"diversity essay" in secondaries

[thebillsfan]

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For any of these questions, regardless of how they word it, is it acceptable to not have anything about your family background/past? My diversity comes from what I've done in college, not anything from my childhood or socioeconomic situation that makes me inherently diverse.

 

[DocBell]

For any of these questions, regardless of how they word it, is it acceptable to not have anything about your family background/past? My diversity comes from what I've done in college, not anything from my childhood or socioeconomic situation that makes me inherently diverse.

I hope so lol. Cause I am in the same boat. We can't exactly help our backgrounds.

 

[runfastnow]

Same boat as you guys, I am writing about things that happened in college. Luckily I played a sport with a lot of international players and was on a team with a guy from Iran. I am writing about how he taught us about their customs and such.

 

[Narmerguy]

I certainly don't think it has to be based upon socioeconomic/racial/childhood stuff. Write about what it is that makes you unique and that will enrich the culture of the school by having you there rather than someone else. You're more than stats and your more than your university, what about you brings real diversity? If it's experiences that you've gained (find a way to unify them) then write about that. Often times people simply choose something racial or socioeconomic which, while indeed unique from many applicants, is quite a cop-out in my opinion and could certainly be explored on a more intellectual level.

 

[SweetRain]

I think it can be anything as long as they don't specify.
EC's are specifically college based because they want to see what you did as a pre-med. Essays are read more to see what kind of person you are and what shaped you to be that way.

It can certainly be in college where you met people from different backgrounds, where you moved to a new environment, or did a study abroad. On the other hand, it can also be your childhood experience. I moved around the world because of my parents' jobs and it certainly shaped who I am today.

Just make sure to explain how it affected you and who you are today.

 

[samuraiR]

I certainly don't think it has to be based upon socioeconomic/racial/childhood stuff. Write about what it is that makes you unique and that will enrich the culture of the school by having you there rather than someone else. You're more than stats and your more than your university, what about you brings real diversity? If it's experiences that you've gained (find a way to unify them) then write about that. Often times people simply choose something racial or socioeconomic which, while indeed unique from many applicants, is quite a cop-out in my opinion and could certainly be explored on a more intellectual level.

I wouldnt call it a "cop-out" at all. Sometimes that is what makes you diverse. I grew up overseas in poverty, came from a multi-cultural background, and majored in "non-science". Those add to diversity, those experiences made me who I am today... saying its a "cop-out" is a bit of a stretch.

I am not saying everyone has these experiences, but everyone has something that makes them diverse and different...write about that.

 

[Asyouwereatrio]

I wouldnt call it a "cop-out" at all. Sometimes that is what makes you diverse. I grew up overseas in poverty, came from a multi-cultural background, and majored in "non-science". Those add to diversity, those experiences made me who I am today... saying its a "cop-out" is a bit of a stretch.

I am not saying everyone has these experiences, but everyone has something that makes them diverse and different...write about that.

I agree..I would not call it a cop-out. There are a large number of people whose background growing up shaped their beliefs as they grew older. I doubt that someone growing up in poverty and the same person from a wealthy family would have exactly the same views about all ethical/moral/technical issues in medicine.

People's different backgrounds are what give medical schools and the medical profession the personalities necessary that make our community so diverse.

going back to the OP's question, you can write about ANYTHING you want as long as it makes you unique and different from the next applicant...That's the purpose of this question: to get you to think about who you are and what you can bring to the medical school.

 

[Forven]

same...i wrote about my undergraduate art degree.

 

[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.

 

[mic2377]

I think that where you get the material for this is of marginal importance. It is how you answer the question and address how you can work with/understand different viewpoints.

I would argue that discussing one's background is not a "cop-out" approach. Its a "cop-out" when you have to invent stuff to talk about that somehow demonstrates your experience with diversity, when you don't actually have any... some pre-meds are truly inventive when it comes to manufacturing essays from the one night they spent hiding behind the desk in the ER.

 

[Narmerguy]

I wouldnt call it a "cop-out" at all. Sometimes that is what makes you diverse. I grew up overseas in poverty, came from a multi-cultural background, and majored in "non-science". Those add to diversity, those experiences made me who I am today... saying its a "cop-out" is a bit of a stretch.

I am not saying everyone has these experiences, but everyone has something that makes them diverse and different...write about that.

I agree..I would not call it a cop-out. There are a large number of people whose background growing up shaped their beliefs as they grew older. I doubt that someone growing up in poverty and the same person from a wealthy family would have exactly the same views about all ethical/moral/technical issues in medicine.

People's different backgrounds are what give medical schools and the medical profession the personalities necessary that make our community so diverse.

going back to the OP's question, you can write about ANYTHING you want as long as it makes you unique and different from the next applicant...That's the purpose of this question: to get you to think about who you are and what you can bring to the medical school.

What you've described is not what I was objecting to. I was more referring to arguments such as "I'm from a poorer, different background from most people therefore I bring diversity" or "I'm a racial minority and since there aren't that many of those in your school, I bring diversity". That, to me, is a cop-out.

Obviously things you can describe can and often will tie-in to the kind of stuff you've described. However, I like to think that I am not defined by my race or my class but by my perspectives and beliefs. Truly, as in everything about me, my race will impact this. But it is NOT the focal point.

 

[hopki099]

Well i could be wrong, but i believe that diversity is an old, old, wooden ship that was used during the Civil War era.

 

[Forven]

Well i could be wrong, but i believe that diversity is an old, old, wooden ship that was used during the Civil War era.

 

[DocBell]

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.

Thanks the feedback helps 🙂