talking about queer identity in secondaries

[megaluna]

im just not sure how to do it appropriately. i dont really think its anyone's business who i sleep with, but culturally it is a significant part of who i am, and has shaped my view of the world, so i want to talk about that part. do i need to define queerness, & explain how its been reclaimed as an empowering word, or will adcoms be annoyed because i am assuming they dont know what it means?

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[soull]

you should talk about it if you feel that strongly about it. but try not to make it seem like that's all that defines you.

 

[Quix]

I'd try to avoid emphasizing it only because it may make you seem one-dimensional. While I can see how sexual/gender identity can be relevant in shaping worldview, I would hope that there are many facets to you that make you compelling. Adcoms get a significant number of applications who are G/L/B who don't choose to emphasize that aspect of who they are because they've found many other experiences to be more relevant to how they will practice medicine and/or see the world. If you are having a hard time fitting your gender/sexuality into a particular question, it may be because it's not really relevant to the question asked.

 

[LizzyM]

I totally agree with soull & quix.

Keep in mind that your audience (the people reading your secondaries) are medical school faculty members. They may range in age from 30 (or younger, if the adcom taps a few medical students to assist in reading applications) to 80 years of age (or more -- professors emeriti are wonderful, hardworking people with the time to spend reading and evaluating applications). Some are politically and/or socially conservative, some are not. Some have family members who are gay, some are themselves gay (although no one has ever stood up at an adcom meeting to say so). Some may doubt that being queer is relevant to a career in medicine so you might choose to skip that part about yourself or you could wave the flag and make a stand for what you see as the unmet healthcare needs of your community and your desire to serve the community in a way that is sensitive to those outside of the mainstream.

 

[mindquick]

i would only emphasize it if it was relevant to a career in medicine.

 

[WantsThisBad]

im just not sure how to do it appropriately. i dont really think its anyone's business who i sleep with, but culturally it is a significant part of who i am, and has shaped my view of the world, so i want to talk about that part. do i need to define queerness, & explain how its been reclaimed as an empowering word, or will adcoms be annoyed because i am assuming they dont know what it means?

I could say that my heterosexuality has influenced my view of the world as well but I wouldn't talk about it in an essay. You say that it's nobodies business who you sleep with? Then keep it that way. I think if you emphasize this then you will more likely come off as one dimensional. You should have plenty of other meaningful things to talk about other than your sexual orientation. This is in no way homophobic...I couldn't care less who someone sleeps with. Great for you. Just not med school admissions material. My 2 Cents!

 

[aaj117]

If you can relate it to why it would make you a better health care provider or how it adds to your motivations, you have an easy way to include it. I included it successfully, and am really glad i did; i know that i woudln't be comfortable at schools who aren't going to accept this. On my Tufts "how would you add to the diverstiy of this school" essay, I included being a member of the LGBT community and how it has affected me. On my Morehouse application I uncluded this information in the "why Morehouse" section, writing about how I had come across many people in the community who had been denied healthcare, either because they were trans and people were just not understanding, or because they were gay and people were afraid of them before it was understood how HIV/AIDS spread. I included the LGBT community as a medically underserved community that I wished to help, and wrote about how I felt that my experiences as a queer activist have helped me relate to this group. Additionally, three of my AMCAS work/activities involved queer groups that I worked with during college, some medically related some not. I wrote about getting rid of the homophobia of the red cross in still not allowing gay men to donate blood although other groups now have a significantly large risk for HIV as well, and eliminating other such biases in medicine. Because I was able to explain how this would help me connect with more patients and be a better healthcare provider, i was not afraid to be so out in the application process...and it must have worked, because I have interviews at both Tufts and Morehouse, with what I wrote above, as well as some other schools, including a jesuit school.

 

[bth7]

I could say that my heterosexuality has influenced my view of the world as well but I wouldn't talk about it in an essay. You say that it's nobodies business who you sleep with? Then keep it that way. I think if you emphasize this then you will more likely come off as one dimensional. You should have plenty of other meaningful things to talk about other than your sexual orientation. This is in no way homophobic...I couldn't care less who someone sleeps with. Great for you. Just not med school admissions material. My 2 Cents!

