Homosexuality/bisexuality best left unsaid?

[ekb1701]

I was just curious about whether or not open homosexuality or bisexuality would seriously hinder a student's chances of admission into a medical school.

i.e. If they were asked about significant other in an interview, talked in interview or wrote about struggles of coping with their sexuality in a straight-oriented world, etc.

It would seem that, in med schools' never-ending quest for the enigma they love to call "diversity", gay and lesbian students would in no way be discriminated against. But who knows.

This has to be the craziest question ever...

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[jochi1543]

I was on the AAMC website just minutes ago and this is on the front page:

Gay Discrimination Still Exists in Medical Schools
A recent AAMC survey found that bias and even hostility against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender medical students is more prevalent than previously thought. (July 16, 2007)

I know that's all I'd need to know, however, I wanted to say that we DO have a GLBT Mentor in the Mentor Forum: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=222

You can also ask them a question via the Confidential Consult subforum if you want comments on specific issues that you'd rather not address in the general forums.

 

[bth7]

I was just curious about whether or not open homosexuality or bisexuality would seriously hinder a student's chances of admission into a medical school.

i.e. If they were asked about significant other in an interview, talked in interview or wrote about struggles of coping with their sexuality in a straight-oriented world, etc.

It would seem that, in med schools' never-ending quest for the enigma they love to call "diversity", gay and lesbian students would in no way be discriminated against. But who knows.

This has to be the craziest question ever...

other resources for you:

http://www.glma.org
http://www.amsa.org/lgbt

Good luck.

 

[axp107]

Dooon't mention it.. don't risk it

From what I've heard, many of the interviewers are more old-fashioned and from older generations.. although you might love to be optimistic and think that telling an interviewer about your struggles as a gay/lesbian, you have to be ready to assume the worst. Don't do it.

 

[littlealex]

Yeah. While the schools do advertise their aim for diversity, the interviewer may hold biases. More importantly, there's no way for you to prove that they were biased because of your sexuality.

Just don't mention it. If I were go, I don't think I would lie about it if asked. I'd be too proud for that. However, if it does not come up (which I don't see why it should), I wouldn't feel compelled to bring it up.

 

[HumidBeing]

It's not the craziest question ever. Doesn't even come close to the question about whether one would eat a poop hotdog in order to gain admission to one's school of choice.

The thing about "seriously hindering" an application is that it only has to cause one person who is screening or on the interview committee to decide that someone else is a better fit.

Religious exhortations, sex lives, and political platitudes are best not brought up at formal dinners and interviews. During the application process you want to convince strangers that they want you as part of their group. Essay and interview results are subjective. Each of those strangers is an individual about whom you know nothing. A significant portion of the population has an openly negative bias on this subject; still more are uncomfortable and unintentionally biased. You are trying to advertise yourself as a great choice. To put it in perspective, there are people on another thread getting their panties in a wad over mentioning overcoming an eating disorder. If we were at the point where the benefit of talking about gay/bisexual issues in a critical interview was greater than the risk, there wouldn't be a need to "talk about...struggles of coping with their sexuality in a straight-oriented world, etc." because there would be no struggle to talk about, would there?

 

[LizzyM]

The situations where I've seen it hurt applicants has been when it is mentioned in the AMCAS essay as well as every one of the secondary essays plus a few of the extracurriculars. As one old timer said, "Well, we know he's gay but we really don't know anything else about him."

Don't define yourself by your sexuality or your choice of a partner. Your goal should be to have the reader or interviewer remember you for your activities and accomplishments rather than your sexual preferences.

One exception may be if you have the goal of being a primary care provider in the gay community, to meet a need that you see as unmet. That may be very attractive, particularly in larger metro areas.

 

[TheRealMD]

If it doesn't shape a profound part of how you'll practice medicine, it's doesn't need to be said.

 

[smq123]

i.e. If they were asked about significant other in an interview, talked in interview or wrote about struggles of coping with their sexuality in a straight-oriented world, etc.

