Essay Topics (2024 - 2025)

1. We educate physicians/healthcare providers to provide care for individuals with various identities, backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Describe any interests, abilities and/or experiences that prepare you to participate in and contribute to that learning environment. (1000 word limit)

Did either of your parents/guardians attend the UMKC School of Medicine? Y/N

If you are not a resident of Missouri, do you have any ties to the state or metro area? Y/N

2. Please describe how COVID-19 has impacted your pathway to becoming a Physician. The questions below will help you get started but do not limit your responses to these considerations: (2500 word limit)

• Academic: Did your school move to an online-only curriculum? Were you able to interact with your professors? Did you have to leave an academic program stateside or abroad? Did your school require you to move to the Pass/Fail grading system? Did your original MCAT exam get canceled or delayed? Were there other academic barriers?
• Professional: Did you hold a job? Did you have to go out and seek new job opportunities? Did you lose a job? Were there other financial or professional barriers that you faced?
• Personal: Did you have to move out of a house or dorm? Did you have to cancel travel plans? Did you modify your planned experiences related to healthcare or volunteer opportunities? Did you seek out volunteer opportunities that arose from the crisis?

Are you from a rural community? Y/N

3. If you are interested in rural healthcare or in practicing a specialty that meets the needs of underserved rural communities, please describe your interest in this aspect of healthcare. (No limit)

Did you participate in UMKC’s Summer Scholars Program? Y/N

Did you participate in UMKC’s Saturday Academy Program? Y/N

Are you a reapplicant to the UMKC School of Medicine? Y/N

Have you had any prior interaction with the UMKC School of Medicine?

-Attended a virtual or on

-campus visit-Spoke with a staff or faculty member

-Shadowed or volunteered at a clinical site

-Attended a camp or conference at UMKC

-Other

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Essay Topics (’23 – ’24)

1. How will your diversity/diverse experiences (e.g., gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, veteran status, from rural or underserved community, first generation student status) add to your career in medicine? (1000 Words)​

2. Please describe how COVID-19 has impacted your pathway to becoming a Physician. The questions below will help you get started but do not limit your responses to these considerations: (2500 Words)​

• Academic: Did your school move to an online-only curriculum? Were you able to interact with your professors? Did you have to leave an academic program stateside or abroad? Did your school require you to move to the Pass/Fail grading system? Did your original MCAT exam get canceled or delayed? Were there other academic barriers?
• Professional: Did you hold a job? Did you have to go out and seek new job opportunities? Did you lose a job? Were there other financial or professional barriers that you faced?
• Personal: Did you have to move out of a house or dorm? Did you have to cancel travel plans? Did you modify your planned experiences related to healthcare or volunteer opportunities? Did you seek out volunteer opportunities that arose from the crisis?

3. If you are interested in rural healthcare or in practicing a specialty that meets the needs of underserved rural communities, please describe your interest in this aspect of healthcare.​

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Essay Topics (’22 – ’23)

1. Please describe how COVID-19 has impacted your pathway to becoming a Physician.

2. If you are interested in rural healthcare or in practicing a specialty that meets the needs of underserved rural communities, please describe your interest in this aspect of healthcare.

3. "How will your diversity/diverse experiences (e.g., gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, veteran status, from rural or underserved community, first generation student status) add to your career in medicine?"

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Essay Topics (’20 – ’21)

Please describe how COVID-19 has impacted your pathway to becoming a Physician. (250 words)

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Essay Topics (2019-2020)

No secondary essays!

Essay Topics ('18-'19)

There is no secondary essay or prompt to be submitted

Essay Topics ('17-'18)

Please describe why you are interested in studying in this degree program in the box below. Your statement is limited to 1000 characters (approximately 150 words or two short paragraphs) or less.

Essay Topics ('16-'17)

Please describe why you are interested in studying in this degree program in the box below. Your statement is limited to 1000 characters (approximately 150 words or two short paragraphs) or less.