Considering that LGBT'er are identified by the US dept of health and human services as an underserved community, I'd say its pretty relevant to medical school admissions.

Center for Disease Control: LGBT
Dept of Health and Human Services: Disparities in the US(sexual orientation is one factor creating disparity in access to care)
Wikipedia: Sexual Orientation and medicine


bth

 

[Concubine]

Go ahead and talk about it! Who cares what all the old conservative doctors think...their decision only significantly impacts your future! Are you serious? I don't think your sexual preference should be brought up in your application. But hey, if you do, it's one less person I have to compete with for that spot.

 

[aaj117]

Go ahead and talk about it! Who cares what all the old conservative doctors think...their decision only significantly impacts your future! Are you serious? I don't think your sexual preference should be brought up in your application. But hey, if you do, it's one less person I have to compete with for that spot.

And your tone would be respected if that were true, but i went ahead and talked about it, and it looks like you've still got a good amount of competition from me at three of the schools you've applied to so far, so maybe you should calm the attitude

 

[Concubine]

And your tone would be respected if that were true, but i went ahead and talked about it, and it looks like you've still got a good amount of competition from me at three of the schools you've applied to so far, so maybe you should calm the attitude

If it is a controversial subject, chances are at least some of the admissions committee will not look favorably on it. I'm not sure why you would even want to put something in your application that has the ability, or even the potential, to prevent you from getting in. But hey, like I said, that's (correction!) one less potential spot I'll be competing for.

 

[aaj117]

If it is a controversial subject, chances are at least some of the admissions committee will not look favorably on it. I'm not sure why you would even want to put something in your application that has the ability, or even the potential, to prevent you from getting in. But hey, like I said, that's (correction!) one less potential spot I'll be competing for.

I can't speak for everyone considering putting it in their app, but i chose to include it for two main reasons. Number one, I spent about 20-25 hours a week my last two and a half years of college involved in queer activism, LGBT peer education, and working for the LGBT center at my school. If i did not include this, there would be a huge gap in my application; that's where i spent all of my time. And when I was speaking with both my pre-health advisor and the deans of admissions for Penn and Harvard, all three said to include it for that reason; it shows leadership, as i held multiple offices in my school's undergrad LGBT group, and the activism and community service shows that i felt passionately about it and worked hard for it even if others opposed me. Second, seeing the disparity in healthcare for LGBT patients was something that motivated me to continue my health education and become a doctor. It has made me consider an MPH and go into health poilcy as well. And those are my reasons for including something that may have the potential to prevent me from getting in to a couple of schools; it also may help me get in to just as many. And as i said earlier, I probably wouldn't be comfortable at a school that isn't comfortable with me.

 

[aaj117]

do i need to define queerness, & explain how its been reclaimed as an empowering word, or will adcoms be annoyed because i am assuming they dont know what it means?

Anyway to the OPs real question; I would definitely define it, because people outside of the queer community often don't understand how it could be an empowering word, nor why anyone would want to identify as queer rather than as gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc. As a peer educator I went into tons of on-campus groups discussing many things, especially terminology, and i found that the majority of the population avoids terms besides "gay" altogether.
I don't know where you're from, but if you live anywhere near the philadelphia area, Equality Forum, a non-for-profit human rights group, will be holding a panel on the term "queer" and people who prefer it, its meanings and its evolution, and the speakers are going to be great, including the actress who plays Moyra/Max on the L word, Elizabeth Lindsey, a wonderful activist who got her masters in public policy from princeton and works in economic development in Trenton, and two others who i can't remember off of the top of my head right now. It will be in October sometime, i'm not really sure of the date either but it will be on their website. Just thought you might be interested.

 

[Concubine]

I can't speak for everyone considering putting it in their app, but i chose to include it for two main reasons. Number one, I spent about 20-25 hours a week my last two and a half years of college involved in queer activism, LGBT peer education, and working for the LGBT center at my school. If i did not include this, there would be a huge gap in my application; that's where i spent all of my time. And when I was speaking with both my pre-health advisor and the deans of admissions for Penn and Harvard, all three said to include it for that reason; it shows leadership, as i held multiple offices in my school's undergrad LGBT group, and the activism and community service shows that i felt passionately about it and worked hard for it even if others opposed me. Second, seeing the disparity in healthcare for LGBT patients was something that motivated me to continue my health education and become a doctor. It has made me consider an MPH and go into health poilcy as well. And those are my reasons for including something that may have the potential to prevent me from getting in to a couple of schools; it also may help me get in to just as many. And as i said earlier, I probably wouldn't be comfortable at a school that isn't comfortable with me.

