Should I mention my sexual orientation in my personal statement?

[futuredoc525]

Ok so here's the deal... I'm sitting here working on my personal statement for the 2011-2012 application season and I'm having trouble deciding whether or not to mention the fact that I'm openly gay. I feel like it contributes in a major way to my ability to empathize with and have compassion for others. At the same time though I don't want my statement to be read by some homophobic ADCOM member and get denied primarily because of my sexuality. I know many medical schools have an anti-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation but that doesn't mean it'll stop a particular ADCOM member from placing me in the reject pile based on my sexuality. I'm just kind of at a loss here... Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance...

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[Apollyon]

"Openly gay" might mean a few things. Is it just, if someone asks you, you'll tell them, or are you a stereotype?

Some things might be implied if you mention them as activities or in your PS, like being a leader with the "Gay Men's Health Crisis" or the like. However, if you don't state it, and you don't wear it on your sleeve (like being the stereotype), they can't legally ask you (and won't try).

As I've gotten older, I've seen, more and more, that people are people. Gay and straight people are mostly very alike in that they're pretty boring, and their sexuality has little to do with how they function. You write that it has helped with your empathy, but, at the same time, there are many people that are empathetic irrespective of their preference, and not because of it. Likewise, there's a woman I know and love dearly that is an out and unadorned (not quite "butch") lesbian, and I could/would work with her every day, but she is a southern redneck like none you've ever seen, and she has no problem labeling anyone or anything. No matter who she is, she has NO problem telling you what YOU are!

 

[StIGMA]

In general, it is not a good idea to discuss sexual preferences on the opening page of a job description. Do you do this in real life, such as when you introduce yourself to a professor or when you look for a job (or when you introduce yourself to patients in the future)? It is not professional, and a homophobe may throw out your application, but so would a respectable professional.

That said, there are ways to bring up the topic and make it not about sex/sexual preferences. Don't just 'mention it.' If you have a desire to help out certain communities/have done so in the past, or any other range of ideas that could incorporate this in your life that is pertinent to you being a physician, that could potentially be one paragraph of your personal statement. But YOU arent defined by just your sexual orientation, are you (if so that's pretty sad)? Is that really the most important thing about you, and if so, why wouldn't someone throw your application away (a lot of my classmates are gay, and they have done incredible things in their lives... what do you think they wrote about)?

I really think there are a lot more pertinent and professional topics to write about, but you could bring it up as a part of your story. Bringing it up as the core of your story may not work to your benefit.

 

[DoctaJay]

In general, it is not a good idea to discuss sexual preferences on the opening page of a job description. Do you do this in real life, such as when you introduce yourself to a professor or when you look for a job (or when you introduce yourself to patients in the future)? It is not professional, and a homophobe may throw out your application, but so would a respectable professional.

That said, there are ways to bring up the topic and make it not about sex/sexual preferences. Don't just 'mention it.' If you have a desire to help out certain communities/have done so in the past, or any other range of ideas that could incorporate this in your life that is pertinent to you being a physician, that could potentially be one paragraph of your personal statement. But YOU arent defined by just your sexual orientation, are you (if so that's pretty sad)? Is that really the most important thing about you, and if so, why wouldn't someone throw your application away (a lot of my classmates are gay, and they have done incredible things in their lives... what do you think they wrote about)?

I really think there are a lot more pertinent and professional topics to write about, but you could bring it up as a part of your story. Bringing it up as the core of your story may not work to your benefit.

Exactly. When I am reading an applicants personal statement I want to know what led you to pursue a career in medicine. I am not quite sure how being gay factors into this but if you are hardpressed to mention it that better be the best darn PS you have ever seen. Otherwise mention something in the Activities section.

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[futuredoc525]

I really think there are a lot more pertinent and professional topics to write about, but you could bring it up as a part of your story. Bringing it up as the core of your story may not work to your benefit.

I have no intention of making it the primary focus of my PS. There is another topic I am using as my central theme and is something that has contributed greatly to my desire to be a physician. I'm just somewhat afraid to mention it at all even though I feel some of the things I have dealt with as a result contribute to my ability to be a caring compassionate physician.

 

[Black Surgeon]

Most people can think of a million ways in which to write a personal statement without alluding to sexual orientation, all you have to do is think of one.

 

[DancingThruLife]

To the OP:

I am also gay. Quite frankly, I didn't quarrel with this as much as other gay posters on SDN have b/c I didn't feel that being gay was a huge part of why I wanted to be a Dr.

Here we go:

I am gay and I am also Latino. Equating my being gay with being more sympathetic would be like equating my being Latino with being more sympathetic. It's not at all a stretch (I completely understand what you mean), but it's not really saying anything about WHY you want to go into MEDICINE.

If you have worked with gay populations before and you feel that your being gay has helped you in connecting with patients, that might be something you could mention. I would not write a PS with a thesis of "I am gay, this is what I've dealt with in my life b/c of my sexual orientation, therefore I can be an awesome, empathetic doctor." That won't fly.

Make sure that you really dig into why it is that you want to be a doctor. What experiences have you had that made you go "WOW, I can't see myself doing anything else but medicine!" That's what you're really looking for.

It's not so much about ADCOMS being ignorant, etc. as much as it is about your PS standing out for the wrong reasons (i.e. you did not answer the prompt). PM me if you want me to read what you have so far.