* I would hope that they don't ask about significant others. That's supposed to be an "out of bounds" question, along with questions about your religion, your personal marital history, etc.

* If it didn't play an enormous role in your decision to become a doctor, you don't really have to go into it.

* If you did a lot of work with an LGBT group in college, and it was one of your biggest extracurriculars - why not put it down? If you never attended a meeting, then you shouldn't put it down anyway (i.e. it's not a meaningful EC, so don't try to make it one). If a med school penalizes you for your sexual orientation...do you really want to attend that school in the first place?

 

[LizzyM]

* I would hope that they don't ask about significant others. That's supposed to be an "out of bounds" question, along with questions about your religion, your personal marital history, etc.

You may be asked about your support network... who you depend on when you are under stress.

Be yourself. Physicians are trained to be non-judgmental when dealing with patients and most will focus on the characteristics of applicants that are relevant to the practice of medicine while filtering out those characteristics which are not relevant. So, if you mention in an interview that you've traveled abroad the interviewer may ask, "did you travel alone?" That's not an out of bounds question but you need to think about whether you will "come out" in answering that question or if you are going to stay closeted and answer in a fuzzy way (a friend, a roommate, etc).

* If it didn't play an enormous role in your decision to become a doctor, you don't really have to go into it.

True, but it is possible to list activities that are unrelated to being a doctor, whether it is involvement with athletics, visual or performing arts, or blue collar employment.

* If you did a lot of work with an LGBT group in college, and it was one of your biggest extracurriculars - why not put it down? If you never attended a meeting, then you shouldn't put it down anyway (i.e. it's not a meaningful EC, so don't try to make it one). If a med school penalizes you for your sexual orientation...do you really want to attend that school in the first place?

Being involved in a group would be a very acceptable thing to put on the AMCAS. However if the only things on the list are LGBT activities might make you appear uni-dimentional. (Same applies to someone whose activities are all related to an ethnic enclave or religious group).

 

[Hurricane95]

Whether you like it or not, discrimination against all groups of people pretty much still exists here and there. Unless your orientation played a MAJOR role in your decision to pursue medicine or occupied a significant EC, I would not mention it. There is no need to risk dealing with a biased interviewer who may discriminate you for it. Even if you are very open and obvious about it, no one is allowed to directly ask you. I found no reason to throw my straightness out there when I interviewed, and this case is no different. That being said we have two classmates who are very openly gay and everyone is cool with it. They made it through the interview just fine, so there is progress being made here and there. I think you'll find your classmates to be generally tolerant, but there is no need to risk it at an interview where one person pretty much holds your admission in their hands right there....don't ask don't tell is the best policy.

 

[8744]

I wouldn't mention. Homosexuals are not allowed in medical school and homosexual students who managed to slip through have to keep a low profile.

You'll notice how right after the first semester a few students drop out unexpectedly and are never seen again.

 

[TheRealMD]

I wouldn't mention. Homosexuals are not allowed in medical school and homosexual students who managed to slip through have to keep a low profile.

You'll notice how right after the first semester a few students drop out unexpectedly and are never seen again.

O_O

 

[LizzyM]

I wouldn't mention. Homosexuals are not allowed in medical school and homosexual students who managed to slip through have to keep a low profile.

You'll notice how right after the first semester a few students drop out unexpectedly and are never seen again.

Dr. Bear loves to joke around. Please do not take him seriously. The only school where what he says might be true is the med school run by the US military.

 

[deleted87716]

This has to be the craziest question ever...

Well, my first thought was that talking about sex in your personal statement or interview is a bad idea, no matter where your preference lies.

 

[146233]

Well, my first thought was that talking about sex in your personal statement or interview is a bad idea, no matter where your preference lies.

...but I listed "Master of the Tantric Arts" in my AMCAS!

 

[LizzyM]

...but I listed "Master of the Tantric Arts" in my AMCAS!

And that, my friend, just might get you an interview.

 

[wryandwatchful]

It really sucks that this is even an issue. Kind of gets me down to see people still having to struggle with this. Best of luck to everyone and may the best students be accepted without bias.

