Regarding "diversity" question - appropriate topic?

[kfsa1]

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Hi guys,

I was wondering if any of you could give me input in terms of what kind of topics I should focus on in the diversity essay. I have the following in mind:


-I am a non-traditional applicant. In the years off from school, I once was at a point where I had no income, support system, or any healthcare involvement (because I was too focused on getting a job so I didn't consider volunteer activities). It was a really tough time for me as all I could do was think negatively but I turned things around after months of contemplation/reflection, changing the way I view life in general (I.E became more appreciative of everything in life, released sense of entitlement, started conserving and not spending the money I had saved up on materialistic/unnecessary things).

-I also plan to mention (although maybe a bit BS) how I came to this country without knowing any English as an 8 year old and managed to overcome the language barrier (through dedication to learning the language, positive interaction with other students...etc?)

-I can also fluently speak Korean (native tongue) and great at speaking Japanese.

-I have been president of a tennis club for 3 years at my undergrad and I was hoping to start a tennis club at med schools that don't have them.

I was wondering if any of these experiences can contribute to the "diversity" question? The first one listed was very important to me...although I feel that many will have had similar experiences but maybe under different circumstances.

Thanks!

 

[markyb03]

I think the most important this is to be able to reflect on whatever it is you choose. Seems like you have a lot of things to say and lessons learned from your time off, so I'd personally go with that. The other ones seem very far removed or not that significant.

I come from a boring middle class family with no real diversity to speak of, but I talked about my two years studying music in college. I got to travel overseas for singing competitions and was in ensembles with people from dif cultures.

Btw I'm a fanatic tennis fan so I hope we end up at the same med school!

 

[Praefectus]

The language barrier one is rock solid. It shows that you overcame a hurdle in your life and you can accomplish anything with a little hard work.

 

[carnelian]

the first two are better answers for "biggest challenge" type questions, if both diversity and challenge essays are in the same secondary. Not sure if the language one (korean + japanese) is the best if it's just speaking them fluently (since it'll be on your primary too). But if you can give examples -- eg. have you won competitions? published? etc. -- it could potentially be a strong topic. All great subjects though.

 

[MedPR]

The language barrier one is rock solid. It shows that you overcame a hurdle in your life and you can accomplish anything with a little hard work.

I would agree if the OP came to this country as an adult without knowing english. Learning english as an 8 year old really doesn't say anything about you now.

 

[UCUCUC]

I am in a similar situation in which I came to the country at a very young age (away from parents to relatives). This was the main focus of my personal essay, is it still appropriate to use this as my main topic in my secondaries (toughest challenge, etc)???

 

[Parklife]

Sadly, asians are ORM(over-represented minority/majority) lol

Without any MCAT/GPA info, there's no way anyone could make a call for you

 

[passerine]

I actually think the first two make great answers. Not everyone has had to fully support themselves on their own the way you have; I know I'm extremely lucky to have had parents who have supported me throughout my education, and I really respect people who have worked hard to support themselves all while maintaining solid grades and taking the MCAT. But that's just my two cents.

 

[kfsa1]

Sadly, asians are ORM(over-represented minority/majority) lol

Without any MCAT/GPA info, there's no way anyone could make a call for you

3.6 cGPA 3.5 sGPA
34 (14P, 9V, 11B)
20 credits of recent post-bacc all 4.0s in Biology

Btw I'm a fanatic tennis fan so I hope we end up at the same med school!

Way to go man! I am actually currently living in Ann Arbor, MI so I'll be applying to midwest schools.....so maybe we will!!

Thanks everyone for your input. I do really appreciate your time. I am also thinking about writing about my car accident (Got hit by a car. Had to have over 10 surgeries and needed years of recovery until I could actually be physically active/normal). For some odd reason, this incident just completely slipped my mind....

 

[LizzyM]

While there are many Asian students, not many are native speakers of Korean and there are, at least in some areas of the US, a fair number of non-English speaking Koreans (particularly elders) who are in need of physicians who speak their language. So, your first hand knowledge of Korean language, culture and customs could be a good topic.

Your experience of living in poverty is also something that is rare among applicants. Your experience of major trauma and multiple surgeries is also relatively rare among applicants. Tennis playing.. not so rare but you might list it as a hobby on the AMCAS or bring it up if you are asked at interview to tell something about yourself that isn't in the application.

 

[kfsa1]

Sorry to bring this topic up again guys but I had three questions.

1) For the diversity question, do you guys think it is acceptable to break it down into mini-essays talking about each quality you plan to expand on? I ask this because I am having a difficult time writing a smoothly transitioning essay between each paragraph (which are all very different topics).

