Essay Topics (2024 - 2025)

1. At the UNM School of Medicine we are committed to building a dynamic, productive and positive learning environment in addition to promoting cross cultural and cross racial understanding among students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions and backgrounds. Share any unique or challenging factors in your background, such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, and life and work experiences. How will your background or experiences contribute to the diversity of a medical school class? (2000 characters)

2. Mentorship and clinical experience are integral to developing and understanding of the challenges and rewards of being a physician? Thinking back to your own road to applying to medical school, what is a patient experience or mentorship moment that was most formative to your progression so far? Please share this experience and explain how it fits into your motivation for pursuing a career as a physician. (2000 characters)

3. While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges. What do you see as the most significant issues the medical profession will face in the next 20 years, and what are some potential solutions for these problems? (2000 characters)

4. Part of the goal of the UNM School of Medicine is to address the healthcare inequities that face New Mexico. Public health and medicine are inextricably connected to health outcomes. What is a non-clinical public health intervention that would impact health inequities in NM populations? (2000 characters)

5. Please describe a personal or professional challenge or conflict that you have experienced. How did you resolve it? What skills, resources and/or strategies did you employ? DO NOT write about the MCAT, a course, or an academic issue. (2000 characters)

6. Please describe how COVID-19 has affected your preparation for applying to medical school. Describe any academic, personal, financial, or professional barriers/disruptions that COVID-19 may have triggered. (2000 characters)

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Essay Topics ('22 - '23)

Background and Diversity

‍At the UNM School of Medicine we are committed to building a dynamic, productive and positive learning environment in addition to promoting cross cultural and cross racial understanding among students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions and backgrounds. Describe the effect that your experiences with engaging diversity have had on your own growth and development. Provide an example and describe how it will impact your career in the medical profession. (2000 characters)

‍Interest and Suitability for a Career in Medicine

‍There are multiple paths that lead to medical school and many obstacles along the way. Please describe the unique path that has led you to medicine as well as any obstacles or adversity that you had to overcome in achieving this goal. How will this experience affect your career as a physician? (2000 characters)

‍Problem Solving

‍While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges. Imagine you are a physician at a local institution and you notice on 18 occasions in the past week, patients were not administered the correct dose of a medication. When looking into it further, you learned that 17/18 cases occurred right after a physician handoff (defined as the process of transferring role and responsibility for providing care from one physician to another).Given this scenario, what are the initial steps you and your institution might take to improve the situation? (2000 characters)

‍Public Health

‍While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges. What do you see as the most significant issues the medical profession will face in the next 20 years, and what are some potential solutions for these problems? (2000 characters)

‍Self-growth/Teamwork

‍Teamwork is integral to training and the career of a physician. This kind of work setting entails addressing constant challenges in task execution, communication etc. What is an issue you have encountered working on a team and how did you address and resolve this issue? (2000 characters)

‍Covid-19 Impact

‍Please describe how COVID-19 has affected your preparation for applying to medical school. Describe any academic, personal, financial, or professional barriers/disruptions that COVID-19 may have triggered. (2000 characters)

‍Reapplication

‍Have you previously submitted an AMCAS application to the University of New Mexico School of Medicine? Y/N

Please share some of the ways you have improved your application since you last applied. For example, improved MCAT Score, took additional upper level biology courses, increased clinical or volunteer experiences, etc. (200 word limit)

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Essay Topics ('21-'22)

Background and Diversity

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At the UNM School of Medicine we are committed to building a dynamic, productive and positive learning environment in addition to promoting cross cultural and cross racial understanding among students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions and backgrounds. Describe the effect that your experiences with engaging diversity have had on your own growth and development. Provide an example and describe how it will impact your career in the medical profession. (2000 characters)

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Interest and Suitability for a Career in Medicine

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There are multiple paths that lead to medical school and many obstacles along the way. Please describe the unique path that has led you to medicine as well as any obstacles or adversity that you had to overcome in achieving this goal. How will this experience affect your career as a physician? (2000 characters)

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Problem Solving

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While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges. Imagine you are a physician at a local institution and you notice on 18 occasions in the past week, patients were not administered the correct dose of a medication. When looking into it further, you learned that 17/18 cases occurred right after a physician handoff (defined as the process of transferring role and responsibility for providing care from one physician to another).

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Given this scenario, what are the initial steps you and your institution might take to improve the situation? (2000 characters)

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Public Health

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While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges. What do you see as the most significant issues the medical profession will face in the next 20 years, and what are some potential solutions for these problems? (2000 characters)

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Self-growth/Teamwork

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Teamwork is integral to training and the career of a physician. This kind of work setting entails addressing constant challenges in task execution, communication etc. What is an issue you have encountered working on a team and how did you address and resolve this issue? (2000 characters)

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Covid-19 Impact

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Please describe how COVID-19 has affected your preparation for applying to medical school. Describe any academic, personal, financial, or professional barriers/disruptions that COVID-19 may have triggered. (2000 characters)

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Reapplication

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Have you previously submitted an AMCAS application to the University of New Mexico School of Medicine?

