The Diversity of “Diversity Prompts” on Medical School Applications: What Do They Signal?

• In Event: Social Justice Approaches in Professions Education

Abstract

The AAMC’s guidance on holistic review states that selection criteria should promote numerous aspects of diversity, yet little research has documented the prevalence of diversity prompts in medical school admissions, what types of prompts are used, what they signal to applicants, and whether they connect to the school’s broader mission. We used publicly available sources and medical school admissions sites to analyze 231 diversity-related open-ended essay prompts that appeared on the secondary applications of 157 U.S. allopathic medical schools during the 2022-2023 admissions cycle. Qualitative analysis revealed that 82% of schools used at least one diversity-related prompts, but that prompts varied in what they asked of applicants. We discuss these variations and their implications for medical school recruitment.

Authors

• Ellen L. Usher, Mayo Clinic

• Derek Kahng, Stanford University

• Christia Spears Brown, University of Kentucky