diversity essay examples med school

Medical School Diversity Essay Examples and Tips

• Cracking Med School Admissions

Diversity secondary essay questions are a common prompt in secondary medical school applications. Diversity essays are extremely open-ended and broad. Many premedical students struggle with this secondary essay prompt because it is broad. Each year, our Cracking Med School Admissions team receives hundreds of questions from applicants about how to write about diversity in your secondary essays? Our Cracking Med School Admissions team thinks you can use the broad nature of diversity essay prompts to your advantage! Use your response to your diversity essays as a way to discuss an aspect of your application you have not been able to elaborate on already in your other secondary essays for that specific school. Additionally, you can use diversity secondary essays to augment your awesomeness to admissions officers through discussing your passions in medicine and conveying your leadership experiences! If you want to read medical school diversity essay examples , skip down below!

This diversity essay medical school essay blog post will cover:

• What are medical school diversity essays?
• Sample diversity essay prompts from various medical schools
• Tips on how to write about diversity in your secondary essays
• FAQs about medical school diversity essays
• * Medical school diversity essay examples*

What are Medical School Diversity Essays?

Medical school diversity essays are questions on medical school secondary applications that applicants write as part of the medical school application process. Medical schools value diversity in their student bodies because it leads to a more dynamic learning environment where students can learn from each other and benefit from diverse perspectives and experiences. Additionally, medical schools want to recruit students who aspire to improve healthcare in different ways. For examples, some applicants’ strengths lie in research. Other applicants thrive in creating public health programs to improve community health. Still other applicants are interested in narrative medicine and want to inspire others through future books they write about the human condition. 

Diversity essays provide an opportunity for applicants to showcase their unique personal experiences, cultural background, educational experiences, extra-curricular activities, and perspectives. Applicants can express how they will contribute to the diversity of the medical school community.

As stated earlier, diversity essays are broad. Applicants are asked to describe how their culture background, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or any other characteristic that defines them has shaped their life experiences and perspective.

Topics you can discuss on your medical school diversity essay include:

• Personal background – ethnicity, socioeconomic status, race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion
• Perspectives from your cultural background
• Family background and life circumstances with regards to upbringing
• Adversity and challenges
• Healthcare experiences that reflect your motivation to pursue a career in medicine
• Unique non-healthcare passions and activities
• Courses that inspired you
• Majors and minors in college
• Summer internships
• Gap year activities
• Post-graduate degrees
• Personal qualities, including leadership skills and your personal strengths

Remember that secondary application essays should complement your primary application essays.

Medical School Diversity Essay Prompts

Diversity secondary essay questions may be phrased in a multitude of ways. Diversity essays have a wide range of character limit; some medical schools only allow 1,000 characters while other medical schools have no word limit. Additionally, some diversity secondary prompts are optional while other diversity secondary prompts are mandatory.

To better understand what diversity essays are and how broad they can be, let’s take a look a sample medical school diversity essay prompts. 

Harvard Medical School Diversity Essay Prompt

• If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Many applicants will not need to answer this question. Examples might include significant challenges in access to education, unusual socioeconomic factors, identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine.

As listed in the Harvard Medical School prompt, you can write about:

• Demographic variables, such as ethnic, racial, social, gender, religious, etc. diversity that have substantially shaped your life or your passion for medicine
• Personal circumstances/hardships that have shaped your growth
• A specific passion that you have cultivated and pursued over time (for example, sexual health, LGBTQ advocacy, etc.) You should further write about how this passion/activity that you have pursued has allowed you to develop qualities that you believe contribute to your individual diversity.

Note: You basically can write about anything.

In essence, these diversity secondary essay questions are asking you how your unique qualities/experiences will serve their medical community AND will help make you an excellent physician.

Let’s take a look and examine other medical school secondary essay prompts:

Yale School of Medicine Secondary Application Diversity Essay Prompt

• Yale School of Medicine values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician?  

Read a Yale medical school diversity essay example below!

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Secondary Application Diversity Essay Prompt

• Optional: The (Johns Hopkins) Admissions Committee values hearing about each candidate for admission, including what qualities the candidate might bring to the School of Medicine if admitted. If you feel there is information not already addressed in the application that will enable the Committee to know more about you and this has influenced your desire to be a physician, feel free to write a brief statement in the space below. You may address any subject you wish, such as being a first generation college student, or being a part of a minority group (whether because of your sexual orientation, religion, economic status, gender identity, ethnicity) or being the child of undocumented immigrants or being undocumented yourself, etc. Please note that this question is optional and that you will not be penalized should you choose not to answer it.

A special point to notice here:  This essay is optional. See our thoughts below in the FAQ section as to whether you should write this essay or not. Also, read an example Johns Hopkins diversity essay below!

And here are even more secondary essay prompts from various schools….

Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Application Diversity Essay Prompt

• Indicate any special experiences, unusual factors or other information you feel would be helpful in evaluating you, including, but not limited to, education, employment, extracurricular activities, prevailing over adversity. You may expand upon but not repeat TMDSAS or AMCAS application information. This section is mandatory. Please make sure you submit an essay or your application will not be reviewed by the committee. 

Drexel University College of Medicine Secondary Application Diversity Essay Prompt

• What else do you feel is important for us to know about you? You can use this space to highlight something not addressed in your application, including new experiences not in your AMCAS application. You can also talk about how COVID -19 impacted you. For example, it may have caused disruptions or changes in your plans. If there is something you would like to share regarding how this event impacted you, share that information here.

Duke University School of Medicine Secondary Application Diversity Essay Prompt

• Tell us more about who you are. You may provide additional information that expands your self-identity where gender identification, racial and/or ethnic self description, geographic origin, socioeconomic, academic, and/or other characteristics that define who you are as you contemplate a career that will interface with people who are similar AND dissimilar to you. You will have the opportunity below to tell us how you wish to be addressed, recognized and treated. 
• Optional: In addition to the broad categorization of race, ethnicity, geographic origin, socioeconomic status as provided through your AMCAS application, you may use the text box below to provide additional clarifying information that may reflect the impact of any of these parameters on your development thus far as well as the impact that these may have had on your path to a career in medicine and your plans for the future. 
• No word limit & Optional:  Please let us know of any additional information that you would like us to consider while reviewing your application.

