Essay Topics (2024 - 2025)

1. Given the mission statement of the school, please explain how your experiences and long term goals would help meet the mission. (1500 characters)

2. Given the diversity statement of the school, explain how your background and experiences with diversity will bring value to the school. (1500 characters)

3. Briefly describe a crisis or significant challenge in your life, how you have worked through the crisis or challenge, and what you have learned from this experience. (1500 characters)

4. [For repeat applicants only.] Since your last application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? Please note any relevant academic, employment, clinical and personal experience. (1500 characters) Optional.

5. For non-South Dakota residents applying to the regular MD program - please describe your ties to South Dakota. (1500 characters)

6. Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the corona virus (COVID-19) public health crisis. Possible topics might include, for example: your biggest lessons and insights from the pandemic; creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis; how the pandemic has affected your outlook on the role of medicine. (5000 characters)

7. Please enter the city, state and date range you have resided in each location. Example: Vermillion, SD; 1/1/1990 - 7/31/2008 Sioux Falls, SD; 8/1/2008 - 5/31/2018. Enter your residency history below. (500 characters)

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Essay Topics ('23 – '24)

1. Given the mission statement of the school, please explain how your experiences and long-term goals would help meet the mission. (1500 characters)

2. Given the diversity statement of the school, explain how your background and experiences with diversity will bring value to the school. (1500 characters)

3. Describe how your experiences in health care or social care activities will help you become a good physician. (1500 characters)

4. Briefly describe a crisis or significant challenge in your life, how you have worked through the crisis or challenge, and what you have learned from this experience. (1500 characters)

5. What are your career plans in the event that you are not admitted to a medical school this year or after several applications? (1500 characters)

6. Please use this space to update the information contained on your AMCAS application (i.e. grades in recent courses; alterations in your proposed coursework or graduation; additions to your extracurricular activities) or anything else you want the committee to know. (1500 characters)

7. For repeat applicants only. Since your last application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? Please note any relevant academic, employment, clinical and personal experience. (1500 characters)

8. For non-South Dakota residents applying to the regular MD program – please describe your ties to South Dakota. (1500 characters)

9. Please share and explain any disruptions/hardships in your academic, volunteer, work, and/or personal life related to COVID-19 that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (5000 characters)

10. Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the corona virus (COVID-19) public health crisis. Possible topics might include, for example: your biggest lessons and insights from the pandemic; creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis; how the pandemic has affected your outlook on the role of medicine. (5000 characters)

11. Knowledge and skill are crucial, but why should a physician be kind? (5000 characters)

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Essay Topics ('22 – '23)

1. Given the mission statement of the school, please explain how your experiences and long-term goals would help meet the mission. (1500 characters)

2. Given the diversity statement of the school, explain how your background and experiences with diversity will bring value to the school. (1500 characters)

3. Describe how your experiences in health care or social care activities will help you become a good physician. (1500 characters)

4. Briefly describe a crisis or significant challenge in your life, how you have worked through the crisis or challenge, and what you have learned from this experience. (1500 characters)

5. What are your career plans in the event that you are not admitted to a medical school this year or after several applications? (1500 characters)

6. Please use this space to update the information contained on your AMCAS application (i.e. grades in recent courses; alterations in your proposed coursework or graduation; additions to your extracurricular activities) or anything else you want the committee to know. (1500 characters)

7. For repeat applicants only. Since your last application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? Please note any relevant academic, employment, clinical and personal experience. (1500 characters)

8. For non-South Dakota residents applying to the regular MD program – please describe your ties to South Dakota. (1500 characters)

9. Please share and explain any disruptions/hardships in your academic, volunteer, work, and/or personal life related to COVID-19 that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (5000 characters)

10. Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the corona virus (COVID-19) public health crisis. Possible topics might include, for example: your biggest lessons and insights from the pandemic; creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis; how the pandemic has affected your outlook on the role of medicine. (5000 characters)

11. Knowledge and skill are crucial, but why should a physician be kind? (5000 characters)

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Essay Topics ('21 – '22)

1. Given the mission statement of the school, please explain how your experiences and long term goals would help meet the mission. (1500 characters)

2. Given the diversity statement of the school, explain how your background and experiences with diversity will bring value to the school. (1500 characters)

3. Describe how your experiences in health care or social care activities will help you become a good physician. (1500 characters)

4. Briefly describe a crisis or significant challenge in your life, how you have worked through the crisis or challenge, and what you have learned from this experience. (1500 characters)

5. What are your career plans in the event that you are not admitted to a medical school this year or after several applications? (1500 characters)

6. Please use this space to update the information contained on your AMCAS application (i.e. grades in recent courses; alterations in your proposed coursework or graduation; additions to your extracurricular activities) or anything else you want the committee to know. (1500 characters)