Well, I stand mostly corrected. If your sexual identity has played a huge role in your leadership experience, activism, etc.., then by all means, use it. But I also stand by one thing that echos across all the posts here...sucking up. Everyones doing it to get into medical school. I'm not sure if there is any way to get in without sucking up to at least some degree. I think you should take my opinion as just an indication that there might be opposition and controversy surrounding this subject that may prevent you from getting in to your school of choice. If you don't want to go to this school because they might look down on your experiences, then fine! But if you want to play the game, just like everyone else, you probably have to suck up a little. Just my opinion that I wouldn't use it.

 

[aaj117]

Well, I stand mostly corrected. If your sexual identity has played a huge role in your leadership experience, activism, etc.., then by all means, use it. But I also stand by one thing that echos across all the posts here...sucking up. Everyones doing it to get into medical school. I'm not sure if there is any way to get in without sucking up to at least some degree. I think you should take my opinion as just an indication that there might be opposition and controversy surrounding this subject that may prevent you from getting in to your school of choice. If you don't want to go to this school because they might look down on your experiences, then fine! But if you want to play the game, just like everyone else, you probably have to suck up a little. Just my opinion that I wouldn't use it.

I appreciate that and i do understand that there may be controversy around this and that it may even prevent me from getting in to some schools. It took me a few months to decide whether or not to be out during the application process, and i sought advice from a large pool of people. Surprisingly, there was not a single adcom member (and i spoke to more than ten), who did not actively try to convince me to include it, becuase of my specific experiences. I would definitely agree with you that if it were just a small part of my undergraduate experience, i was queer but not involved in the community, i would not include it, and i would advise the OP likewise. In the end, I did decide that it was best for me to include it because it had such a large influence on what type of candidate I was. And i understand that all of us do "suck up" to a point, but i used this aspect to suck up; on my Brown application, for your best quality, i wrote about being able to empathize and relate to many patients, and advocate for even those i could not relate to through experience. I connected this with Brown being the first university, and warren alpert the ONLY medical school, to include gender identity in their non-discrimination clause. I explained that I felt that this made Brown a good fit for me because even if other schools aren't discriminating in this capacity, they leave the doors open to do so, and that makes me uncomfortable even though I myself am not transgendered.

 

[postbacker]

I appreciate that and i do understand that there may be controversy around this and that it may even prevent me from getting in to some schools. It took me a few months to decide whether or not to be out during the application process, and i sought advice from a large pool of people. Surprisingly, there was not a single adcom member (and i spoke to more than ten), who did not actively try to convince me to include it, becuase of my specific experiences. I would definitely agree with you that if it were just a small part of my undergraduate experience, i was queer but not involved in the community, i would not include it, and i would advise the OP likewise. In the end, I did decide that it was best for me to include it because it had such a large influence on what type of candidate I was. And i understand that all of us do "suck up" to a point, but i used this aspect to suck up; on my Brown application, for your best quality, i wrote about being able to empathize and relate to many patients, and advocate for even those i could not relate to through experience. I connected this with Brown being the first university, and warren alpert the ONLY medical school, to include gender identity in their non-discrimination clause. I explained that I felt that this made Brown a good fit for me because even if other schools aren't discriminating in this capacity, they leave the doors open to do so, and that makes me uncomfortable even though I myself am not transgendered.

I agree with you here completely. Your inclusion of the info on your app for EC/Leadership reasons is sensible...the OP seems to want to "talk about it" for personal reasons that, really, have little or nothing to do with evaluating applicants seeking admission to medical school...

 

[Phoenix.]