Special note:  Duke University School of Medicine has THREE diversity essays. Applicants can really leverage this an opportunity to give a holistic and varied view about themselves!

Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth Secondary Application Diversity Essay Prompt

• Please share with us something about yourself that is not addressed elsewhere in your application and which could be helpful to the Admissions Committee as we review your file.

Georgetown University School of Medicine Secondary Application Diversity Essay Prompt

• Is there any further information that you would like the Committee on Admissions to be aware of when reviewing your file that you were not able to notate in another section of this or the AMCAS Application?

George Washington University School of Medicine Secondary Application Diversity Essay Prompt

• What makes you a unique individual? What challenges have you faced? How will these factors help you contribute to the diversity of the student body at GW? 

Stanford University School of Medicine Secondary Application Diversity Essay Prompt

• The (Stanford) Committee on Admissions regards the diversity (broadly defined) of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. The Committee on Admissions strongly encourages you to share unique, personally important and/or challenging factors in your background which may include such discussions as the quality of your early education, gender, sexual orientation, any physical challenges, and life or work experiences. Please describe how these factors have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and may help you to uniquely contribute to the Stanford learning environment.
• Optional:  Please include anything else that will help us understand better how you may uniquely contribute to Stanford Medicine?

Note:  Stanford University School of Medicine has multiple essays where you can write about your “diverse” experiences. Other than Stanford secondary essay questions about how you want to take advantage of Stanford’s curriculum, the rest of the Stanford University School of Medicine essay prompts are very open-ended!

The Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University Secondary Application Diversity Essay Prompt

• How will your unique attributes (e.g., cultural or socioeconomic background, lifestyle, work experiences) add to the overall diversity of the Alpert Medical School community?

Tufts University School of Medicine Secondary Application Diversity Essay Prompt

• Do you consider yourself a person who would contribute to the diversity of the student body of Tufts University School of Medicine ?

Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine Secondary Application Diversity Essay Prompt

• Feinberg’s mission is to train future leaders in medicine who will serve their patients, communities and society. Describe one specific interest in medicine and how FSM, located in Chicago which is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the country, will help you achieve this professional goal
• The Feinberg School of Medicine values diversity as a measure of excellence. We define diversity as the totality of the characteristics and experiences of our students. We believe that a diverse student body improves the educational environment and the ability of our graduates to serve an increasingly diverse patient population. Narrative Descriptions: Everyone has their own narrative. Please provide more detail about how your experiences would enrich the Northwestern community. 

Note: Northwestern University has TWO diversity essays! In the first essay prompt, your essay topic should be more related to healthcare and medicine. But, in the second prompt, you can write about anything!

Washington University School of Medicine Secondary Application Diversity Essay Prompt

• Optional:  Is there anything else you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions?

How to Write About Diversity in Your Secondary Essays

Our goal at Cracking Med School Admissions when helping students strategize and edit their secondary application essays is to always help students stand out. Yes, that means, we want students to stand out in every single essay, including this open-ended diversity essay question.

It is incredibly important to do THREE THINGS when it comes to your diversity essays:

1. Include anecdotes.

You want to make sure that you show your readers how specific experiences and demographic factors have shaped you as an individual, rather than tell them.

Examples of anecdotes include:

• Demographics – if you are going to discuss something from your demographic background, don’t just say where you are from. SHOW your culture through anecodotes and stories. For examples, premedical students in the past have talked about cooking a cultural meal with their grandparents. Other medical school applicants have talked about a grandparent’s or parent’s experience with the American healthcare systems.
• Challenges – Give specific instances where you faced a challenge. What was the challenge? How did you overcome the challenge?
• Patient care stories – Give anecodotes about memorable patient experiences. What were your interactions with a patient? Why was the patient in the hospital? What happened? What are your reflections about the human experience and human condition? 
• Leadership – give a specific challenge you faced as a leader or a specific event that you organized. Alternatively, you can talk about a time when you led a team or founded an organization / initiatives.

2. Connect your stories to medicine.

How will your experiences help you become a better doctor? That is the question that is relevant to almost every single prompt regardless of if it is explicitly worded as such or not. You absolutely must discuss how your past experiences and the qualities you have cultivated through these experiences will help you in medicine. For example, you can illustrate how your experiences with patient advocacy or within medical teams will help you as a future doctor; it is a good idea to include particularly challenging patient encounters and how you grew from such experiences. You should further write about leadership, teamwork, resilience, and other qualities learned from your experiences—make the explicit connection to how you will use these qualities as a doctor.

3. Tailor your diversity essays TO EACH MEDICAL SCHOOL.

Connect your stories and experiences to what you will do at the medical school. You can talk about how you want to do research with a specific professor or work with a specific club to pioneer a new initiative. Talk about how your presence at the medical school will enhance the community.

Different schools have different strengths. You must do your research on each school that you are applying to, and try to connect your experiences to the schools’ strengths.

Moreover, different schools have different needs. If there is a specific problem in the regional community that the school belongs to that you feel you are poised to solve (for example, homeless health, refugee health, etc.), you can further tailor your essay to a medical school by making that connection.

Be creative to show EACH INDIVIDUAL medical school that you would be a standout contributor to their community.

Frequently Asked Questions about Diversity Secondaries

We want to share with you frequently asked questions about diversity secondaries. Our responses below are here to help you strategize your secondary essay topics.

Again, our goal is to help you STAND OUT in every single part of your application, including your secondary applications!

Remember, the point of the diversity essay is to help you discuss the strengths of your application. Whatever you write should complement the other responses and other essays in  each school’s secondary application. Each applicant will have his or her own unique strengths, stories, and experiences, so if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Mediratta and Dr. Rizal , who literally read thousands of secondary essays each year!

What is the biggest mistake you’ve seen on diversity essays?

This is our biggest advice for medical school diversity essays:

Applicants often think that they  have to write about their personal background, specifically culture, ethnicity, race, and/or socioeconomic status. While there are some secondary applications that ask for specifically those topics, most diversity essay prompts are broad.  We often encourage students to talk about other extra-curricular activities and passions UNLESS they their cultural background plays a significant role in their pursuit towards a career in medicine.

You can think about the following questions:

• What will you bring to the medical school class?
• How will you change healthcare (and how have you already started on that journey)?
• What are your strengths as a person?

Can the topic of my secondary essay be the same as topics I wrote about in my primary application personal statement?

