Where do you see healthcare heading? This is a question that scares a lot of medical school applicants because we aren’t experts.
But it doesn’t need to be so intimidating. Let’s break down how to approach these questions when you’re asked about them in your secondary applications.
Where Do You See Healthcare in 10 or 15 Years?
As a premed student, you are not an expert in healthcare (unless you’re coming in as a career-changer and healthcare policy has been something you’ve been doing for a while).
A lot of us just don’t understand the healthcare system. You may not have a realistic idea of what is going to happen with the politics around healthcare in the future.
And that’s okay. You can still great a great secondary essay about these subjects.
How to Write About the Healthcare System Even With a Limited Understanding
1. Write about the future in healthcare you hope to see.
Your goal in answering this question is not to be a fortune-teller.
You don’t have to write something that’s going to come true. You have to write about what you potentially hope to come true.
Write about what you think should come true. What would be the best outcome in your opinion?
2. Commenting on our current healthcare system.
Talk about our current healthcare system’s deficiencies and strengths. Highlight that you understand where healthcare is coming from right now in your essay.
Then focus on where you want to see those things going to potentially fix the deficiencies.
Understand that half of the people reading your essay may have different political views from you. So you can’t worry about these things.
Don’t worry about matching the political spin of the person reading your essay. Just focus on potentially where you see healthcare now and where you want it to go in the future.
3. Don’t make the other side seem wrong.
Don’t be mean about people who are on the other side. Just talk about what you hope to see happen.
Don’t make the other side seem like they’re bad or wrong. Again, half of the people reading your essay may be on the other side.
As a physician, you will have to work with many people who have different beliefs and views from you. You need to be able to view and treat others with respect and empathy regardless of their views.
So don’t come across as arrogant or judgmental of people with a different view from your own.
Prepare By Understanding the Current Healthcare System
Educate yourself about our current healthcare system and other healthcare systems around the world. This can help you answer this question in an informed way.
You don’t need to come across as an expert. But even just spending an afternoon reading about the issue can give you more knowledge to draw from and base your answer on.
You don’t want to come across as someone who is totally oblivious to the specifics of policy and current events. So be informed to the best of your ability.