Personally, if I were queer, and even if didn't have lots of related activities on my app, I still might talk about it if a school asked how I'd add diversity. Of course, I would think it would be best there to tie in how being queer would add to my being a great doctor, my different perspective perhaps, sensitivity to certain health care issues, and my desire to serve the queer community (if I had such a goal). Anyway, I completely understand the desire to be who you are in this process, and to not want to go somewhere you wouldn't be welcome. If you feel that it helps define you and your goals, it sounds like a good thing to include in your app. However, I would also probably research the schools (maybe check for LGBT groups at the med school), etc. to see how receptive they might be to openly queer students.

 

[megaluna]

I am only thinking about including discussion of queerness in questions relating to diversity, uniqueness, what I will bring to a school, etc.. I did do lots of queer education in undergrad, so that is on my AMCAS, but it is in no way the major focus of my application. I can also talk about its impact on my life and how it has been a motivating factor in what jobs I have done since college, and what I want to do with medicine.

 

[aaj117]

Well then as long as you can clearly tie that together, I think it is a perfectly fine thing to mention. It's true that one or two schools that you apply to may have conservative old straight white men or something on the adcom who disregard your app, but for the most part, that won't happen. I even got an interview at a jesuit school...and I'm not quiet at all about my identity and my views in my app. So, go for it!

 

[utahjazz]

In case some of you missed it, this is from the July 2007 AAMC Reporter: "Gay Discrimination Still Exists in Medical Schools"

http://www.aamc.org/newsroom/reporter/july07/discrimination.htm

 

[JaggerPlate]

Okay I know because the OP said it that it is probably what is considered most politically correct, but does 'queer' sound a bit negative to anyone else?? I figured homosexual, or gay would be less offensive in comparison to queer??

 

[Polynikes]

IMO, putting the fact that you are "queer" has no place in this context.

All it does is show that you could possibly polarize your peers...

It also shows that you probably have an agenda...

Which you obviously do...

 

[jr doctor in sd]

i say if you were very active with it, since you said it was a big part of your life, include it. If you never did club activities or work, then no.

And when some people say its controversial, and may result in you getting rejected. You might get lucky enough to get someone's sympathy who will think its hard to be homosexual sometimes in society and to be open about it, etc. so maybe itll help u get in with the right person doing the admissions =p. best of luck!

 

[Polynikes]

I am only thinking about including discussion of queerness in questions relating to diversity, uniqueness, what I will bring to a school, etc.. I did do lots of queer education in undergrad, so that is on my AMCAS, but it is in no way the major focus of my application. I can also talk about its impact on my life and how it has been a motivating factor in what jobs I have done since college, and what I want to do with medicine.

You're a troll...

 

[Phoenix.]

You're a troll...

You might want to clarify that. I don't see anything trollish about that post.

 

[Polynikes]

You might want to clarify that. I don't see anything trollish about that post.

Yeah, uh, how many times have you seen a "queer" talk like this? The use of the word queer is inappropriate when used like this.

What is "queer education?"

Furthermore, when someone says that being "queer" and doing "lots of queer education" is "in no way the major focus of their application," then following that with the fact that it (being queer) is the motivating factor finding work, then saying that it (being queer) is what they want to do with medicine....I call it a troll...

A troll with A.D.D. actually...

I did do lots of queer education in undergrad, so that is on my AMCAS, but it is in no way the major focus of my application. I can also talk about its impact on my life and how it has been a motivating factor in what jobs I have done since college, and what I want to do with medicine.

 

[Blade28]

& explain how its been reclaimed as an empowering word, or will adcoms be annoyed because i am assuming they dont know what it means?

Can you explain how it's been "reclaimed"? I guess I don't understand the use of this word, specifically, versus "gay," "homosexual," etc.

If it's significantly impacted your life IN TERMS OF YOUR DECISION TO ENTER MEDICINE, then yes, include it.

Otherwise, I wouldn't.

 

[Polynikes]

Can someone tell me how going into medicine because of the gay community makes sense?

Is being a lesbian a prerequisite for treating a lesbian?

 

[PeepshowJohnny]

Can someone tell me how going into medicine because of the gay community makes sense?

Is being a lesbian a prerequisite for treating a lesbian?

