Essay Topics (2024 - 2025)

‍1. If you earned your baccalaureate degree prior to this past June, please provide a brief statement indicating your plans for the upcoming academic year.

2. Which medical specialty do you currently plan to pursue?

3. You might consider yourself disadvantaged if you grew up in an area that was medically or underserved or had insufficient access to educational opportunities. Do you consider yourself within this description? If you answer Yes please explain your particular circumstances regarding why you consider yourself a disadvantaged applicant.

4. Describe any ties or meaningful experiences you have had related to Central New York or SUNY Upstate Medical University. (1800 character spaces or less, please type N/A if not applicable)

5. If you are a re-applicant, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy since your last application? (Please type N/A if not applicable, 1800 character spaces or less)

6. What experiences have you had with underserved communities/populations? What have you learned from these experiences? (1800 character spaces or less)

7. The Norton College of Medicine is committed to improving the healthcare of Central New York. How do your career plans advance this mission? (1800 character spaces or less)

8. How will you contribute to the diversity of your medical school class and The Norton College of Medicine? Limit the response to 300 words or less.

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Essay Topics ('23 – '24)

1. If you earned your baccalaureate degree prior to this past June (2023), please provide a brief statement indicating your plans for the upcoming academic year.

2. Which medical specialty do you currently plan to pursue?

3. You might consider yourself disadvantaged if you grew up in an area that was medically or underserved or had insufficient access to educational opportunities. Do you consider yourself within this description?If you answer Yes please explain your particular circumstances regarding why you consider yourself a disadvantaged applicant.

4. Upstate Medical University is strongly committed to providing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for the patients we serve and all who work at, study at, or visit our campus. In 500 words or less, please answer the following question:As a potential partner in this effort, please describe your commitment to eliminating health inequities, discrimination, or other forms of social injustice

5. If you are interested in Primary Care, are you interested in receiving more information about potential scholarship opportunities?6. We understand that the COVID-19 crisis disrupted many aspects of our lives. Please share if you had any curricular impacts during this time, for example, change to pass/fail courses or to online coursework or if you anticipate any deficiencies in experiences as a result of COVID-19.

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Essay Topics ('22 - '23)

1. If you earned your baccalaureate degree prior to this past June, please provide a brief statement indicating your plans for the upcoming academic year:

2. You might consider yourself disadvantaged if you grew up in an area that was medically or underserved or had insufficient access to educational opportunities. Do you consider yourself within this description? If you answer Yes please explain your particular circumstances regarding why you consider yourself a disadvantaged applicant.

3. If you are interested in Primary Care, are you interested in receiving more information about potential scholarship opportunities?

4. We understand that the COVID-19 crisis disrupted many aspects of our lives. Please share if you had any curricular impacts during this time, for example, change to pass/fail courses or to online coursework or if you anticipate any deficiencies in experiences as a result of COVID-19.

5. Please upload an essay, under 500 words, answering the following question: Upstate Medical University is strongly committed to providing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for the patients we serve and all who work at, study at, or visit our campus. As a potential partner in this effort, please describe your commitment to eliminating health inequities, discrimination, or other forms of social injustice. (500 words)

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Essay Topics ('21 – '22)‍

1. If you earned your baccalaureate degree prior to this past June, please indicate your plans for the upcoming academic year. (1800 character limit)

2. Which medical specialty are you thinking about pursuing at this point? (1800 character limit)

3. We understand that the COVID-19 crisis in Spring 2020 disrupted many aspects of our lives. Please share if you had any curricular impacts during this time, for example, change to pass/fail courses or to online coursework or if you anticipate any deficiencies in experiences as a result of COVID-19. (1800 character limit)

4. Are there any areas of weakness in your application that you would like to clarify for the Admissions Committee? If yes, please describe. (1800 character limit)

5. Upstate Medical University is strongly committed to providing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for the patients we serve and all who work at, study at, or visit our campus. As a potential partner in this effort, please describe your commitment to eliminating health inequities, discrimination, or other forms of social injustice. (500 words)

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Essay Topics (’20 – ’21)‍

1. We understand that the COVID-19 crisis in Spring 2020 disrupted many aspects of our lives. Please share if you had any curricular impacts during this time, for example, change to pass/fail courses or to online coursework or if you anticipate any deficiencies in experiences as a result of COVID-19. (No character limit)

2. Are there any areas of weakness in your application that you would like to clarify for the Admissions Committee? If yes, please describe (no character limit)

3. If you earned your baccalaureate degree prior to this past June, please indicate your plans for the upcoming academic year (1800 character limit)

4. Which medical specialty are you thinking about pursuing at this point? (1800 character limit.)

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Essay Topics ('19 – '20)‍

1. Has anyone in your family graduated from the College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University? (1500 characters, name, program, year)

2. Please indicate the last MCAT exam you have taken and/or are you planning to take any upcoming MCAT exams and if so, when? Please remember that the deadline for completing your application is December (Please note, answers have a 1500 character limit.)

3. Have you completed your baccalaureate degree? If you earned your baccalaureate degree prior to this past June, please indicate your plans for the upcoming academic year: (Please note, answers have a 1500 character limit.)

4. If you haven't completed your baccalaureate degree yet, will you be doing so this academic year?

5. Which medical specialty are you thinking about pursuing at this point? (Please note, answers have a 1500 character limit.)

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‍Essay Topics ('18 – '19)‍

1. Has anyone in your family graduated from the College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University? (1500 characters, name, program, year)

2. Please indicate the last MCAT exam you have taken and/or are you planning to take any upcoming MCAT exams and if so, when? Please remember that the deadline for completing your application is December (Please note, answers have a 1500 character limit.)

3. Have you completed your baccalaureate degree? If you earned your baccalaureate degree prior to this past June, please indicate your plans for the upcoming academic year: (Please note, answers have a 1500 character limit.)

4. If you haven't completed your baccalaureate degree yet, will you be doing so this academic year?

5. Which medical specialty are you thinking about pursuing at this point? (Please note, answers have a 1500 character limit.)

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‍Essay Topics ('17 – '18)‍

1. If you earned your baccalaureate degree prior to this past June, please indicate your plans for the upcoming academic year:

2. Which medical specialty are you thinking about pursuing at this point?

3. Are there any areas of weakness in your application that you would like to clarify for the Admissions Committee? Yes No No Response. If yes, Please describe.

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‍Essay Topics ('16 – '17)‍

1. If you earned your baccalaureate degree prior to this past June, please indicate your plans for the upcoming academic year.

2. What medical specialty are you thinking about pursuing at this point?

3. Are there any areas of weakness in your application that you would like to clarify for the Admissions Committee?

Rural Medicine prompts (No character limit specified):

1. Why do you consider yourself suited to rural medical practice?

2. If you have lived in a rural community, please describe it and indicate how long you have lived there.

3. Describe your understanding of an issue or challenge facing rural communities now or in the future.

4. Describe any relevant medical encounters that either you or your family has experienced. How has this influenced your desire to practice rural medicine?

5. What are your future career goals?

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‍Essay Topics ('15 – '16)‍

No essays.

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‍Essay Topics ('14 – '15)‍

No essays.

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‍Essay Topics ('13 – '14)

No Essays