Our mission is to improve the health of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We will accomplish this by achieving excellence and providing leadership in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research.




Essay Topics (2019-2020)

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

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

Prompt 3: What motivates you to apply to UNC School of Medicine?

Prompt 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?

(character limit is probably 1000 characters given the previous years' limits, but that's not confirmed)

Essay Topics (2018-2019)

1. We have all tried something and failed. Describe a situation, or an experience, youve had when you were unsuccessful. Tell us what you learned from this experience.

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?

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

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

all 1000 chars

Essay Topics ('17 - '18)

Applicants for the MD and MD/PhD Program Respond to prompts 1-3 in no more than 1-2 paragraphs. (1000 character limit)

Prompt 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.

Prompt 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?

Prompt 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.

Essay Topics ('16 - '17)

Applicants for the MD and MD/PhD Program Respond to prompts 1-3 in no more than 1-2 paragraphs. (1000 character limit)

Prompt 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.

Prompt 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?

Prompt 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.

Essay Topics ('15 - '16)

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)

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)

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)

Essay Topics ('14 - '15)

Section F: Prompts (Applicants for the MD and MD/PhD PrograM

*Respond to each prompt in no more than 1-2 paragraphs (150 words total).

Prompt 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.

Prompt 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?

Prompt 3: Give an example of how you have 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.

Section G: Research Interests (MD/PhD Applicants Only)

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.

Section H: Re-applicants (MD and/or MD/PhD Applicants)

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

Essay Topics ('13 - '14)

*Respond to each prompt in no more than 1-2 paragraphs (150 words total).

Prompt 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.

Prompt 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?

Prompt 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.

Section G: Research Interests (MD/PhD Applicants Only)

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.

Section H: Re-applicants (MD and/or MD/PhD Applicants)

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