University of Nevada cares deeply about serving its community and recruiting premed students who think about public health. The UNR Admissions Committee wants to gain a holistic perspective about your character and values. Read more University of Nevada Reno secondary application tips below!
Our Cracking Med School Admissions team can help you tackle this long and challenging secondary application and all your other medical school applications. We will help you stand out by tailoring each of your secondaries to your strengths and to the school’s mission.
- Personally Tailored Essays
- Edits by Stanford & Harvard-trained Doctors
- We study your application strengths to see what unique attributes we’ll bring to the medical school
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Questions: 2025 – 2026
Note: Admissions review does consider Western-region applicants in our out-of-state category. These states include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, and Washington.
Non-Western region applicants with no qualifying connection to Nevada currently do not advance to secondary in our process.
- Please share why you want to pursue your medical education at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine; describe any connections to Northern Nevada communities; and how you are prepared to contribute to UNR Med’s vision of a Healthy Nevada. (300 words max)
- Describe a time when you were part of a team that was struggling to meet objectives. How did you react? What would you do differently? What did you take away from this experience that will influence your approach to working on a team in the future? (300 words max)
- Reflect on and describe an experience where you provided care or service to individuals from populations that commonly experience health care disparities. Discuss what you learned about the socio-cultural or economic factors that affect underserved populations and describe how your interactions with these individuals motivated or prepared you for a future in medicine. (300 words max)
- Describe a time when you faced a significant life crisis, a personal struggle, or an academic or professional failure. How did you respond, what did you learn, and how did the experience influence your future actions? (300 words max)
- Please share an example of how you have used critical thinking and communication skills to develop a creative or innovative solution to a challenging problem. (300 words max)
- (Optional) You are invited to provide a brief statement regarding anything not previously addressed or disclosed in your application that you would like considered during the review of your application. If you are a re-applicant to UNR Med, we encourage you to outline any significant changes or new experiences from your previous application. (500 words max)
Tips to Answer UNR Secondary Essays
UNR Secondaries Pre-Writing Guidance: The University of Nevada – Reno secondary essay prompts change each year. This is not a secondary application we would pre-write. However, once you receive the secondary, expect that this will take a lot of time to complete; there are many essays with large word counts.
- Download all our HIGH-YIELD tips for secondary essays: Cracking Med School Admissions Secondary Essay Guide
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Tip #1: Our Cracking Med School Admissions team thinks that the most important question is, “Please share why you want to pursue your medical education at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine; describe any connections to Northern Nevada communities; and how you are prepared to contribute to UNR Med’s vision of a Healthy Nevada.”
- Step 1: Read our sample essay and HIGH-YIELD blog post Why this Medical School? Secondary Essay Example
- Step 2: Give very specific aspects about University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine’s curriculum and projects around Nevada
- Step 3: Read about the healthcare issues in Nevada, specifically in Reno. You can find out about healthcare issues pertinent to Reno by the Northern Nevada Public Health site.
- Step 4: Link the reasons for “Why University of Nevada School of Medicine” with activities that you have done in the past. For example, if you’ve been an advocate for educating immigrant communities about their health throughout college & your gap years, talk about how you want to continue that while you are a student at UNR School of Medicine.
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Tip #2: Make sure you answer the UNR secondary application question, “You are invited to provide a brief statement regarding anything not previously addressed or disclosed that you would like considered during the review of your application” you DO NOT have to necessarily talk about your ethnic background. We recommend students write about their strengths, including exceptional extracurricular activity endeavors. If you have previous experiences (volunteering, clinical experiences) in Nevada, you should definitely mention that aspect here.
Examples of what you can write about:
- Life experiences in Northern Nevada
- Clinical experiences in rural health
- Explanation for academic difficulties
- Discussion about what you did during your gap year
- Any awards or accolades
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Tip #3: For the University of Nevada secondaries challenge question:
- What were the circumstances of the challenging moment?
- How did you overcome the challenge?
- What did you learn from this experience?
- What will you do differently in the future?
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Tip #4: For the UNR secondary application essay question, “Please share an example of how you have used critical thinking and communication skills to develop a creative or innovative solution to a challenging problem” paint a story and make sure you give a very specific example. Additionally, discuss what you learned through this critical thinking or innovative endeavor.