2) The question I am trying to answer is: Describe a situation which greatly frustrated you and how you dealt with it?

I ended up writing about experience 1 in the OP. I talked about what I learned from this ordeal (being positive, proactive, persistent) rather than focusing on the how. I asked two different people's opinion about this and they felt it was better to expand on the things I did to overcome my situation....but there wasn't anything I specifically used to cope...it was more gradual where I spent months in contemplation/reflection. What do you guys think? Did I answer the question?

3) What are your thoughts on bringing up a situation which essentially depressed you (but did not say that outright) but you were able to climb out of the hole after reassessing your own life?

What my friend did not like about this were 1) There was no "trigger" which sprung me into thinking more positively....she feels the process was too simple as in "oh I was sad one moment and then oh I thought more positively" (I don't know how this detracts from the experience) and 2) She feels like if I mentioned how I became "depressed" from this situation, it may happen again in the future which would worry ADCOMs. So, she would rather have me talk about an experience which is not as personally sensitive...whatever that means.

Sorry for the wall of text....thanks for any input in advance!

 

[LizzyM]

Sorry to bring this topic up again guys but I had three questions.

1) For the diversity question, do you guys think it is acceptable to break it down into mini-essays talking about each quality you plan to expand on? I ask this because I am having a difficult time writing a smoothly transitioning essay between each paragraph (which are all very different topics).

2) The question I am trying to answer is: Describe a situation which greatly frustrated you and how you dealt with it?

I ended up writing about experience 1 in the OP. I talked about what I learned from this ordeal (being positive, proactive, persistent) rather than focusing on the how. I asked two different people's opinion about this and they felt it was better to expand on the things I did to overcome my situation....but there wasn't anything I specifically used to cope...it was more gradual where I spent months in contemplation/reflection. What do you guys think? Did I answer the question?

3) What are your thoughts on bringing up a situation which essentially depressed you (but did not say that outright) but you were able to climb out of the hole after reassessing your own life?

What my friend did not like about this were 1) There was no "trigger" which sprung me into thinking more positively....she feels the process was too simple as in "oh I was sad one moment and then oh I thought more positively" (I don't know how this detracts from the experience) and 2) She feels like if I mentioned how I became "depressed" from this situation, it may happen again in the future which would worry ADCOMs. So, she would rather have me talk about an experience which is not as personally sensitive...whatever that means.

Sorry for the wall of text....thanks for any input in advance!

Consider this from the adcom's point of view... we know that you are going to face a situation where you make a mistake, a patient dies, you get chewed out by an attending, and you get home to discover that your apartment's been broken into and your stuff has been stolen. How will you cope? What skills do you have to cope with any single one of those things happening, let alone four in one day? That's what the adcom wants to know and they want you to tell them how you've managed in the past. The question is not about who has the saddest story but who has healthy, effective coping skills regardless of whatever life hands you.

 

[kfsa1]

Consider this from the adcom's point of view... we know that you are going to face a situation where you make a mistake, a patient dies, you get chewed out by an attending, and you get home to discover that your apartment's been broken into and your stuff has been stolen. How will you cope? What skills do you have to cope with any single one of those things happening, let alone four in one day? That's what the adcom wants to know and they want you to tell them how you've managed in the past. The question is not about who has the saddest story but who has healthy, effective coping skills regardless of whatever life hands you.

Thank you for the reply. When you are talking about coping skills, is it necessarily something tangible like going to talk to family, playing sports etc? Or could it also be your attitude towards adversity and the tendency to reflect on what needs to be done?

 

[LizzyM]

Thank you for the reply. When you are talking about coping skills, is it necessarily something tangible like going to talk to family, playing sports etc? Or could it also be your attitude towards adversity and the tendency to reflect on what needs to be done?

It's whatever you do... reflecting on what needs to be done is something that you are doing... so is crying, praying, calling your mom, and hitting a bucket of balls at the driving range.

 

[kfsa1]

It's whatever you do... reflecting on what needs to be done is something that you are doing... so is crying, praying, calling your mom, and hitting a bucket of balls at the driving range.

Thanks for the info! 👍

I can finally move on from this essay now.

 

[vc7777]

What lizzy says is always excellent. Essays that address coping are not contests in who has a worse life. I always say "into every life a little rain must fall."

At the same time, I think some people cop out and talk about a situation that's academic and really isn't too terrible. For example, keeping your composure and exhibiting "mature coping skills" is easy when the "problem" is a B- in your orgo class.

Now, perhaps you are that rare person with "uninterrupted prosperity" (to quote Cake) who has really never had any other adversity in their life. But I find that there is a preponderance of people using this or very similar situations to write these kinds of essays. Too often to believe it, in fact.

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