Essay Topics ('23 – '24)

1. The university’s vision statement is “Excellent health and wellness for all in a world without health disparities”. Describe how you envision yourself contributing to the CDU vision statement. (1200 characters)

2. Describe your commitment to transforming the health of diverse and underserved communities. (800 characters)

3. Detail the key motivational factors in your decision to apply to the CDU MD Program. (1200 characters)

4. Please describe a personal experience in which you have encountered discrimination. (800 characters)

5. How will you utilize your medical knowledge and skills to contribute positively to your community after completing medical school? (800 characters)

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Essay Topics ('22-'23)

1. Have you experienced an uneven performance in grades and academic achievement? If so, please explain. What did you do to improve? (800 characters maximum)
2. If you are currently not a full-time student, please list and describe your current activities. (800 characters maximum)
3. Describe the role you play in your immediate family. (800 characters maximum)
4. Describe your community and socioeconomic environment. (800 characters maximum)
5. Describe the most significant community, public service, and leadership activities you have been involved in over the last six years. (800 characters maximum)
6. Describe how your experience, community, and family background impact your understanding of underserved communities. (800 characters maximum)
7. Other than healthcare access, what are some of the most important healthcare issues confronting under-resourced communities? How would you address them? (800 characters maximum)
8. Please describe how your experiences and personal attributes contribute to the mission of Charles R. Drew University. (800 characters maximum)
9. Have you ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic or parking violation? If the answer is yes, please explain. (800 characters maximum)
10. Please share the degree to which COVID-19 has caused disruptions in any of the following areas of your life that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider: Academic, Research, Volunteer, Work, Personal Life, Financial Situation, Family. (1200 characters maximum)
11. Please provide any additional information, which will give the Admissions Committee greater insight into you as an applicant. (800 characters maximum)
12. How did you hear about our program?

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Essay Topics ('21 – '22)‍

1. At the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, students are provided with curriculum and experiences enabling them to become an “Outstanding Physician, AND…,” dedicating themselves to important societal missions. What missions do you want to embrace? What have you done toward your missions? (800 characters)

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2. Respond to the following and indicate how these areas of experience have impacted your progress toward your future career goals in relation to becoming an “Outstanding Physician, AND…”.

A-Describe your most unique leadership, entrepreneurial, or creative activity. (800 characters)

B-Describe your most important volunteer work and why it was meaningful. (800 characters)

C-Describe your most scholarly project (thesis, research or field of study in basic or clinical science or in the humanities) and provide the total number of hours, dates and advisor. (800 characters)

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3. Describe how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted your pathway to medical school. Include any academic, personal, financial or professional barriers, as well as other relevant information. (800 characters)

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4. Do you identify as being part of a group that has been marginalized (examples include, but are not limited to, LGBTQIA, disabilities, federally recognized tribe) in terms of access to education or healthcare? If so, describe how this inequity has impacted you or your community and how educational disparity, health disparity and/or marginalization has impacted you and your community. (800 characters)

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‍Essay Topics (’20 – ’21) ‍

1. Have you experienced an uneven performance in grades and academic achievement? If so, please explain. What did you do to improve? (800 characters maximum)

2. If you are currently not a full-time student, please list and describe your current activities. (800 characters maximum)

3. Describe the role you play in your immediate family. (800 characters maximum)

4. Describe your community and socioeconomic environment. (800 characters maximum)

5. Describe the most significant community, public service, and leadership activities you have been involved in over the last six years. (800 characters maximum)

6. Describe how your experience, community, and family background impact your understanding of underserved communities. (800 characters maximum)

7. Other than healthcare access, what are some of the most important healthcare issues confronting under-resourced communities? How would you address them? (800 characters maximum)

8. Please describe how your experiences and personal attributes contribute to the mission of Charles R. Drew University. (800 characters maximum)

9. Have you ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic or parking violation? If the answer is yes, please explain. (800 characters maximum)

10. Please share the degree to which COVID-19 has caused disruptions in any of the following areas of your life that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider: Academic, Research, Volunteer, Work, Personal Life, Financial Situation, Family. (1200 characters maximum)

11. Please provide any additional information, which will give the Admissions Committee greater insight into you as an applicant. (800 characters maximum)

12. How did you hear about our program?

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Essay Topics ('19 – '20)‍

1. Describe your involvement in the one most important non-academic activity in your life. 800 char

2. What has been the one most unique leadership, entrepreneurial or creative activity in which you participated? 800 char

3. What has been the one most important volunteer work you have done and why was it meaningful? 800 char

4. Has there been or will there be a gap between achieving your last degree (baccalaureate or other degrees post baccalaureate) and the expected time of medical school matriculation? Yes 300 char or No

5. What is the one most important honor you have received? Why do you view this as important? 300 char

6. What has been your most scholarly project (thesis, research or field of study in basic or clinical science or in the humanities)? Describe one and give number of hours, dates and advisor. 300 char

