Interactions with different individuals

[moemoekyun]

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So one of my secondaries asks about my interactions with those different from me, and was wondering what exactly they mean. For example, would writing about one of my lab partners who is gay be what the school is interested in? I've also worked with people much older than me, different countries, economic backgrounds... I'm sure in the grand scheme it doesn't matter as long as it's a thoughtful response, but wondering what others think.

 

[beeboops]

I second ngc 2170. If you just say "My lab partner is gay, so I can totally work with lots of different people", then this really has no weight no matter how thoughtfully written it is. I think that you could write about your experience with your lab partner and/or your coworkers only if it allowed you to learn something about people different from yourself and maybe even changed the way you viewed certain groups. You can't rely on other people's diversity to write these essays.

 

[efle]

To most people my age I think "diversity" means "membership in a minority" whether that be gender in a traditionally other gender field, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, SES, etc. That's basically what "diversity" means in college admissions/classes. For example, my school's diversity page is currently race and sexual orientation stuff. Diversity = interesting hobby or experience is not a connection we are taught to make before MD secondaries.

 

[genericpremedstudent]

How is your lab partner being gay in anyway relevant?

 

[gannicus89]

Which experience(s) can you write about most intelligently? Go with that.

 

[Goro]

Jeeze, do we have to write it down on your sleeve? What's so hard about this???

Gender
Age
Religion
National origin
Language
Ethnicity
Sexual orientation
Class
Health
Political views
Professions/trades

need I go on?

So one of my secondaries asks about my interactions with those different from me, and was wondering what exactly they mean. For example, would writing about one of my lab partners who is gay be what the school is interested in? I've also worked with people much older than me, different countries, economic backgrounds... I'm sure in the grand scheme it doesn't matter as long as it's a thoughtful response, but wondering what others think.

 

[efle]

You never throughout college experienced a humanities course in which you were one of the only (<5/100) science majors? Or any even remotely similar situations, even in the dining halls? Such experiences are what college ought to be made of and clearly demonstrate a definition of diversity broader than you seem to have seen.

No, over half of my year came in as pre-med so I never experienced any classes of less than 5% science majors. I don't think "i have a second major in philosophy" is what schools are looking for with diversity...

Jeeze, do we have to write it down on your sleeve? What's so hard about this???

Gender
Age
Religion
National origin
Language
Ethnicity
Sexual orientation
Class
Health
Political views
Professions/trades

need I go on?

typical male
typical age
not religious
american
english only
white
hetero
middle class
typical health
typical liberal college kid
no professions/trades

please do continue, because myself and a good number of my friends are not significantly diverse on these counts...

 

[WedgeDawg]

I think the diversity prompt can be functionally rephrased as "what, outside of your impressive-yet-bog-standard academic accomplishments, makes you interesting in a professionally significant way?"

 

[efle]

I think the diversity prompt can be functionally rephrased as "what, outside of your impressive-yet-bog-standard academic accomplishments, makes you interesting in a professionally significant way?"

i got nothin, i just cookie cuttered better than most

 

[WedgeDawg]

i got nothin, i just cookie cuttered better than most

I'm sure you have some experience in your life that can be used to fill this prompt

 

[efle]

I'm sure you have some experience in your life that can be used to fill this prompt

One time I climbed a mountain in Norway...but a billion other kids studied abroad too

 

[WedgeDawg]

One time I climbed a mountain in Norway...but a billion other kids studied abroad too

That's actually pretty cool.

It's not necessarily just what the experience was, it's also how it changed either you or your perspective.

 

[beeboops]

typical male
typical age
not religious
american
english only
white
hetero
middle class
typical health
typical liberal college kid
no professions/trades

Surely, you think more of yourself than just this. You've never done one single interesting thing in your entire life?

 

[efle]

Surely, you think more of yourself than just this. You've never done one single interesting thing in your entire life?

I ate a whole pizza in like an hour one time. And dated the same chick since high school. But this isn't stuff to impress MD schools

But really I think the most interesting thing is studying abroad. What I study, where I come from, etc is all very run of the mill

That's actually pretty cool.

