Essay Topics (2024 - 2025)

‍1. Were there changes to your academic professional and/or personal circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic that you would like to share with the committee? (Y/N) (if yes, 500 characters max)

2. During the Covid-19 pandemic, if you were offered an option to continue courses with a standard grading system or switch to Pass/Fail, and you elected Pass/Fail, please describe the reason(s) for your decision here. (500 characters)

3. Independently of the Covid-19 pandemic, have you taken any online courses for credit? (Y/N) (simply list if yes)

4. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization? (Y/N) (simply list if yes)

5. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? (Y/N) (500 characters if yes)

6. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? (Y/N) (1000 characters if yes)

7. Did you participate in a pre-medical enrichment or pathway program during your undergraduate studies? (Y/N) (1000 characters if yes)

8. The Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) is deeply committed to recruiting a class inclusive of diverse perspectives and experiences; this enriches the instruction we provide, enhances team-based learning, and ensures our students’ preparation to address the health needs of a pluralistic society. How would your life experiences contribute to the student body and how would you contribute to an inclusive atmosphere at PSOM? Please explain and limit your response to 1,000 characters.

9. We are all navigating through challenging times at home and abroad, and physicians and physician-scientists must contend with many instances of uncertainty. Please describe a time when you faced a situation that was ambiguous, confusing, or uncertain, and how you navigated making a decision without complete information. (3000 characters)

10. Do you identify as a first-generation college graduate and/or having a low-income background?We recognize that the definition of “low income” can vary based on geographic location, zip code, and size of your household, but there are some factors typically associated with being low-income, such as qualifying for free/reduced lunch in middle/high school, receiving Pell grants or work-study aid during college, qualifying for Medicaid/Social Security benefits, or attending a high school with low per capita funding, Title 1 designation and/or a low percentage of seniors receiving a high school diploma. (Y/N)

11. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships, regardless of current income status? (Y/N) (1000 characters if yes)

12. Have you ever been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a University of Pennsylvania faculty mentor(s)? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty member(s), and start/end dates (Y/N) (list only, no essay)

13. Please share your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine. (note 1,000-character limit):

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Essay Topics ('23 - '24)

1. If you were offered an option to continue courses with a standard grading system or switch to Pass/Fail, and you elected Pass/Fail, please describe the reason(s) for your decision here (500 characters).

2. The Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) is deeply committed to recruiting a class inclusive of diverse perspectives and experiences; this enriches the instruction we provide, enhances team-based learning, and ensures our students’ preparation to address the health needs of a pluralistic society. How would your life experiences contribute to the student body and how would you contribute to an inclusive atmosphere at PSOM? Please explain and limit your response to 1,000 characters.

3. We are all navigating through challenging times, and physicians and physician-scientists must contend with many instances of uncertainty. Describe a time when you faced a situation that was ambiguous, confusing, or uncertain, and how you navigated making a decision without complete information (3000 characters).

4. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters.

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Essay Topics ('22-'23)

1. The Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) is deeply committed to recruiting a diverse class to enrich an inclusive team-based learning experience. How would you and your experiences contribute to the diversity of the student body and/or how would you contribute to an inclusive atmosphere at PSOM?Please explain and limit your response to 1,000 characters.

2. We are all navigating through challenging times, and physicians and physician-scientists must contend with many instances of uncertainty. Describe a time when you faced a situation that was ambiguous, confusing, or uncertain, and how you navigated making a decision without complete information (3000 characters)

3. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters

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Essay Topics ('21 – '22)

1. The Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) is deeply committed to recruiting a diverse class to enrich an inclusive team-based learning experience. How would you and your experiences contribute to the diversity of the student body and/or how would you contribute to an inclusive atmosphere at PSOM? Please explain and limit your response to 1,000 characters.

2. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters

OPTIONAL QUESTIONS:

1. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? Please describe your activities during this time in 500 characters or less.

2. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? (1000 characters)

3. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.) (1000 characters)

4. Were there changes to your academic work and/or personal circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic that you would like to share with the committee? (Optional. If you select Yes, you get this additional prompt: Please describe these changes during this time in 500 characters or less.)

5. If you were offered an option to continue courses with a standard grading system or switch to Pass/Fail, and you chose Pass/Fail, please describe the reason(s) for your decision here. (500 character limit)

6. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization? (if you select Yes, you can list different awards and write about them briefly)

7. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships?

