Secondary Application "Diversity" Essays

[Cynicalbrit]

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When schools ask about diversity, what are they asking for? The only thing I can think of to write about is the fact that I'm a liberal, northeastern, culturally European atheist who goes to college in the bible belt. Is this the sort of thing that belongs in a diversity essay? Would anyone care? My only real justification for writing about it is that it shows that I'm comfortable around people with significantly different views. I don't really think that would add that much diversity to a medical school class.

 

[NickNaylor]

Things that I look for when I talk to applicants about diversity:

-Do I get the sense that this person would feel comfortable around others in both medical and non-medical contexts?

-Do I get the sense that this person has a perspective of the world and others that is beyond their own experience?

-Could I see this person interacting with a random person that comes to my school's hospital for treatment?

-Does this person bring something interesting to the class, be that interesting experiences, a different background, etc.?

More important than whatever experience(s) you talk about is how you explain them in the context of being a physician. Rather than just listing facts about yourself (an atheist liberal at a college in the bible belt, as you say), be sure to explain WHY those experiences are important to who you have become as a person and HOW that background will help you operate as a better physician. If you do that, then I would consider your essay successful.

Good luck.

 

[EnginrTheFuture]

When schools ask about diversity, what are they asking for? The only thing I can think of to write about is the fact that I'm a liberal, northeastern, culturally European atheist who goes to college in the bible belt. Is this the sort of thing that belongs in a diversity essay? Would anyone care? My only real justification for writing about it is that it shows that I'm comfortable around people with significantly different views. I don't really think that would add that much diversity to a medical school class.

Actually I find this a very interesting take on being culturally competent (one I took a similar approach to in my essays). Religious, socioeconomic and political diversity are some of the most prevalent types of diversity that exist in the US.... and many times these viewpoints are tied to other "forms" of diversity.

Do you have any SPECIFIC activities or long term experiences that exposed you to this environment or helped you learn to cope with it? Just living in an area with different people doesn't show how you learned and grew but specifics can paint that picture. Also, as Nick stated, it is important to portray how to apply these experiences going forward.

 

[Cynicalbrit]

Actually I find this a very interesting take on being culturally competent (one I took a similar approach to in my essays). Religious, socioeconomic and political diversity are some of the most prevalent types of diversity that exist in the US.... and many times these viewpoints are tied to other "forms" of diversity.

Do you have any SPECIFIC activities or long term experiences that exposed you to this environment or helped you learn to cope with it? Just living in an area with different people doesn't show how you learned and grew but specifics can paint that picture. Also, as Nick stated, it is important to portray how to apply these experiences going forward.

Well, I volunteer at a very Christian hospital so the vast majority (as far as I know, all) of the patients I meet are Christian. Most of the time I spend at the hospital is just hanging out with and talking to patients, and they often like to discuss their beliefs.

Other than that, in this area if I was uncomfortable being friends with Christians, I probably wouldn't have any friends. And I suppose it was pretty interesting discussing books like Paradise Lost and Dr. Faustus in English class, when I was the only atheist in a room full of Christians 🙂

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Quoted from Panda Bear, MD:

"You Are Not Applying For A Position In Management

Every generation has its peculiar bureaucratic vernacular. In the nineteen-fifties it was the breezy patter of the Madison Avenue ad men. In the sixties it was vacuous leftist duckspeak. Today it is the stilted jargon of the diversity Mafia with which the timid writer protects himself from the one true sin of diversity, that is, to have an original idea. In fact, if you can't write a decent-sized page without mentioning "diversity," "inclusiveness," "open-mindedness," or any of the other shibboleths of the ossified Pharisees who protect the academic temple from blasphemy, you're not trying hard enough to write an interesting personal statement.

Even the bureacrats who will read your essay must tire of yet another anthem to diversity, improving access, or your efforts to bridge the gaps between different peoples. It's like describing dirt to a farmer. They get it. The modern academic bureaucrat eats, sleeps, and breathes diversity. It's their religion in whose teachings they derive mindless comfort even though if pressed, they'd have a difficult time explaining why diversity is better than conformity.

You are, in fact, gilding the proverbial lily every time you mention your efforts to enhance diversity or "bring diversity to the table." Everybody says this. It's sort of a baseline. Nobody (with the exception of your Uncle Panda) is ever critical of diversity so what is your point going to be except that you wasted a couple paragraphs of your finite allocation of words on the literary equivalent of wall-paper? Completely unoriginal and unnecessary."

 

[Cynicalbrit]

Quoted from Panda Bear, MD:

"You Are Not Applying For A Position In Management

Every generation has its peculiar bureaucratic vernacular. In the nineteen-fifties it was the breezy patter of the Madison Avenue ad men. In the sixties it was vacuous leftist duckspeak. Today it is the stilted jargon of the diversity Mafia with which the timid writer protects himself from the one true sin of diversity, that is, to have an original idea. In fact, if you can’t write a decent-sized page without mentioning “diversity,” “inclusiveness,” “open-mindedness,” or any of the other shibboleths of the ossified Pharisees who protect the academic temple from blasphemy, you’re not trying hard enough to write an interesting personal statement.