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Y/N

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Please share some of the ways you have improved your application since you last applied. For example, improved MCAT Score, took additional upper level biology courses, increased clinical or volunteer experiences, etc. (200 word limit)

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Essay Topics ('21-'22)

1. Background and Diversity:
At the UNM School of Medicine we are committed to building a dynamic, productive and
positive learning environment in addition to promoting cross cultural and cross racial
understanding among students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions and backgrounds.
Share any unique or challenging factors in your background, such as the quality of your early
educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity and life and work
experiences. How will your background or experiences contribute to the diversity of a
medical school class? (2000 characters)
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2. Interest and Suitability for a Career in Medicine
Mentorship and clinical experience are integral to developing and understanding of the
challenges and rewards of being a physician? Thinking back to your own road to applying to medical school, what is a patient experience or mentorship moment that was most
formative to your progression so far? Please share this experience and explain how it fits
into your motivation for pursuing a career as a physician. (2000 characters)
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3. Problem Solving:
There is a physician shortage in New Mexico. What is your understanding of the
contributors to this problem, and what ideas do you have to address it? (2000 characters)

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4. Public Health:
What aspects of public health do you think should be emphasized in the UNM SOM
curriculum? Why? (2000 characters)
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5. Self-Growth/Teamwork:
Please describe a personal or professional challenge or conflict that you have experienced.
How did you resolve it? What skills, resources and/or strategies did you employ? DO NOT
write about the MCAT, a course, or an academic issue. (2000 characters)
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6. COVID-19 Impact:
Please describe how COVID-19 has affected your preparation for applying to medical
school. Describe any academic, personal, financial, or professional barriers/disruptions that
COVID-19 may have triggered. (2000 characters)
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7. Reapplication:
Have you previously submitted an AMCAS application to the University of New Mexico
School of Medicine? (Yes/No

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Essay Topics (’20 – ’21)

At the UNM School of Medicine we are committed to building a community of diverse learners that will go on to contribute to the diversity of the medical field. Are there any aspects of your experience that you are most proud of or that you feel you have been unable to highlight with your application materials already submitted? If so, please explain how this will contribute to the diversity of a learning community and your future medical community. (2000 characters)

What do you see as the most important characteristics of a physician? How do you plan to cultivate them during your training? (2000 characters)

While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges. Identify what you think is the most significant issue the medical profession will face in the next 20 years, and walk us through the process of solving this problem at a local or national level. Explain your reasoning along the way.

Clinical outcomes are often the downstream outcome of broader policies that impact health inequities. What is a public health policy that has impacted the health outcomes of our community for better or worse? (2000 characters)

Please tell us about a situation in which working with a team was challenging. What was your role? What was challenging? How was it handled? What did you learn? (2000 characters)

Please describe how COVID-19 has effected your preparation for applying to medical school. Describe any academic, personal, financial, or professional barriers/disruptions that COVID-19 may have triggered. (2000 characters)

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Essay Topics (2019-2020)

Background and Diversity
At the UNM School of Medicine we are committed to building a dynamic, productive and positive learning environment in addition to promoting cross cultural and cross racial understanding among students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions and backgrounds. Share any unique or challenging factors in your background, such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity and life and work experiences. What would you as an individual bring to our medical community? (2000 characters)

Interest and Suitability for a Career in Medicine
There are multiple paths that lead to medical school and many obstacles along the way. Please describe the unique path that has led you to medicine as well as any obstacles or adversity that you had to overcome in achieving this goal. How will this experience affect your career as a physician? (2000 characters)

Problem Solving
While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges. What do you see as the most significant issues the medical profession will face in the next 20 years, and what are some potential solutions for these problems? (2000 characters)

Public Health
Part of the goal of the UNM School of Medicine is to address the healthcare disparities that face New Mexico. Once you become a physician, how do you foresee yourself helping to address the healthcare challenges that affect communities in the State of New Mexico? (2000 characters)

Essay Topics ('18- '19)

(All 2000 characters)

Background and Diversity

At the UNM School of Medicine we are committed to building a dynamic, productive and positive learning environment in addition to promoting cross cultural and cross racial understanding among students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions and backgrounds. Share any unique or challenging factors in your background, such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity and life and work experiences. What would you as an individual bring to our medical community?

Interest and Suitability for a Career in Medicine

There are multiple paths that lead to medical school and many obstacles along the way. Please describe the unique path that has led you to medicine as well as any obstacles or adversity that you had to overcome in achieving this goal. How will this experience affect your career as a physician?

