Essay Topics (2024 - 2025)

A) Describe how your background and your unique lived experiences will contribute to JABSOM's mission. (600 word limit)

B) Describe how you have impactfully contributed to a community with which you identify. (600 word limit)

C) Describe any personal connection to JABSOM and/or Hawaii and the Pacific that you may have. If you do not have a personal connection to JABSOM and/or Hawaii, please describe why you have chosen to apply to JABSOM. (600 word limit)

D) If you are a re-applicant to JABSOM, please complete the following additional essay. Describe what efforts you have made to further improve your application to the MD Program. (600 word limit) Optional

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Essay Topics (’23 – ’24)

Please provide responses to essay A, B, and C. If you are a re-applicant, also respond to essay D. Please limit responses to 600 words per essay.

A) Resilience is “the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.” Consider a challenge you have experienced. How are your attitudes and actions regarding your challenge a reflection of resilience? (600 word limit)

B) Describe your most important volunteer work and why it was meaningful. (600 word limit)

C) Describe any personal connection to JABSOM and/or Hawaii and the Pacific that you may have. If you do not have a personal connection to JABSOM and/or Hawaii, please describe your interest in attending JABSOM. (600 word limit)

D) If you are a re-applicant to JABSOM, please complete the following additional essay. Describe what efforts you have made to further improve your application to the MD Program. (600 word limit)

Letter of Recommendation Audit Form

To help track your letters for JABSOM, you are required to complete the Letter of Recommendation Audit Form. Please provide the name and organization of the letter writer (minimum 2) and/or indicate if a composite packet or committee letter is being forwarded from your college/university.

Please list the Name and Organization for the letter writer. (e.g. John Doe PhD, University of Hawaii) (up to 10 entries)

They also ask you to match science prerequisites.

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Essay Topics ('22 - '23)

1. Describe a personal experience that has demonstrated your resilience. What did you learn from that experience that may help you manage similar situations in the future? (600 words)

2.  Please select ONE of the three questions below: (600 words)

a) Discuss a time you tried to right a perceived wrong, felt moved to speak up for someone, or took a stand against a situation you felt was unjust.

b) Describe a situation that demonstrates that you are a person of integrity.

c) Describe a challenging situation in which you did not agree with a directive/rule and how you handled this.

3. Describe any personal connection to JABSOM and/or Hawaii and the Pacific that you may have. If you do not have a personal connection to JABSOM and/or Hawaii, please describe your interest in attending JABSOM. (600 word limit)

4. If you are a re-applicant to JABSOM, please complete the following additional essay. Describe what efforts you have made to further improve your application to the MD Program. (600 word limit)

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Essay Topics ('21 - '22)

1. How will your background and experiences contribute to the diversity at the John A. Burns School of Medicine? (600 words)

2. Describe a personal experience that has demonstrated your resilience. (600 words)

3. Describe any personal connection to JABSOM and/or Hawaii and the Pacific that you may have. (600 words)

OPTIONAL ESSAY(S)

1. If you are a re-applicant to JABSOM, please complete the following additional essay. Describe what efforts you have made to further improve your application to the MD Program. (600 words)

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Essay Topics (’20 – ’21)

A) Describe in detail how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted you. (600 word limit)

B) Describe a personal experience that has demonstrated your resilience. (600 word limit)

C) Describe any personal connection to JABSOM and/or Hawaii and the Pacific that you may have. (600 word limit)

D) If you are a re-applicant to JABSOM, please complete the following additional essay. Describe what efforts you have made to further improve your application to the MD Program. (600 word limit) Optional

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Essay Topics ('19 - '20)

600 words

How will becoming a John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM educated physician allow you to achieve your long term goals?

Describe a personal experience that demonstrated your resilience.

Describe any personal connection to JABSOM and/or Hawaii and the Pacific that you may have.

(OPTIONAL) If you are a re-applicant to JABSOM, please complete the following additional essay. Describe what efforts you have made to further improve your application to the MD Program.

Essay Topics ('18 - '19)

*No assigned word limit

A. Describe succinctly the important experience(s) in your life which began the process that motivated you to enter the career of medicine.

B. Please explain why you are applying to the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine.

C. If you are a re-applicant to JABSOM, please complete the following additional essay. Describe what efforts you have made to further improve your application to the MD Program.

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Essay Topics ('17-'18)

A. Describe succinctly the important experience(s) in your life which began the process that motivated you to enter the career of medicine.

B. Please explain why you are applying to the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine.

C. If you are a re-applicant to JABSOM, please complete the following additional essay. Describe what efforts you have made to further improve your application to the MD Program.

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Essay Topics ('16-'17)

A. Describe succinctly the important experience(s) in your life which began the process that motivated you to enter the career of medicine.

B. Please explain why you are applying to the University of Hawai'i John A. Burns School of Medicine.

C. If you are a re-applicant to JABSOM, please complete the following additional essay. Describe what efforts you have made to further improve your application to the MD Program.

There are no assigned character limits but each prompt provides about one page of space.

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Essay Topics ('15-'16)

Describe the important experience(s) in your life which you feel began the process that motivated you to enter the career of medicine.

lease explain why you are applying to University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine.

If you are a re-applicant to JABSOM, please complete the following additional essay. Describe what efforts you have made to further improve your application to the MD Program.

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Essay Topics ('14 - '15)

A. Describe succinctly the important experience(s) in your life which began the process

that motivated you to enter the career of medicine. (Please Type)

B. Please explain why you are applying to the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School

of Medicine. (Please Type)

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Essay Topics ('13 - '14)

A. Describe succinctly the important experience(s) in your life which began the process

that motivated you to enter the career of medicine. (Please Type)

B. Please explain why you are applying to the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School

of Medicine. (Please Type)

There isn't a character limit, but the answers need to fit in a pre-created text box in a pdf file. It's about 3/4 of a page in length.