Essay Topics (2025 - 2026)

Primary Care Section:

Are you applying to the Primary Care Track? Yes/No
If yes: Describe what experiences have led you to apply to the Primary Care Track. (1500 characters)

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State of Residence Section:

1. Non-Alabama Resident with Ties to Alabama: If you are not a resident of Alabama, please describe any ties or meaningful experiences you have had related to the state of Alabama or UAB Medical Center. (1500 characters)

2. All Applicants: If the area you spent most of your life before college differs from where you currently consider your permanent address, please explain. (1500 characters)

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Essay Section:

1. Where do you see yourself in your medical career fifteen to twenty years from now? (750 characters)

2. Describe a patient interaction with the healthcare system. This could be a direct patient observation (in person or virtual) during a shadowing/clinical experience or a personal experience within the healthcare system. What did you learn from this experience? (750 characters)

3. Describe a fulfilling or challenging community service experience and how you grew personally from the experience. Examples of community service include, but are not limited to, face-to-face activities volunteering in a healthcare setting, nursing home, school, crisis center, food bank, or shelter. (750 characters)

4. Describe a situation where you had to adjust your behavior or response based on new information or changing conditions.(750 characters)

5. OPTIONAL: Please share any information you want us to know about you that is not included in your AMCAS application or in this secondary application (e.g., provide an explanation of any gaps in education or work or poor academic performance, a meaningful leadership or community service experience tied to healthcare). (750 characters)

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Essay Topics ('23 – '24)

Out-of-State Applicants​

Although our primary obligation is to residents of the State of Alabama, we do consider competitive applicants from neighboring states and applicants with strong ties to the State of Alabama.Please write a brief essay explaining your ties to the State of Alabama. (2000 characters)

Optional Essay​

The learning community at the University of South Alabama Whiddon College of Medicine benefits from the inclusion of students with broad life experiences, as well as students from diverse backgrounds. The Admissions Committee encourages you to share life experiences that you may have had and/or important factors in your background that illustrate your readiness for practicing medicine in a multicultural society. (3500 characters)

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Essay Topics ('22 – '23)

1. Although interests may change, what areas of medicine are you primarily interested in at the current time? (200 characters)

Optional Essays:

2. Out-of-State Applicants: Although our primary obligation is to residents of the State of Alabama, we do consider competitive applicants from neighboring states and applicants with strong ties to the State of Alabama. Please write a brief essay explaining your ties to the State of Alabama. (2000 char)

3. The learning community at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine benefits from the inclusion of students with broad life experiences, as well as students from diverse backgrounds. The Admissions Committee encourages you to share life experiences that you may have had and/or important factors in your background that illustrate your readiness for practicing medicine in a multicultural society. (3500 char)

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Essay Topics ('21 – '22)‍

1. Although interests may change, what areas of medicine are you primarily interested in at the current time? (200 characters, not including spaces)

OPTIONAL QUESTIONS:

2. Although our primary obligation is to residents of the State of Alabama, we do consider competitive, out-of-state applicants with strong ties to the State of Alabama. Please write a brief essay explaining your ties to the State of Alabama. (2000 characters)

3. The learning community at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine benefits from the inclusion of students with broad life experiences, as well as students from diverse backgrounds. The Admissions Committee encourages you to share life experiences that you may have had and/or important factors in your background that illustrate your readiness for practicing medicine in a multicultural society. (500 words)

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‍Essay Topics (’20 – ’21) ‍

1. Provide the name, location, and phone number of your current employer. (200 characters, not including spaces)

2. Although interests may change, what areas of medicine are you primarily interested in at the current time? (200 characters, not including spaces)

3. Have you previously applied?

4. Do you have undergraduate research experience? (Y/N)

5. OOS: Although our primary obligation is to residents of the State of Alabama, we do consider competitive, out-of-state applicants with strong ties to the State of Alabama. Please write a brief essay explaining your ties to the State of Alabama.

OPTIONAL QUESTIONS:

1. The learning community at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine benefits from the inclusion of students with broad life experiences, as well as students from diverse backgrounds. The Admissions Committee encourages you to share life experiences that you may have had and/or important factors in your background that illustrate your readiness for practicing medicine in a multicultural society. (500 words)

2. Question regarding COVID.

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Essay Topics ('19 – '20)‍

1. Provide the name, location, and phone number of your current employer. (200 characters, not including spaces)

2. Although interests may change, what areas of medicine are you primarily interested in at the current time? (200 characters, not including spaces)

3. Have you previously applied?

4. Do you have undergraduate research experience? (Y/N)

5. OOS: Although our primary obligation is to residents of the State of Alabama, we do consider competitive, out-of-state applicants with strong ties to the

6. State of Alabama. Please write a brief essay explaining your ties to the State of Alabama.

OPTIONAL QUESTIONS:

1. The learning community at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine benefits from the inclusion of students with

2. broad life experiences, as well as students from diverse backgrounds. The Admissions Committee encourages you to share life experiences that you may have had and/or important factors in your background that illustrate your readiness for practicing medicine in a multicultural society.

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‍Essay Topics ('18 – '19)

Out-of-State Applicants

1. Although our primary obligation is to residents of the State of Alabama, we do consider competitive, out-of-state applicants with strong ties to the State of Alabama.

2. Please write a brief essay explaining your ties to the State of Alabama.

OPTIONAL QUESTION:

1. The learning community at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine benefits from the inclusion of students with broad life experiences, as well as students from diverse backgrounds. The Admissions Committee encourages you to share life experiences that you may have had and/or important factors in your background that illustrate your readiness for practicing medicine in a multicultural society.

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‍Essay Topics ('17 – '18)

OPTIONAL QUESTION:

1. The learning community at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine benefits from the inclusion of students with broad life experiences, as well as students from diverse backgrounds. The Admissions Committee encourages you to share life experiences that you may have had and/or important factors in your background that illustrate your readiness for practicing medicine in a multicultural society.

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‍Essay Topics ('16 – '17)

OPTIONAL QUESTION:

1. The learning community at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine benefits from the inclusion of students with broad life experiences, as well as students from diverse backgrounds. The Admissions Committee encourages you to share life experiences that you may have had and/or important factors in your background that illustrate your readiness for practicing medicine in a multicultural society.

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‍Essay Topics ('15 – '16)‍

OPTIONAL QUESTION:

1. The learning community at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine benefits from the inclusion of students with broad life experiences, as well as students from diverse backgrounds. The Admissions Committee encourages you to share life experiences that you may have had and/or important factors in your background that illustrate your readiness for practicing medicine in a multicultural society. (500 words)

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‍Essay Topics ('14 – '15)

OPTIONAL QUESTION:

1. The learning community at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine benefits from the inclusion of students with broad life experiences, as well as students from diverse backgrounds. The Admissions Committee encourages you to share life experiences that you may have had and/or important factors in your background that illustrate your readiness for practicing medicine in a multicultural society.

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‍Essay Topics ('13 – '14)

OPTIONAL QUESTION:

1. The learning community at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine benefits from the inclusion of students with broad life experiences, as well as students from diverse backgrounds. The Admissions Committee encourages you to share life experiences that you may have had and/or important factors in your background that illustrate your readiness for practicing medicine in a multicultural society.