Secondary Topics Need Help

[realitysickness]

Hi all! Looking for some feedback on my potential topics for the diversity and adversity secondaries:

Adversity

1. Mom's recent health scare where she had post menopausal bleeding and went in to see an OB-GYN who attempted to perform an endometrial biopsy but was unsuccessful bc my mom was hysterical with pain. Consequently, mom did not want to go back for the repeat procedure (+ hysteroscopy)... mom is already distrustful of allopathic medicine and blamed doctor for increasing her bleeding. Although very stressful, I had to work hard to convince my mom why getting the procedure is so important and then regain her trust by having her get a second opinion...

2. Playing peacemaker/conflict mediator for my parents since a young age. Growing up my parents would always fight and I would
act as a go-between and get them to make up with each other

3. My assigned Pt was noncompliant on oncology clinical trial, and our research staff kept taking protocol deviations from the pharmaceutical company sponsoring the trial. As the Research Coordinator, I attempted to reach out to the patient many times to coordinate her follow up assessments, but Pt would keep scheduling and the canceling apts. Pt had a lot of other difficult circumstances like working long hrs, low SES, DV victim... while I did my best to connect her to resources she didn't follow through and I had to ultimately take her off trial

4. Patient was waiting ~45 min in clinic lobby for her oral study drug (palbocicilib). Patient was extremely upset and voiced her frustration. Her oncologist did not sign the order and release to Pharmacy bc Clinical Trial RN was on vacation (she is the one to remind docs). Pharmacy in oncology outpatient clinic was under construction so a lot of chaos. I went to MD to get order signed and relayed to pharmacy to speed up release of drug. I spent waiting time with the upset patient, apologized profusely for the delay, and engaged her in conversation

5. Caretaker of my grandma and coping with her death

6. Coping with the death of one of my patients

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[cantankerous]

The last two are the only ones about you in particular and have affected you personally.

 

[realitysickness]

Diversity

1. Muslim faith, rejecting it at first bc of outsider perception and then recommitting to it - worried this could be controversial though

2. My public health perspective as evidenced by my work experiences in local county health & hospital system - Worry that because I talked about these already in primary, will be seen as repetitive... but I can discuss in different angle & it would re-emphasize my public health hook (I am applying to joint MD/MPH programs and studied PH in undergrad and have a huge interest in PH shown via my research and work experiences)

 

[realitysickness]

The last two are the only ones about you in particular and have affected you personally.

Well I mean all these situations affected me (i.e growing up in a dysfunctional family, stress re: mom's health and frustration with her for refusing to do a procedure, stress dealing with angry patient and noncompliant patient at work), but yeah I was wondering if Adcoms are looking for adversity encountered in professional settings (like challenges at work) or do they prefer adversity in personal settings?

 

[cantankerous]

Well I mean all these situations affected me (i.e growing up in a dysfunctional family, stress re: mom's health and frustration with her for refusing to do a procedure, stress dealing with angry patient and noncompliant patient at work), but yeah I was wondering if Adcoms are looking for adversity encountered in professional settings (like challenges at work) or do they prefer adversity in personal settings?

I misread your post sorry. I think all of them are fine. I would pick maybe 1,3,4,6 for adversity because they are one situation rather than a collective experience that can easily be shortened for secondaries that don't give many characters/words.
As for diversity, write a good sob story (but not too emotional) about being Muslim and how it made you a stronger person who understands other individuals and their struggles.

 

[Catalystik]

Hi all! Looking for some feedback on my potential topics for the diversity and adversity secondaries:

Adversity

1. Mom's recent health scare where she had post menopausal bleeding and went in to see an OB-GYN who attempted to perform an endometrial biopsy but was unsuccessful bc my mom was hysterical with pain. Consequently, mom did not want to go back for the repeat procedure (+ hysteroscopy)... mom is already distrustful of allopathic medicine and blamed doctor for increasing her bleeding. Although very stressful, I had to work hard to convince my mom why getting the procedure is so important and then regain her trust by having her get a second opinion...

2. Playing peacemaker/conflict mediator for my parents since a young age. Growing up my parents would always fight and I would
act as a go-between and get them to make up with each other

3. My assigned Pt was noncompliant on oncology clinical trial, and our research staff kept taking protocol deviations from the pharmaceutical company sponsoring the trial. As the Research Coordinator, I attempted to reach out to the patient many times to coordinate her follow up assessments, but Pt would keep scheduling and the canceling apts. Pt had a lot of other difficult circumstances like working long hrs, low SES, DV victim... while I did my best to connect her to resources she didn't follow through and I had to ultimately take her off trial

4. Patient was waiting ~45 min in clinic lobby for her oral study drug (palbocicilib). Patient was extremely upset and voiced her frustration. Her oncologist did not sign the order and release to Pharmacy bc Clinical Trial RN was on vacation (she is the one to remind docs). Pharmacy in oncology outpatient clinic was under construction so a lot of chaos. I went to MD to get order signed and relayed to pharmacy to speed up release of drug. I spent waiting time with the upset patient, apologized profusely for the delay, and engaged her in conversation

5. Caretaker of my grandma and coping with her death

6. Coping with the death of one of my patients

For Adversity, I like #2, and for Diversity, #1.

 

[LizzyM]

I'd estimate that at least 10% of our student body is Muslim. From the number of shoes outside the room, there is a fairly large number of people who pray in one of the classrooms on Friday (movable tables and chairs). So, I would not expect that to be controversial.

For adversity, follow the prompt. It may be less about a hardship and more about how you handled it... how you deal with hardship, in other words.

 

[realitysickness]

I'd estimate that at least 10% of our student body is Muslim. From the number of shoes outside the room, there is a fairly large number of people who pray in one of the classrooms on Friday (movable tables and chairs). So, I would not expect that to be controversial.

For adversity, follow the prompt. It may be less about a hardship and more about how you handled it... how you deal with hardship, in other words.

Thank you everyone for your feedback. I will go with discussing my faith for the Diversity prompts. Will mull over the adversity prompt a little bit more, but I appreciate everyone's insight!

 

[Goro]

The last two are the only ones about you in particular and have affected you personally.

I agree.

 

[Goro]

Diversity

1. Muslim faith, rejecting it at first bc of outsider perception and then recommitting to it - worried this could be controversial though

2. My public health perspective as evidenced by my work experiences in local county health & hospital system - Worry that because I talked about these already in primary, will be seen as repetitive... but I can discuss in different angle & it would re-emphasize my public health hook (I am applying to joint MD/MPH programs and studied PH in undergrad and have a huge interest in PH shown via my research and work experiences)

1) Agree with LizzyM.
2) I dislike topics where you tell about what you've learned from academics.
More introspection, please. What's cool about you?

 

[realitysickness]

1) Agree with LizzyM.
2) I dislike topics where you tell about what you've learned from academics.
More introspection, please. What's cool about you?

Thank you so much Goro!