 

[mterp45]

I was just curious about whether or not open homosexuality or bisexuality would seriously hinder a student's chances of admission into a medical school.

i.e. If they were asked about significant other in an interview, talked in interview or wrote about struggles of coping with their sexuality in a straight-oriented world, etc.

It would seem that, in med schools' never-ending quest for the enigma they love to call "diversity", gay and lesbian students would in no way be discriminated against. But who knows.

This has to be the craziest question ever...

Keep your personal life to yourself I would not mention it if I was you, don't use your sexuality to get ino med school, it won't help you but instead it will only hurt you for we both know that many people do not agree with that life style.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

Keep your personal life to yourself I would not mention it if I was you, don't use your sexuality to get ino med school, it won't help you but instead it will only hurt you for we both know that many people do not agree with that life style.

I mentioned my partner in my AMCAS personal statement just in passing, when talking about my journey about coming back to school to pursue medicine. Having a partner and buying our first home are all part of my life, just as many others out there and is important to have a strong social (and frequently financial) support network as a medical student.

Now, if you are straight you just mention the word "husband" or "wife" (or even "fiancé"), it's considered a positive thing, with all the connotations of legal marriage and acceptance by the community.

If you mention the solitary word "partner" in your AMCAS you are now you are using your sexuality to get into medical school because some people don't accept a "life style" (as if being gay was a lifestyle or passing phase of your life like being a stoner or something). You are shoving in their face with that solitary word "partner" that you are a homo, beneath contempt, a social outcast that should stay in the shadows where they belong.

So what you are saying is to go back into the closet, do everything you can to hide who you are because some people find it unacceptable. No wonder many gay people commit suicide, have terrible relationships, and engage self-destructive behaviors!

 

[arsenewenger]

I was just curious about whether or not open homosexuality or bisexuality would seriously hinder a student's chances of admission into a medical school.

i.e. If they were asked about significant other in an interview, talked in interview or wrote about struggles of coping with their sexuality in a straight-oriented world, etc.

It would seem that, in med schools' never-ending quest for the enigma they love to call "diversity", gay and lesbian students would in no way be discriminated against. But who knows.

This has to be the craziest question ever...

why are you gay? Bro,what's wrong with you?

 

[Dr. Josh]

I mentioned my partner in my AMCAS personal statement just in passing, when talking about my journey about coming back to school to pursue medicine. Having a partner and buying our first home are all part of my life, just as many others out there and is important to have a strong social (and frequently financial) support network as a medical student.

Now, if you are straight you just mention the word "husband" or "wife" (or even "fiancé"), it's considered a positive thing, with all the connotations of legal marriage and acceptance by the community.

If you mention the solitary word "partner" in your AMCAS you are now you are using your sexuality to get into medical school because some people don't accept a "life style" (as if being gay was a lifestyle or passing phase of your life like being a stoner or something). You are shoving in their face with that solitary word "partner" that you are a homo, beneath contempt, a social outcast that should stay in the shadows where they belong.

So what you are saying is to go back into the closet, do everything you can to hide who you are because some people find it unacceptable. No wonder many gay people commit suicide, have terrible relationships, and engage self-destructive behaviors!

But I do recall reading something about you being totally rejected the first application cycle and that lots of things were mentioned about your partner on AMCAS, etc. Don't you really think that could have something to do with it? People are just trying to give the OP advice, not to mention it because many interviewing doctors are conservative and would see homosexuality as not being normal and could hold it against you. You have to decide whether you want to risk mentioning it and possibly having it held against you or whether you want to be so bold and mention it and possibly lose the acceptance letter. Each person needs to decide on their own whether it's worth the gamble.

 

[CS77479]

I mentioned my partner in my AMCAS personal statement just in passing, when talking about my journey about coming back to school to pursue medicine. Having a partner and buying our first home are all part of my life, just as many others out there and is important to have a strong social (and frequently financial) support network as a medical student.

