistic interests, or something else entirely? Help us see your creativity! Show us: Creativity is the use of imagination or original ideas. What are you really proud of? Have you used technology in novel or distinct ways? What innovative solutions have you employed in your work, healthcare, hobbies, or life? Describe how you live and lead a creative life. Tell us: explain how your artifact reflects Carle Illinois College of Medicine's value of Creativity. For your time commitment in hours, please indicate the time spent on the activities presented in the artifact, not the time taken to create the artifact itself. Regarding your level of commitment, were you a group participant, a project leader, an idea initiator, or did you engage in this activity independently?

5. Curiosity: Carle Illinois College of Medicine values lifelong learners, and we want to see your passion for learning and growth! Show us how curiosity—a strong desire to know or learn something—has influenced your experiences. Have you explored new interests, cultures, or people? Has your curiosity deepened in a particular area? Did it lead to a research project, a hobby, or a change at work? Let us see where your curiosity has taken you. Tell us how this artifact reflects Carle Illinois College of Medicine's value of curiosity. Please specify the time commitment in hours for the activities presented in the artifact, rather than the time spent creating the artifact itself. Additionally, indicate your level of commitment: were you a group participant, a project leader, an idea initiator, or did you engage in this activity independently?

6. Creativity: Have you approached complex problems with dynamic thinking and creative solutions? Do you express your creativity through hobbies, artistic interests, or something else entirely? Help us see your creativity! Show us: Creativity is the use of imagination or original ideas. What are you truly proud of? Have you used technology in novel or distinct ways? What innovative solutions have you employed in your work, healthcare, hobbies, or life? Describe how you live and lead a creative life. Tell us how your artifact reflects the Carle Illinois College of Medicine's value of creativity. For your time commitment in hours, please indicate the time spent on the activities presented in the artifact, not the time taken to create the artifact itself. Regarding your level of commitment, were you a group participant, a project leader, an idea initiator, or did you engage in this activity independently?

7. Show Us – Curiosity is a strong desire to know or learn something. Have you explored new interests, cultures, or people? Has your curiosity deepened in a particular area? Did it lead to a research project, a hobby, or a change at work? Let us see where your curiosity has taken you.

8. Creativity: Have you approached complex problems with dynamic thinking and creative solutions? Do you express your creativity through hobbies, artistic interests, or something else entirely? Help us understand your creativity!

9. Show Us: Creativity involves the use of imagination and original ideas. What are you truly proud of? Have you utilized technology in novel or unique ways? What innovative solutions have you implemented in your work, healthcare, hobbies, or life? Describe how you live and lead a creative life.

10. Tell us how your artifact reflects the Carle Illinois College of Medicine's value of creativity. Please specify the number of hours you committed to the activities presented in the artifact, rather than the time spent creating the artifact itself. Additionally, indicate your level of commitment: were you a group participant, a project leader, an idea initiator, or did you undertake this activity independently?

1. Compassion: How have you changed the lives of others?

2. Curiosity: How have you explored new interests, cultures, or people?

3. Creativity: What innovative solutions have you employed in your work, healthcare, or hobbies?

4. Impact Statement: Create an abstract-style narrative describing the impact of your experiences and how they have shaped your understanding of and connection to the Carle Illinois values of Compassion, Curiosity, and Creativity.

5. There is also a video essay: After our faculty reviewers have thoroughly examined all of your other application materials (portfolio, letters of recommendation, AMCAS application), they will turn to your video essay. Answering questions through a video platform may be new to you, but don't worry. While we take your responses very seriously, this is a small portion of the evaluation process. The purpose of the video essay is to pose questions that allow you to share more about yourself, including how you think "on your feet," and to give us an opportunity to learn more about your style, thought process, and personality. You will have just one opportunity to record your answers. When the recording starts, the questions will remain on the screen, and you will have five minutes (300 seconds) to provide responses for each question. To help you pace your response, a countdown clock (in seconds) will be displayed in the bottom right corner of the video capture. You will respond to all questions in one recording, so please state the question number before each answer. If you finish early, you may click "Stop Recording," or the recording will automatically stop at five minutes. Your video will automatically attach to your secondary application. In summary, you will have: one question in each of three separate realms, five minutes of preparation time, and five minutes to record one video for all questions.

1. Show us how you have changed the lives of others. What experiences have fostered a deep sense of compassion within you? For example, have you had a meaningful volunteer experience? Have you learned valuable lessons through adversity and shared those insights with others in need? Please share the ways you have impacted a larger community and help us understand how you will be the type of physician we can trust with our most cherished community members.

2. Show us how you have changed the lives of others. What experiences have fostered a deep sense of compassion within you? For example, have you had a meaningful volunteer experience? Have you learned valuable lessons through adversity and shared those insights with others in need? Please share the ways you have impacted a larger community and help us understand how you will be the type of physician we can trust with our most beloved community members.

3. Compassion: We believe in creating physicians who, in addition to solving healthcare's most complex problems, are also tender, kind, and warm. From day one, you will be working with patients. Show us: How have you changed the lives of others? What experiences have fostered a deep sense of compassion within you? For example, have you had a moving volunteer experience, worked in a challenging environment, or taken care of others? Have you learned through adversity and shared those lessons with others in need? Help us understand how you will be the type of physician we would entrust with our most beloved community members. Tell us how this artifact reflects Carle Illinois College of Medicine's value of compassion. Please specify the time commitment in hours for the activities presented in the artifact, not the time spent creating the artifact itself. Regarding your level of commitment, were you a group participant, a project leader, an idea initiator, or did you engage in this activity independently?

4. Show us how you have changed the lives of others. What experiences have fostered a deep sense of compassion in you? For example, have you had a meaningful volunteer experience, worked in a challenging environment, or cared for others? Have you learned valuable lessons through adversity and shared those insights with those in need? Help us understand how you will be the type of physician we can trust with our most beloved community members.

1. Show us how you have explored new interests, cultures, or people. Have you identified a need and taken the initiative to address it? For example, is there a research project or work experience you would like to share? Has your curiosity fostered a deeper sense of vulnerability, resilience, or lifelong learning? If so, how? Let us see where your curiosity has taken you.