Yes! Absolutely! However, we would suggest that you write about a different angle. 

For example, if in your primary application personal statement you talked about your research and what you did in your research, in your diversity essay medical school, talk about a challenge you faced in your research project. Or, talk about a different study or research lab your were involved with. Finally, premeds may write about teaching and mentoring younger individuals in their labs, again, to give a different angle in their diversity essays for medical school.

Can I “recycle” or “reuse” my diversity essay response for multiple schools?

Yes! What we typically advise students is to use most of the essay as a template or starting point. And then, tweak the essay as necessary based on the number of words or characters available. If applicable, you can tailor the diversity essay towards each school. 

Many students will have 2-3 “diversity essay medical school topics and essays” that they draw from. And, depending on the medical school and other prompts, they will pick and choose which essay to use.

Can I talk about a challenge in my diversity essay?

Definitely. Make sure you did not use this essay for another essays like a “challenge” prompt for that specific school’s secondary. Discuss how overcoming the challenge has helped you grow, and what you will contribute to the medical school student body. 

Can I talk about how COVID-19 impacted me and my application in my diversity essay?

Typically, talking about COVID-19 challenges isn’t the strongest topic for the diversity essay. But, if you faced a challenge during the  COVID-19 pandemic and took action to improve society or healthcare, then you can definitely use those experiences! Also, another secondary application strategy to consider: make sure there is not another prompt that allows you to talk about COVID.

You can read about an ICU expererience during COVID down below in our diversity secondary essay examples!

Medical School Diversity Essay Examples

You can include multiple experiences in one diversity secondary essay, but make sure that your transitions are seamless. Furthermore, in such essays, you want to pay attention to your paragraph breaks to further communicate your strong attributes and diverse experiences with maximum impact. Remember—make it as easy as possible for your reader to understand your writing and to visualize you as a strong physician.

Below are 2 medical school diversity essay examples answers from a student who then received an interview at both Yale University School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Yale Medical School Diversity Essay Example

Prompt: Yale School of Medicine values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician?  

When I first arrived at UPenn, I was made acutely aware of an issue that plagued our campus community: an extensive culture of sexual assault. I felt compelled to act in opposition. I joined Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention (ASAP) in my first semester and later became a Sexual Assault Counselor.

A lesson I learned as Co-Chair of ASAP is that leaders must critically examine their communities to meet unfulfilled needs. I transformed our programming to better serve survivors with an intersectional lens. I held a workshop at UPenn with a community leader from the Movement for Black Lives and discussed how racial justice must inform our advocacy. This focus was integrated into our Take Back the Night advocacy event, as we spoke at length about how to serve the needs of black and trans survivors. I piloted the expansion of this event to being held with eight other schools.

Moreover, the Title IX reporting process at UPenn is quite complex and not readily accessible. Given the number of sexual trauma survivors at our university, I worked to clarify this process for our student community by directing an educational campaign, to be released in the next academic year. I played the leading role in a meeting with the Title IX Coordinator and Associate Vice President for Equity, as well as Directors and Associate Directors from various UPenn Centers—we discussed my vision for the project and dove into specifics of the campaign. I enjoyed collaborating with individuals who direct initiatives and policy changes for the safety of our campus community of 25,000 students.

As a physician, I will continue to lead the movement to build a world free of sexual violence and gender inequity. I strive to integrate clinics that offer primary, psychiatric, and gynecological care for sexual trauma survivors into national healthcare. These clinics will also offer forensic examinations led by Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFE), as well as social and legal support. By providing a centralized location for all of the care needs of survivors, I want to limit the difficulties of navigating the healthcare system often faced by this vulnerable population. I would love to work with Dr. Jubanyik to drive this initiative forward and promote health equity for survivors at Yale. Furthermore, statewide tracking of SAFE centers is inconsistent. I want to generate a national database to consolidate these programs and help survivors better access them. I would love to extend my advocacy for survivors as a member of the student group, Prenatal Partners, to be able to advocate for a trauma-informed approach to medical care for expectant mothers.

As a medical student and physician, I am eager to leverage my skill in storytelling to inform and strengthen healthcare. I believe that compelling stories can be important catalysts for change, particularly in the context of my aspirations to serve women and survivors. I would love to work with Dr. Reisman to write a journalistic novel on women’s sexuality and resilience deriving from my longitudinal patient relationships.

Johns Hopkins Medical School Diversity Essay Example

Optional: The Admissions Committee values hearing about each candidate for admission, including what qualities the candidate might bring to the School of Medicine if admitted. If you feel there is information not already addressed in the application that will enable the Committee to know more about you and this has influenced your desire to be a physician, feel free to write a brief statement in the space below. You may address any subject you wish, such as being a first generation college student, or being a part of a minority group (whether because of your sexual orientation, religion, economic status, gender identity, ethnicity) or being the child of undocumented immigrants or being undocumented yourself, etc. Please note that this question is optional and that you will not be penalized should you choose not to answer it. 2500 characters

As a Neuro/COVID-19 ICU clinical volunteer operating at the center of the pandemic crisis, I encouraged patients who were suffering the worst of COVID-19 symptoms through our patient call bell system. 

In public health emergencies, I understand how patients can feel detached from and misunderstood by their healthcare systems, causing them to refuse treatments or preventive measures like vaccines. I once had a conversation with an ICU patient who was approaching discharge and refusing to wear a mask. My team respectfully asked questions and listened to his supplication of answers and reasoning. I knew that convincing someone to let go of an entrenched opinion would be difficult. But I tried as hard as I could and felt him soften in conversation. He ultimately wore his mask. I left this interaction with a better understanding of how to approach and care for an individual with a radically different perspective from my own.

I take seriously my responsibility to listen carefully to my patient’s concerns and assure them that recommended measures are medically sound. To promote patient trust in medicine and to address health disparities exacerbated by the pandemic, I will work to leverage community partnerships, as I have done as an advocate for survivors. I will listen to what specific communities need and tailor health care delivery accordingly.

Throughout the coronavirus surge, I was able to have a more hands-on role with neurological care in the ICU. After caring for an unconscious patient with moyamoya disease and two ischemic strokes in the Neuro/COVID-19 ICU and learning of her poor prognosis from her physician, I pored through the medical literature. I hoped that studies would reveal something different. The patient’s antiplatelet therapy was proving ineffective. Yet surgery was not a safe option as her unstable moyamoya carried greater postoperative ischemic complication risk. I struggled, unable to find an alternative. Thereafter, I wrote “Between you and me,” excerpted below.

