Diversity Essay Topic (Opinions please)

[newdoc44]

I have a diversity essay topic that I really want to write about but am scared to. I am white, and I grew up in a very religious, very conservative environment in the South. And I'm not talking about a Southern family with money either. I know that my perspective is underrepresented in medicine because the closer I get to medical school (the more involved I got in various med-school EC's, research, etc.) the fewer people I find who were raised like me, if any at all really by the time I was heavily involved in these things. I often see terms like "navigated through cultural barriers" thrown around in prompts like these, that is precisely what I had to do to get my family to even remotely be accepting of some of this stuff (anti-science type opinions, anti-academia, etc.). I know that I will add diversity of background/perspective to the class in the manner they are referring to in the prompt, but I am scared that this is not what they are looking for or want to hear from me because I am white. Is me writing about this just going to get trashed/laughed at because it won't compare to the barriers minorities have had to navigate through in the adcom's mind? As a side note the entire essay is not about this but this is one point among a few others.

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[Lannister]

Sounds OK to me. Diversity isn't just limited to race/ethnicity. It has a lot to do with life experiences as well.

 

[Inspired Chaos]

.

 

[Highdrogen]

It sounds like a nice change of pace compared to what they normally read

 

[mellie0]

I like it!! Don't be all "I'm just a white guy," please.. statistically most applicants are, anyway. It's about going beyond that and showing aspects of yourself that you think make you unique.

 

[Goro]

I have a diversity essay topic that I really want to write about but am scared to. I am white, and I grew up in a very religious, very conservative environment in the South. And I'm not talking about a Southern family with money either. I know that my perspective is underrepresented in medicine because the closer I get to medical school (the more involved I got in various med-school EC's, research, etc.) the fewer people I find who were raised like me, if any at all really by the time I was heavily involved in these things. I often see terms like "navigated through cultural barriers" thrown around in prompts like these, that is precisely what I had to do to get my family to even remotely be accepting of some of this stuff (anti-science type opinions, anti-academia, etc.). I know that I will add diversity of background/perspective to the class in the manner they are referring to in the prompt, but I am scared that this is not what they are looking for or want to hear from me because I am white. Is me writing about this just going to get trashed/laughed at because it won't compare to the barriers minorities have had to navigate through in the adcom's mind? As a side note the entire essay is not about this but this is one point among a few others.

Just don't apply to the Touros or Einstein.

The prompt is not about culture or ethnicity. What's cool about you?

I mean, trying to say "I was a strict, snake wiggling, Bible-thumping, fire-breathing, no dancing Southern Baptist" ( a line form Don Imus) isn't going to cut it.

And before the thin-skinned start going ballistic, I married gal who was raise a Baptist.

 

[LizzyM]

Just don't apply to the Touros or Einstein.

The prompt is not about culture or ethnicity. What's cool about you?

I mean, trying to say "I was a strict, snake wiggling, Bible-thumping, fire-breathing, no dancing Southern Baptist" ( a line form Don Imus) isn't going to cut it.

And before the thin-skinned start going ballistic, I married gal who was raise a Baptist.

Not going ballistic but the life experience of someone raised in a culturally conservative, religious Southern white household IS under-represented in medical school. Being able to navigate cultural barriers and understand the point of view of people who often feel alienated by the mainstream culture is important and being able to express those insights to others in the class is valuable.

If you've got a conservative Southern white mom who is refusing to vaccinate her kid against HPV, how might you bring her around to seeing the value of the vaccine? What matters to her? That's where it is useful to have someone in the class who has walked in those shoes or who knows well the people who have.

 

[mellie0]

Just don't apply to the Touros or Einstein.

Why do you say this, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Goro]

Why do you say this, if you don't mind me asking?

"a very religious, very conservative environment in the South."

"Orthodox Jew" was not the first thing that ran through my mind.

 

[mellie0]

"a very religious, very conservative environment in the South."

"Orthodox Jew" was not the first thing that ran through my mind.

But you don't have to be Jewish to apply. In fact, I'm sure they welcome people from all sorts of backgrounds.