religion in personal statement?

[bagger288]

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I'm drafting my personal statement currently, and I was wondering if you think discussing religion in my personal statement is taboo or acceptable. The teachings of my religion have influenced me to make an impact in the world through medicine, and it's very close to me personally. However, would such a subject drive adcoms away? I wouldn't be shoving my beliefs down people's throats obviously, but just explaining how they have led me to pursuing medicine as a career out of all the other careers in the world. Thanks!

 

[Doudline]

Keep it humble, and a peripheral part of your PS.

Faith isn't a good or interesting motivation to become anything (except a priest I guess...), but the tangible experiences your faith-related involvements may have brought you are.

 

[Takamori]

Jesus cured people after all. If it affected your decision, then why not?

 

[claduva94]

It can be done, but carefully.

 

[LizzyM]

I have seen it done effectively. Essays reflecting on "Tilling* olam" (repairing the world), and being God's hands are two I can recall.

*tikkun. Damn autocorrect

 

[Takamori]

I have seen it done effectively. Essays reflecting on "Tilling olam" (repairing the world), and being God's hands are two I can recall.

" Tikkun olam" you probably meant?

 

[LizzyM]

" Tikkun olam" you probably meant?

Auto correct does not know Hebrew. 🙄

 

[osckey]

Mention it and how it has molded your world viewpoint. Don't proselytize but if your faith is important to you then mention it in your personal statement. I did it tastefully in my statement. After all, isn't a personal statement supposed to be...personal?

 

[MD89]

How about for secondaries that have a diversity prompt? Would it be appropriate to discuss one's growing up in a very religious sect? Or is it best to just address a different area of diversity (age, work experiences, etc)?


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[osckey]

How about for secondaries that have a diversity prompt? Would it be appropriate to discuss one's growing up in a very religious sect? Or is it best to just address a different area of diversity (age, work experiences, etc)?


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Absolutely. The point is that as long as you are not attempting to proselytize the reader then you should not have to fear a negative stigma because you discuss your faith when describing qualities that are important to you.

 

[Goro]

I've also seen a similar meme from Jewish students, Bahai, and Sikhs.

Yesterday we had Yiddish, today Hebrew. Perhaps this is why adcoms need to me be at least a minyan (quorum of 10) to decide application

Here is New York, I have had to deal with many Orthodox Jewish applicants who often discuss the impact of the practice of Judaism on their motivation, commitment, and achievement towards medicine.

 

[DokterMom]

There's a significant difference between "God's healing" and your "serving God by helping the sick" and so long as you stick to the latter and not the former, you can make it work.

 

[osckey]

There's a significant difference between "God's healing" and your "serving God by helping the sick" and so long as you stick to the latter and not the former, you can make it work.

Absolutely. There is an enormous difference between "faith healing" and feeling called by God into the medical vocation for the purposes of serving others.

 

[Takamori]

I've also seen a similar meme from Jewish students, Bahai, and Sikhs.

That's because the words "tikkun olam" have Iranian or maybe Sanskrit roots (hence, common for Baha'i and Sikhs) and were borrowed by Jews during their life in that area.

 

[LastManOnEarth]

I would also add that you will want to consider whether you want to discuss your religion during your future medical school interviews. For what it is worth, I mentioned my religion passingly in my personal statement, and I spoke extensively about it within my extracurriculars (I am LDS/Mormon and served a foreign mission as well as lots of church-related volunteer time). If I recall correctly, every med school interviewer asked me several questions relating to my religion — many seemed to identify it as the most unique thing about me. (topics ranged from motivation for a mission, common activities, benefits of having a support network wherever I go, etc) For myself, I was comfortable with these discussions and glad to engage in them. Religion even came up during a few of my MMIs; in order to answer many of the ethical scenarios in totality I had to include my personal values alongside potential ethical theories.

So you will want to determine for yourself how much you would be willing to discuss religion during your interviews and potentially have it define you as an applicant. I am certain that the more unique of a religion/commitment it is and the more openly you discuss it in your application, the higher the potential that it will come up.

 

[El-Rami]

It certainly wouldn't hurt you. Just keep it short and sweet. Faith is a big part of my life, and I mentioned in my interview how my parish serves as an important support network for me. I had nothing but friendly responses, and my application cycle was very successful.

 

[bc65]

That's because the words "tikkun olam" have Iranian or maybe Sanskrit roots (hence, common for Baha'i and Sikhs) and were borrowed by Jews during their life in that area.

Don't make stuff up.

The words "tikkun olam" are pure Hebrew. It is generally translated as "repairing / correcting the world". Goro was referring to the concept ("meme") being common to those groups, not the words. Jews did not live in Sanskrit speaking areas in ancient times. Jews lived in Babylonia/Persia beginning around 576 BCE, but most of the Hebrew bible predates that time.

 

[zero0]

Politics and religion are risky. Is it worth the risk? Maybe just save it for the secondary.

 

[Jalby]

I'm drafting my personal statement currently, and I was wondering if you think discussing religion in my personal statement is taboo or acceptable. The teachings of my religion have influenced me to make an impact in the world through medicine, and it's very close to me personally. However, would such a subject drive adcoms away? I wouldn't be shoving my beliefs down people's throats obviously, but just explaining how they have led me to pursuing medicine as a career out of all the other careers in the world. Thanks!

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is absolutely a horrible idea to do this. We all know the religous person who subtly tries to force Jesus Christ our lord and savior down our throats. Or try to cut your budget because you are proving evolution happened. And they will think that is you.

In my medical school there was one person who was so religious that he posted pictures of aborted fetuses around the campus. He got kicked out.

 

[Takamori]

Don't make stuff up.

The words "tikkun olam" are pure Hebrew. It is generally translated as "repairing / correcting the world". Goro was referring to the concept ("meme") being common to those groups, not the words. Jews did not live in Sanskrit speaking areas in ancient times. Jews lived in Babylonia/Persia beginning around 576 BCE, but most of the Hebrew bible predates that time.

These words are also in Persian vocabulary so I used deduction. Apparently wrong lol I assume they may have entered Persian from Arabic and since those are cousins, your version sounds more solid.

 

[caffeinemia]

As long as you are not using your religion to somehow deride others or make your motivations sound "holier than thou."

 

[ortnakas]

Absolutely. The point is that as long as you are not attempting to proselytize the reader then you should not have to fear a negative stigma because you discuss your faith when describing qualities that are important to you.

Agree-- describing is good (adcom members have already commented concurring), but it's not the time or place for proselytizing.

 

[familyaerospace]

Auto correct does not know Hebrew. 🙄

Mine knows Hebrew AND Yiddish! ;-)