7. Describe a problem in your life. Include how you dealt with it and how it influenced your growth. 500 char

8. Describe your work experience: 4000 char

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Essay Topics ('18 – '19)‍

1. Have you experienced any uneven performance in grades and academic achievement? If so, please explain. (Response limited to 800 characters)

2. If you are currently not a full time student, please list and describe your current activities. (Response limited to 800 characters)

3. Describe the role you play in your immediate family. (Response limited to 800 characters)

4. Describe your community and socioeconomic environment. (Response limited to 800 characters)

5. List the most significant community, public service, and leadership activities you have been involved in over the last six years. (Response limited to 800 characters)

6. Describe how your experience, your community, and family background impact your understanding of the underserved communities. (Response limited to 800 characters)

7. Other than healthcare access, what are some of the most important health care issues confronting underserved communities? How would you address them? (Response limited to 800 characters)

8. Please describe how your experiences and personal attributes contribute to the mission of Charles R Drew University. (Response limited to 800 characters)

9. Have you ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic or parking violation? If the answer is yes, please explain. (Response limited to 800 characters)

10. Please provide any additional information which will give the Admissions Committee greater insight into you as an applicant. (Response limited to 800 characters)

11. How did you hear about our program? (Response limited to 800 characters)

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Essay Topics ('17 – '18)‍

1. Have you experienced any uneven performance in grades and academic achievement? If so, please explain. (Response limited to 800 characters)

2. If you are currently not a full time student, please list and describe your current activities. (Response limited to 800 characters)

3. Describe the role you play in your immediate family. (Response limited to 800 characters)

4. Describe your community and socioeconomic environment. (Response limited to 800 characters)

5. List the most significant community, public service, and leadership activities you have been involved in over the last six years. (Response limited to 800 characters)

6. Describe how your experience, your community, and family background impact your understanding of the underserved communities. (Response limited to 800 characters)

7. Other than healthcare access, what are some of the most important health care issues confronting underserved communities? How would you address them? (Response limited to 800 characters)

8. Please describe how your experiences and personal attributes contribute to the mission of Charles R Drew University. (Response limited to 800 characters)

9. Have you ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic or parking violation? If the answer is yes, please explain. (Response limited to 800 characters)

10. Please provide any additional information, which will give the Admissions Committee greater insight into you as an applicant. (Response limited to 800 characters)

11. How did you hear about our program? (Response limited to 800 characters)

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Essay Topics ('16 – '17)‍

1. Have you completed all of the prerequisites? (Yes/No)

2. If not, list the specific prerequisite you are missing and your projected time for completion.

3. Have you experienced any uneven performance in grades and academic achievement? If so, please explain. (Response limited to 800 characters)

4. If you are currently not a full time student, please list and describe your current activities. (Response limited to 800 characters)

5. Describe the role you play in your immediate family. (Response limited to 800 characters)

6. Describe your community and socioeconomic environment. (Response limited to 800 characters)

7. List the most significant community, public service, and leadership activities you have been involved in over the last six years. (Response limited to 800 characters) (Table with "Dates," "Activity," and "Hours/Week" columns)

8. Describe how your experience, your community, and family background impact your understanding of the underserved communities. (Response limited to 800 characters)

9. Other than health care access, what are some of the most important healthcare issues confronting underserved communities? How would you address them? (Response limited to 800 characters)

10. Please describe how your experiences and personal attributes contribute to the mission of Charles R Drew University. (Response limited to 800 characters)

11. Have you ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic or parking violation? If the answer is yes, please explain. (Response limited to 800 characters)

12. Please provide any additional information which will give the Admissions Committee greater insight into you as an applicant. (Response limited to 800 characters)

13. How did you hear about our program? (Response limited to 800 characters)

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Essay Topics ('15 – '16)‍

1. Have you completed all of the prerequisites? (Yes/No)

2. If not, list the specific prerequisite you are missing and your projected time for completion.

3. Have you experienced any uneven performance in grades and academic achievement? If so, please explain. (Response limited to 800 characters)

4. If you are currently not a full time student, please list and describe your current activities. (Response limited to 800 characters)

5. Describe the role you play in your immediate family. (Response limited to 800 characters)

6. Describe your community and socioeconomic environment. (Response limited to 800 characters)

7. List the most significant community, public service, and leadership activities you have been involved in over the last six years. (Response limited to 800 characters) (Table with "Dates," "Activity," and "Hours/Week" columns)

8. Describe how your experience, your community, and family background impact your understanding of the underserved communities. (Response limited to 800 characters)

9. Other than healthcare access, what are some of the most important health care issues confronting underserved communities? How would you address them? (Response limited to 800 characters)

10. Please describe how your experiences and personal attributes contribute to the mission of Charles R Drew University. (Response limited to 800 characters)

11. Have you ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic or parking violation? If the answer is yes, please explain. (Response limited to 800 characters)

12. Please provide any additional information which will give the Admissions Committee greater insight into you as an applicant. (Response limited to 800 characters)

13. How did you hear about our program? (Response limited to 800 characters)