Problem Solving

While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges. What do you see as the most significant issues the medical profession will face in the next 20 years, and what are some potential solutions for these problems?

Public Health

Part of the goal of the UNM School of Medicine is to address the healthcare disparities that face New Mexico. Once you become a physician, how do you foresee yourself helping to address the healthcare challenges that affect communities in the State of New Mexico?

Essay Topics ('17- '18)

At the UNM School of Medicine we are committed to building a dynamic, productive and positive learning environment in addition to promoting cross cultural and cross racial understanding among students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions and backgrounds. Share any unique or challenging factors in your background, such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity and life and work experiences. What would you as an individual bring to our medical community? (2000 characters)

There are multiple paths that lead to medical school and many obstacles along the way. Please describe the unique path that has led you to medicine as well as any obstacles or adversity that you had to overcome in achieving this goal. How will this experience affect your career as a physician? (2000 characters)

While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges. What do you see as the most significant issues the medical profession will face in the next 20 years, and what are some potential solutions for these problems? (2000 characters)

Part of the goal of the UNM School of Medicine is to address the healthcare disparities that face New Mexico. Once you become a physician, how do you foresee yourself helping to address the healthcare challenges that affect communities in the State of New Mexico? (2000 characters)

Essay Topics ('16- '17)

1) At the UNM School of Medicine we are committed to building a dynamic, productive and positive learning environment in addition to promoting cross cultural and cross racial understanding among students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions and backgrounds. Share any unique or challenging factors in your background, such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity and life and work experiences. What would you as an individual bring to our medical community? (2000 characters)

2) There are multiple paths that lead to medical school and many obstacles along the way. Please describe the unique path that has led you to medicine as well as any obstacles or adversity that you had to overcome in achieving this goal. How will this experience affect your career as a physician? (2000 characters)

3) While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges. What do you see as the most significant issues the medical profession will face in the next 20 years, and what are some potential solutions for these problems? (2000 characters)

4) Part of the goal of the UNM School of Medicine is to address the healthcare disparities that face New Mexico. Once you become a physician, how do you foresee yourself helping to address the healthcare challenges that affect communities in the State of New Mexico? (2000 characters)

Essay Topics ('15 - '16)

At the UNM School of Medicine we are committed to building a dynamic, productive and positive learning environment in addition to promoting cross cultural and cross racial understanding among students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions and backgrounds. Share any unique or challenging factors in your background, such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity and life and work experiences. What would you as an individual bring to our medical community? (2000 characters)

There are multiple paths that lead to medical school and many obstacles along the way. Please describe the unique path that has led you to medicine as well as any obstacles or adversity that you had to overcome in achieving this goal. How will this experience affect your career as a physician? (2000 characters)

While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges.

What do you see as the most significant issues the medical profession will face in the next 20 years, and what are some potential solutions for these problems? (2000 characters)

Part of the goal of the UNM School of Medicine is to address the healthcare disparities that face New Mexico. Once you become a physician, how do you foresee yourself helping to address the healthcare challenges that affect communities in the State of New Mexico? (2000 characters)

Essay Topics ('14 - '15)

1. At the UNM School of Medicine we are committed to building a dynamic, productive and positive learning environment in addition to promoting cross cultural and cross racial understanding among students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions and backgrounds. Share any unique or challenging factors in your background, such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity and life and work experiences. What would you as an individual bring to our medical community? (2000 characters)

2. There are multiple paths that lead to medical school and many obstacles along the way. Please describe the unique path that has led you to medicine as well as any obstacles or adversity that you had to overcome in achieving this goal. How will this experience affect your career as a physician? (2000 characters)

3. While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges.

What do you see as the most significant issues the medical profession will face in the next 20 years, and what are some potential solutions for these problems? (2000 characters)

4. Part of the goal of the UNM School of Medicine is to address the healthcare disparities that face New Mexico. Once you become a physician, how do you foresee yourself helping to address the healthcare challenges that affect communities in the State of New Mexico? (2000 characters)

Essay Topics ('13 - '14)

1. At the UNM School of Medicine we are committed to building a dynamic, productive and positive learning environment in addition to promoting cross cultural and cross racial understanding among students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions and backgrounds. Share any unique or challenging factors in your background, such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity and life and work experiences. What would you as an individual bring to our medical community?
2. There are multiple paths that lead to medical school and many obstacles along the way. Please describe the unique path that has led you to medicine as well as any obstacles or adversity that you had to overcome in achieving this goal. How will this experience affect your career as a physician?
3. While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges. What do you see as the most significant issues the medical profession will face in the next 20 years, and what are some potential solutions for these problems?
4. Part of the goal of the UNM School of Medicine is to address the healthcare disparities that face New Mexico. Once you become a physician, how do you foresee yourself helping to address the healthcare challenges that affect communities in the State of New Mexico?