Being average as my specialty?

[Pikerun]

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I'm aware that many medical schools ask how you'll add to their diversity. By this question, they mean what makes you different. How will your personality add to the overall quality of our school.

I'm wondering if it will hurt or help my chances if I tell them that I'll add to their diversity because there's nothing special about me. This whole applying process has 10's of thousands of people trying to prove how special they are. What if I just admit that there's nothing special about me and that's what makes me special. As a current civilian, I prefer doctors that I can relate to on a personal level. Well, I'm not some natural born genius; I don't have a Rhodes Scholarship, I don't have umteen papers written with me as 2nd author. What I am, I'm a dude who grew up in poor ass West Virginia who can relate to all my normal, everyday patients. I'll make them feel comfortable because it's as if their doctor is just their neighbor next door.

What do you all think?

Edit: I should preference that I have a 3.94 GPA and a 521 MCAT. So I can handle the curriculum, but I'm not an EC superstar.

 

[gyngyn]

This won't fly.
At best, it will appear disingenuous.

 

[hipsnontrad]

maybe take this with you to interviews.

 

[HomeSkool]

That idea will fail like a flying dog. Back to the drawing board.

 

[ciestar]

If you’re from a poor upbringing in a rural area...there you go

 

[Lucca]

From rural West Virginia....
> I’ve been to rural West Virginia. It’s practically another country. Talk about this.

3.94/521...
> in reality you’re not competing with tens of thousands but about 1,000 other applicants. You will have options.

 

[OneTwoThreeFour]

I'm aware that many medical schools ask how you'll add to their diversity. By this question, they mean what makes you different. How will your personality add to the overall quality of our school.

I'm wondering if it will hurt or help my chances if I tell them that I'll add to their diversity because there's nothing special about me. This whole applying process has 10's of thousands of people trying to prove how special they are. What if I just admit that there's nothing special about me and that's what makes me special. As a current civilian, I prefer doctors that I can relate to on a personal level. Well, I'm not some natural born genius; I don't have a Rhodes Scholarship, I don't have umteen papers written with me as 2nd author. What I am, I'm a dude who grew up in poor ass West Virginia who can relate to all my normal, everyday patients. I'll make them feel comfortable because it's as if their doctor is just their neighbor next door.

What do you all think?

Edit: I should preference that I have a 3.94 GPA and a 521 MCAT. So I can handle the curriculum, but I'm not an EC superstar.

Saying this implies that other "special" people can't relate to normal, everyday patients. While there are a few people who are weeded out by their poor interpersonal skills most people don't get this far if they aren't able to be empathetic and relatable.

 

[B4y 4RE4 N4Tiv3]

I'm actually watching to see if this works, I'm curious

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

I'm aware that many medical schools ask how you'll add to their diversity. By this question, they mean what makes you different. How will your personality add to the overall quality of our school.

I'm wondering if it will hurt or help my chances if I tell them that I'll add to their diversity because there's nothing special about me. This whole applying process has 10's of thousands of people trying to prove how special they are. What if I just admit that there's nothing special about me and that's what makes me special. As a current civilian, I prefer doctors that I can relate to on a personal level. Well, I'm not some natural born genius; I don't have a Rhodes Scholarship, I don't have umteen papers written with me as 2nd author. What I am, I'm a dude who grew up in poor ass West Virginia who can relate to all my normal, everyday patients. I'll make them feel comfortable because it's as if their doctor is just their neighbor next door.

What do you all think?

Edit: I should preference that I have a 3.94 GPA and a 521 MCAT. So I can handle the curriculum, but I'm not an EC superstar.

Lol with those stats, you CANNOT give that reply. But of course, you were only joking... right?

 

[Goro]

I'm aware that many medical schools ask how you'll add to their diversity. By this question, they mean what makes you different. How will your personality add to the overall quality of our school.

I'm wondering if it will hurt or help my chances if I tell them that I'll add to their diversity because there's nothing special about me. This whole applying process has 10's of thousands of people trying to prove how special they are. What if I just admit that there's nothing special about me and that's what makes me special. As a current civilian, I prefer doctors that I can relate to on a personal level. Well, I'm not some natural born genius; I don't have a Rhodes Scholarship, I don't have umteen papers written with me as 2nd author. What I am, I'm a dude who grew up in poor ass West Virginia who can relate to all my normal, everyday patients. I'll make them feel comfortable because it's as if their doctor is just their neighbor next door.

