Essay Topics (2024 - 2025)

1. Describe an experience where you attempted a task and realized during the process that you were not ready for it. How did this experience impact your approach to trying new things? (250 words)

2. How will your life experiences foster a positive educational environment and benefit your future patients? (250 words)

3. Discuss your involvement in a service activity that has impacted your understanding of healthcare and your desire to pursue a career in medicine. (250 words)

4. What motivates you to apply to the UNC School of Medicine? (200 words)

‍5. Reapplicant essay if applicable

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Essay Topics ('23 - '24)

1. Describe an experience where you attempted a task and realized during the process that you were not ready for it. How did this experience impact your approach to trying new things? (250 words)

2. How will your life experiences foster a positive educational environment and benefit your future patients? (250 words)

3. Discuss your involvement in a service activity that has impacted your understanding of healthcare and your desire to pursue a career in medicine. (250 words)

4. What motivates you to apply to the UNC School of Medicine? (200 words)

‍5. Reapplicant essay available if you are one

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Essay Topics ('22 - '23)

**They ask you to return the secondary within 2 weeks!**

1: Tell us about a peer who is deserving of recognition but whose accomplishments may not be acknowledged adequately. Why do you think their accomplishments have gone relatively unacknowledged? (250 words)

2: Please share your thoughts and experiences with navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. This could include the barriers you have faced in applying to medical school, creative ways you have overcome those barriers, feelings of grief and loss, thoughts on the role of health care professionals, challenges associated with racial health inequities, or other reflections on living through a global pandemic crisis. (250 words)

3: How will your values and attitudes foster a positive educational environment and benefit your future patients? Tell us about the sources of those values and attitudes (e.g. family, places you’ve lived in, things you have read, life experiences, etc). (250 words)

4: Tell us about a time when you observed or personally experienced biased behavior. What did you do to address this situation or what would you do in the future? Through either situation we are interested in what you learned. (250 words)

5: What motivates you to apply to the UNC School of Medicine? (200 words)

6. Reapplicant Prompt: What has changed about you as a candidate since your last application to medical school? What has made you a stronger applicant? (200 words)

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Essay Topics ('21 – '22)‍

1. Tell us about a peer who is deserving of recognition but whose accomplishments may not be acknowledged adequately. Why do you think their accomplishments have gone relatively unacknowledged? (400 words)

2. Please share your thoughts and experiences with navigating the Covid-19 pandemic. This could include the barriers you have faced in applying to medical school, creative ways you have overcome those barriers, feelings of grief and loss, thoughts on the role of health care professional, challenges associated with racial health inequities, or other reflection on living through a global pandemic crisis. (400 words)

3. How will your values and attitude foster a positive educational environment and benefit your future patients? Tell us about the sources of those values and attitude (e.g. family, places you've lived in, things you have read, life experiences, etc) (400 words)

4. Tell us about a time when you observed or personally experienced biased behavior. What did you do to address this situation or what would you do in the future? Through either situation we are interested in what you learned. (400 words)

5. What motivates you to apply to the UNC SOM? (200 words)

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‍Essay Topics ('20 – '21)

1. Give an example of how you made a difference in someone’s life and explain what this experience taught you about yourself. (500 words)

2. What motivates you to apply to UNC School of Medicine? (500 words)

3. UNC School of Medicine values diversity and inclusion across the institution. We believe that education and professional development are enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe how your background and/or experiences would contribute to the UNC SOM community? (500 words)

4. Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the COVD-19 public health crisis. Possible topics might include: your biggest lessons and insights from the pandemic, creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis, hardships you may have faced as a result of the virus, and/or quarantine. (750 words)

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Essay Topics ('19 – '20)

1. Describe a situation, or an experience, you've had when you were unsuccessful. Tell us what you learned from this experience.

2. Give an example of how you made a difference in someones life and explain what this experience taught you about yourself.