Now, if you are straight you just mention the word "husband" or "wife" (or even "fiancé"), it's considered a positive thing, with all the connotations of legal marriage and acceptance by the community.

If you mention the solitary word "partner" in your AMCAS you are now you are using your sexuality to get into medical school because some people don't accept a "life style" (as if being gay was a lifestyle or passing phase of your life like being a stoner or something). You are shoving in their face with that solitary word "partner" that you are a homo, beneath contempt, a social outcast that should stay in the shadows where they belong.

So what you are saying is to go back into the closet, do everything you can to hide who you are because some people find it unacceptable. No wonder many gay people commit suicide, have terrible relationships, and engage self-destructive behaviors!

There's no need for you to attack mterp45 for what he/she said. He/she never said that you should go back into the closet, etc. I think what mterp45 meant was that your sexual orientation is your decision, but to think that being homosexual will somehow give you an advantage in admissions is foolish.

 

[littlealex]

I mentioned my partner in my AMCAS personal statement just in passing, when talking about my journey about coming back to school to pursue medicine. Having a partner and buying our first home are all part of my life, just as many others out there and is important to have a strong social (and frequently financial) support network as a medical student.

Now, if you are straight you just mention the word "husband" or "wife" (or even "fiancé"), it's considered a positive thing, with all the connotations of legal marriage and acceptance by the community.

If you mention the solitary word "partner" in your AMCAS you are now you are using your sexuality to get into medical school because some people don't accept a "life style" (as if being gay was a lifestyle or passing phase of your life like being a stoner or something). You are shoving in their face with that solitary word "partner" that you are a homo, beneath contempt, a social outcast that should stay in the shadows where they belong.

So what you are saying is to go back into the closet, do everything you can to hide who you are because some people find it unacceptable. No wonder many gay people commit suicide, have terrible relationships, and engage self-destructive behaviors!

I think what everyone is trying to say is that no one CARES that you're gay or straight. It should be a none-issue. While you can explain how being homosexual compelled you to pursue a career in medicine, I would rather dedicate my efforts to other aspects.

No one is attacking your homosexuality. No one cares. If you can do a good job explaining how it affected your personal growth, fine. Just make sure you go beyond that. If you're an amazing gay man who has proved to be a caring and intelligent member of society, you'll do well in the application cycle regardless of your sexuality.

However, if you become overly focused on your sexuality, like LizzyM said, at the end of the day, you're just a gay man, and the Adcoms don't know anything real/deep about you.

Stop being so defensive. People on this forum are generally very open minded. We say not to mention it because we're concerned it might hurt your chances, maybe subconsciously in the adcom's mind. We ourselves could care less if you're gay or straight, and certainly don't give a damn which side of the closet door you're on.

Not harping on your sexuality does not mean you should be ashamed of your sexuality. I don't dedicate my personal statement to my culture, that doesn't mean I'm ashamed of it, or that I'm attempting to hide it.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

But I do recall reading something about you being totally rejected the first application cycle and that lots of things were mentioned about your partner on AMCAS, etc. Don't you really think that could have something to do with it? People are just trying to give the OP advice, not to mention it because many interviewing doctors are conservative and would see homosexuality as not being normal and could hold it against you. You have to decide whether you want to risk mentioning it and possibly having it held against you or whether you want to be so bold and mention it and possibly lose the acceptance letter. Each person needs to decide on their own whether it's worth the gamble.

Nope, you're wrong on that one. I was not rejected on the first application cycle, I was accepted. I'm sure many adcoms don't like non-whites or women in medicine either, so what's your advice to them?

There's no need for you to attack mterp45 for what he/she said. He/she never said that you should go back into the closet, etc. I think what mterp45 meant was that your sexual orientation is your decision, but to think that being homosexual will somehow give you an advantage in admissions is foolish.

It's not an attack to refute somebody's advice. To be defensive of oneself is only natural, especially when the actions of those people you are defending against give advice or say things that are harmful, unwarranted, and frankly out of step. I won't sit and tolerate it when people perpetuate bigotry in any form.

