How to discuss my own diversity? (texas essay)

[tdod]

One of the Texas essays asks: "Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics (background, talents, skills, etc.) or experiences that would add to the educational experience of others."

An SDN staff elaborated on the prompt, saying, "In general, the more diverse your peers, the more you will learn,"


Now, I certainly do come from a very diverse background: My mother is an Afghani Jew and my father is a Hispanic Jew. My father grew up in Chile, my mother in Jerusalem. However, I am struggling with my response because I judge people by the content of their character and the quality of their actions, not by their skin color, religion, nationality, or other such "diversity" related factors. Moreover, I don't see how my diversity is a benefit to anybody else... I seriously doubt that teaching my peers to pronounce spanish words or make hummus will actually make any of them better at differential diagnosis or cardiac surgery.

So, any thoughts? Should I just say, essentially, that I can educate my peers about my own unique cultural background and thereby provide them with cultural awareness that will assist them in treating patients whose cultural heritage is similar to my own?


Thanks!

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[Cytarabine]

Don't underestimate how important hummus is in my clinical decision making

 

[Imperius]

How about discussing how your diverse background will make you more educated to treat or relate to those of similar backgrounds, and will give you an edge over someone who doesn't have your experiences?

 

[Chelsea FC]

One of the Texas essays asks: "Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics (background, talents, skills, etc.) or experiences that would add to the educational experience of others."

An SDN staff elaborated on the prompt, saying, "In general, the more diverse your peers, the more you will learn,"


Now, I certainly do come from a very diverse background: My mother is an Afghani Jew and my father is a Hispanic Jew. My father grew up in Chile, my mother in Jerusalem. However, I am struggling with my response because I judge people by the content of their character and the quality of their actions, not by their skin color, religion, nationality, or other such "diversity" related factors. Moreover, I don't see how my diversity is a benefit to anybody else... I seriously doubt that teaching my peers to pronounce spanish words or make hummus will actually make any of them better at differential diagnosis or cardiac surgery.

So, any thoughts? Should I just say, essentially, that I can educate my peers about my own unique cultural background and thereby provide them with cultural awareness that will assist them in treating patients whose cultural heritage is similar to my own?


Thanks!

I think you need to think about this alot more before you answer this question. A individual character , who a person is , is shaped by his nationality, religion and race. Because society treats people of any of these groups differently and that makes your experience in life different than other people. Growing up in a poor 3rd world country does give me a unique experience that someone who grew up in a first world country doesn't have. Moving to brooklyn into a neighborhoods in which only 20% of the people are college educated and majority of your neighbors are on food stamps is another life experience a person can have . All this is your experience though life it doesnt have to be the same as mine but it your journey and others can learn from it And I would be silly to think that this didnt shape who I am

 

[GCS-15]

How about discussing how your diverse background will make you more educated to treat or relate to those of similar backgrounds, and will give you an edge over someone who doesn't have your experiences?

This. I volunteer in a student-run clinic and regularly meet people from very different backgrounds. At times, not only is it difficult to communicate, but it's also difficult to understand where're they're coming from, their customs, why they do certain things. And that makes it difficult to really talk to them about their chronic health conditions. Numerous times other volunteers from that background have taught us about diversity, cultural practices, and much more. Because of your background, you are in a position to help others, and share that knowledge. Patient care depends a lot on communication and understanding where the patients are coming from. Nobody is the same - you can't set a universal plan to help everyone. You need to tailor it to each individual, and thats where having diversity helps.

 

[Goro]

The diversity part is NOT about ethnicity...it's about what is cool about you? What do you bring to your entering class?

 

[Cytarabine]

What do you bring to your entering class?

...like hummus

 

[Goro]

I think gefilte fish might be better.

...like hummus

 

[Toutie]

I think gefilte fish might be better.

Nope. Hummus is definitely better! 😛