Her eyes are closed, a tube connecting her to her life.

They are draining her cerebrospinal fluid and it should

be yellow. But it’s pink. Like watermelon juice.

The act of writing brought me peace and helped me come to terms with my patient’s suffering.

Nikita’s work in the ICU was featured in U.S. News , “ What Premeds Can Learn in Intensive Care Units ”

We hope this blog post was a great starting point in giving you ideas for how to write a medical school diversity essay.

Check out our other helpful resources:

• COVID-19 Secondary Essay Prompts
• How to Write “Why This Medical School?” Secondary Essays
• Medical School Secondary Essay Editing

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• Medical School Application

The Secret to Writing an Excellent Secondary Diversity Essay

With expert tips and 3 sample essays.

Even though diversity secondary essays are increasingly common in medical school (and other disciplines), some students think that they can dismiss them because they are typically optional. While this is an understandable misapprehension, students should take advantage of this prompt to give the admissions committee a better view of themselves as an applicant. Many  medical school secondary essay  prompts ask students to discuss what they can bring to the incoming class. "Diversity" doesn't refer only to marginalized or underrepresented groups; we all have qualities that differentiate us from others. Asking students to write about their experiences with diversity isn't meant to exclude those traditionally well represented in higher education, and thinking about diversity "broadly defined" offers opportunities to reflect on your unique traits, experiences, and identity. Also, read our two samples of diversity secondary essays for medical school!

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Listen to the blog!

Article Contents 16 min read

What is "diversity".

There are many misconceptions regarding the diversity secondary essay – a now-common essay prompt for medical schools and professional programs of all sorts. In particular, some critics assume that “diversity” is a kind of politically correct code word, and – stemming from a similar misunderstanding – some assume that if they are part of a “majority” (whether this means ethnic majority, linguistic majority, or even a majority within a discipline), then that means they can’t be “diverse.” These are both incredibly unfortunate and carry a wealth of assumptions that need to be addressed before discussing how to write a great secondary essay on the topic of diversity.

Consider the qualities of a sound definition of diversity:

1. Diversity is multi-definitional

Diversity does not necessarily (or exclusively) refer to religious, ethnic, cultural, or linguistic minorities. Yes, such applicants would indeed be diverse and would contribute to the diversity of a school or program and advocating for traditionally underrepresented or marginalized peoples in academia is a worthwhile task pursued by many institutions.

However, there are any number of other identities and designators you might apply to yourself that act as distinguishing features. If you’re a returning student, a parent, or a non-traditional applicant, those are “diverse” attributes on a university campus. If you’ve served in the military, for example, that would be considered a “diverse” attribute.

Let’s see some examples of diversity:

• You’re someone with a disability or unique health challenges
• You’re the first person in your family to pursue higher education
• You come from a lower socioeconomic background
• You’re from a rural area
• You’re multilingual (either by choice or by necessity)

In short, “diversity” isn’t just some kind of PC buzzword (not that this would necessarily be a bad thing); seeking reflections on diversity, along with diverse candidates, is a genuine effort on the part of institutions to bring a variety of voices into the intellectual arena of academia. The more kinds of voices we have in our institutions, the more robust, nuanced, and intersectional that education becomes. 

It wasn’t all that long ago that campuses were nearly exclusively dominated by a relatively homogeneous demographic – this isn’t meant as a contentious statement, it’s a simple statement of fact. Today’s campus makeup is considerably different from that of even 50 years ago, and the ways in which we understand what constitutes “diversity” expand continuously. That means that there is an array of experiences, perspectives, worldviews, and intellectual positions in contemporary academe, and our institutions are all the better for prioritizing such a plethora of voices.

3. Everyone has “diverse” experiences

That leads us to the third point: the misconception that if you are a candidate from a majority demographic in your country, or if you are part of a well-represented demographic group within a particular discipline, you would not qualify as “diverse” and wouldn’t have anything to contribute to an essay on diversity. However, the idea that “diversity” simply refers to, say, racialized minorities, is a very narrow assumption, indeed, and one that does a disservice to the spectrum of human experience and the value of such experience in our educational institutions. You can be a member of the “majority” culture, linguistic group, religion, etc., and still have experiences that differentiate you from others.

To expand this view, let’s start by looking at Stanford Medical School ’s recent secondary essay prompt on diversity:

\u201cThe Committee on Admissions regards the diversity (broadly defined) of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. The Committee on Admissions strongly encourages you to share  unique, personally important, and\/or challenging factors in your background , such as the  quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and life or work experiences . Please discuss how such factors have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.\u201d ","label":"Diversity Secondary Essay Prompt","title":"Diversity Secondary Essay Prompt"}]' code='tab1' template='BlogArticle'>

This broad understanding of what constitutes “diversity” offers everyone an opportunity to reflect on the uniqueness of their own situation and life experiences. Who among us wouldn’t be able to connect to at least one of these categories? All of us have faced challenges in our lives; all of us have lived through “personally important” experiences; all of us have “life or work experiences”; and none of us have lived any of these in ways completely identical to others. This is in no way to diminish some of the specific challenges faced by minority or underrepresented groups (in fact, helping to ensure equitable access to higher education, regardless of social status or cultural background, is one of our   core values and driving philosophies here at BeMo !). The point, rather, is simply to open up our understanding of “diversity” as a multifaceted term without one specific, universal definition.

We still have a way to go in terms of creating a truly equal – and equitable – society, and there is no sensible person who could deny that some people and groups have had advantages within our social structures, including general and higher education, which have been denied to others. Indeed, universities have historically (and somewhat paradoxically) both maintained and challenged such divisions, and the push for diverse campuses is one method of trying to counterbalance long-standing inequities. Reflecting on the notion of “diversity” from a different perspective, however, gives us the opportunity to consider the multilayered issue of identity itself. The idea of a “center” or “majority” is somewhat insufficient, when we step back and contemplate the vast wealth of human experiences. 