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Essay Topics (’20 – ’21)

1. Were there changes to your academic work and/or personal circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic that you would like to share with the committee? Y/N. If Y, Please describe these changes during this time in 500 characters or less.

2. If you were offered an option to continue courses with a standard grading system or switch to Pass/Fail, and you chose Pass/Fail, please describe the reason(s) for your decision here. (500 Char)

3. Have you taken any online courses for credit? (not due to the COVID-19 pandemic) (lets you list the courses)

4. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization? (allows you to list them)

5. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? If so explain in 500 characters or less

6. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? If so, explain in 1,000 characters or less

7. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.) Yes/No. Please explain and limit your response to 1,000 characters.

8. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? Y/N then 1,000 characters again

9. Have you been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a Penn faculty mentor? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty, and start/end dates

10. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters.

11. Anonymous sexual and gender identification questions for diversity data

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Essay Topics ('19 – '20)

1. Have you taken any online courses for credit? Y/N

2. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization? Y/N and list

3. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? If Y: Please describe your activities during this time in 500 characters or less.

4. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? Y/N (Probably a prompt if you select yes, I selected no)

5. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.) Y/N. If Y: Please explain and limit your response to 1,000 characters.

6. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? Y/N. If Y; Please explain briefly in 1,000 characters:

7. Have you been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a Penn faculty mentor? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty, and start/end dates Y/N

8. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters:

OPTIONAL QUESTION:

9. Sexual and Gender Identity: The Perelman School of Medicine seeks to foster a safe and welcoming environment for all students. In this spirit, the following optional questions are asked about sexual orientation and gender identity. You may choose to answer, one, both or none of these questions. This will not have any impact on your application and will not be shared as part of the admissions process. Rather, this information will enable us to better facilitate any visit that you have to the School of Medicine. If none of the following designations adequately describe how you identify, please feel free to elaborate in the option marked Other. We recognize that improving our understanding of sexual and gender identities are a continuous process, and welcome your input.

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Essay Topics ('18 – '19)

1. Have you taken any online courses for credit?

2. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization?

3. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? If you answer yes, a 1,000 char prompt to elaborate appears.

4. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application?

5. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.) (1000 characters if you answer yes)

6. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? (1000 characters if yes)

7. Have you been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a Penn faculty mentor? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty, and start/end dates

8. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters.

OPTIONAL QUESTION:

1. Sexual and Gender Identity: Do you identify as (please check all that apply): Heterosexual/Straight, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Asexual, Queer, Other

2. Do you identify as (please check all that apply): Cisgender, Transgender, Gender non-conforming, Gender non-binary, Other

3. Please let us know if you have a preferred name and/or preferred Gender Pronouns.

MSTP:

1. Additional pages to check your preferred research group at the time of application (History and Sociology of Medicine, Anthropology, and Business/Economics have further requirements). Also a 500 character box to list keywords related to your research interests.

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Essay Topics ('17 – '18)

1. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization? Yes/No... "Add Award"

2. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? Yes/No... If yes, 500 characters given.

3. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? Yes/No... If yes, 1000 characters given.

4. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.) Yes/No... If yes, 1000 characters given.

5. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? Yes/No... if yes, 1000 characters given.

6. Have you been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a Penn faculty mentor? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty, and start/end dates.

7. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters.

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Essay Topics ('16 – '17)

1. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization? If so, please describe; each line allows 100 characters. (Please do not list awards from high school or earlier.)

2. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? (500 characters to describe plans, if yes)

3. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? (1000 characters to describe, if yes)

4. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.)(1000 characters if yes)

5. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? (1000 characters, if yes)

6. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine and limit your response to 1,000 characters.

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Essay Topics ('15 – '16)

1. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization? If so, please describe; each line allows 100 characters. (Please do not list awards from high school or earlier.) (3 lines)

2. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation?

3. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application? What country? (1,000 char)

4. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.). (1,000 char)

5. If you are traveling outside of the U.S. during the application year, will you need special scheduling if invited for an interview? If so, please describe and indicate dates that you are in the U.S. (255 char)

6. Have you or your family experienced economic hardships? (1,000 char)

7. Have you been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a Penn faculty mentor? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty, and start/end dates.

8. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine. (1,000 char)

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Essay Topics ('14 –'15)

1. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization? If so, please describe; each line allows 100 characters. (Please do not list awards from high school or earlier.) [3 entry fields]

2. Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation? [250 characters, limit not explicitly stated]

3. Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application?

4. Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.)

5. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine. (1000 characters)