Essay Topics (2024 - 2025)
1. If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year. (100 words)
2. Were there any adverse circumstances in your premedical preparatory journey including but not limited to impact from COVID-19? (100 words)
3. (Optional) If you are committed to a particular community or if there is an important aspect of your identity not addressed elsewhere in the application, we invite you to do so here. Briefly also explain how such factors may have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional.(150 words)
4. What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it? (250 words)
5. Describe a situation that you have thought to be unfair or unjust, whether towards yourself or towards others. How did you address the situation, if at all? (200 words)
For MD/PhD applicants only: an additional question
Please tell us why you have chosen to apply to the MD-PhD Program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. (250 words)
Essay Topics ('23 - '24)
1. If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year. (100 words)
2. If you are committed to a particular community or if there is an important aspect of your identity not addressed elsewhere in the application, we invite you to do so here. Briefly also explain how such factors may have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional. (150 words)
3. What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it? (250 words)
4. Describe a situation that you have thought to be unfair or unjust, whether towards yourself or towards others. How did you address the situation, if at all? (200 words)
For MSTP applicants (note that question #4 above does not have to be completed and the 3 bolded prompts are additional essays):
Essay Topics ('22-'23)
1. If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year. (100 words)
2. If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity or a commitment to a particular community, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Aspects might include, but are not limited to significant challenges in or circumstances associated with access to education, living with a disability, socioeconomic factors, immigration status, or identification with a culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional. (150 words)
3. What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it? (250 words)
4. Describe a situation that you have thought to be unfair or unjust, whether towards yourself or towards others. How did you address the situation, if at all? (200 words)
Essay Topics (’21 – ’22)
1. What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it? (250 words)
2. Describe a situation that you have thought to be unfair or unjust, whether towards yourself or towards others. How did you address the situation, if at all? (200 words)
3. If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year. (100 words)
OPTIONAL QUESTION:
1. If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity or a commitment to a particular community, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Aspects might include, but are not limited to significant challenges in or circumstances associated with access to education, living with a disability, socioeconomic factors, immigration status, or identification with a culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. (100 words)
Essay Topics (’20 – ’21)
1. If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year. (100 word count)
2. Were there any adverse circumstances in your premedical preparatory journey including but not limited to recent impact from COVID-19? If yes, please explain. (100 word count)
3. If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity or a commitment to a particular community, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Aspects might include, but are not limited to significant challenges in or circumstances associated with access to education, living with a disability, socioeconomic factors, immigration status, or identification with a culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional. (100 word count)
4. What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it? (250 word count)
5. Describe a situation that you have thought to be unfair or unjust, whether towards yourself or towards others. How did you address the situation, if at all? (200 word count)
Essay Topics ('19 – '20)
1. What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it?
2. Describe a situation in your life that you have thought to be unfair or unjust, whether towards yourself or towards others. How did you address the situation, if at all?
OPTIONAL QUESTION:
1. Were there any circumstances which you feel might have adversely affected your academic performance during college? If so, please explain:
Essay Topics ('18 – '19)
1. If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year. (100 words)
2. If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity or a commitment to a particular community, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Aspects might include, but are not limited to significant challenges in or circumstances associated with access to education, living with a disability, socioeconomic factors, immigration status, or identification with a culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional. (100 words)
3. What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it? (250 words)
4. Please tell us about a situation in which working collaboratively on a team was challenging. What did you do? What did you learn? (200 words)
MD/PhD:
1. Please describe an influential experience that motivated your decision to become a physician-scientist.
2. What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it?
3. Please tell us about a time when an experiment didn't go as planned or yielded an unexpected result. How did you approach this challenge and what did you learn?
4. What are your career goals? Which characteristics of the MD/PhD Program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai do you believe will help you to achieve them?
Essay Topics ('17 – '18)
1. If you are currently not a full time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year. (100 words)
2. Please tell us about a passion (professional or personal) you have had thus far in your life. (250 words)
3. Please tell us about a situation in which working collaboratively with others was challenging (250 words)
OPTIONAL QUESTION:
1. If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity or a commitment to a particular community, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Aspects might include, but are not limited to significant challenges in or circumstances associated with access to education, living with a disability, socioeconomic factors, immigration status, or identification with a culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional.
Essay Topics ('16 – '17)
1. Please tell us about a passion (professional or personal) you have had thus far in your life. (250 words)
2. Please tell us about a situation in which working with others has been challenging. (200 words)
Essay Topics ('15 – '16)
1. Please tell us about a passion (professional or personal) you have had thus far in your life. (250 words)
2. Please tell us about a situation in which working with others has been challenging. (200 words)
Essay Topics ('14 – '15)
1. Please tell us about a passion (professional or personal) you have had thus far in your life. (250 words)
2. Please tell us about a situation in which working with others has been challenging. (200 words)
Essay Topics ('13 – '14)
1. What makes you unique, someone who will add to the Mount Sinai community? (Suggested 250 words or less)
2. Indicate the reasons for your specific interest in Mount Sinai. (Suggested 200 words or less)
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