The “secret” to writing a good diversity essay is recognizing that “diversity” can refer to any of those things that make you “ you. ” Anything that makes you interesting, any terms you use to describe yourself, can be “diverse.” If you’re a middle-class, heterosexual, white, male-identifying individual from a mid-sized city, who went to standard public schools, got average grades, and goes home to do laundry every weekend (an admitted caricature of a “majority” in North America), there are still unique, defining elements that make you who you are.

From a slightly different perspective, if you feel that you are from a background that is already heavily represented in the area you want to study, that doesn’t mean that you don’t manifest diversity in any number of other ways. Think about the landmark moments in your life: events, achievements, or challenges that shaped how you think about the world and about yourself. No one has lived exactly those events, experiences, or challenges in precisely the same way as you. Think about your values and priorities and the reasons behind them. No one holds exactly these same values and priorities for the same reasons as you.

The point here is that  everyone  has something – some set of qualities, perspectives, and experiences – that makes them who they are. This can be the focus of your diversity essay.

Want more tips and secondary essay examples? Watch this video!

How Important Is Writing a Diversity Secondary Essay?

There are a number of reasons why writing a diversity Secondary Essay is important. Not every medical school requires applicants to write a diversity secondary essay, but submitting one can attract the attention of the admissions committee. Here are a few reasons why you should write the diversity secondary essay for a more impactful application:

1. To show that your values align with the school’s

The first and most important reason why you should consider a diversity secondary essay a requirement, even when it’s listed as optional, is because it’s an opportunity to show that your values align with theirs. For instance, notice the explicit mention of diversity in Yale Medical School’s mission statement:        

“Yale School of Medicine educates and nurtures creative leaders in medicine and science, promoting curiosity and critical inquiry in an inclusive environment enriched by diversity. We advance discovery and innovation fostered by partnerships across the University, our local community, and the world. We care for patients with compassion and commit to improving the health of all people.”

Most medical schools make diversity an integral part of their mission and growth plans. If you can elicit your definition of diversity and what it means to you, you’re showing the admissions committee that you have the potential to be a valuable contributor to the school’s culture and community.

2. You can show personality

Medical schools know that people are more than just their stats. That’s why secondary essays, resumes, and personal statements are part of the application process. Medical schools want to get to know the person behind the application because qualitative traits tell a story about who you are as a person. Diversity essays are an opportunity to introduce yourself on a more intimate level; you can explain where you came from, or how a formative experience shaped you as a prospective medical school student. Don’t underestimate the explanatory power of the diversity secondary essay; use it to show the admissions committee that you’re a resilient, prepared candidate.

3. You might have some explaining to do

Sometimes, diversity secondary essay prompts are more open-ended; in other words, they don’t explicitly mention diversity. Rather, they might ask the applicant to mention anything else they might like the admissions committee to know regarding academic records, or if there’s an important aspect of their background they think the committee should consider. You might think that your circumstances are extraneous; on the contrary, you can use the diversity essay to explain gaps in your academic background, interesting or influential experiences, or to simply give the committee a better view of who you are. If you look at your application holistically and identify valuable information you think is missing, take the opportunity to rectify those gaps in the body of this prompt.

Building on the above observations, the first step in writing an excellent diversity statement as part of your  medical school secondary essays   is to explore your own diversity (“broadly defined”). If you’re applying to med school through AMCAS, you likely had to write a  medical school personal statement , or at least assemble your list of experiences for the  AMCAS work and activities , which would have required you to think about your experiences, qualities, and overall trajectory as a student and as a person. Similarly, if you're applying to med school through TMDSAS, you would have had to brainstorm for the  TMDSAS personal characteristics essay . Returning to that and thinking through what you wrote through a slightly different lens is a great way of gathering some ideas about what sets you and your life story apart from others. For more ideas, you can always read some  medical school secondary essay examples  that can inspire your own.

While you can certainly go through the litany of traditional categories of "diversity" and discuss ways in which you represent these (racial[ized] background, economic class, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, language, immigration status, disability, etc.), you also want to think about experiences you’ve had that may not be common experiences among other members of your class. For example, all of us have had to overcome things – illness or injury, bullying or rejection, loss or separation, things outside our control that threw us into turmoil or that caught us in a pit from which we had to find a way to emerge. As well, all of us have triumphed or excelled in some way – music, art, or craft; academics, athletics, or competitions; personal triumphs only evident to those who care to hear of them. Though others may have experienced similar things, only you have experienced those specific things in your own way, in the larger context of your own life. Thinking deeply about your life and those beautiful things that make you “you” helps you appreciate all the things – little and big – that you’ve done or that you’ve overcome in your life. Whatever those things are, they aren’t common to everyone (few things are!), and anyone who has gone through them hasn’t gone through them  as you . Only you have!

Writing a Successful Diversity Secondary Essay - Step 2: Reflect on Your Experiences With Others

Increasingly, “cultural competency” is a quality valued by any number of different professions and disciplines, including medicine, law, education, and even business and management. Cultural competency broadly refers to acknowledging the validity of diverse beliefs, values, and practices – especially when they are different from one’s own.

The AAMC considers cultural competency one of the core pre-professional competencies for entering medical students, where possessing “cultural competence” is defined as someone who:

Just as we all have experiences unique to us – or have experienced similar things uniquely – we have all interacted with people who see the world differently from us. Think about such exchanges and what they mean to you, what role others have played in your life, and what role you’ve played in the lives of others.

Consider these questions to help you start thinking about how diversity manifests in your life:

• Have you done volunteer work that allowed you to work with or for people from a different background than yourself?
• Have you traveled to places or taken up service opportunities that let you see other ways of life different from your own?
• Have you connected in meaningful ways with someone who challenged you to think from a new perspective?
• Do you have family, friends, or loved ones who have shown you other ways to think and be? If you have, and if you can articulate such experiences, then this may be something to reflect on as part of your diversity essay. 

In writing, we must always ensure that we are “showing” our thoughts to our audience, not just “telling” them. In this context, that means the following: don’t just tell your reader that you’ve had diverse experiences or experiences with diverse others. You must  show  your readers these things, both with your words and – importantly – through your deeds. This is particularly the case when discussing service or other work with marginalized or underserved communities. 

It’s not enough, for example, to simply state that you have unique insights into the needs of those living in poverty. You need to be able to demonstrate such insights and point to specific events that helped you develop them.

