Optional Essay - Personal Characteristic

[MicroSteph]

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This has been discussed before, but I didn't find anyone asking this particular question.

On the TMDSAS there is an option essay that asks:"Please describe any personal characteristics and/or important or challenging experiences you have had that will contribute to the diversity (broadly defined) of or provide educational benefits to the student body."

I wanted to write about working 50+ hours a week while doing my masters in public health. The best characteristic I could come up with was "good time management" or "hard worker" but I feel like most pre-meds ARE hard workers with good time management skills.

Is it still worth writing, or should I just leave it?😕

 

[deleted103644]

Anything optional is mandatory.

 

[tn4596]

u shud complete ur tmdsas asap. the diversity essay should be written i think. i left the challenge essay empty tho. i think based on the prompt it is more apporiate to write about one of your hobbies (sport, music instruments) or unique things about you that make you standout from others and provide "diversity" to the student body. what you proposed seems a bit more apropriate for the challenge essay.

 

[MicroSteph]

u shud complete ur tmdsas asap. the diversity essay should be written i think. i left the challenge essay empty tho. i think based on the prompt it is more apporiate to write about one of your hobbies (sport, music instruments) or unique things about you that make you standout from others and provide "diversity" to the student body. what you proposed seems a bit more apropriate for the challenge essay.

Thanks for the response. I suppose I thought the challenge essay was more geared towards students who might have a bad semester to account for or something.

 

[tn4596]

Thanks for the response. I suppose I thought the challenge essay was more geared towards students who might have a bad semester to account for or something.

actually, i take back what i say. the experiences fit the prompt but i guess you just need to make it sounds unique, instead of hard-working and good time management skill- talk about what you gain from your working experiences and your knowledge of public health. that should make a solid essay.
i just read the prompt for the other essay again and the reason i left it blank was because it specified that the experience you write there should not be mentioned before in your application. so i thought this is for like you said student with a bad semester, nontrad students having a family....

 

[Praefectus]

Anything optional is mandatory.

War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Optional is Mandatory.

 

[deleted103644]

War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Optional is Mandatory.

😀

With all things involving applications to medical school or residency, remember who your compatriots are - a bunch of neurotic overachievers.

If you only do what is required, or hand things in on time rather than as soon as possible, you're behind the curve.

 

[TXKnight]

This has been discussed before, but I didn't find anyone asking this particular question.

On the TMDSAS there is an option essay that asks:"Please describe any personal characteristics and/or important or challenging experiences you have had that will contribute to the diversity (broadly defined) of or provide educational benefits to the student body."

I wanted to write about working 50+ hours a week while doing my masters in public health. The best characteristic I could come up with was "good time management" or "hard worker" but I feel like most pre-meds ARE hard workers with good time management skills.

Is it still worth writing, or should I just leave it?😕

Personal characteristics:
As you point out, hard-working is not good enough for the essays, but all that goes around it is.
Being involved in different activities besides a full-time job (sports,MCAT,MPH,tutoring or whatever, etc) say something about your motivation to become a physician. It tells me you are goal oriented, place value in hard work and results, you posses a strong desire to learn about health beyond a bachelors in biology through an MPH (i.e. cultural and social factors that affect health, prevention, health economics/program management,etc). The ability to succeed in all those activities is challenging, and provide a good baggage of experience that can be useful in your future career as a physician, and will benefit your peers and patients.

Sometimes the hardest part of writing about oneself is the obvious. You know who you are and may tend to overlook qualities that are part of you and that you take for granted. Those qualities are not evident to an outsider, therefore the need to properly state them. I see the PS as sort of psychoanalysis exercise. Figure out what moves you to do what you do and show it on the essays.

Maybe the inspiration lies somewhere along those lines. Good Luck MicroSteph. Nice meeting you

 

[MicroSteph]

Personal characteristics:
As you point out, hard-working is not good enough for the essays, but all that goes around it is.
Being involved in different activities besides a full-time job (sports,MCAT,MPH,tutoring or whatever, etc) say something about your motivation to become a physician. It tells me you are goal oriented, place value in hard work and results, you posses a strong desire to learn about health beyond a bachelors in biology through an MPH (i.e. cultural and social factors that affect health, prevention, health economics/program management,etc). The ability to succeed in all those activities is challenging, and provide a good baggage of experience that can be useful in your future career as a physician, and will benefit your peers and patients.

Sometimes the hardest part of writing about oneself is the obvious. You know who you are and may tend to overlook qualities that are part of you and that you take for granted. Those qualities are not evident to an outsider, therefore the need to properly state them. I see the PS as sort of psychoanalysis exercise. Figure out what moves you to do what you do and show it on the essays.

Maybe the inspiration lies somewhere along those lines. Good Luck MicroSteph. Nice meeting you

This is really genuine and helpful advice. Thanks TXKnight! 😀

 

[happyfeet1292]

War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Optional is Mandatory.

+1. I respect your reference👍