Medical schools recognize the importance of diversity and inclusion, with many secondary applications asking candidates, “How will you contribute to the diversity of our school?”
Applicants who don’t identify with a minority background might feel unsure about how they can contribute to diversity. However, diversity is not limited to race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation. It includes unique experiences, skill sets or perspectives that may influence your contributions to the school’s community.
This essay prompt is your opportunity to discuss topics that you have not showcased in other parts of your application. Use this essay to reflect on qualities you’ve demonstrated, lessons you’ve internalized and how you will apply these insights as both a medical school student and a future health care provider.
Here are four considerations for your diversity essay that go beyond discussing ethnocultural or socioeconomic backgrounds.
Share Unique Personal Challenges or Triumphs
Diversity can include challenges you’ve faced and overcome. If you’ve dealt with a personal health condition, disability or mental health challenge, sharing these experiences can highlight your resilience and empathy.
[The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Medical School Admissions]
An upperclassman mentor of mine shared her journey as the mother of two neurodivergent children, balancing the demands of parenting with advocating for their children’s health and educational needs.
After years of navigating the health care system as a patient advocate, she applied to medical school with a deep understanding of the complexities patients face, particularly when it comes to accessing specialized care. Her personal experiences not only provided a unique perspective on patient advocacy, but also highlighted her commitment to improving the health care system for neurodiverse individuals.
Personal challenges and triumphs, whether related to health, family or advocacy, offer invaluable insights that can enrich patient care and improve the health care system. By sharing these experiences, you demonstrate a deep connection to the patients you will serve shaped by your firsthand experience.
Leverage Global or Cross-Cultural Experiences
If you’ve participated in a study abroad program, volunteered in medical clinics overseas or even lived in another country, those experiences can enrich your application. Medical schools are interested in students who can navigate cross-cultural interactions, a skill that is critical when treating patients from various backgrounds.
These experiences are particularly important in today’s health care environment, where language barriers and cultural misunderstandings can affect care.
If you’ve worked with communities in a developing country, you can share how the experience taught you to navigate resource-limited environments. Working or volunteering with underserved populations can offer critical insight into how socioeconomic factors affect health outcomes.
[READ: Volunteering in Underserved Communities: What Premeds Should Know.]
If you’ve volunteered at a free clinic or worked with low-income patients, you’ve likely seen the real-world impact of barriers such as food insecurity, lack of transportation or insufficient health care access.
By sharing these experiences, you show that you understand the challenges certain patient populations face and that you’re committed to addressing them. As social determinants of health gain increased attention and emphasis in health care, particularly in medical education, schools value applicants who have experience working in these environments.
As an undergraduate student, I volunteered at a free clinic that primarily served a Spanish-speaking community. Not only did I gain valuable experience in effective communication despite language barriers, but also insight into how socioeconomic factors — such as access to resources and education — can affect health outcomes.
Experiences like these can demonstrate a solid understanding of how to navigate and address the real-world challenges that impact patient care.
Demonstrate Your Nontraditional Background
Medical schools value applicants with nontraditional career paths. Experiences in fields such as business, law, the arts or engineering can bring fresh perspectives to health care and contribute to a more well-rounded cohort.
These students bring a systemic understanding of health care and are able to apply their expertise in ways that complement traditional clinical training. Nontraditional paths demonstrate adaptability, maturity and a broader perspective on patient care.
[How Medical School Applicants Can Stand Out Without a Premed Major]
For example, I started an art business during my gap year, which involved developing marketing strategies, managing finances and connecting with clients. This entrepreneurial venture taught me the value of creativity, resilience and resourcefulness.
During my interviews, the admissions committee allowed me to discuss how my business experience highlighted my ability to think critically about patient care and health care systems, as well as my ability to adapt and innovate in challenging situations.
Incorporating experiences from nontraditional fields into your diversity essays demonstrates to admissions committees not only your ability to reflect on qualities essential to health care, but also your capacity to think outside the box and apply diverse perspectives to the field.
Show Academic Diversity
While many medical school applicants have traditional premedical backgrounds, majoring in a nonscience field can set you apart. Whether you studied philosophy, economics or computer science, academic diversity shows that you have the capacity to think critically and solve complex problems in medicine.
A peer of mine majored in art history before transitioning into medicine, and they express how their experience has greatly enriched their approach to patient care. Their ability to closely analyze and interpret art translated seamlessly into skills like interpreting medical imaging.
Moreover, their deep understanding of cultural context and human expression, gained through studying art, has enhanced their ability to connect with patients on a more personal level. This unique perspective has allowed them to approach medical and other challenges with creativity and empathy, demonstrating the value of diverse academic backgrounds in medicine.
Students with backgrounds in the humanities often excel at understanding patient narratives and ethical dilemmas, while those with technical backgrounds may be more attuned to innovation in medical technology. These perspectives are increasingly valued as medicine becomes more interdisciplinary.
While preparing your application, consider the personal and professional experiences that have shaped your worldview. Whether through entrepreneurship, advocacy or resilience, show how you can bring a fresh perspective to patient care and the medical profession.
By highlighting these aspects, you will demonstrate that you’re not only a diverse candidate, but also someone who can contribute to a more inclusive and effective health care system.
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Med School Applicants and Diversity Beyond Race originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 03/11/25: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
