Pre-dental student here - came to pre-medical forums in search for advice

[bobbylee123]

Hi everyone,

This isn't a post where I am changing from pre-dental to pre-medical because I needed a back up or anything. I just came to this sub-forum because I know that there are several people here that are willing to help, including some of the admission committees for medical school. Perhaps some people here will have a better knowledge of personal statements than I do.

I am a Texas resident and will be applying to dental schools through TMDSAS. Some of you may be familiar with the required prompts. One of the required prompts involves with personal characteristics. Here is the prompt:

Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics (background, talents, skills, etc.) or experiences that would add to the educational experience of others.

Can you talk about overcoming adversity for this question?

Thanks!

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[ChrisMack390]

This seems very tangential to the question being asked.

 

[Holmwood]

I think it's a good start. You don't want to linger on the emotional aspect too much. Try instead to emphasize your strengths. Elaborate on your personal characteristics, insight, and actions taken when you were confronted with the unexpected loss of both parents. In emphasizing on your strengths through accounts of your relevant experience, you can then apply it to something relevant to the dental profession. And if it's applicable to the dental profession, it has educational value for your peers.

I think what @ChrisMack390 is talking about is that dentists typically don't face the issue of mortality (unless it's malpractice), so it's out-of-place to talk about this as a way of helping your classmates cope with mortality. "Overcoming unexpected obstacles" may be relevant to more complex cases of dental surgery, and maybe you can approach it the same way you approached overcoming your parents' death.

 

[DokterMom]

I'm sorry for your loss --

But this is the diversity question, not the overcoming adversity question, so I'd agree with @ChrisMack390 that your topic seems tangential. Unless you've got some way that your loss makes you unique that you didn't explain initially?

 

[ChrisMack390]

I think what @ChrisMack390 is talking about is that dentists typically don't face the issue of mortality (unless it's malpractice), so it's out-of-place to talk about this as a way of helping your classmates cope with mortality. "Overcoming unexpected obstacles" may be relevant to more complex cases of dental surgery, and maybe you can approach it the same way you approached overcoming your parents' death.

I wasn't making any statement about dental v medical. If a med student wanted to write about a death in the family for diversity I would say the same thing.

 

[Holmwood]

My bad. That adversity essay should fit in the unique circumstances essay (third one) of TMDSAS better.

Here's from LizzyM : "Think about what you can bring to the table when "points of view" (POV) are under discussion. You have a particular point of view but you may have been exposed to other POV growing up in an immigrant household or attending religious school or spending summers away from home or whatever. Are you familiar with a subculture such that you could provide an explanation to those who did not grow up in that setting? Did you grow up near grandparents that had certain beliefs, customs, fears, prejudices? Would you be able to recognize and explain similar traits in elderly patients assigned to your team?

The ideal, to me, in medical school is a team that is so diverse that you may be the only ___ in your group of five." http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/diversity-essay-in-secondaries.744361/