Diversity Question Help

[SpaceJam430]

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I was working on some diversity essays and I wanted to get some feedback if what I was doing was okay. I have a couple of ideas, and I've been working on both of them.

1. I grew up with Epilepsy, and it was part of my personal statement (only at the beginning), but I was going to elaborate on the psychosocial factors (permanent lifestyle restrictions, consistent side-effects of medication, being outcasted from the South Asian community due to stigma) I experienced that play into having a chronic disease, and how I now know it's important to take those into account when caring for others and go beyond just caring for physical needs.

2. I did cultural dance in college. I had an injury after my first performance in front of hundreds of people. I know injuries are common, and I plan on elaborating on the strong feelings/emotions that come with injuries that impact very personal parts of our lives, and how I (again) learned how important it is to address needs beyond the physical ones. I know personal injury essays are very common, so I wasn't sure about this one.

3. Talk about one facility I worked at that had a lot of non-English speaking patients, and while I could communicate with some of them, others seemed almost impossible to do. I want to talk about how I learned ways that I could communicate with them when there were barriers (non-verbal cues, giving them choices instead of open-ended questions, body gestures, etc.). I plan on elaborating how by having this experience, I am more prepared to care for a diverse population of patients.

I would love to hear thoughts @Goro @LizzyM about which ideas are good (if any), which one is best / makes me stand out (if any), and any feedback. Thank you in advance!

 

[Goro]

1 and 2 are for adversity, not diversity. 1-3 could be for "greatest challenge" prompts

You are also making the mistake of thinking the question has to do with how you will be a good doctor. That's NOT what the prompt is for.

It's for "What do you bring to the Class?"

What's cool about you???

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I was working on some diversity essays and I wanted to get some feedback if what I was doing was okay. I have a couple of ideas, and I've been working on both of them.

1. I grew up with Epilepsy, and it was part of my personal statement (only at the beginning), but I was going to elaborate on the psychosocial factors (permanent lifestyle restrictions, consistent side-effects of medication, being outcasted from the South Asian community due to stigma) I experienced that play into having a chronic disease, and how I now know it's important to take those into account when caring for others and go beyond just caring for physical needs.

There's a lot in play here. Don't overthink this. As @Goro mentioned, it definitely feels more like "adversity overcome", as opposed to a diversity/inclusion statement. I would say that something touching on your South Asian identity and why it is important to you even though you have this adversity might be something worth exploring.

2. I did cultural dance in college. I had an injury after my first performance in front of hundreds of people. I know injuries are common, and I plan on elaborating on the strong feelings/emotions that come with injuries that impact very personal parts of our lives, and how I (again) learned how important it is to address needs beyond the physical ones. I know personal injury essays are very common, so I wasn't sure about this one.

Injuries and rehab are common for adversity essays.

3. Talk about one facility I worked at that had a lot of non-English speaking patients, and while I could communicate with some of them, others seemed almost impossible to do. I want to talk about how I learned ways that I could communicate with them when there were barriers (non-verbal cues, giving them choices instead of open-ended questions, body gestures, etc.). I plan on elaborating how by having this experience, I am more prepared to care for a diverse population of patients.

It feels more like a "challenge"/humility/overcoming failure response to me, not diversity. If you learned more to care for a diverse population of patients, tell me more about the differences between the patients and yourself other than perhaps being non-native English speakers. If they were all from your South Asian community, you'll need to pick or define another population.

 

[SpaceJam430]

1 and 2 are for adversity, not diversity. 1-3 could be for "greatest challenge" prompts

You are also making the mistake of thinking the question has to do with how you will be a good doctor. That's NOT what the prompt is for.

It's for "What do you bring to the Class?"

What's cool about you???

Ah okay, I think that makes sense. I also have a lot to say about the clashes between science and religion in my culture. Would talking about how they both shaped me be a good idea? I already have a sense of what to say but it's still a fresh idea so I didn't include it.

 

[Goro]

Ah okay, I think that makes sense. I also have a lot to say about the clashes between science and religion in my culture. Would talking about how they both shaped me be a good idea? I already have a sense of what to say but it's still a fresh idea so I didn't include it.

Nope.

You're still missing the point of the prompt, despite our explanations.

The prompt has nothing to do with ethnicity, either, unless one is URM

 

[jhmmd]

I was working on some diversity essays and I wanted to get some feedback if what I was doing was okay. I have a couple of ideas, and I've been working on both of them.

1. I grew up with Epilepsy, and it was part of my personal statement (only at the beginning), but I was going to elaborate on the psychosocial factors (permanent lifestyle restrictions, consistent side-effects of medication, being outcasted from the South Asian community due to stigma) I experienced that play into having a chronic disease, and how I now know it's important to take those into account when caring for others and go beyond just caring for physical needs.

