Diversity

[sunshine02]

When schools say they want diversity, what does that exactly mean? Is it just family background/racial diversity? Can anyone give some examples?

Thanks!

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[rfvbnmju]

I think they're looking for a little bit of everything. The point is most schools don't want to churn medical students who have same background and think the same.

This is the reason why 3.9 and 40 MCAT don't have 100% acceptance rate. It's more than just grades even grades is a big part of it.

Sorry I don't have examples.

 

[mimelim]

What can the writer vouch for?
This is by far the most important aspect of a letter of recommendation. I once wrote an essay entitled, "100 Adjectives that Should Describe My Doctor" This is an expansion on that concept. What are the qualities, skills and abilities that make you desirable for medical schools. Medical schools like diversity. This isn't just gender, race and ethnicity diversity, this is diversity of personality, character and skill sets as well. They are also looking for productive individuals. Yes, they want to train people to ultimately be good doctors, but that is THEIR job and the job of the student's future residency. Their other goal is to find people that are going to make their school proud and transcend from good to great. Certainly not every medical student will do this and this is not the expectation, but schools are always looking for that potential mixed in with the makings of a good physician.

The bigger the skill set that someone can vouch for, the more desirable you are. People that produce in high school go on to produce in college, medical school and beyond. That isn't to say the person that did nothing in high school won't be very productive in college and beyond, but our pasts are the best predictor of our futures. One of my favorite interview questions is, "What is your greatest accomplishment?" or "What are you most proud of?" It is a hard question, it asks people to be immodest, something we are normally raised to avoid. At the same time, it affords the opportunity for you to showcase exactly why a medical school should offer you a spot in their class. The only difference between answer that question and a LOR is that someone gets to be immodest for you, which is far less awkward, IF they have something to talk about.

There is nothing worse than a letter coming from someone that knows a student well, but really can not attest to anything. As one Wash U faculty adcom put it, "Being called nice is a kiss of death." As he further explained, if someone doesn't have something more important to say in the limited space of a LOR than that you are a nice person, then they don't have much to say. Many people when they say they are getting a "good" recommendation fall into this trap. They assume that since the person knows them well and will say nice things about them that it will be a strong letter. What people don't realize is that nobody writes bad things in a letter of recommendation. Being a nice, hard working, good student is the baseline, not the pinnacle. If you can't be bragged about, it isn't a strong letter.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=985472&highlight=diversity

 

[Barcu]

Certainly ethnicity and race will play into this. But also things like being a music major or starting a business/charity or really interesting research can count too. It's hard to define exactly what schools are looking for. In the end, pretty much anything except your objective stats (MCAT and gpa) could potentially add to the diversity of the class.

 

[Aerus]

When schools say they want diversity, what does that exactly mean? Is it just family background/racial diversity? Can anyone give some examples?

Thanks!

Race, background, experiences, age-groups. Diversity is a very general term. They just don't want 180 clones.

 

[sunshine02]

What about volunteer-travel experiences? For example, if you travel to exotic places to volunteer, do research, etc etc?

 

[Domino2178]

.

 

[Aerus]

What about volunteer-travel experiences? For example, if you travel to exotic places to volunteer, do research, etc etc?

As I said above, experiences can be something that can diversify yourself. I wouldn't try and do things JUST to diversify yourself though. Only do things that are meaningful and that you can back up.

From what I've read on this site, a lot of people are of the opinion that volunteer travelling isn't anything super special. It's been likened to "taking a vacation" and trying to pass it off as worthwhile experience.

It depends. If it was a random 2-3 week volunteer trip with no follow up, then yes - it's not looked highly upon.

If it was Peace Corps, then that's something different. Think tourism vs. volunteerism.

 

[nysegop]

Economic Diversity
Racial Diversity
Religious Diversity
Political Diversity
Gender Diversity (Most schools have this covered)
Age Diversity
Intellectual Diversity

 

[Classof2013PreM]

Diversity is so much more than just race and ethnicity! Schools are just looking for what you can bring to the table (i.e. intellectual diversity- are you passionate about some branch of research, diversity in talent- are you fluent in multiple languages, etc)

In my diversity essays, I wrote about how my experiences playing a sport shaped my personality, and my application cycle worked out just fine

 

[circulus vitios]

It means they want people from privileged, upper middle class backgrounds who just happen to be black, native American, latino, from a rural area, etc.

 

[Aerus]

it means they want people from privileged, upper middle class backgrounds who just happen to be black, native american, latino, from a rural area, etc.

 

[Gauss44]

Economic Diversity
Racial Diversity
Religious Diversity
Political Diversity
Gender Diversity (Most schools have this covered)
Age Diversity
Intellectual Diversity

Not transgender.

Not to be pain, but I've heard that it's nearly impossible for transgender people to get care specific to their needs in many areas of the country. This includes emergency treatment.

An additional solution to this problem would be to include transgender care in curriculum.

To OP: Diversity means, "a little bit of everything." I suspect that adcoms, like other groups of people are very different from one another. Some might truly want a little bit of everything, while others are more selective. Some might take "diversity" to mean racial and economic diversity only. Others might not really want diversity at all (of course they won't say that), fitting Circ's example. Most, I think, really do want diversity insofar as the candidate remains suitable for medical school.

 

[einstein1990]

Diversity means whatever you interpret it as, really. I wrote most of my diversity essays about being a first generation college student and how it gave me a unique perspective.

 

[nysegop]

Not transgender.

Not to be pain, but I've heard that it's nearly impossible for transgender people to get care specific to their needs in many areas of the country. This includes emergency treatment.

An additional solution to this problem would be to include transgender care in curriculum.

I was talking about getting into medical school, not actual health care.
But yes, transgender care should be studied.

 

[circulus vitios]

Diversity means whatever you interpret it as, really. I wrote most of my diversity essays about being a first generation college student and how it gave me a unique perspective.

How did you write this? I'm a first generation college student and I don't know how to explain it.

 

[Aerus]

How did you write this? I'm a first generation college student and I don't know how to explain it.

Most med school applicants have parents who are educated. As said by LizzyM, it's a rare sight to see a first generation college student applicant. Generally (not always), first generation college students are intrinsically motivated to succeed and had to cross a lot more barriers.

The rest is whatever is meaningful to you. If being a first generation college student didn't affect you at all, then I guess it's not something you would bring up.

 

[LizzyM]

The AMCAS has an optional section that 99% of the applicants complete that asks your parents' names, where they live (county or country), the last school they attended and their occupation (that last one comes from a pull down menu) as well as a Y/N if they are still living. So, even if you don't write about being "first generation to attend college" it can be obvious if your parents are listed as having attended (or graduated) HS but not college.

 

[October88]

Yea diversity can be anything nonacademic that is different than others applying. In the essays where I had a ton of room I talked about things like being an anthropology major, doing research with homeless individuals and being a first generation college students. I also think its important to bring up what unique perspective it gave you and how it will contribute to the Med school. If I recall I wrote stuff like therefore I will be able to help my classmates....