Using the example of understanding the needs of those living in poverty, ask yourself the following questions to test how demonstrable your experiences are:

If you answered no to these questions, that doesn’t necessarily suggest that your intentions aren’t genuine, but it does mean that an admissions committee member may raise an eyebrow as they look for evidence of your claims.

So, to develop a strong diversity secondary essay, you must have the following:

Asking you to think and write about diversity and your own diverse experiences isn’t meant to make you feel like you don’t belong. Quite the opposite. With each passing year, we find new ways to value and cherish the unique experiences and qualities that make up the larger human endeavor, and  that’s a good thing . The more voices contributing to the conversation – whether that “conversation” is about medicine, education, justice, or any other facet of life – the more we can learn, understand, and grow, both as individuals and as a society. So, think about what you have to contribute to that big, human conversation, what makes that contribution uniquely your own, and let it shine in your diversity secondary essay!

Learn more about the medical school secondary essay prompts you MUST know in this video:

Examples of Diversity Essay Prompts

The diversity essay prompts you receive from different schools may vary; that is, the wording of the prompts and what they ask for will be specific to the school. It’s a good idea to read a few examples, so that you know what to expect. While the gist of what you should include in each prompt won’t vary all that much for each school, you might choose to alter the structure or order of content for different prompts.

Here are a few examples of diversity secondary essay prompts:

\u201cWithout limiting the discussion to your own identity, please describe how you envision contributing to the core values of diversity and inclusion at our School of Medicine, and in the medical profession.\u201d (1500 characters) ","label":"University of Maryland School of Medicine","title":"University of Maryland School of Medicine"}]' code='tab2' template='BlogArticle'>

Check out our 3 sample diversity secondary essays below. Written for two different programs, you can see how different diversity essay prompts can be!

Diversity Secondary Essay Sample #1

Prompt: “Diversity comes in many forms. How do you think you might contribute to the diversity of the class?” (1500 characters)

I am extremely fortunate to have a strong connection to my roots. Spending time in Italy throughout my life has allowed me to see how the ideology of this culture differs from that of the United States.

Italian society is often marred by the stereotype that its citizens are lazy or not willing to work. I believe that if people look through a truly objective lens, they will see a society that derives its happiness less from material objects and more from love and companionship. Resultantly, there is a monumental emphasis placed on the health and wellbeing of others. There is always time for a family meal, a coffee with a friend, or an evening walk to clear one’s mind. Growing up, my family always made sure everyone had enough to eat and someone to talk to. I believe in this philosophy and view the health care field as an opportunity to help others live a full and fruitful life pursuing their own happiness.

Throughout my life, health care professionals have consistently given my loved ones the ability to live autonomously and be present in my life. It is a service and a gift that they have given me and a gift I wish to spend my life giving others. My culture, upbringing, and life experiences have fostered my desire to pursue medicine and my holistic approach to life. I will bring these elements of empathy and holistic care to not only as a training physician, but as a fellow classmate who is there for others through the rigors of medical school.  (1466 characters)

Want BeMo's help with your secondary essays? Check out this review from one of our successful students!

Diversity Secondary Essay Sample #2

Prompt: “The Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont recognizes that diversity extends beyond chosen and unchosen identities and encompasses the entirety of an individual’s experiences. Reflect on a time you learned something from someone or a group of people who are unlike yourself.”

Through globalization, the world is smaller than it has ever been, and so diverse that it’s easy to only care for and be informed of one’s own interests. To connect with someone else is to choose to abandon ignorance and aim to understand other people and their backgrounds. This choice is critical to a society that uses diversity as a strength instead of a tool of division.

In my freshman year of college, I roomed with an international student named Jorge who had immigrated from Guatemala to attend X University. We had a lot in common, despite our differences, and helped each other a lot in this transitional time in our lives. However hard adjusting to college life was for me, I saw how hard it was for him to transition to a new country and breach cultural barriers, while also acclimatizing to the responsibility and workload of a college student.

Instead of accepting the fact that our backgrounds rendered us incompatible, I decided to educate myself on his culture. I began reading about the political unrest in Guatemala, I found Latin Hip-Hop we could listen to, and I worked to develop my Spanish to try to make him feel at home. We grew very close and I learned a lot from being his roommate. Seeing his work ethic and commitment to building a life for himself inspired me to pursue my own goals with the same vigor I saw in him. He looked at the opportunity to study in the United States as a privilege and didn’t take his chance to pursue his education for granted. We were roommates throughout college and in that time I learned a lot culturally from him as well. Through our friendship, I spent time with his family and within the Latin community at X University, and came to incorporate many aspects of his culture into my own life. I learned a lot about letting the people in my life know they are loved and taking the time in my day for simple pleasures like a good meal with friends. I am very thankful for my friendship with Jorge and for the growth fostered by our friendship.

My experience with Jorge has made me particularly excited about the Larner College of Medicine, which I see as an institution invested in producing physicians who are culturally adept and equipped to treat all members of a patient population. The Larner College of Medicine’s commitment to improving health care for the LGBTQ+ population and investing in the wellbeing of its community speaks volumes about what this program values. My undergraduate and my own personal experiences as a first-generation citizen in this country have demonstrated for me how continuing to learn from others who are different is imperative, and how an enriching life comes from an open mind.  (470 words)

Diversity Secondary Essay Sample #3

Prompt: “Without limiting the discussion to your own identity, please describe how you envision contributing to the core values of diversity and inclusion at our School of Medicine, and in the medical profession.” (1500 characters)

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of diversity is “a difference of opinion.” As a debate club member and as a student with a fledging interest in classic philosophy, I’ve learned to appreciate the value of a different perspective. I believe that it’s fundamentally impossible to make progress without having the ability to challenge our beliefs and preconceptions about ourselves and the world.

As a volunteer scribe at a mobile clinic, my job was to record the details of patient exams. Most of the patients we saw were middle-aged or elderly. There was one patient, Paul, who had arrived at the mobile clinic with a deep cut on his foot, which he told us he caught on an old rolled-up fence tucked behind his barn. We recommended a tetanus shot, but he was immediately sceptical. He explained that he didn’t believe vaccines worked.

