Are there things that are completely off limits for an application/interview?

[deleted407021]

I think the bigger issue is the animal one, because really, animal testing is a large part of medical research at this point.

I'm not confident that it is necessary but I'm equally confident that it is. Either way it is wrong. Much of the information on the subject seems biased. I would say that all testing involving frivolous things such as cosmetics and entertainment should be halted. I'm also certain that there are many studies which could be conducted without non human testing, but are anyway. The statement made by many antivivisection advocates is that "no meaningful comparison between humans and non humans can be made", but that is obviously false. All mammals, for example, are basically the same. This is a moral issue with the presence or absence of practicality being irrelevant. I support animal rights on the exact same grounds as someone supports civil rights or the abolition of slavery.

But none of this is entirely relevant to the thread.

@Goro, I'm assuming that mehc's statement about necessity is the primary reason such advocacy for the weak is considered a red flag?

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[mehc012]

I'm not confident that it is necessary but I'm equally confident that it is. Either way it is wrong. Much of the information on the subject seems biased. I would say that all testing involving frivolous things such as cosmetics and entertainment should be halted. I'm also certain that there are many studies which could be conducted without non human testing, but are anyway. The statement made by many antivivisection advocates is that "no meaningful comparison between humans and non humans can be made", but that is obviously false. All mammals, for example, are basically the same. This is a moral issue with the presence or absence of practicality being irrelevant. I support animal rights on the exact same grounds as someone supports civil rights or the abolition of slavery.

But none of this is entirely relevant to the thread.

@Goro, I'm assuming that mehc's statement about necessity is the primary reason such advocacy for the weak is considered a red flag?

Whoa, nowhere did I say it was a necessity. I said it was currently a large part of such research.

I was just pointing out what I could see being the issue in interviews, while explicitly trying to avoid putting my personal views of the matter into it at all (so as neither to challenge yours nor call for their elaboration to avoid derailment).

If you can address that issue - the research one - in a realistic manner, you'd probably be fine. It's hard to do, though, and especially so when you're speaking to someone who has participated in it at some point and has an internal knee-jerk to defend against anything which paints their own past actions as problematic.

 

[deleted407021]

Whoa, nowhere did I say it was a necessity. I said it was currently a large part of such research.

I was just pointing out what I could see being the issue in interviews, while explicitly trying to avoid putting my personal views of the matter into it at all (so as neither to challenge yours nor call for their elaboration to avoid derailment).

If you can address that issue - the research one - in a realistic manner, you'd probably be fine. It's hard to do, though, and especially so when you're speaking to someone who has participated in it at some point and has an internal knee-jerk to defend against anything which paints their own past actions as problematic.

Ah, sorry if I came off as confrontational. I was just trying to differentiate between arguments.
I see exactly what you mean, and I'm definitely interested in pushing for changes in the research culture.

 

[mehc012]

Ah, sorry if I came off as confrontational. I was just trying to differentiate between arguments.
I see exactly what you mean, and I'm definitely interested in pushing for changes in the research culture.

Nah, I'm not bent about it. Just found it interesting that that is how mine came across when I was explicitly trying to avoid phrasing it that way!
And I think that is a lot of the problem - any future discussions on this or any of these more heated topics is going to be charged with whatever people expect the argument to be, what they've seen in the past, and what bothers them most. That is why these are difficult subjects to discuss, and should be treated with care!

 

[type12]

WTF? This is SDN, rip each others throats out. Seriously, coming to an amicable conclusion. The gall of you two...

 

[drcrispmd]

It is best not to bring up political or controversial issues.

Do not claim hobbies that you do not do. For example, do not say you love snow skiing when you have never been. I had a residency candidate do this and when I asked where is her favorite place to ski, she said oh I have never been but I love it.

Hobbies show you know how to balance school and life. They want well rounded individuals. Examples of hobbies: gardening, cooking, traveling, photography, reading certain types of books (I have lots of non fiction books on disease and epidemics), antique medical book collecting, etc. if your only hobbies are video games and watching tv/netflix, I suggest you find some more.

 

[RumbaToMD]

What about discussing mental health issues (i.e. depression, anxiety etc) in secondaries?

 

[ciestar]

What about discussing mental health issues (i.e. depression, anxiety etc) in secondaries?

Most tell you to shy away from that..

 

[altblue]

If religious people can demonstrate leadership through church groups or whatnot, can't non-religious people can do so through groups like SSA?

I wouldn't expect this to help at schools like LL or GT, obviously, but atheism is something I'm passionate about and if I can objectively say what I've done to contribute to the group, surely most adcoms can appreciate this?

 

[alabamy]

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[mysdnhandle]

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[Skittsie13]

How is an unconventional club sport perceived? Want to keep myself relatively anonymous but I think you can guess pretty easily based on my avatar It's actually very athletic, but I can see it being thought of as immature due to its origins.

 

[chopes31]

THIS:

That was sick!

 

[gettheleadout]

How is an unconventional club sport perceived? Want to keep myself relatively anonymous but I think you can guess pretty easily based on my avatar It's actually very athletic, but I can see it being thought of as immature due to its origins.

I'd say it's fine, probably a plus if you don't fit whatever negative preconceptions you think an adult might have of you as a player.


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[Tradewinds]

What about being good at target shooting? (I'm a female) Not a competitive shooter so its not listed as a major hobby or anything, but this would be for U of M's secondary when they request a 4 word completion of "most people don't know that I can ____"
Would this come across strange with gun control issues being such a hot topic? (Don't want to post the actual four words)

 

[deleted407021]

What about being good at target shooting? (I'm a female) Not a competitive shooter so its not listed as a major hobby or anything, but this would be for U of M's secondary when they request a 4 word completion of "most people don't know that I can ____"
Would this come across strange with gun control issues being such a hot topic? (Don't want to post the actual four words)

It shouldn't be a problem. Target shooting is a pretty conventional hobby and a good skill to have. It's not like you're a gun nut.

"Most people don't know that I can
fracture a human vertebrae."

Maybe I should find another "unique skill"?

 

[wwulf2k13]

.

 

[type12]

@wwulf2k13 Nah, that's fine. You can definitely talk about that.