U of T BPE 1

For the U of T prompt:

“Describe a time when you received feedback that stands out in your memory. Why did it stand out from other feedback experiences? What did you do with the feedback and how did it influence your use of feedback, if at all?”

I’m considering writing about a TA position I was dismissed from for being perceived as unprofessional.

My professor did not tell me exactly what I had done that was unprofessional, but reflecting back, I think I had become too colloquial with the students, who were only about two years younger than me, and may have blurred the line between being a TA and being a peer.

The experience definitely changed how I approach teaching and professional boundaries. Since then, I’ve been much more conscious of maintaining an appropriate level of professionalism with people I teach.

It also changed how I think about feedback. At the time, I took it very personally and saw it as a reflection of my character. Looking back, I learned to separate feedback about my behaviour from my sense of self, which has made it easier for me to evaluate criticism more objectively and use it constructively.

Do you think this would be too risky to write about for a medical school application because of the dismissal/unprofessionalism aspect, even if the focus is on reflection and growth?