DPT Essay about diversity

[tp216]

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How has your background and experience prepared you to interact effectively with individuals who are different from you in their social, cultural, or economic perspectives?


My only experience I have is working as an aide in a upscale neighborhood, so majority of the patients were all geriatric patients. I also student managed the men's basketball team at my school. I am an Indian-American female, and I feel like you don't see too many of Indian females at a university men's basketball program. Would I be able to include anything about that in my essay?

 

[starrsgirl]

I think you need to look at this a little more broadly. I'm a little confused on the "upscale neighborhood, geriatric". Are you saying economically, that population was above you? Or that the geriatric population was a "social" difference? You may need to flush that out a bit if you are going to use it. I think the geriatric population part can work really well (many people find it difficult to relate to other age groups), I'm less sure about their income status (generally, PT students come from middle to upper class economic backgrounds....so we as a group are most likely to struggle in relating to lower socio economic status, not higher. You may be hard pressed to convince an admissions committee that it was a time of personal growth to try and relate to people who make more $$ than you). I'm not sure I see the men's basketball team either.....unless you could convince me that the men's basketball culture is so strong that sometimes it was a barrier. (otherwise, I'm thinking you are likely to share a common college social, cultural and economic culture with those players. So they are more similar than different to you. Mine is just one opinion).

To me, the most obvious take for you is to talk about your life experience as an Indian-American. Perhaps you have felt like you have a culturally different perspective from your peers. Is it hard to understand your friends sometimes who may have a different culture? Does your culture come with a different set of health care beliefs than other cultures or providers may hold? I think that would be a very powerful essay. Have you had experiences in life where you felt like your culture created a barrier for you?

Also, have you ever done any volunteer work or observation work for economically disadvantaged population? (anything....soup kitchen, clothing drives, volunteer at church, observed in a free clinic). That may help round your essay out for the economic perspective.

 

[Phyline]

generally, PT students come from middle to upper class economic backgrounds....so we as a group are most likely to struggle in relating to lower socio economic status, not higher.

I've struggled relating to higher socioeconomic status. My parents were immigrant PhD students throughout my high school and college, I got free school lunches and went to undergrad for free on a need-based scholarship, because our combined income barely broke 20K for like 8 years in a row. Can I spin that in my favor?

 

[shihalud]

I've struggled relating to higher socioeconomic status. My parents were immigrant PhD students throughout my high school and college, I got free school lunches and went to undergrad for free on a need-based scholarship, because our combined income barely broke 20K for like 8 years in a row. Can I spin that in my favor?

Yes, of course you can. Where did your parents immigrate from? More than likely you have the experience of coming from a different cultural heritage as well, which always looks great. I would try to answer the question on all 3 fronts if you can, and not just the one aspect (social and cultural and economic). Not necessary but might make it stronger overall.

 

[Phyline]

We came from Russia, so I've got the cultural aspect covered - international student forever and ever, hahaha.
I'm not sure what "social" aspect means and whether it's much different from "economical", so that's troublesome...

 

[shihalud]

We came from Russia, so I've got the cultural aspect covered - international student forever and ever, hahaha.
I'm not sure what "social" aspect means and whether it's much different from "economical", so that's troublesome...

Awesome! Play that up for sure, especially if you had any experiences where you felt different because of that background. Hmm, as far as social, I take that to mean sexual orientation, political group, and religion. Some of those groups are in the minority, so if you have any experiences relating to those three categories that could help. There might be more than that under the "social" heading, those are just the ones I can think of offhand.

 

[Phyline]

Nope, nope, and nope. But I will look into that more. Thanks!!

 

[starrsgirl]

I've struggled relating to higher socioeconomic status. My parents were immigrant PhD students throughout my high school and college, I got free school lunches and went to undergrad for free on a need-based scholarship, because our combined income barely broke 20K for like 8 years in a row. Can I spin that in my favor?

I think absolutely. I didn't mean to say this kind of thing never happens in reverse, but just that for many PT applicants, they need to walk that line carefully if they are solidly middle class and say they had trouble relating to upper class (that's just what the numbers show....most PT students are middle/upper class). In your case, you clearly have personal and life experiences which would give evidence to your position about relating to a different economic class. Really, I think the experience of having a different path to PT is very powerful. Not only can you relate better to your patients but your classmates will learn a lot from your perspective.

Obviously for you, you may also be able to write about moving from Russian culture to American culture.

My 2 cents is "social" is thrown in the question to give a little more room to students who truly don't have experience in the other 2 (which is fine! I know my own experience was limited but I was able to draw on some key volunteer activities for help).