Another key way to demonstrate sensitivity in your writing: Don’t be a label maker.
This means watch how you use the word “the,” and you’re going to have to flip the order of words sometimes when writing about those with physical or mental illness. For example, instead of saying “the schizophrenic” to refer to a patient population, you’d write “patients with schizophrenia.” This is a fairly new rule in writing, a correction that was a long time coming. Avoiding this mistake often means using the passive voice—and you get a pass for doing so in these cases. You are sacrificing conciseness to show respect. By the way, admissions teams will take notice.
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This means watch how you use the word “the,” and you’re going to have to flip the order of words sometimes when writing about those with physical or mental illness. For example, instead of saying “the schizophrenic” to refer to a patient population, you’d write “patients with schizophrenia.” This is a fairly new rule in writing, a correction that was a long time coming. Avoiding this mistake often means using the passive voice—and you get a pass for doing so in these cases. You are sacrificing conciseness to show respect. By the way, admissions teams will take notice.
Follow us on Instagram or LinkedIn and check out our blog for more medical school school news, trends, and application tips!