It was important to remain non-combative. We explained that his autonomy was our priority, but there was a chance that he would develop tetanus, which could be lethal. Elaborating, we told him that the tetanus shot is the reason for cases of tetanus decreasing by roughly 95% since about 1950. After taking a moment to reflect, the patient agreed to receive the vaccine and went on his way after thanking us for our help. My experience using placatory, open dialogue is precisely what I seek to contribute to the University of Maryland School of Medicine. (1,404 characters, with spaces)

The secret is understanding that diversity is universal. The definition is much broader than most traditionally think it is; for instance, having a diverse perspective qualifies just as much as other common diversity signifiers, like racial or ethnic background.

Not all schools make the diversity secondary essay mandatory. However, even when it’s optional, you are encouraged to reflect on your experiences and what you can contribute to the school’s culture and mission. Diversity is important, but so is taking every opportunity to use your qualities to your advantage and stand out from the crowd.

Telling means you’ve simply stated a fact about yourself. For example, you might say you’re a “compassionate” person. To show that this is true, you need to use an experience that evinces this quality.

It’s best if you reflect on your experiences with others. Interaction and connection are the two cornerstones of diversity. For example, maybe you collaborated with a diverse group of people in a music band and this was a challenging but emboldening experience.

Diversity isn’t about what makes us separate from other people. On the contrary, part of it defines our role in society and in large or small interdependent groups.

Diversity is about breaking convention; the definition is never fixed; everyone has diverse experiences; and diversity, in the final analysis, is what makes you “you.”

No, each school’s diversity essay prompt will most likely be different. Read each prompt thoroughly and be sure to address each component of the prompt, including character or word count.

It’s impossible to sound self-righteous if you’re being authentic. Pick out relevant experiences and show the admissions committee that you can demonstrate your moral convictions through action.

Image credit: Manel Torralba, via the Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode  

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Medical School Diversity Essay Prompts (21 Examples)

Putting together an incredible diversity essay for a college or med school application can be tough. Knowing where to start, or exactly what it is a school wants to see or read, only adds to the challenge.

A good way to prepare and get a better understanding of what diversity essays are all about is to take a look at prompts. Reading them; you can see recurring themes, common questions, and how schools even try to “diversify” their own diversity questions!

In this article I’ve put together 21 examples and grouped them together under the following categorizations:

• Prompts from Ivy League medical schools
• Prompts from mid-tier schools
• Prompts from low-tier schools
• Prompts from D.O. schools

I hope that by reading them you’ll get a better idea of what diversity essays are about!

Ready to get started? Let’s go.

Just want quick writing tips? Check out this article; How To Write An Awesome Diversity Essay In Medical School (5 Quick Tips) .

How can you find specific prompts for schools you’re applying for?

The best way to stay on top of secondary essay prompts is via the community at The Student Doctor Network .

There, you can sign up for alerts on application information (and secondary prompts) specific to each school.

You’ll also see new threads for every year of admission!

Diversity essay topics

You’ll see the most common topics from these prompts include:

• Your educational environment
• Your cultural and socioeconomic background
• Your ethnicity
• Your geographic origin
• Your lifestyle
• Your gender identity
• Your sexual orientation
• Your physical ability/challenges
• Your views on social justice
• Your work experience

Ivy League medical school diversity essay prompts

Of course, this list is by no means exhaustive and colleges change these prompts every year.

You’ll also notice that not every school asks for a secondary essay based on diversity!

Pay close attention to the word count of your school’s prompt when it comes to writing…

Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Are there any special, unique, personal, or challenging aspects of your personal background or circumstances that you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions, not addressed elsewhere (siblings/relatives at Penn, applying as a couple, educational environment, culture, ethnicity, etc.) ( 1000 characters)

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician? 300 words .

Harvard Medical School

If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Examples might include significant challenges in access to education, unusual socioeconomic factors, identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine.  (4000 character maximum)

Geisel School of Medicine

Geisel School of Medicine values social justice and diversity in all its forms. Reflect on a situation where you were the “other”. (250 words)

Yale School of Medicine

Yale School of Medicine values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician? (500 words limit)

Alpert Medical School

How will your unique attributes (e.g., cultural or socioeconomic background, lifestyle, work experiences) add to the overall diversity of the Alpert Medical School community?  (2000 characters)

Mid Tier medical school diversity essay prompts

*Schools typically ranking 10-20 in common medical school rankings

These schools follow the same trends as those of the Ivy League ones. They also expect you to think about socioeconomics, sexual orientation, gender, and ethnicity, etc.

Some recycle their prompts every year. Others (like John Hopkins/Vanderbilt) are a little more open to creativity.

Duke University

Tell us more about who you are. You may provide additional information that expands your self-identity where gender identification, racial and/or ethnic self description, geographic origin, socioeconomic, academic, and/or other characteristics that define who you are as you contemplate a career that will interface with people who are similar AND dissimilar to you. You will have the opportunity below to tell us how you wish to be addressed, recognized and treated. (500 words)

Stanford University

The Committee on Admissions regards the diversity (broadly defined) of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. The Committee on Admissions strongly encourages you to share unique, personally important and/or challenging factors in your background which may include such discussions as the quality of your early education, gender, sexual orientation, any physical challenges, and life or work experiences. Please describe how these factors have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and may help you to uniquely contribute to the Stanford learning environment. (2000 characters )

Johns Hopkins University

Briefly describe a situation where you were not in the majority. What did you learn from the experience?  (2500 characters)

Optional:  You may address any subject you wish, such as being a first generation college student, or being a part of a minority group (whether because of your sexual orientation, religion, economic status, gender identity, ethnicity) or being the child of undocumented immigrants or being undocumented yourself, etc. (2500 characters)

University of Pittsburgh

UPSOM is committed to building a diverse and talented community that will train physicians in delivering culturally competent, person-centered care, and promoting a supportive, collaborative learning environment. To achieve this, we want our fellow students to recognize health disparities and advocate for health equity. We are interested in combating all forms of systemic barriers, and would like to hear your thoughts on opposing specifically: systemic racism, anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, and misogyny. How will you contribute? (Limit your response to  250 words or less .)