 

[littlealex]

I don't think mterp was intolerant OR perpetuating bigotry. That's just absurd, the man said to not mention your sexuality because it may hurt your chances. That was intolerant? You, sir, are a bit too sensitive. Quit over-reacting.

"
So what you are saying is to go back into the closet, do everything you can to hide who you are because some people find it unacceptable. No wonder many gay people commit suicide, have terrible relationships, and engage self-destructive behaviors!"

All this because someone said that mentioning your sexuality might hurt your chances.

 

[Cirrus83]

This question isn't crazy at all, and I'm pretty sure it's come up quite a few times before.

Anyways, unless it actually comes up in an interview (i.e. they ask about your relationship) I don't think it would make sense to add the fact that you have a partner or are gay/bisexual to the interview. Unless there's a legitimate link with the work you've done, it wouldn't really have much bearing on your competence so it honestly doesn't make very much sense to mention it.

And to be honest there's definitely going to be some interviewers who are just not going to be comfortable with someone mentioning that they're gay/bisexual. Not every interviewer for sure, and hopefully not even most, but there'll probably be a few people. Also, don't just assume that only older interviewers are the ones who'll hold biases, since I've met some pretty young people in my life who would probably be fairly biased if they interviewed someone who was homosexual/bisexual. Not mentioning that you're homosexual or bisexual doesn't mean going back into the closet either, since we obviously don't mention every facet of our lives in every situation, even if you feel like it's a big part of who you are. It doesn't neccessarily mean you're not proud of it, either.

 

[mountainhare]

I don't think mterp was intolerant OR perpetuating bigotry. That's just absurd, the man said to not mention your sexuality because it may hurt your chances. That was intolerant? You, sir, are a bit too sensitive. Quit over-reacting.

"
So what you are saying is to go back into the closet, do everything you can to hide who you are because some people find it unacceptable. No wonder many gay people commit suicide, have terrible relationships, and engage self-destructive behaviors!"

All this because someone said that mentioning your sexuality might hurt your chances.

The part of mterp's post that was objectionable wasn't the part that said mentioning your sexuality might hurt your chances. The part that was objectionable was the part where he insinuated that gay people who mention their sexuality are simply trying to "use their sexuality to get into med school." I'm assuming that mterp meant well and didn't mean to offend anyone, but I think you guys are jumping on LifetimeDoc too much. A lot of people here seem to believe that sexual orientation is part of a person's "personal life," not their "public life," and so a straight person would never think of mentioning their sexual orientation in a professional setting. However, what with heterosexual marriage being a legally sanctioned institution in the public sphere and many straight relationships being socially sanctioned by public opinion, this is actually not the case. Straightness is so fundamental a part of straight people's lives that we almost never think of our straightness as being a mere "lifestyle"; it's fundamental to both our public and private selves. I'd bet most gay people think about their homosexuality similarly.

LifetimeDoc's point was that, without even realizing it, straight people often mention their sexual orientation in passing (e.g., when they say to their interviewer, "My wife and I just bought a house in New York this past winter" or something), whereas gay people don't really have the option of doing the same (When a gay person says, "My partner and I just bought a house in New York this past winter," their interviewer might start to think, "Hey, this guy is gay! I wonder if he's mentioning it in order to get brownie points for diversity... I hate it when people play the 'gay card'," etc.). So it's not true that straight people never mention their sexual orientation in their interviews or in their applications, and it's wrong to assume that the likeliest reason why someone might mention their sexual orientation is because they want to unfairly increase their chances of getting into med school.

That being said, I agree with most of the posts on this thread, especially LizzyM's.

 

[sosarah]

I am absolutely not homophobic, but here's something to consider:

I wouldn't ever think of going into an interview and saying "Hi, I'm straight." Unless being homo/bisexual has had a major impact on your decision to pursue medicine, I don't understand why this is even an issue.