There have been reports about the difficulty homosexuals have in finding a primary care physician. Basically, I got the gist that there are cases (I don't know how common) of someone seeing a doctor for almost a decade before he was comfortable telling the doctor he was a gay man, and when he did the doctor asked him not to be his patient anymore. This leads to lack of medical attention.

So no, you don't have to be gay to treat gay people, but someone could make a case that being a gay person, they want to go into medicine and have a career goal of improving this problem.

 

[Harry Bahgina]

Okay I know because the OP said it that it is probably what is considered most politically correct, but does 'queer' sound a bit negative to anyone else?? I figured homosexual, or gay would be less offensive in comparison to queer??

I too thought that word was not PC!?

 

[utahjazz]

IMO, putting the fact that you are "queer" has no place in this context.

All it does is show that you could possibly polarize your peers...

It also shows that you probably have an agenda...

Which you obviously do...

I recall you saying that you are a Christian. Did you mention your religion anywhere on your application/EC's?

All it does is show that you could possibly polarize your peers...

It also shows that you probably have an agenda...

Which you obviously do...

 

[aaj117]

Can you explain how it's been "reclaimed"? I guess I don't understand the use of this word, specifically, versus "gay," "homosexual," etc.

If it's significantly impacted your life IN TERMS OF YOUR DECISION TO ENTER MEDICINE, then yes, include it.

Otherwise, I wouldn't.

The use of the word queer instead of the word lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, etc, is entirely a personal choice. Because it is less well defined some people prefer it, especially people who consider sexuality a fluid and possibly changing thing and don't want to define themselves in a limiting manner; I have friends who used to identify as lesbians, are now dating men, or realize that they may one day want to, etc, who identify as queer. Some people I know identify that way because they find it less offensive than gay; queer was an offensive term refering to homosexuals decades ago, but one rarely hears it in a negative sense anymore, in opposition to the word gay; how often do you hear people saying "oh that's so gay" about something that bothers them? The word gay has been turned into an insult to the level where some people feel they need a new word. Others just feel that it unites the community more; if i identify as queer, as a bisexual woman, and a transgendered female to male identifies as queer, we're more part of the same community. So, there are many personal reasons to identify as queer instead of gay, lesbian, etc. Does that help at all?

 

[Polynikes]

I recall you saying that you are a Christian. Did you mention your religion anywhere on your application/EC's?

All it does is show that you could possibly polarize your peers...

It also shows that you probably have an agenda...

Which you obviously do...

What a sh###y argument...

How many times have I been on the job hunt with a local church or similar institution driving my career goals?

How many times have I told medical schools that Christianity is the reason that I am applying to medical school, and that my main focus is treating Christians?

When you find the answer to those questions, please let me know...

Because to me, religion is a personal issue that I will not force onto other people. Do I wish that others would convert to Christianity and give it the chance to work the same miracles in their life that it has in mine?

Of course...

But I'm not the one running around campus condemning everyone to a life spent in hell...which is basically what the OP is doing with his/her "queer" crusade.

By the way, if you take offense to the way in which I use the word "queer," you'll have to seek an apology from the local "queer" first. She/he set the example for which I am only following.

For the record, working for gay / lesbian groups means = demonstrating / picketing

In other words = definite agenda, definite side taken, definite line drawn in the sand

 

[utahjazz]

What a sh###y argument...

How many times have I been on the job hunt with a local church or similar institution driving my career goals?

How many times have I told medical schools that Christianity is the reason that I am applying to medical school, and that my main focus is treating Christians?

When you find the answer to those questions, please let me know...

Because to me, religion is a personal issue that I will not force onto other people. Do I wish that others would convert to Christianity and give it the chance to work the same miracles in their life that it has in mine?

Of course...

But I'm not the one running around campus condemning everyone to a life spent in hell...which is basically what the OP is doing with his/her "queer" crusade.

By the way, if you take offense to the way in which I use the word "queer," you'll have to seek an apology from the local "queer" first. She/he set the example for which I am only following.

For the record, working for gay / lesbian groups means = demonstrating / picketing

In other words = definite agenda, definite side taken, definite line drawn in the sand

 

[154241]

i agree... and what's wrong with having an agenda? he/she wants to educate people and get them to be more tolerant, not convert them...