What do you all think?

Edit: I should preference that I have a 3.94 GPA and a 521 MCAT. So I can handle the curriculum, but I'm not an EC superstar.

SDNers are flat out amazed that about 15-20% of people in this stats category do not get accepted. This post explains one reason why.

OP, really, do NOT do this unless you really do not want to be a doctor.

 

[harmony14]

This won't fly.
At best, it will appear disingenuous.

How is that dishonest if they genuinely feel there's nothing special about them. At most I think that more honest than the bluff (I perceive them as a bluff) some applicants write. Like, is everyone legit dedicated to the community or will they be active in promoting diversity at MedSchool.

 

[ciestar]

How is that dishonest if they genuinely feel there's nothing special about them. At most I think that more honest than the bluff (I perceive them as a bluff) some applicants write. Like, is everyone legit dedicated to the community or will they be active in promoting diversity at MedSchool.

That is the issue. You should have something special about yourself. Goro said it before, high stat applicants do get turned away for being academic robots with no real things to speak of about themselves other than their academic success.

 

[Phile98]

Sounds like OP is someone who spent too much time studying and not enough time searching for meaningful experiences. OP I think you need to travel or do something to get to know yourself. Everyone has something special in them; they just need to search.

 

[Bubblepop]

How is that dishonest if they genuinely feel there's nothing special about them. At most I think that more honest than the bluff (I perceive them as a bluff) some applicants write. Like, is everyone legit dedicated to the community or will they be active in promoting diversity at MedSchool.

I think @gyngyn used disingenuous to mean insincere, rather than dishonest. Honesty is good, unless it paints you as someone who didn't care enough to take time and effort to shape a good response.

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

Yeah OP, travel with me! Im looking for a volunteer buddy 😛

 

[harmony14]

That is the issue. You should have something special about yourself. Goro said it before, high stat applicants do get turned away for being academic robots with no real things to speak of about themselves other than their academic success.

Sounds like OP is someone that spent too much time studying and not enough searching for meaningful experiences. OP I think you need to travel or do something to get to know yourself. Everyone has something special in them; they just need to search.

I'm basically the OP, lol. This is exactly what I feared the most about application cycle: what makes you interesting. Why do they even care as long you get the work done.

 

[Phile98]

Yeah OP, travel with me! Im looking for a volunteer buddy 😛

Just make sure you don't travel with @HomeSkool LMAO

 

[ekmf27050]

TBH I complained about the diversity essays for similar reasons.

But I wrote about how the pursuit of one of my artistic hobbies taught me a different way of thinking/conceptualizing things and allows me to bring a diverse type of thinking to the entering class etc etc.

Seemed to work out- discussed the hobby in almost all of my interviews. At the very least, it didn't get me summarily rejected from all schools.

 

[ciestar]

I'm basically the OP, lol. This is exactly what I feared the most about application cycle: what makes you interesting. Why do they even care as long you get the work done.

Because they want humans, not rigid robots lol
If stats were the only thing they look at...well, there are more than enough qualified applicants. You want students patients can relate to and students that got out of the library and did things for themselves and other people.

 

[DokterMom]

As a poor kid from West Virginia, you will bring diversity. If you truly understand that culture, that's going to be unique. Not many poor kids from rural locations get into medical school --

It really is that simple.

 

[gyngyn]

How is that dishonest if they genuinely feel there's nothing special about them. At most I think that more honest than the bluff (I perceive them as a bluff) some applicants write. Like, is everyone legit dedicated to the community or will they be active in promoting diversity at MedSchool.

I refer not to dishonesty. Rather, it has that cringey "aw shucks" vibe that will be perceived as dissembling.

 

[Pikerun]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I get the general idea. The fact that I grew up in a poor, rural area in WV is the diversity I should talk about. I'll go with that.
But I would also like to reply to the comment saying I spent too much time in the books and not enough time experiencing life. This is not true, I just never had the money to go traveling or join a summer program. That doesn't mean I didn't spend free time socializing with people or hanging out by the river drinking beer. Just because someone has good grades doesn't make them a robotic bookworm.

Regardless, thanks for all the replies. It has helped me focus what I'm going to write about. I appreciate the help here.