Vanderbilt University

Tell us about a time when you interacted with someone who is different than you. What did you learn? What would you do differently?  (600 words)

Northwestern University (Feinberg)

The Feinberg School of Medicine values diversity as a measure of excellence. We define diversity as the totality of the characteristics and experiences of our students. We believe that a diverse student body improves the educational environment and the ability of our graduates to serve an increasingly diverse patient population. Narrative Descriptions: Everyone has their own narrative. Please provide more detail about how your experiences would enrich the Northwestern community. (200 word max)

Feinberg’s mission is to train future leaders in medicine who will serve their patients, communities and society. Describe one specific interest in medicine and how FSM, located in Chicago which is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the country, will help you achieve this professional goal. (200 word max)

Low Tier medical school diversity essay prompts

*Schools typically ranking outside the top 20 in common medical school rankings

Diversity is at the heart of all medical colleges in the U.S.

Rankings? Have nothing to do with a school’s level of commitment – as you’ll see with these prompts!

Make sure you read your school’s mission statement along with their prompt, that’ll help you better approach an answer.

University of Iowa (Carver)

Describe any unique personal characteristics or obstacles you may have overcome that will influence your contribution to a diverse healthcare system.

Temple University (Katz)

How do you plan on contributing to the Lewis Katz School of Medicine Community? LKSOM seeks an engaged student body with a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and interests to enhance the medical school experience for everyone. Please use the space below to describe what makes you unique as an applicant, an obstacle that you had to overcome, or how you will contribute to the LKSOM community. (2000 characters )

Florida Atlantic University (Schmidt)

Diversity means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing our individual differences. Describe what uniqueness you would bring to the Schmidt COM. We are proud to already have a medical school rich in cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity. What values, skills, talents, and life experiences would you add to our culture? (1600 characters )

SUNY Upstate Medical University

Upstate Medical University is strongly committed to providing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for the patients we serve and all who work at, study at, or visit our campus. As a potential partner in this effort, please describe your commitment to eliminating health inequities, discrimination, or other forms of social injustice. (500 words)

George Washington University

What makes you a unique individual? What challenges have you faced? How will these factors help you contribute to the diversity of the student body at GW? (1000 characters)

D.O. medical school diversity essay prompts

You’ll also see that D.O. schools require diversity essays just as often as their allopathic counterparts.

The same writing rules and strategies apply.

Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM)

Other than healthcare access, what are some of the most important health care issues confronting underserved communities? How would you address them?

Briefly describe a situation where you were not in the majority. What did you learn from this experience?’

New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM)

NYITCOM values diversity, equity, and inclusion. How will your background and experiences add to our inclusive culture and how will this focus influence your future role as a physician? (Max. 1000 characters)

What should you do with a medical school diversity essay prompt?

The next best step is to look at your school’s mission statement. Examine what their aims and objectives are in terms of student and faculty representation. Understand that, then try to draw parallels from your own background that lend themselves well.

Use it to brainstorm a couple of points from your life that fit the prompt. Then choose what you feel are the best ones and start writing a couple of rough drafts.

The important thing is to make an attempt early. That’ll make it seem less daunting!

Where can I see medical school diversity essay examples?

I’ve ranked some of the best diversity essay examples I could find, along with giving them a small critique, in the following article…

Related : 6 Medical School Diversity Essay Examples (Ranked Best To Worst!)

Hopefully, scanning over those can give you further ideas on what to think and write about.

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more .

How to Showcase Diversity in a Med School Essay

A med school admissions dean was impressed with these essays by students from varied backgrounds.

How to Write Med School Diversity Essays

Some medical schools ask applicants to give details about their exposure to and interactions with marginalized populations. (Getty Images)

U.S. doctors don't always get to cherry-pick the patients they'll care for or the medical conditions they treat.

Hospital emergency room physicians in the U.S. are legally obligated to care for every person who arrives with a medical emergency, regardless of the person's ability to pay for medical treatment. And in nearly every area of medicine, a doctor can expect to encounter patients with varied circumstances, personalities and perspectives.

[Read: Use a Medical School Diversity Statement to Shine .]

Dr. Linton Yee, associate dean for admissions at Duke University School of Medicine , says one of the challenges doctors are often faced with is the need to initiate a conversation about a medical problem with someone they've never met before. "You're going to walk into a room with a total stranger, and somehow you've got to make a connection with this person in order to figure out what's going on," he says.

Doctors must bond with and understand their patients, Yee says. That's one reason why medical schools seek students who demonstrate a willingness to be compassionate towards any individual they treat.

To identify applicants with a nonjudgmental disposition, some med schools ask applicants to give details about their exposure to and interactions with marginalized populations, including those who struggle with poverty. Med schools also sometimes inquire about whether applicants intend to serve as a physician for a medically needy community, such as a poor rural area or inner-city region where doctors are scarce, and there are certain medical school scholarships reserved for applicants who make a commitment to practice medicine in areas of the U.S. with doctor shortages .

In addition, because many medical schools strive to assemble a student body that is diverse in terms of race, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, geography and ethnicity, these institutions often inquire about whether an applicant identifies as a minority in U.S. society.

Yee says that empathy is a key quality he looks for when he screens medical school applicants and decides which have the potential to become quality physicians. "We can teach you all about the intricacies of pathology and treating patients and management and all that sort of stuff, but we can't teach you how to care for people," he says. Because of the increasing diversity of the U.S. population, all aspiring doctors should be prepared to deal with a wide array of patients, including patients of multiple races, Yee says.

[Read: 4 Factors Prospective Medical Students Overlook .]

Though Duke University School of Medicine does not require a formal diversity statement, many of its secondary application essay questions give applicants an opportunity to describe their commitment to diversity.

Below are two essays by incoming Duke medical students who impressed Yee with their thoughtful discussion of diversity.

The first essay is by Ariana Paniagua, a student of mixed heritage who described the lessons she learned from the cultural traditions of each of her parents, including her mother, who is a devout Buddhist of Sicilian ancestry, and her father, who immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador. "I really wanted to give a genuine sense of who I was and the most important aspects of my upbringing and family that helped to shape me into the person I am today," she says. "So it was really important to me to express everything accurately, and also to take a lot of time to reflect, because these aren't things that we think about everyday necessarily."

[Read: Highlight Diversity in Medical School Applications .]

The second essay is authored by Drake Sanders, a student of African-American ancestry who says that his race has played a key role in shaping his identity. Sanders says this essay about his core values would have been incomplete if he had shied away from discussing race. "Especially in the times we're living in now, it's such a polarizing issue, and I was trying to make it less polarizing, if that's possible even," he says. "So I was trying to be as clear and as noncombative as possible in describing what it's like growing up black."

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