It's not necessarily just what the experience was, it's also how it changed either you or your perspective.

Well everything looked really small from up that high, hows that for a perspective change

 

[WedgeDawg]

Well everything looked really small from up that high, hows that for a perspective change

If nothing else, some adcom will appreciate your sense of humor.

 

[efle]

If nothing else, some adcom will appreciate your sense of humor.

Hah yeah maybe I'll answer the diversity prompt with "I'm not diverse" and see who appreciates it

 

[Goro]

The prompt was: "my interactions with those different from me," it was NOT about diversity.


typical male
typical age
not religious
american
english only
white
hetero
middle class
typical health
typical liberal college kid
no professions/trades

please do continue, because myself and a good number of my friends are not significantly diverse on these counts...[/QUOTE]

 

[HCHopeful]

I don't think these threads pop up because people are misunderstanding the definition of diversity. It's more so because most medical school applicants believe they aren't diverse in any meaningful way. As Goro has stated, you can spin almost any circumstance into diversity; however, when most of us hear diversity, we think of major, life-changing differences.

Honestly... I have lost 100 pounds, opened for a popular recording artist, lost a sister when she was 15, and independently operated a business. BUT I'm from a middle-class family, I'm a male, and I'm white. Therefore, to me, I am not diverse in any sense in my mind. Many people disagree, though.

I think people are thinking of diversity being too extreme, which is natural. And honestly, if some middle-class white person walked around saying they were diverse, I'd probably give them a funny look. That's just the way it is.

 

[HCHopeful]

If you believe what you wrote in paragraph 1, then you have a pretty narrow opinion of what is meaningful about diversity. This is what Goro and others are trying to express. Being, say, black, is not in and of itself meaningful any more than being Asian is.

What you note in paragraph 2 is certainly out of the ordinary, and therefore in a crowd you would add a dimension of diversity. How many people open for known musicians? How many have operated a business?

Perhaps it is because I grew up in a smaller setting, but the fact that you can claim such achievements and feel bog-standard is baffling to me.

I grew up in a town of 800 people and graduated high school with a class of 25. My lack of feeling diverse is simply due to what is pushed by the media and others around me. As a culture, I believe we're encouraged to assume that anyone who is white is less capable of being diverse than a person of minority status. Is that right? No. Is it all-encompassing? Absolutely not. But it leads to middle-class white people such as myself not fully grasping what true diversity is.

I understand race doesn't determine how diverse someone is. But I think that's how most people think of it initially, before realizing how many different avenues there are of achieving diversity.

 

[efle]

The prompt was: "my interactions with those different from me," it was NOT about diversity.


typical male
typical age
not religious
american
english only
white
hetero
middle class
typical health
typical liberal college kid
no professions/trades

please do continue, because myself and a good number of my friends are not significantly diverse on these counts...

[/QUOTE]
My bad, confused it with the other thread on diversity!

Find it hard to believe you picked up and kept up a relationship with a lady since high school if you are truly so dull. But if you insist — how many college students nationwide attend a school as competitive and stuffed with pre-meds as yours? How has that shaped your perspective? Be a little creative, that's what top colleges are supposed to teach you.

Look, there is no lack of gays/blacks/Martians/what have you. As many of us have repeatedly said, the point is how you think. Simply being diverse is useless aside from potential advertising purposes. The point is to bring some viewpoint. Even a robot would have something interesting to bring to a small group discussion. If you have nothing, interviews will sink you even if you squeak by these innocuous secondaries.

Dude, the last thing I should do is talk about how here is a different experience than the typical premed university! Look how that goes down on SDN every time threads on it come up.

Re bold: A lot of the people I enjoy talking to are interesting for being able to say insightful things on whatever topics arise, not for having stories to tell. My room mate who I could randomly have an hour long chat about Marcus Aurelius with doesn't look good on paper as far as diversity. He can't list "I'm well-read and smart and enthusiastic about everything" under what does he bring to a class. Sharp mind and good personality traits seem like different features than what these prompts are after.