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Tip #5: Start early and get our help. The University of Nevada Reno secondary application not only has several essay, but the essays also have large word limits. Have questions about how you can stand out? Contact us below. Need editing help on your secondary? Dr. Mediratta and Dr. Rizal can personally help you through our secondary essay packages.
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Use this essay guide and workbook to write standout secondaries.
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Questions: 2024 – 2025
The UNR secondary essay prompts are different than last year’s. But, the ideas and themes of the application questions are similar.
- Please share why you want to pursue your medical education at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine; describe any connections to Northern Nevada communities; and how you are prepared to contribute to UNR Med’s vision of a Healthy Nevada. (300 words max)
- Describe a time when you were part of a team that was struggling to meet objectives. How did you react? What would you do differently? What did you take away from this experience that will influence your approach to working on a team in the future? (300 words max)
- Reflect on and describe an experience where you provided care or service to individuals from populations that commonly experience health care disparities. Discuss what you learned about the socio-cultural or economic factors that affect underserved populations and describe how your interactions with these individuals motivated or prepared you for a future in medicine. (300 words max)
- Describe a time when you faced a significant life crisis, a personal struggle, or an academic or professional failure. How did you respond, what did you learn, and how did the experience influence your future actions? (300 words max)
- Please share an example of how you have used critical thinking and communication skills to develop a creative or innovative solution to a challenging problem. (300 words max)
- (optional) You are invited to provide a brief statement regarding anything not previously addressed or disclosed in your application that you would like considered during the review of your application. If you are a re-applicant to UNR Med, we encourage you to outline any significant changes or new experiences from your previous application. (500 words max)
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Questions: 2023 – 2024
The UNR secondary essay prompts are different than last year’s. But, the ideas and themes of the application questions are similar.
- Please share why you want to pursue your medical education at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine; describe any connections to Northern Nevada communities; and how you are prepared to contribute to UNR Med’s vision of a Healthy Nevada. (300 words max)
- Describe a time when you were part of a team that was struggling to meet objectives. How did you react? What would you do differently? What did you take away from this experience that will influence your approach to working on a team in the future? (300 words max)
- Reflect on and describe an experience where you provided care or service to individuals from populations that commonly experience health care disparities. Discuss what you learned about the socio-cultural or economic factors that affect underserved populations and describe how your interactions with these individuals motivated or prepared you for a future in medicine. (300 words max)
- Describe a time when you faced a significant life crisis, a personal struggle, or an academic or professional failure. How did you respond, what did you learn, and how did the experience influence your future actions? (300 words max)
- Please share an example of how you have used critical thinking and communication skills to develop a creative or innovative solution to a challenging problem. (300 words max)
- (optional) You are invited to provide a brief statement regarding anything not previously addressed or disclosed in your application that you would like considered during the review of your application. If you are a re-applicant to UNR Med, we encourage you to outline any significant changes or new experiences from your previous application. (500 words max)
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Questions: 2022 – 2023
The UNR secondary essay prompts are different than last year’s. But, the ideas and themes of the application questions are similar.
- Worded slightly differently. Describe your primary motivation for applying to UNR Med, discuss any important connections or motives for pursuing your medical education in Northern Nevada, and share how you anticipate contributing to UNR Med’s mission and our vision of a Healthy Nevada. (300 words max)
- Reflect on an experience when you contributed to the success of a team. Describe how the skills, attributes, and strengths exhibited during this experience have prepared you to contribute to an inclusive and collaborative learning environment at UNR Med. (300 words max)
- Describe a time when you encountered a challenge that required you to use your critical thinking and communication skills to develop a creative or innovative solution. Discuss the successes or failures of your response, and what you may or may not do in the future, in a similar situation. (300 words max)
- Nevada, like many states, faces healthcare challenges that include health disparities among our underserved and vulnerable populations. Describe a service or life experience where you directly interacted with individuals from these groups, discuss what you learned from the experience, and describe how the experience has prepared you to be a medical student. (300 words max)
- Describe a time when you faced a significant life crisis, a personal struggle, or an academic or professional failure. How did you respond, what did you learn, and how did the experience influence your future actions? (300 words max)
- (Optional) You are invited to provide a brief statement regarding anything not previously addressed or disclosed that you would like considered during the review of your application. (500 words max)
