Essay Topics (2024 - 2025)‍

There are some other sections as well, so the actual essay questions are scattered:

1. Was your childhood home located in a rural, urban or suburban area? Rural, Urban, Suburban

2. Have you lived in communities which are medically underserved, or where the majority of the population is economically and/or educationally disadvantaged? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less) (3000 char max)

3. Have you worked (volunteer or paid employment) with medically underserved, economically disadvantaged and/or educationally disadvantaged populations? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less) (3000 char max)

4. After residency, do you plan to practice medicine in an underserved or disadvantaged community? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less) (3000 char max)

5. Please provide below any additional information you believe is important in evaluating your application (e.g. additional coursework, problems with academic record; disadvantaged, etc.) (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less)

6. Did COVID-19 impact you preparing your AMCAS application for Fall 2025? (i.e. volunteer/work experience, financially, course registration, MCAT testing, etc.) [Please respond Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less, indicate N/A if not applicable]

7. Why Howard University College of Medicine? (2000 char)

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Essay Topics ('23 – '24)‍

There are some other sections as well, so the actual essay questions are scattered:

8. Was your childhood home located in a rural, urban or suburban area? Rural, Urban, Suburban

9. Have you lived in communities which are medically underserved, or where the majority of the population is economically and/or educationally disadvantaged? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less) (3000 char max)

10. Have you worked (volunteer or paid employment) with medically underserved, economically disadvantaged and/or educationally disadvantaged populations? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less) (3000 char max)

11. After residency, do you plan to practice medicine in an underserved or disadvantaged community? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less) (3000 char max)

12. Please provide below any additional information you believe is important in evaluating your application (e.g. additional coursework, problems with academic record; disadvantaged, etc.) (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less)

21. Did COVID-19 impact you preparing your AMCAS application for fall 2024? (i.e. volunteer/work experience, financially, course registration, MCAT testing, etc.) [Please respond Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less, indicate N/A if not applicable]

22. Why Howard University College of Medicine? (2000 char)

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Essay Topics ('22 - '23)

The 2022-2023 secondary primarily involves answering questions about volunteer and employment history. The remainder are questions about whether you participated in HU Summer Programs, have connections or legacy to HUCM, and impact of COVID on your application.

1. Have you lived in communities which are medically underserved, or where the majority of the population is economically and/or educationally disadvantaged? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less).

2. Have you worked (volunteer or paid employment) with medically underserved, economically disadvantaged, and/or educationally disadvantaged populations? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less).

3. After residency, do you plan to practice medicine in an underserved or disadvantaged community? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less).

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Essay Topics ('21 – '22)‍

1. Have you lived in communities which are medically underserved, or where the majority of the population is economically and/or educationally disadvantaged? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less)

2. Have you worked (volunteer or paid employment) with medically underserved, economically disadvantaged and/or educationally disadvantaged populations? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less)

3. After residency, do you plan to practice medicine in an underserved or disadvantaged community? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less)

4. Please provide below any additional information you believe is important in evaluating your application (e.g. additional coursework, problems with academic record; disadvantaged, etc.) (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less)

5. Did COVID-19 impact you preparing your AMCAS application for fall 2022? (i.e. volunteer/work experience, financially, course registration, MCAT testing, etc.) [Please respond Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less, indicate N/A if not applicable]

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Essay Topics (’20 – ’21)‍

1. Have you lived (for three years or more) in communities which are medically underserved, or where the majority of the population is economically and/or educationally disadvantaged?

2. After residency, do you plan to practice medicine in an underserved or disadvantaged community?

3. Have you worked (volunteer or paid employment) with medically underserved, economically disadvantaged and/or educationally disadvantaged populations?

4. Please provide below any additional information you believe is important in evaluating your application (e.g. additional coursework, problems with academic record; disadvantaged, etc.)

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Essay Topics ('19 – '20)‍

1. Have you lived (for three years or more) in communities which are medically underserved, or where the majority of the population is economically and/or educationally disadvantaged? Please explain/describe briefly: (250 words or less)

2. After residency, do you plan to practice medicine in an underserved or disadvantaged community? Please explain/describe briefly: (250 words or less)

3. Have you worked (volunteer or paid employment) with medically underserved, economically disadvantaged and/or educationally disadvantaged populations? Please explain/describe briefly: (250 words or less)

4. Please provide below any additional information you believe is important in evaluating your application (e.g. additional coursework, problems with academic record; disadvantaged, etc.) (no character limit)

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Essay Topics ('18 – '19)‍

1. Have you lived (for three years or more) in communities which are medically underserved, or where the majority of the population is economically and/or educationally disadvantaged? Please explain/describe briefly: (250 words or less)

2. After residency, do you plan to practice medicine in an underserved or disadvantaged community? Please explain/describe briefly: (250 words or less)

3. Have you worked (volunteer or paid employment) with medically underserved, economically disadvantaged and/or educationally disadvantaged populations? Please explain/describe briefly: (250 words or less)

4. Please provide below any additional information you believe is important in evaluating your application (e.g. additional coursework, problems with academic record; disadvantaged, etc.)

5. Theres also a section to explain any discrepancies with your pre-requisite coursework

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Essay Topics ('17 – '18)‍

1. Have you lived (for three years or more) in communities which are medically underserved, or where the majority of the population is economically and/or educationally disadvantaged? Please explain/describe briefly:

2. After residency, do you plan to practice medicine in an underserved or disadvantaged community? Please explain/describe briefly:

3. Have you worked (volunteer or paid employment) with medically underserved, economically disadvantaged and/or educationally disadvantaged populations? Please explain/describe briefly:

4. Please provide below any additional information you believe is important in evaluating your application (e.g. additional coursework, problems with academic record; disadvantaged, etc.)

5. They also ask if you were convicted of felony and to explain. On another page they ask for super simple explanations of what you're doing for the next 9-12 months (work, school, research).

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Essay Topics ('16 – '17)‍

1. Have you lived (for three years or more) in communities which are medically underserved, or where the majority of the population is economically and/or educationally disadvantaged?

2. After residency, do you plan to practice medicine in an underserved or disadvantaged community?

3. Have you worked (volunteer or paid employment) with medically underserved, economically disadvantaged and/or educationally disadvantaged populations?

4. Please provide below any additional information you believe is important in evaluating your application (e.g. additional coursework, problems with academic record; disadvantaged, etc.)

5. What are you currently doing or what do you plan to do in the next 9-12 months?

I am now currently working or plan to work: If yes, Please write a brief description.

6. Please explain any deviations/differences in your course of study (pre-med requirements) in this box. If you have not completed all HUCM course requirements, when do you plan on completing the requirements?

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Essay Topics ( '15 – '16)‍

The secondary essay prompts were not obtained for the 2015-2016 application cycle.

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Essay Topics ( '14 – '15)‍

Same as last year, no word limits.

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Essay Topics ( '13 – '14)‍

No Essays, but brief answers to short questions.