Even the bureacrats who will read your essay must tire of yet another anthem to diversity, improving access, or your efforts to bridge the gaps between different peoples. It’s like describing dirt to a farmer. They get it. The modern academic bureaucrat eats, sleeps, and breathes diversity. It’s their religion in whose teachings they derive mindless comfort even though if pressed, they’d have a difficult time explaining why diversity is better than conformity.

You are, in fact, gilding the proverbial lily every time you mention your efforts to enhance diversity or “bring diversity to the table.” Everybody says this. It’s sort of a baseline. Nobody (with the exception of your Uncle Panda) is ever critical of diversity so what is your point going to be except that you wasted a couple paragraphs of your finite allocation of words on the literary equivalent of wall-paper? Completely unoriginal and unnecessary."

Your point?

 

[LizzyM]

Panda Bear has a point in that it isn't necessary to mention diversity in the AMCAS personal statment. Some schools have a separate essay specifically asking, how do you bring diversity to the class.

Keep in mind, too, that Panda Bear was a non-trad, and a veteran who left engineering for medicine. He was unhappy in Family Medicine and disgusted with the patients who sought his care in Emergency Medicine. He did not like the culture of US medical practice. To me, he is a life-size example of why people should shadow and get a lot of clinical exposure before taking a leap into medicine.

 

[Cynicalbrit]

Panda Bear has a point in that it isn't necessary to mention diversity in the AMCAS personal statment. Some schools have a separate essay specifically asking, how do you bring diversity to the class.

Keep in mind, too, that Panda Bear was a non-trad, and a veteran who left engineering for medicine. He was unhappy in Family Medicine and disgusted with the patients who sought his care in Emergency Medicine. He did not like the culture of US medical practice. To me, he is a life-size example of why people should shadow and get a lot of clinical exposure before taking a leap into medicine.

Oh, I know. I was asking specifically about "diversity" secondary essays. The thing that confused me about the PandaBear quote was, if medical schools don't care about diversity, why would they ask for an essay on it in their secondary application?

I guess my real question was whether being an atheist in a predominantly (~80%?) Christian field is diversity in the same sense as being hispanic in a predominantly white field.


Edit:
To add some numbers:
Approximately 55% of physicians are white and about 20% URM (from AMA)

Approximately 90% of physicians attend religious services at least occasionally (from UChicago Chronicle - http://chronicle.uchicago.edu/050714/doctorsfaith.shtml )

 

[Nymphicus]

When schools ask about diversity, what are they asking for? The only thing I can think of to write about is the fact that I'm a liberal, northeastern, culturally European atheist who goes to college in the bible belt. Is this the sort of thing that belongs in a diversity essay? Would anyone care? My only real justification for writing about it is that it shows that I'm comfortable around people with significantly different views. I don't really think that would add that much diversity to a medical school class.

Another way to rephrase the question is, if they end up having one seat for five, academically qualified individuals, all who fit in the above category --why should they pick you?

 

[mimelim]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=940690

There is a ton of mis-information in this thread. The fact that you are a Physics major does not make you 'diverse'. As someone else has pointed out, there are other Physics majors applying for medical school every cycle. But the same can be said for one's ethnic background, socio-economic upbringing etc. That isn't the point of the diversity questions in an application. Why are YOU unique? What makes you different from the other applicants that should make medical schools want you in their class? How are you going to bring something different to the table for the betterment of your classmates and your school?

You chose to do a Physics major. It is highly unlikely that you simply defaulted to Physics. (Unlike 90%+ of other undergraduates) Do you feel different than other pre-meds? Do YOU think that you have something different to offer? I think most Physics majors have two things they can talk about 1) The fact that they are wired differently and chose to pursue something different/unusual for someone also interested in medicine and 2) An undergraduate training focused on problem solving from day 1, not rote memorization. Obviously every person's undergraduate experience is different and not every Physics department/curriculum is the same. I can only guess, but the reason you are asking this question is because you feel like you have had a different experience growing up and doing a Physics major that most people can not claim. Do not focus on the fact that you did a Physics major. Focus on YOU and cite being a Physics major as simply being a manifestation of that. It is easy to express how that unique background will suit you well in medicine.

I think I was one of the best prepared in my medical school class largely because of my Physics background. A lot of pre-meds and people in general assume that because the raw content of your undergraduate classes isn't tested in medical school it won't help you. The reality is virtually none of the content you learn in undergrad helps. What helps are the skills that you pick up. Study habits, drive, interpersonal skills, ability to reason through problems etc. etc. I'm sure there are Physics majors that see what you major in as being "just a bunch of classes in a particular field", but they would be the minority. If you feel like you have something that most pre-meds are lacking, then bring it up and spotlight it. THAT is what adcoms are looking for.