 

[efle]

I grew up in a town of 800 people and graduated high school with a class of 25. My lack of feeling diverse is simply due to what is pushed by the media and others around me. As a culture, I believe we're encouraged to assume that anyone who is white is less capable of being diverse than a person of minority status. Is that right? No. Is it all-encompassing? Absolutely not. But it leads to middle-class white people such as myself not fully grasping what true diversity is.

I understand race doesn't determine how diverse someone is. But I think that's how most people think of it initially, before realizing how many different avenues there are of achieving diversity.

I'm still pretty convinced diversity in college admissions -> what (if any) minority do you belong to. You don't go onto university Diversity Center webpages and see lots of stuff on unique hobbies...

 

[deleted393595]

So one of my secondaries asks about my interactions with those different from me, and was wondering what exactly they mean.

Does SDN count? 😀

 

[efle]

Hahaha, I'll admit that SDN doesn't view that kindly. But SDN is also hopelessly neurotic.

Your friend would have to perhaps settle for picking a topic on which he is well-read, and then talking about how he is an enthusiast. It wouldn't be untrue if he knows a lot about it.

Alternatively, an answer could be that knowing schools, employers, etc. seek diversity nowadays, you have to make yourself diverse. Pick up an unusual hobby or start learning about something unique. Is it as innate as race? No. But sometimes if there's no solution available, you have to make it from scratch.

Alright then I'm off to learn Mongolian throat singing and/or the didgeridoo, will report on cycle success

 

[efle]

You must see everything in extremes. But even then, would you rather go learn the didgeridoo if that's what it takes, or would you rather go sit in a corner complaining that you're not diverse enough for med school?
Really not sure what everyone is expecting to hear — "If you're not obviously diverse sadly that means you aren't cut out for this profession"?

My view is that everyone is different and can bring something interesting, which is exactly what diversity essays ask you to present. If someone is truly dull as sandpaper then perhaps they really aren't going to be the best candidate. Just like someone who isn't up to snuff with academics isn't the best candidate.

As applicants, we just play the game — we don't make the rules.

I do enjoy hyperbole.

That's my point, its just a game. I'm not really more or less "diverse" than anyone else. Whether I'm fun and interesting to talk to has zero to do with how obscure my hobby is. Its just a game of finding something concrete to play up as making me special, when really nobody gaf and what I talk about in my secondary is likely to never ever come up with my classmates. Being personable and engaging and bright are valuable things that can be apparent in an interview. Being "diverse" on paper is totally different and in my opinion pretty contrived.

 

[NotYou20]

I'm still pretty convinced diversity in college admissions -> what (if any) minority do you belong to. You don't go onto university Diversity Center webpages and see lots of stuff on unique hobbies...

If you aren't comfortable with that idea then DO SOMETHING where you'll interact closely with diverse people. Then when the time comes you write about what you've learned and how you have changed. If you can't do the last part you picked the wrong experience.

 

[efle]

If you aren't comfortable with that idea then DO SOMETHING where you'll interact closely with diverse people. Then when the time comes you write about what you've learned and how you have changed. If you can't do the last part you picked the wrong experience.

I think you missed my point. I'm saying experience isn't what "diversity" means for undergrad, in undergrad it means some type of minority membership. I spend plenty of time working with very dissimilar people as a tutor at the children's hospital. That type of thing (activities where students spend time with dissimilar people) is not what you see plastered all over diversity webpages and pamphlets at colleges. Diversity as you describe is the new definition we have to learn for MD secondaries. It's not what it means to most students before that point.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

I have lived pretty much the top 1% of lifestyles: both parents doctors, white, wealthy, male, healthy, low-crime areas, good schools, happy family dynamics. I actually mention this in my secondaries (I just say "I have lived a privileged life"), I am unsure if this is good or bad to mention, should I try to gloss over the fact that my life has been awesome due mainly to the work of my parents before I was born? I also have a neurological movement disorder, which is what I focus on, saying that it is one of the only things that humbled me and taught me the lessons that a less privileged lifestyle would have taught me. I think struggles you have faced can certain be diversifying.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

No, as it is not something you could choose or control. But it does no good to dwell on your privilege either.

That sounds reasonable, I just mention it while talking about my diversity/adversity. I don't it to come across like I am whining despite a great life overall.