7. For repeat applicants only: Since your last application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? Please note any relevant academic, employment, clinical and personal experience. (1500 characters)

8. For non-South Dakota residents applying to the regular MD program - please describe your ties to South Dakota. (1500 characters)

9. Please share and explain any disruptions/hardships in your academic, volunteer, work, and/or personal life related to COVID-19 that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (5000 characters)

10. Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health crisis. Possible topics might include, for example: your biggest lessons and insights from the pandemic; creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis; how the pandemic has affected your outlook on the role of medicine. (5000 characters)

11. Knowledge and skill are crucial, but why should a physician be kind? (5000 characters)

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Essay Topics ('20 – '21)

1. Given the mission statement of the school, please explain how your experiences and long term goals would help meet the mission.  (1200 Character Limit)

2. Given the diversity statement of the school, explain how your background and experiences with diversity will bring value to the school. (1200 Character Limit)

3. Describe how your experiences in health care or social care activities will help you become a good physician. (1200 Character Limit)

4. Briefly describe a crisis or significant challenge in your life, how you have worked through the crisis or challenge, and what you have learned from this experience. (1200 Character Limit)

5. What are your career plans in the event that you are not admitted to a medical school this year or after several applications? (1200 Character Limit)

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Essay Topics ('19 – '20)

1. Given the mission statement of the school, please explain how your experiences and long term goals would help meet the mission. (1500 characters)

2. Given the diversity statement of the school, explain how your background and experiences with diversity will bring value to the school. (1500 characters)

3. Describe how your experiences in health care or social care activities will help you become a good physician. (1500 characters)

4. Briefly describe a crisis or significant challenge in your life, how you have worked through the crisis or challenge, and what you have learned from this experience. (1500 characters)

5. What are your career plans in the event that you are not admitted to a medical school this year or after several applications? (1500 characters)

OPTIONAL QUESTIONS:

1. Please use this space to update the information contained on your AMCAS application (i.e. grades in recent courses; alterations in your proposed coursework or graduation; additions to your extracurricular activities) or anything else you want the committee to know.  (1500 characters)

2. For repeat applicants only. Since your last application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? Please note any relevant academic, employment, clinical and personal experience.  (1500 characters)

3. For non-South Dakota residents applying to the regular MD program - please describe your ties to South Dakota.  (1500 characters)

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Essay Topics ('18 – '19)

1. Given the mission statement of the school, please explain how your experiences and long term goals would help meet the mission.

2. Given the diversity statement of the school, explain how your background and experiences with diversity will bring value to the school.

3. Describe how your experiences in health care or social care activities will help you become a good physician.

4. Briefly describe a crisis or significant challenge in your life, how you have worked through the crisis or challenge, and what you have learned from this experience.

5. What are your career plans in the event that you are not admitted to a medical school this year or after several applications?

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Essay Topics ('17 – '18)

1. Given the mission statement of the school, please explain how your experiences and long term goals would help meet the mission. (1200 characters)

2. Given the diversity statement of the school, explain how your background and experiences with diversity will bring value to the school. (1200 characters)

3. Describe how your experiences in health care or social activities will help you become a good physician. (1200 characters)

4. Briefly describe a crisis or significant challenge in your life, how you have worked through the crisis or challenge, and what you have learned from this experience. (1200 characters)

5. What are your career plans in the event that you are not admitted to a medical school this year or after several applications? (1200 characters)

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Essay Topics ('16 – '17)

1. Given the mission statement of the school, please explain how your experiences and long term goals would help meet the mission.

2. Given the diversity statement of the school, explain how your background and experiences with diversity will bring value to the school.

3. Describe how your experiences in health care or social care activities will help you become a good physician.

4. Briefly describe a crisis or significant challenge in your life, how you have worked through the crisis or challenge, and what you have learned from this experience.

5. What are your career plans in the event that you are not admitted to a medical school this year or after several applications?

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Essay Topics ('15 – '16)

1. Given the mission statement of the school, please explain how your experiences and long term goals would help meet the mission.

2. Given the diversity statement of the school, explain how your background and experiences with diversity will bring value to the school.

3. Describe how your experiences in health care or social care activities will help you become a good physician.

4. Briefly describe a crisis or significant challenge in your life, how you have worked through the crisis or challenge, and what you have learned from this experience.

5. What are your career plans in the event that you are not admitted to a medical school this year or after several applications?

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Essay Topics ('14 – '15)

1. Given the mission statement of the school, please explain how your experiences and long term goals would help meet the mission.

2. Given the diversity statement of the school, explain how your background and experiences with diversity will bring value to the school.

3. Describe how your experiences in health care or social care activities will help you become a good physician.

4. Briefly describe a crisis or significant challenge in your life, how you have worked through the crisis or challenge, and what you have learned from this experience.

5. What are your career plans in the event that you are not admitted to a medical school this year or after several applications?