UNR Med

University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Reno, NV · Public · MD

Average MCAT: 509
Average GPA: 3.76
Class size: 72
Tuition: $64,018 (per year, nonresident)
Out-of-state applicants: Limited

Deadlines

AMCAS deadline: Oct. 1, 2026
Early Decision Program: Aug. 1, 2026
Secondary deadline: October 1 (application deadline; MD/PhD September 1); PREview must be taken by final October test date

Essays

Why UNR Med? (300 words)

Why UNR Med? Please share why you want to pursue your medical education at UNR Med. Describe any connections to Northern Nevada communities and how you are prepared to contribute to UNR Med’s vision of “A Healthy Nevada.”

Teamwork challenge (300 words)

Teamwork Challenge: 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?

Health care disparities experience (300 words)

Health Care Disparities Experience: Reflect on and describe an experience where you provided care or service to individuals from populations that commonly experience healthcare 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.

Failure or crisis (300 words)

Failure or Crisis: Describe a time when you faced a significant life crisis or an academic, personal, or professional failure. How did you respond, what did you learn, and how did the experience influence your future actions?

Creative problem-solving (300 words)

Creative Problem-Solving: 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.

Optional (500 words)

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.

Editor's notes

Check your category before anything else. UNR Med reviews only Nevada-tied applicants and residents of ten western states, and it says plainly that it won't consider anyone outside those groups. If you don't fit Category A or B, the $75 secondary buys you nothing. M.D./Ph.D. is the one exception.
The PREview exam is new this cycle and it's required. You can submit the secondary before you test, but the exam has to happen by the October cutoff. Book a date now, not after your interview invite.
Interviews are in person in Reno, panel style, and there's no virtual option. Budget for the trip. A panel with physicians, community partners and students rewards people who can talk about Nevada communities, so prepare that answer as carefully as your why-medicine answer.
If you're reapplying, you're in good company: a quarter or more of each class are reapplicants. The school asks for a changed application, not a repeat, and suggests applying by Sept. 1. Use the optional 500-word statement to show what's new.