2. I did cultural dance in college. I had an injury after my first performance in front of hundreds of people. I know injuries are common, and I plan on elaborating on the strong feelings/emotions that come with injuries that impact very personal parts of our lives, and how I (again) learned how important it is to address needs beyond the physical ones. I know personal injury essays are very common, so I wasn't sure about this one.

3. Talk about one facility I worked at that had a lot of non-English speaking patients, and while I could communicate with some of them, others seemed almost impossible to do. I want to talk about how I learned ways that I could communicate with them when there were barriers (non-verbal cues, giving them choices instead of open-ended questions, body gestures, etc.). I plan on elaborating how by having this experience, I am more prepared to care for a diverse population of patients.

I would love to hear thoughts @Goro @LizzyM about which ideas are good (if any), which one is best / makes me stand out (if any), and any feedback. Thank you in advance!

1. Sounds negative. I understand that it must have been difficult experiencing stigma from the South Asian community, but to me it sounds like you're complaining, unless you go into what you learned from it/how you turned it into an opportunity.
2. This sounds a little off-track. I understand that the dance had an ethnic component, but the injury part does not pertain to diversity. Maybe talk about the dance itself and how that/interpersonal relations with your teammates influenced you.
3. Again, it sounds like you are complaining in a subtle way. I know that this is not what you may have meant--but reading this description, it sounds like the patients inconvenienced you or something. Talk about what you learned from them. Talk about what cool things you picked up, stories you heard, and how it made you a better person. I am not sure what you mean by "giving them choices instead of open-ended questions."

Again, human disease =/= diversity. You need to talk about interpersonal relations and how XYZ helped you relate better to other people, not about what makes you different. A lot of people make this mistake; you're not the only one.

 

[SpaceJam430]

There's a lot in play here. Don't overthink this. As @Goro mentioned, it definitely feels more like "adversity overcome", as opposed to a diversity/inclusion statement. I would say that something touching on your South Asian identity and why it is important to you even though you have this adversity might be something worth exploring.



Injuries and rehab are common for adversity essays.


It feels more like a "challenge"/humility/overcoming failure response to me, not diversity. If you learned more to care for a diverse population of patients, tell me more about the differences between the patients and yourself other than perhaps being non-native English speakers. If they were all from your South Asian community, you'll need to pick or define another population.

Ah, I see. For the third one, there actually weren't any South Asian people. It was all LatinX/African American/East Asian/Caucasian. There was one patient who would talk to me a lot about

Nope.

You're still missing the point of the prompt, despite our explanations.

The prompt has nothing to do with ethnicity, either, unless one is URM

Nope.

You're still missing the point of the prompt, despite our explanations.

The prompt has nothing to do with ethnicity, either, unless one is URM

Yeah sorry I am still kind of confused lol. I keep looking online for suggestions about what to write about, but I still am getting lost by different websites and different explanations (including SDN lol). Can I still use something about dance and how it inspired a really social and collaborative atmosphere in our group, despite all of us coming from different parts of America? And would it be a good idea to include how I loved making connections with each and every one of them? Thanks in advance @Goro ! Sorry if I keep getting confused about it.

 

[SpaceJam430]

1. Sounds negative. I understand that it must have been difficult experiencing stigma from the South Asian community, but to me it sounds like you're complaining, unless you go into what you learned from it/how you turned it into an opportunity.
2. This sounds a little off-track. I understand that the dance had an ethnic component, but the injury part does not pertain to diversity. Maybe talk about the dance itself and how that/interpersonal relations with your teammates influenced you.
3. Again, it sounds like you are complaining in a subtle way. I know that this is not what you may have meant--but reading this description, it sounds like the patients inconvenienced you or something. Talk about what you learned from them. Talk about what cool things you picked up, stories you heard, and how it made you a better person. I am not sure what you mean by "giving them choices instead of open-ended questions."

Again, human disease =/= diversity. You need to talk about interpersonal relations and how XYZ helped you relate better to other people, not about what makes you different. A lot of people make this mistake; you're not the only one.

When you mean better person or things I picked up on, do you mean like specific interactions I made with people and how they might have influenced how I approach patients? Or am I missing the point? Is it too much related to medicine? Could I also instead talk about memory care patients and how it was another type of communication barrier? Thanks in advance @jhmmd !

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Can I still use something about dance and how it inspired a really social and collaborative atmosphere in our group, despite all of us coming from different parts of America? And would it be a good idea to include how I loved making connections with each and every one of them? Thanks in advance @Goro ! Sorry if I keep getting confused about it.

Interesting teamwork topic. Not really sure about diversity from what has been disclosed here.

 

[jhmmd]

When you mean better person or things I picked up on, do you mean like specific interactions I made with people and how they might have influenced how I approach patients? Or am I missing the point? Is it too much related to medicine? Could I also instead talk about memory care patients and how it was another type of communication barrier? Thanks in advance @jhmmd !