 

[154241]

Some people I know identify that way because they find it less offensive than gay; queer was an offensive term refering to homosexuals decades ago, but one rarely hears it in a negative sense anymore,

I have definitely heard it used negatively, and I don't think I've ever heard it used positively. It could be because I'm from the South. Thanks for the explanation though.

 

[Phoenix.]

What a sh###y argument...

How many times have I been on the job hunt with a local church or similar institution driving my career goals?

How many times have I told medical schools that Christianity is the reason that I am applying to medical school, and that my main focus is treating Christians?

When you find the answer to those questions, please let me know...

Because to me, religion is a personal issue that I will not force onto other people. Do I wish that others would convert to Christianity and give it the chance to work the same miracles in their life that it has in mine?

Of course...

But I'm not the one running around campus condemning everyone to a life spent in hell...which is basically what the OP is doing with his/her "queer" crusade.

By the way, if you take offense to the way in which I use the word "queer," you'll have to seek an apology from the local "queer" first. She/he set the example for which I am only following.

For the record, working for gay / lesbian groups means = demonstrating / picketing

In other words = definite agenda, definite side taken, definite line drawn in the sand

Polynikes, you are of course entitled to your own opinion. I just don't see where the OP states that he was "running around campus condemning everyone to a life spent in hell". All he talked about was how it's part of his life, his activities, and his education/culture. I didn't see any judgments or accusations that anyone not queer or gay would go to hell.

In fact, the way you describe religion above (to some degree) sounds like how he described his queerness. He acknowledged that it is a personal issue, but thought of mentioning it in diversity essays because a lot of his activities and even his outlook on medicine are colored by being queer. I've also read essays by people who are religious, and who have religious activities (both related to healthcare, and not), and who choose to talk about religion in their essays as supporting and driving their volunteer work or outlook on healthcare. Just take a look at Loyola and it's Jesuit tradition. There are parallels here, and if you can see that, then the OP's query in this thread isn't "trollish" (as you put it) at all.

 

[Polynikes]

i agree... and what's wrong with having an agenda? he/she wants to educate people and get them to be more tolerant, not convert them...

What you meant to say was, "What's wrong with having a pre-formulated opinion about a hot topic that has the potential to drive many people away from you no matter what the situation and no matter what the circumstance?"

Is that what you meant to say?

Having an agenda = on a crusade, out to convert, not subject to change...All awesome characteristics of a soon to be medical student. Maybe, if we're all lucky, we will be given the opportunity to work with said medical student, and after we get past the politics, we can get some work done and treat us some patients. But first, before we get to work, let's get past the formalities and all agree that being gay is A-okay, and we should all vote for same sex marriage...Because that is what we have to look forward to if someone is centering their entire medical school application around giving service to "queers." God help us if we don't feel like listening to political crap for the entire night while we're sitting there in a surgical suite hip deep in 4th of July trauma cases...

I have definitely heard it used negatively, and I don't think I've ever heard it used positively. It could be because I'm from the South. Thanks for the explanation though.

That's because in most areas, it carries a negative connotation with it. Just look up the word "queer" at www.dictionary.com and see what it says. Oh wait, here it is:

1. strange or odd from a conventional viewpoint; unusually different; singular: a queer notion of justice.
2. of a questionable nature or character; suspicious; shady: Something queer about the language of the prospectus kept investors away.
3. not feeling physically right or well; giddy, faint, or qualmish: to feel queer.
4. mentally unbalanced or deranged.
5. Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. a. homosexual.
b. effeminate; unmanly.

6. Slang. bad, worthless, or counterfeit.
–verb (used with object) 7. to spoil; ruin.
8. to put (a person) in a hopeless or disadvantageous situation as to success, favor, etc.
9. to jeopardize.


I know several homosexuals, and they would all take offense if I were to call them queers.

Polynikes, you are of course entitled to your own opinion. I just don't see where the OP states that he was "running around campus condemning everyone to a life spent in hell". All he talked about was how it's part of his life, his activities, and his education/culture. I didn't see any judgments or accusations that anyone not queer or gay would go to hell.



