How to answer an equity vs equality question in a medical school interview
- Topic
- Equity and access
- Kind
- Personal story
Prompt
Tell me about a time you realized that a rule which seemed fair because it treated everyone the same actually affected some people very differently. What did you do about it?
Practice this question
Answer it yourself first. The approach to this question opens below when your feedback arrives.
How to approach this question
What this question tests
- Self-reflection and growth
- Critical thinking
- Cultural humility
How to approach it
This panel interview question tests whether you can see past a rule's equal wording to its unequal effects, and whether you did anything about it. Choose a real example where you saw the gap yourself, such as a deadline, attendance policy, dress code or fee that landed harder on some people. Describe the rule, who it affected differently and why, with enough detail to make the difference concrete. Then explain what you did, whether you raised it, proposed a change or adjusted how you applied it within your own role. Be honest about the outcome, including if the rule stayed the same. Finish with what the experience taught you about equity, and how you'd spot a rule like it sooner.
More on equity and access
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