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Questions: 2021 – 2022
- What does UNR Med’s vision of Healthy Nevada mean to you? What do you consider the most significant obstacle that Nevada must overcome to achieve our vision and how would you, as a UNR Med student, actively engage in creating a solution? (500 words max)
- Describe how your education and experiences have prepared you to deliver culturally sensitive care to diverse, underserved and vulnerable populations. (300 words max)
- Describe a time when you faced a significant life crisis, a personal struggle, or an academic or professional failure. How did you respond, what did you learn, and how did the experience influence your future actions? (300 words max)
- How has serving others contributed to your personal growth and motivation to attend medical school? (300 words max)
- What skills, attributes and strengths have you developed that will make you an asset in a team environment? (300 words max)
- You are invited to provide a brief statement regarding anything not previously addressed or disclosed that you would like considered during the review of your application. (500 words max)
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Questions: 2020 - 2021
- Describe your primary motivation for applying to UNR Med, your most important connection(s) to the state of Nevada and any plans for using your career in medicine to support our vision of a healthy Nevada. (300 words max)
- Describe a time when you were faced with a significant life crisis, a personal struggle, or an academic or professional failure. How did you respond and how did your experience impact your future actions. (300 words max)
- Nevada faces health care challenges that include racial and ethnic health disparities, a shortage of physicians in our rural communities, and inadequate medical services for our LGBTQ community and for non-English speakers. Describe how your prior experiences have prepared you to deliver care to underserved patients. (300 words max)
- Describe and share what you learned from an experience providing direct patient care. (300 words max)
- Please provide a brief statement regarding anything not previously addressed or disclosed that you would like considered during the review of your application. (500 words max)
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Questions: 2019 – 2020
- Describe your primary motivation for applying to UNR Med, your most important connection(s) to the state of Nevada and any plans for using your career in medicine to support our vision of a healthy Nevada. (300 words max)
- Describe a time when you were faced with a significant life crisis, a personal struggle, or an academic or professional failure. How did you respond and how did your experience impact your future actions. (300 words max)
- Nevada faces health care challenges that include racial and ethnic health disparities, a shortage of physicians in our rural communities, and inadequate medical services for our LGBTQ community and for non-English speakers. Describe how your prior experiences have prepared you to deliver care to underserved patients. (300 words max)
- Describe and share what you learned from an experience providing direct patient care. (300 words max)
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Questions: 2018 – 2019
- Describe how your background and future goals will contribute to the mission of the UNLV School of Medicine.
- Provide a BRIEF chronological summary of your time since graduating from high school up to the point of applying to medical school.
- If you have any other information you believe is important for the Admissions Committee to consider, please include it here. You are limited to 250 words. Do not restate information already in your primary AMCAS application.
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Questions: 2017 – 2018
- What aspect of medical school do you foresee being of greatest challenge to you and why? How will you prepare for it? (250 words max)
- The state of Nevada faces a challenge in meeting the medical needs of some patients from diverse backgrounds, such as non-English speaking patients, patients from different races or ethnicities, or patients from the LGBTQ community. Please briefly describe the disparity being faced by one of these groups and respond to the following:
- How would you personally contribute to meeting challenges in serving patients from diverse backgrounds? (350 words max)
- How could you contribute to institutional efforts to alleviate these health disparities? (350 words max)
- Indicate any paid or volunteer experience, activities, or duties and the amount of time spent which you feel to be relevant to the study of medicine. Please list only experiences not only included on your amcas application. (NOTE: include dates and hours.)
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Questions: 2016 – 2017
- Describe how your background and future goals will contribute to the mission of the UNLV School of Medicine. (250 words max)
- Describe the impact attending medical school tuition-free will have on your medical career. (250 words max)
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Questions: 2015 – 2016
- Indicate any paid or volunteer work experience, activities, or duties and the amount of time spent which you feel to be relevant to the study of medicine (NOTE: Include dates and hours).
- Have you had any practical experience in laboratory or medical research?
- Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Questions: 2014 – 2015
- Indicate any paid or volunteer work experience, activities, or duties and the amount of time spent which you feel to be relevant to the study of medicine (NOTE: Include dates and hours).
- Have you had any practical experience in laboratory or medical research?
- Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
University of Nevada Reno Secondary Application Questions: 2013 – 2014
- Indicate any paid or volunteer work experience, activities, or duties and the amount of time spent which you feel to be relevant to the study of medicine (NOTE: Include dates and hours).
- Have you had any practical experience in laboratory or medical research?
- Is there anything else you would like to tell us?