3. What motivates you to apply to UNC School of Medicine?

4. UNC School of Medicine values diversity and inclusion across the institution. We believe that education and professional development are enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe how your background and/or experiences would contribute to the UNC SOM community?

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‍Essay Topics ('18 – '19)

1. We have all tried something and failed. Describe a situation, or an experience, you've had when you were unsuccessful. Tell us what you learned from this experience. (1000 chars)

2. Much of health care delivery involves teamwork. In what endeavor have you engaged that required a team approach? What was your role and what did you learn from working with this team? (1000 chars)

3. Give an example of how you made a difference in someones life and explain what this experience taught you about yourself. (1000 chars)

4. What motivates you to apply to UNC School of Medicine? (1000 chars)

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Essay Topics ('17 – '18)

1. We have all tried something and failed, whether it was something big or something small. Describe a situation or an experience you had when you realized that you were not up to the task, and tell us what life-lessons you learned from this experience. (1000 character limit)

2. Much of medical school education is based on team-learning. What important activity have you accomplished that required a team approach, what was your role in the outcome, and what did you learn from it? (1000 character limit)

3. Give an example of how you made a difference in someone's life-whether it is a patient, friend, classmate, or a family member-and explain what this experience taught you about yourself. (1000 character limit)

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Essay Topics ('16 – '17)

1. We have all tried something and failed, whether it was something big or something small. Describe a situation or an experience you had when you realized that you were not up to the task, and tell us what life-lessons you learned from this experience. (1000 character limit)

2. Much of medical school education is based on team-learning. What important activity have you accomplished that required a team approach, what was your role in the outcome, and what did you learn from it? (1000 character limit)

3. Give an example of how you made a difference in someone's life-whether it is a patient, friend, classmate, or a family member-and explain what this experience taught you about yourself. (1000 character limit)

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Essay Topics ('15 – '16)‍

1. We have all tried something and failed, whether it was something big or something small. Describe a situation or an experience you had when you realized that you were not up to the task, and tell us what life-lessons you learned from this experience. (1000 char)

2. Much of medical school education is based on team-learning. What important activity have you accomplished that required a team approach, what was your role in the outcome, and what did you learn from it? (1000 char)

3. Give an example of how you have made a difference in someones life whether it is a patient, friend, classmate, or a family member and explain what this experience taught you about yourself. (1000 char)‍

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Essay Topics ('14 – '15)

1. We have all tried something and failed, whether it was something big or something small. Describe a situation or an experience you had when you realized that you were not up to the task, and tell us what life-lessons you learned from this experience. (150 words total)

2. Much of medical school education is based on team-learning. What important activity have you accomplished that required a team approach, what was your role in the outcome, and what did you learn from it? (150 words total)

3. Give an example of how you have made a difference in someones life whether it is a patient, friend, classmate, or a family member and explain what this experience taught you about yourself. (150 words total)

OPTIONAL QUESTIONS:

1. MD/PhD Applicants Only: Research Interests

Please list your top 5 areas of research interest below. This list will help us determine which research faculty you should meet if you are invited for an interview.

2. Re-applicants: Explain why you have decided to reapply. Please respond in no more than 1-2 paragraphs (150 words total).

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Essay Topics ('13 – '14)‍

1. We have all tried something and failed, whether it was something big or something small. Describe a situation or an experience you had when you realized that you were not up to the task, and tell us what life-lessons you learned from this experience. (150 words total)

2. Much of medical school education is based on team-learning. What important activity have you accomplished that required a team approach, what was your role in the outcome, and what did you learn from it? (150 words total)

3. Give an example of how you have made a difference in someones life whether it is a patient, friend, classmate, or a family member and explain what this experience taught you about yourself. (150 words total)

OPTIONAL QUESTIONS:

1. MD/PhD Applicants Only: Research Interests

Please list your top 5 areas of research interest below. This list will help us determine which research faculty you should meet if you are invited for an interview.

2. Re-applicants: Explain why you have decided to reapply. Please respond in no more than 1-2 paragraphs (150 words total).