Diversity Question - Is molecular and cellular biology knowledge utilized in PT?

[I Just wanna be a PT]

Hey guys,

There is a question on many PT applications that asks what type of diversity I can bring to their school. Being a white American male, I found this question difficult to answer at first. But I thought, maybe I could talk about how I majored in cellular and molecular biology, and explain the different type scientific perspective I could offer. What do you guys think about this idea? Do you think understanding molecular and cellular biology can be beneficial in some aspects for PT? How?

Thanks for the help!

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[ACPTWannabe]

I personally would not recommend doing that. You certainly will not be the only one that majored in cellulr and molecular biology that applying to these schools. I would recommend approaching it by talking about one of the other areas of diversity. Diversity isn't just about race. You could talk about a unique life experience, the fact you will be a male in a predominately female profession, any differences in socioeconomic status you might have experienced, or if you have differing religious views (although this would be a last resort to talk about).

 

[Plya320]

Talk about experiences or volunteering opportunities you participated in that helped minorities or a diverse community.

 

[I Just wanna be a PT]

I cared for my sick father. This could definitely be something that sets me apart from other students, however, I wrote about this for my primary PTCAS essay and don't want to overdo it. Any thoughts?

 

[KS_DPT96]

I think you can use that major to your advantage. There may be a lot of biology applicants, but I'm sure there aren't THAT many cellular biology students applying to PT schools. Talk about the specific skills you had to learn majoring in that field of study if that's the route you want to take. Focusing on fine details, having to figure out microscopic problems to solve potentially life-threatening issues, etc. I don't know what skills you learned that I didn't in Nutrition Science or others in Exercise Science or Chemistry but I'm sure you can figure something out. Just make sure to explain why those different skills also set you up for success in the PT world.

 

[Frightened_Rabbit]

Think about what actually makes you diverse. Scientific background? Probably not. Volunteer experiences? Again, unless they’re really novel, probably not.

Interests? Yes, most definitely. Personality? You bet. Unique talents/life experiences? Yes.

How does your personality apply to PT? Some psych research has demonstrated that (at least in psychotherapy/psych variables) the therapeutic bond between therapist and patient is actually more predictive of beneficial outcomes than the interventions the therapist provides. That is, that a therapist who cannot connect with their patients is lousy regardless of the techniques they use

PT has a huge psychosocial component that is inherent in the treatment process. Though not as paramount as in psychotherapy, forming a connection with your patients can strongly facilitate progress. And it’s easier to connect with people if you have varied interests/cool things to talk about

Show them that here

(just my advice though. Don’t hold me to it if it backfires)

If not, I assume that your major involved a lot of research analysis? That’s certainly pertinent to the field and something that other majors might not bring

 

[rainrunner]

Do you have any unique work experiences? I used to work at the airport so I might use that to talk about how I worked with a very diverse group of people in a fast-paced setting.

 

[deleted797640]

yea like the others stated I would stay away from using that to justify diversity