In fact, the way you describe religion above (to some degree) sounds like how he described his queerness. He acknowledged that it is a personal issue, but thought of mentioning it in diversity essays because a lot of his activities and even his outlook on medicine are colored by being queer. I've also read essays by people who are religious, and who have religious activities (both related to healthcare, and not), and who choose to talk about religion in their essays as supporting and driving their volunteer work or outlook on healthcare. Just take a look at Loyola and it's Jesuit tradition. There are parallels here, and if you can see that, then the OP's query in this thread isn't "trollish" (as you put it) at all.

In case you didn't notice, I never said that this "queer" was condemning people to hell. I used it as a parallel to what this "queer" does during his/her spare time...Which is the practice of picketing and demonstration. If you center your employment around the gay/lesbian community, what do you think you're going to be doing? You're going to be demonstrating and taking part in political outcry. Ie. controversy...

What don't you get about that?

As to your mentioning my opinion of religion versus his/her "queerness"...Read a little closer. You scored high enough on your VR that you should be able to see clearly what is going on here.

When I say that my religion is a personal part of my life, you should take that to mean that I'm not in anyone's face, and I'm not centering my ENTIRE medical school application around it, nor do I use it to drive my status of employment...Which are both things that came from the e-mouth of the thread starter.

Dude, give me a break and READ PLEASE...

Loyola?

LMAO...

That would "parallel" the conversation if the OP was applying to a "queer" school...As if one actually existed right?

But say what you want, I don't care. The bottom line is that the OP has more than likely taken part in public demonstration and, more than likely, abused his/her 1st Amendment. If you guys are okay with someone like that becoming a colleague...fine...But I'd rather have someone with a fixation for neutrality...And for the record, when we're all slogging away on the hospital wards at 3:00 AM, don't think for a second that you have the right to bore the absolute sh#T out of me with an opinion that was formed while running around downtown SanFran wearing dental floss up your ass. I don't want to hear it.

If you're gay, fine...It really doesn't bother me...

What bothers me are people who use it like it gives them a pedastal from which to patronize and accuse others of being closeminded and "conservative" for not supporting their right be annoying...

 

[Polynikes]

So there I was...

On www.studentdoctor.net...

Thinking I was debating adults...


But I wasn't...

 

[Blade28]

Does that help at all?

That does help, and I appreciate you taking the time to explain it to me.

 

[jr doctor in sd]

I understand polynikes' argument 100%. I agree with some aspects of his argument. It's fine to say that your orientation is an important part of you and how its affected your life. But dont let it guide EVERYTHING including your major roles in medicine, etc.

It's like one of my best friends (a lesbian) always says..."I hate how we (gays) get a bad rap but its cuz alot of people make it seem like thats ALL we are - GAY! and its not like that at all its an important part of me but its JUST one part"

 

[megaluna]

well, this thread has certainly answered many of my initial questions. yes. i do need to define what i mean by queer, because even people on this forum dont know what i mean. yes, in the dictionary it has a negative connotation, but it has been RECLAIMED, which means that many people are using it to describe themselves in a positive way, because it is more inclusive of gender expressions and the fluidity of sexuality. when i call myself queer it is a good thing [wikipedia has a pretty good summary: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer]

does my queer identity mean im going to be talking about it at 3am while at work? nope. not unless talking about judith butler is something you do for fun anyway, then im down. is my identity something i try to convert others to? nope.

its funny how when i say that my identity influenced the jobs i took that you assume i was picketing or demonstrating. i actually just meant that all the homophobic bull**** i got for being queer made me who i am, and more compassionate. i actually worked as a social worker for people with HIV. im amused by what are you are assuming about me though. true ignorance. im curious how one can "abuse their 1st amendment rights." the only thing i can think of is hate-speech, which is pretty close to what you are saying to me.

to everyone who posted actual advice and suggestions: thank you, it is very reassuring to hear that you are out there and also not afraid to talk about who you are honestly, regardless of the homophobia that is clearly evident in medical schools and healthcare.

 

[smq123]

im just not sure how to do it appropriately. i dont really think its anyone's business who i sleep with, but culturally it is a significant part of who i am, and has shaped my view of the world, so i want to talk about that part. do i need to define queerness, & explain how its been reclaimed as an empowering word, or will adcoms be annoyed because i am assuming they dont know what it means?

