University of Kansas School of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts

The 2026-2027 prompts

Want these drafted from your own story? Start with MedCoach

Collected from public applicant reports. Prompts occasionally change mid cycle, so confirm against your own secondary portal before you submit.

1. 01

   If you are not a Kansas resident, what is your specific interest in applying to the University of Kansas School of Medicine?

   1000 charactersOptional
2. 02

   Please describe how your actions and experiences align with the vision statement of the University of Kansas School of Medicine: "To improve lives and communities in Kansas through innovation in education, research, and health care."

   1000 characters
3. 03

   Describe your health care experiences that involved direct exposure to physicians' clinical duties and how they have shaped your desire to apply to medical school.

   1000 characters
4. 04

   Describe examples of leadership experience in which you have significantly influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.

   1000 characters
5. 05

   Beyond academics (grades and MCATs), describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to address this challenge.

   1000 characters
6. 06

   Give an example of what you have done to make your community a better place to live.

   1000 characters
7. 07

   If there are academic discrepancies in your application that have not been explained in your application, use this space to clarify. Examples may include unexplained gaps in time, multiple undergraduate institutions attended, multiple course withdrawals, inconsistent academic performance, inconsistency between academic performance and MCAT scores.

   1000 characters
8. 08

   If you are currently enrolled, or plan to be enrolled during the next academic year in a graduate or professional degree program, please describe your status within the program and your intention to complete the program. You must also request a letter from your graduate program advisor or from the dean of your professional school. This letter must include acknowledgement of your application to medical school and a description of your status in the program. Students in the MD program are considered and expected to participate full-time in MD program requirements and accompanying activities (e.g., service, research, etc.). Our experience over multiple decades has informed the SOM that participation in outside activities (e.g., employment, other degree programs, etc.) is not conducive to successfully navigating our curriculum and overall school requirements. Failing to meet program expectations can place the student at risk for administrative action, including dismissal.

   1000 charactersOptional
9. 09

   If you are no longer a full-time student, briefly describe your current employment, community, and/or educational activities.

   1000 charactersOptional
10. 10

    For Repeat Applicants Only: Since your last application, note any relevant academic, employment, and personal experiences that enhance your ability to be a better physician.

    1000 charactersOptional

How to write these well

• Turn secondaries around within 7 to 14 days of receiving them. Schools read speed as interest, and slow essays land in a bigger pile.
• Pre-write the universal question types (diversity, challenge, why us) once, then adapt per school. Adapting is rewriting the school specific half, not swapping the name.
• Name real programs. A why us answer that cites a specific clinic, track, or community partnership reads ten times stronger than praise for reputation or location.
• Stay under the limit without padding to reach it. Readers are working through thousands of these; a tight answer is a kindness they remember.

More schools in KS