And I don't think that mentioning a husband/wife/finace is always looked in a positive light, as was mentioned in a previous post. I would think some interviewers would see this as a red flag and siren screaming "this person will not be able to fully devote the next four years to learning medicine." Not that that is a bad thing... I fully intend on maintaining my relationship with my significant other throughout medical school, but each person reads every situation differently.

 

[MossPoh]

I think both straight and homosexual relationships should just be left unsaid. It isn't a crime to mention it in passing, but unless it is a significant support system or reason that you want that school...it really is a non-factor. Yes, I know people mention their "fiance" or "wife" or whatever else...but that doesn't make it appropriate. In a perfect world it would be a non-factor, but lets face it, there is no shortage of prejudice in the world. If you did mention and suspect getting denied or having your status lowered because of it, would you really want to go to that school anyway? It is ok to mention if it is brought up, but parading it around and bringing it up with no reason (for both orientations) is not needed.

As much of an ass as it makes me sound, it can be really easy to tell anyways. I do have lots of gay/lesbian friends, and a large majority of the time there are just personality traits that differ. (I know there are exceptions and I'm not trying to stereotype..but I'm rarely blindsided by a guy/girl telling me they are gay...maybe once my entire life I was caught off guard)

 

[voirlesetoiles]

If a question about your relationship comes up during the interview, just say "significant other" instead of "partner". SO is more vague, and applicable to all genders. This way, you can talk about your relationship without ever letting the interviewer know your sexual orientation.

If you don't expect it to be a big issue, it won't be. Like LizzyM said, make your ECs and qualifications the most important part of your applicaiton.

 

[GophurIt]

my suggestion is...
Go for a mix

Depending on the school and whether there is an outspoken GLBT support base in the community immediately around the school
mention it if there is or it is more likely to be a supportive school
or dont if there isnt

that way, you have applied to a couple where it wont hurt you for not being mentioned so you can get to the professional degree and get where you want to go and fight the negative impressions from inside instead of being locked out

and those schools you have a good feeling about not negatively biasing you,
give them a chance at not being crappy, ( I mean...biased against GLBT) but tend to write your secondaries focused on leadership, success qualities you express through your overcoming of struggles etc

 

[Flopotomist]

I am absolutely not homophobic, but here's something to consider:

I wouldn't ever think of going into an interview and saying "Hi, I'm straight." Unless being homo/bisexual has had a major impact on your decision to pursue medicine, I don't understand why this is even an issue.

You also wouldn't walk into an interview and guard your every word to make sure that the existence of your opposite-sex partner was avoided.

You wouldn't take off that wedding band to make sure that your personal life wasn't "thrown in the face" of the interviewer.

You wouldn't practice answering questions about your support network to avoid explaining why your family had abandoned you because of your sexual orientation.

There are many things you wouldn't have to think about as a straight person - but just because YOU don't have to think about them while preparing for an interview doesn't mean that WE in the GLBT community don't have to think about them.

The reason you don't understand why it is an issue is because you don't live every day of your life trying to conceal something, or facing negative consequences for simply allowing something that you can not change from being public information.

 

[smq123]

You wouldn't practice answering questions about your support network to avoid explaining why your family had abandoned you because of your sexual orientation.

If you've had to deal with that, I'm really sorry - that sucks.

On a tangent (but sort of related) - I believe that you're a rising MS2, but have you talked to students about a similar issue in residency interviews? I don't think I've seen many threads like that over in the Clinical boards, but I've seen a lot of threads like this in pre-allo. I wonder why that is...any thoughts?

Now, if you are straight you just mention the word "husband" or "wife" (or even "fiancé"), it's considered a positive thing, with all the connotations of legal marriage and acceptance by the community.

Is it really? I always thought that it could be interpreted as "Oh, LifetimeDoc is married and lives with his wife in Florida. So why is he interviewing up here in NY? Would his wife really let him uproot the family and move here, even if we let him in? Hmm..."

When I applied, I didn't think that a boyfriend would be seen as a positive, so I was pretty determined to avoid the issue as much as possible. (I'm a girl.)

Having an SO, whatever gender, seems to complicate the issue of admissions a lot.