Only if you can do it succinctly. You don't get all that much space on your secondaries (and you'll probably need that space to talk about other stuff anyhow). If you can't explain it clearly in a fairly short space, just take the hit and use more "mainstream" words.

Even if it's no longer impolite to use that word, you really don't want to spend too much space defining it (and including a link to an online article/definition probably isn't going to work). I definitely tried to cram too much stuff into my secondary app, and I ended up sounding like I had some kind of weird thought disorder.

 

[UMP]

Use terms that are more common, so you don't suck up space and completely derail the point of your essay... you and Polynikes would make great classmates

 

[8744]

im just not sure how to do it appropriately. i dont really think its anyone's business who i sleep with, but culturally it is a significant part of who i am, and has shaped my view of the world, so i want to talk about that part. do i need to define queerness, & explain how its been reclaimed as an empowering word, or will adcoms be annoyed because i am assuming they dont know what it means?

Man. Just goes to show you how out-of-control medical school admissions have become. The idea that your sexual predilictions could possibly be relevant, not to mention things like volunteering in some African Jungle clinic, to a career in medicine is completely ridiculous if you think about it.

In the Pandaverse, if you mentioned volunteering in Africa the interviewer would yawn and say, "That's nice, what does it have to do with practicing medicine in the United States?"

Point is, gay pride aside you are probably, like most medical students, going to realize that most of what you currently believe about medicine is a crock and you are going to decide to match into a specialty that maximizes your income and lifestlye. What being gay has to do with this or why your medical school should care is hard to fathom.

 

[8744]

"Diversity." "Empower." Gag me with a spoon. When are you folks going to come up with some new cliches?

 

[8744]

Or in other words, when are you going to stop regurgitating The Man's propaganda?

 

[smq123]

Or in other words, when are you going to stop regurgitating The Man's propaganda?

Don't blame them. Blame the people who put those questions "How are you going to add to the diversity of our medical school?" on secondary applications. And blame the AAMC, which seems to equate "diverse student body" with "diverse patient population." Having a lot of black and hispanic students in your class is, according to the AAMC, going to better equip you to deal with black and hispanic patients.

I suspect if you asked most of the pre-meds and MS1s on SDN, most would prefer not to answer secondary app questions like the infamous "diversity" one. But they have to, so you can't really fault them for trying to take it seriously.

 

[Quix]

Don't blame them. Blame the people who put those questions "How are you going to add to the diversity of our medical school?" on secondary applications. And blame the AAMC, which seems to equate "diverse student body" with "diverse patient population." Having a lot of black and hispanic students in your class is, according to the AAMC, going to better equip you to deal with black and hispanic patients.

I suspect if you asked most of the pre-meds and MS1s on SDN, most would prefer not to answer secondary app questions like the infamous "diversity" one. But they have to, so you can't really fault them for trying to take it seriously.

I just answer the diversity question with the "I'm older than the average applicant" approach, because, you know, "Get off of my lawn."

 

[Enthalpy430]

If you want to talk about your sexual orientation, fine.

I would, however, avoid using the word "queer" or trying to justify the reclaiming of the word by the gay community.

The first thought that crosses my mind when I hear someone say "we took a negative word and made it our own and use it to empower ourselves" is a parallel to what has happened to the word "nig*er" or "nig*a".

I'm certainly not racist or homophobic by any stretch of the imagination, but when you make a claim like that, for whatever reason, you end up polarizing the situation and sticking yourself with a label. You want them to see you as an individual, with unique abilities and traits. Slapping a label on yourself that polarizes people's opinions as much as "queer" or "nig*a" does is NOT something I would recommend.

You may see it as a positive thing, but if an Adcom doesn't, you're going to spend way too much time trying to explain your position and not enough time showing them more dimensions of your character.

If you want to tie in your sexuality into your secondary, explain why it's relevant to what you want to do in medicine. For example, you did work at an HIV/AIDS clinic and it inspired you to work in primary care because as someone who is homosexual, you have witnessed some bias towards gays (or other minorities) by other physicians and have a desire to provide care for those patients who are stigmatized.