A unique component to the application to digital health technologies (DHT) stream is the optional 2-minute YouTube video. Unfortunately, many applicants interpret “optional” as “unimportant” and allow others who take this video seriously an advantage in an already highly competitive applicant pool where every advantage counts.
Think about this: the admissions committee will have your grades, which demonstrates your academic capabilities. They also have your resume/CV and letter of intent, which gives them an idea of your person. Then this YouTube video is the only means for you to demonstrate your non-academic skills, complementing all other written documents in your application.
Indeed look at the following quote from the Application Instructions page:
Applicants to the Digital Health Technologies field of concentration are encouraged to create and upload a video / YouTube segment
-- University of Toronto MBiotech DHT Admissions Website
Encouraged, suggesting the admissions committee even wants you to upload the video.
To date, I have only seen YouTube videos that would only help strengthen an application. Even if the video appears subpar to the viral videos we’re used to on social media, showing to the admissions committee that you have put the effort into making the video is in itself a big plus in your application. They understand if you have put this effort, DHT is a program very important to you and that you care very much about being admitted. This is the type of applicant they want to invite for interview and ultimately, admit.
Below, I show you an example of 2-minute DHT admissions YouTube video and provide you with a framework for strategizing content for your own video. Then, I will walk you through how this example video utilizes the framework to demonstrate qualities of the applicant that is favorable for admissions. Finally, I will list out some tools you can use to help you make this video.