I think both straight and homosexual relationships should just be left unsaid. It isn't a crime to mention it in passing, but unless it is a significant support system or reason that you want that school...it really is a non-factor. Yes, I know people mention their "fiance" or "wife" or whatever else...but that doesn't make it appropriate.

That's kind of what I was thinking. Once you get in, you should feel free to tell your classmates (actually, you probably SHOULD tell your close friends and bring along your SO when you hang out with med school friends, just so your SO stays involved in the school aspect of your life), but before then - my personal philosophy was to just try to act single.

 

[Flopotomist]

If you've had to deal with that, I'm really sorry - that sucks.

On a tangent (but sort of related) - I believe that you're a rising MS2, but have you talked to students about a similar issue in residency interviews? I don't think I've seen many threads like that over in the Clinical boards, but I've seen a lot of threads like this in pre-allo. I wonder why that is...any thoughts?

I believe that the small handful of gay med students that I know will be diving deep into the back of the closet for residency interviews. After enduring the lost opportunities going from the pre-allo to allo stage, and also being in med school and seeing how much one homophobic jerkoff can make your life miserable, med students realize that the risks of being out outweigh any remote benefit. Extremely unfortunate, but such is life.

 

[swinters369]

You also wouldn't walk into an interview and guard your every word to make sure that the existence of your opposite-sex partner was avoided.

You wouldn't take off that wedding band to make sure that your personal life wasn't "thrown in the face" of the interviewer.

You wouldn't practice answering questions about your support network to avoid explaining why your family had abandoned you because of your sexual orientation.

There are many things you wouldn't have to think about as a straight person - but just because YOU don't have to think about them while preparing for an interview doesn't mean that WE in the GLBT community don't have to think about them.

The reason you don't understand why it is an issue is because you don't live every day of your life trying to conceal something, or facing negative consequences for simply allowing something that you can not change from being public information.

I completely agree with your post. As an extremely straight-acting gay man who has become quite comfortable in being out of the closet, I find this application process has seriously questioned how comfortable I really am. It isn't a matter of trying to find loopholes that will give us an advantage; rather, we (especially the first-time applicants) have to seriously determine how much we should talk about/disclose these issues - an EXTREMELY difficult thing to do considering this process is about being true to yourself. For many of us, LGBT issues have permeated our lives, and many questions, such as identifying who our support systems are or toughest situations we've been in, directly are affected by these issues.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

Is it really? I always thought that it could be interpreted as "Oh, LifetimeDoc is married and lives with his wife in Florida. So why is he interviewing up here in NY? Would his wife really let him uproot the family and move here, even if we let him in? Hmm..."

When I applied, I didn't think that a boyfriend would be seen as a positive, so I was pretty determined to avoid the issue as much as possible. (I'm a girl.)

Having an SO, whatever gender, seems to complicate the issue of admissions a lot.

mmm, from my understanding, having a strong social and financial support structure (whether it be a strong family or spouse) was seen as a positive thing because getting through medical school is a difficult process. They understand that we are human and will usually be seeking someone to date, so having somebody who is part of a long-term relationship would be more stable than say the single guy/girl that is out partying everynight.

 

[smq123]

mmm, from my understanding, having a strong social and financial support structure (whether it be a strong family or spouse) was seen as a positive thing because getting through medical school is a difficult process. They understand that we are human and will usually be seeking someone to date, so having somebody who is part of a long-term relationship would be more stable than say the single guy/girl that is out partying everynight.

I think that that's just one of the irritating contradictions in med school and med school admissions. They want you to have a strong social support and a family, but (maybe I'm just paranoid) but I always thought that having an SO or a family could raise a red flag. As a girl, if I go in to a residency interview and accidentally reveal that I'm engaged or married, is that going to lead to questions about "What are you going to do if you get pregnant during residency? Is that fair to the other residents in your program?" etc. Although I suppose it depends on which field you go into.