Yes
Too much related to medicine--this is impossible
Don't see how the memory care is related to diversity, but I'm not you so maybe you had a different experience.

 

[SpaceJam430]

Yes
Too much related to medicine--this is impossible
Don't see how the memory care is related to diversity, but I'm not you so maybe you had a different experience.

Ah, well should I instead of saying how I approach patients, maybe just how I approach and build rapport/connect with people? And would some specific situations that would be appropriate include not just language barriers, but maybe some stories they've told me? For example, I talked with an African American patient whose leg was run over by a car and he started telling me about his career, hobbies, his family, etc. Should I talk about how I discovered how I've found ways to make it easier to build rapport with people? Maybe also talk about the importance of body language/non-verbal cues that I learned while I was there? Or am I still missing the point? Thanks in advance @jhmmd !

By memory care I also meant just how difficult it was to communicate with them, especially about things like me having to assist with activities of daily living.

 

[SpaceJam430]

Interesting teamwork topic. Not really sure about diversity from what has been disclosed here.

I meant that having to work with a lot of different people and learning that this cultural dance is about learning together, and you can't just learn it alone since it's a team sport. Our performance depends on how we work with each other, and connecting with each other and becoming "in sync" was important to us. Is that more about diversity? Thanks @Mr.Smile12 !

 

[Goro]

Introspection is a requirement for being a doctor, Jam.

 

[SpaceJam430]

Introspection is a requirement for being a doctor, Jam.

You got a point, so I was reflecting a little more about the cultural dance as a team effort. I was starting to write about how I needed to stop thinking about it as an individual sport, but instead I needed to center how I learned as part of a team, and not just an individual dancer. I guess the diversity part would be about centering my self-improvement around growing alongside the people with me, and helping each other be brought up together. What do you think @Goro ? Thanks in advance!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I meant that having to work with a lot of different people and learning that this cultural dance is about learning together, and you can't just learn it alone since it's a team sport. Our performance depends on how we work with each other, and connecting with each other and becoming "in sync" was important to us. Is that more about diversity? Thanks @Mr.Smile12 !

To me, it's teamwork. You have a common goal and different people with different abilities, yes, but you are building relationships as a team.

Unless you are all dancing together but each with his or her own style or music (waltz, hip hop, electric slide, contact improv)... that would be diversity to me.

 

[SpaceJam430]

To me, it's teamwork. You have a common goal and different people with different abilities, yes, but you are building relationships as a team.

Unless you are all dancing together but each with his or her own style or music (waltz, hip hop, electric slide, contact improv)... that would be diversity to me.

Ah that makes sense. So it'd definitely be better to think of an example where I interact with a diverse group of people? If that's the case, can I talk about how, while it is specific to my culture, there are other members on the team from different cultural backgrounds? And could I talk about how I used this dance that we are both passionate about to connect with them? Or is that still too much teamwork and not enough diversity? Or something else? Thanks in advance @Mr.Smile12

 

[Goro]

You got a point, so I was reflecting a little more about the cultural dance as a team effort. I was starting to write about how I needed to stop thinking about it as an individual sport, but instead I needed to center how I learned as part of a team, and not just an individual dancer. I guess the diversity part would be about centering my self-improvement around growing alongside the people with me, and helping each other be brought up together. What do you think @Goro ? Thanks in advance!

I think I'm done here.

 

[jhmmd]

Ah, well should I instead of saying how I approach patients, maybe just how I approach and build rapport/connect with people? And would some specific situations that would be appropriate include not just language barriers, but maybe some stories they've told me? For example, I talked with an African American patient whose leg was run over by a car and he started telling me about his career, hobbies, his family, etc. Should I talk about how I discovered how I've found ways to make it easier to build rapport with people? Maybe also talk about the importance of body language/non-verbal cues that I learned while I was there? Or am I still missing the point? Thanks in advance @jhmmd !

By memory care I also meant just how difficult it was to communicate with them, especially about things like me having to assist with activities of daily living.

jhmmd out

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Ah that makes sense. So it'd definitely be better to think of an example where I interact with a diverse group of people? If that's the case, can I talk about how, while it is specific to my culture, there are other members on the team from different cultural backgrounds? And could I talk about how I used this dance that we are both passionate about to connect with them? Or is that still too much teamwork and not enough diversity? Or something else? Thanks in advance @Mr.Smile12

I can't give away that much more from the Becoming a Student Doctor course. I'll just say it's your essay and the impressions you give to those who will evaluate it. Until you ACTUALLY WRITE SOMETHING, you can go any direction you want. It's your responsibility to show us how much you really understand diversity. So you can paralyze yourself in trying to find the "perfect answer" or actually start writing.