I guess my real question was whether being an atheist in a predominantly (~80%?) Christian field is diversity in the same sense as being hispanic in a predominantly white field.

Atheists are not underrepresented in medicine, so no. But, that isn't the only purpose of a diversity question, see my response to the previous thread above.

 

[NickNaylor]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=940690

Atheists are not underrepresented in medicine, so no. But, that isn't the only purpose of a diversity question, see my response to the previous thread above.

100% agree with your post - I think that's why how you talk about your experiences and perspectives is much more important than the things themselves. Going to Africa and living in the local community for a year isn't going to mean squat if you aren't able to be introspective and try and name why that experience was formative for you and what that experience might say about who you are and how you will contribute as a physician.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717

 

[Cynicalbrit]

Atheists are not underrepresented in medicine, so no. But, that isn't the only purpose of a diversity question, see my response to the previous thread above.

Right - I'm not saying that being an atheist should grant me the same advantage URMs get. I'm talking more about being an atheist in an incredibly conservative, christian area and interacting frequently with people who have significantly different beliefs and world-views. That was, in fact, one of the reasons I chose to go to school in the south - to live with people whose opinions and upbringing differ significantly from my own. I would never suggest that being an atheist should get me preferential treatment.




P.S. - I don't want to start an argument on this, but atheists are a minority. There aren't really any published statistics on the proportion of physicians that are atheists, so I'll defer to you on that. However, atheists make up only about 1.6% of the US population, and agnostics only make up another 2.4% (Pew Forum). 1.6% could hardly be considered a majority.

 

[galaxyx]

Right - I'm not saying that being an atheist should grant me the same advantage URMs get. I'm talking more about being an atheist in an incredibly conservative, christian area and interacting frequently with people who have significantly different beliefs and world-views. That was, in fact, one of the reasons I chose to go to school in the south - to live with people whose opinions and upbringing differ significantly from my own. I would never suggest that being an atheist should get me preferential treatment.




P.S. - I don't want to start an argument on this, but atheists are a minority. There aren't really any published statistics on the proportion of physicians that are atheists, so I'll defer to you on that. However, atheists make up only about 1.6% of the US population, and agnostics only make up another 2.4% (Pew Forum). 1.6% could hardly be considered a majority.

Being a minority doesn't make you underrepresented. Asians are a minority, but they're not underrepresented in medicine.

 

[Cynicalbrit]

Being a minority doesn't make you underrepresented. Asians are a minority, but they're not underrepresented in medicine.

Exactly, which is why I tried to make it clear that I meant atheists are a minority, but I had no way to claim that they are underrepresented. I hope that was clear.

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Right - I'm not saying that being an atheist should grant me the same advantage URMs get. I'm talking more about being an atheist in an incredibly conservative, christian area and interacting frequently with people who have significantly different beliefs and world-views. That was, in fact, one of the reasons I chose to go to school in the south - to live with people whose opinions and upbringing differ significantly from my own. I would never suggest that being an atheist should get me preferential treatment.




P.S. - I don't want to start an argument on this, but atheists are a minority. There aren't really any published statistics on the proportion of physicians that are atheists, so I'll defer to you on that. However, atheists make up only about 1.6% of the US population, and agnostics only make up another 2.4% (Pew Forum). 1.6% could hardly be considered a majority.

I guess I don't see how the ability to have a professional interaction with someone with a different set of beliefs translates into diversity. This is a baseline social competency that should be expected of all college graduates.

 

[LizzyM]

Being an atheist isn't going to get you much traction given that part of why schools are looking for diversity is to bring first hand information to students through fellow students. It is always helpful to have members of the team who understands cultural issues that arise with patients of different minority groups-- is someone familiar with religious prohibitions against X or with the cultural significance of this holiday or the rituals around births in this ethnic community? With some guidance and experience, you learn how to care for patients holistically through the information provided by "insiders" in those communities.

 

[NickNaylor]

I guess I don't see how the ability to have a professional interaction with someone with a different set of beliefs translates into diversity. This is a baseline social competency that should be expected of all college graduates.

Well, it depends on the question. Are you being asked something along the lines of how you would bring diversity to the class? If so, then I would agree with you. In general, though, I think questions that ask about experiences with diversity are probing things that I mentioned in my first reply.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717

 

[Cynicalbrit]

Well, it depends on the question. Are you being asked something along the lines of how you would bring diversity to the class? If so, then I would agree with you. In general, though, I think questions that ask about experiences with diversity are probing things that I mentioned in my first reply.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717

Yes, I suppose I should have clarified that I was asking about the latter. And your first post answered that question perfectly, so thank you.

I guess the only question that remains unanswered (in this thread at least) is the one you just mentioned. What exactly would bring diversity to a class?