 

[146233]

As a girl, if I go in to a residency interview and accidentally reveal that I'm engaged or married, is that going to lead to questions about "What are you going to do if you get pregnant during residency? Is that fair to the other residents in your program?" etc. Although I suppose it depends on which field you go into.

Sadly, this is a real concern. Nevermind the fact that such questions are inappropriate and 'prohibited', we all know they're asked anyway.

 

[aaj117]

The pre-med advisor at my school had a response to this that i thought was really helpful. He asked me whether or not i planned to be "out" in the application process, and i had actually planned on asking him about this. As i have multiple LGBT activities in college, including significant leadership experience, he suggested putting it down; otherwise it would look like i was a lot less involved in school and had a lot less leadership. Just because you participate in these activities doesn't determine your sexuality either, there were plenty of active straight allies at my school. As far as mentioning it in an interview, he suggested that I not bring it up, but if it came up, making sure I could put a positive spin on it; for example, "from my experiences with this group I feel that I understand the group better and would be better able to advocate for a patient with XYZ". Or "It has motivated me to do research on the spread of HIV in the gay community" or other such things. For me personally, I answered the Tufts question of how would you add diversity to the tufts community by mentioning both my race and being a member of the LGBT community. I used this as a positive because I had organized multiple demonstrations and letter-writing campaigns to try to get the Red Cross to ammend their policy on accepting blood from gay men, now that HIV is not just a stigmatized disease associated with gay men, and since all the blood is screened anyway. I mentioned how i felt my activism would help the entire medical community by increasing the blood supply.
To summarize; only mention it if you can make it an asset.

 

[Dr. Josh]

You also wouldn't walk into an interview and guard your every word to make sure that the existence of your opposite-sex partner was avoided.

You wouldn't take off that wedding band to make sure that your personal life wasn't "thrown in the face" of the interviewer.

You wouldn't practice answering questions about your support network to avoid explaining why your family had abandoned you because of your sexual orientation.

There are many things you wouldn't have to think about as a straight person - but just because YOU don't have to think about them while preparing for an interview doesn't mean that WE in the GLBT community don't have to think about them.

The reason you don't understand why it is an issue is because you don't live every day of your life trying to conceal something, or facing negative consequences for simply allowing something that you can not change from being public information.

What you say might be very true and I feel sorry for you. However let's face it, homosexuality is still considered aberrant behavior by most and abhorrent by some. That doesn't make a gay person a bad person or not qualified for med school. It's just so hard to break societal views that's been held for hundreds of years especially by conservatives.

 

[Flopotomist]

What you say might be very true and I feel sorry for you. However let's face it, homosexuality is still considered aberrant behavior by most and abhorrent by some. That doesn't make a gay person a bad person or not qualified for med school. It's just so hard to break societal views that's been held for hundreds of years especially by conservatives.

1. I don't need, want, nor accept your sympathy. I am proud of who I am, and do not want anybody to "feel sorry" for me.

2. Where do you get your data suggesting that homosexuality is considered an "abberant behavior" by most?

3. Negative societal views against homosexuality are a product of the modern era - and are not rooted in history.

 

[inaminute]

I wouldn't mention. Homosexuals are not allowed in medical school and homosexual students who managed to slip through have to keep a low profile.

You'll notice how right after the first semester a few students drop out unexpectedly and are never seen again.

*GASP* are they KILLED???

 

[ekb1701]

Thanks for all of the comments. This thread turned out to be a little more productive than I imagined.

Final comments: I've decided not to mention my sexuality anywhere in the applications process. By this time next year, I'll be an extremely competitive applicant at top-tier schools, and I don't want to risk anything (especially this) screwing up my chances. I've made it through the first 20 years of my life with only 3 (yeah, three) people knowing about this side of me, so a few more won't hurt. I'm a straight-acting, masculine guy who's had plenty of gfs in the past, so I'm sure I'll shock plenty of people if I decide to start slowly telling people about this in med school.

Now I just have to pray for none of those "out of bounds" significant other questions. Or I could just lie my way through them.

Anyway, thanks again for all the input.