"Do you believe that this area was medically underserved?" AND...

[ductus]

Hi guys and gals,

This is a question on AMCAS: "Do you believe that this area was medically underserved?"

I've been living in Memphis, TN (urban) for the majority of my life and I'm not sure what to put for this Q...

Is there a way I can find out? Does anybody know?

ALSO: Is being a first generation college student, son of 2 refugee immigrants, have been on govt. assistance programs for a while and worked to contribute to family income before age 18...ALL entail disadvantaged status?? I believe I've overcome these obstacles that the normal med school applicant has not experienced. I could have been better prepared, especially as an incoming Freshman, for entering college. I don't want to look silly marking disadvantaged; however, I don't want not marking it to contradict the childhood information I fill out right before that question.

Please help me. @Catalystik @Goro @LizzyM @gonnif @gyngyn

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[Goro]

Sorry, but I can't do your homework for you.

Is there a way I can find out? Does anybody know?

 

[blueharbor]

Hi guys and gals,

This is a question on AMCAS: "Do you believe that this area was medically underserved?"

I've been living in Memphis, TN (urban) for the majority of my life and I'm not sure what to put for this Q...

Is there a way I can find out? Does anybody know?

ALSO: Is being a first generation college student, son of 2 refugee immigrants, have been on govt. assistance programs for a while and worked to contribute to family income before age 18...ALL entail disadvantaged status?? I believe I've overcome these obstacles that the normal med school applicant has not experienced. I could have been better prepared, especially as an incoming Freshman, for entering college. I don't want to look silly marking disadvantaged; however, I don't want not marking it to contradict the childhood information I fill out right before that question.

Please help me. @Catalystik @Goro @LizzyM @gonnif @gyngyn

I've read about 30 of sdn's threads on disadvantaged status, and if that gives me any expertise, yes you are disadvantaged. You have had to overcome much more than the average applicant to get to where you are, and adcoms should know that. Just tell them what you put here and how it impacted you.

 

[mrh125]

I've read about 30 of sdn's threads on disadvantaged status, and if that gives me any expertise, yes you are disadvantaged. You have had to overcome much more than the average applicant to get to where you are, and adcoms should know that. Just tell them what you put here and how it impacted you.

How do you determine this? If I told you my area could you tell me if i my area is disadvantaged? It's a rural small town in northern california. I used the link provided in an earlier post and it just gave me some gibberish.

 

[blueharbor]

How do you determine this? If I told you my area could you tell me if i my area is disadvantaged? It's a rural small town in northern california. I used the link provided in an earlier post and it just gave me some gibberish.

Put your address into the tab for "find shortage areas by address." It will tell you if it's in an MUA (a medically underserved area) which is different from an HPSA. My area, for example, is an HPSA but not an MUA, so I would answer no to this question.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[mrh125]

Put your address into the tab for "find shortage areas by address." It will tell you if it's in an MUA (a medically underserved area) which is different from an HPSA. My area, for example, is an HPSA but not an MUA, so I would answer no to this question.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Ok mine is HPSA as well. I wonder if expanding on that if you have a passion for primary care and wish to change that would justify labeling it as an underrepresented area or is the primary care shortage so widespread that that's not the case?

 

[NickNaylor]

Ok mine is HPSA as well. I wonder if expanding on that if you have a passion for primary care and wish to change that would justify labeling it as an underrepresented area or is the primary care shortage so widespread that that's not the case?

A huge majority of the US is considered "underserved." My hometown, for example, was considered underserved despite being relatively affluent.

It's not really worth anything. Mentioning on your app and somehow using that to justify a career in primary care would be - no offense - somewhat laughable. Use other experiences to make that justification if you're going to make it at all.


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[LizzyM]

Hi guys and gals,

This is a question on AMCAS: "Do you believe that this area was medically underserved?"

AMCAS knows your address and can (and does) determine if where you were born (in the US) and grew up and live now are on the list of medically underserved areas. HOWEVER, the question is "do you believe that this area was medically underserved?"
This is about your opinion based on your experience. Did you have to travel a great distance to see a primary care provider? Were there long wait times to get an appointment for a primary care provider? Did you (or your mom) have to call many providers before finding one who would take your insurance plan? Did people you know go without needed care because there was no neurosurgeon or high risk OB in your entire county? Answer this from your heart and head, not from Google and a .gov website.

 

[kyamh]

Just remember that even if you have the facts that indicate you may be "disadvantaged" doesn't mean that it won't be incredibly obvious if you really weren't. The question about disadvantaged status isn't about whether you check some disadvantaged boxes, but rather whether you feel you were affected by it in a way that changes your application. It is entirely possible to have received government aid and have not owned a house/car and still not feel justified in checking the disadvantaged box. Sure, some of us have had to work throughout college and didn't go on fancy trips, but that is NOT the same as needing necessities like food, shelter, safety, healthcare and finding those things difficult to come by.

 

[Laureatebarrel]

AMCAS knows your address and can (and does) determine if where you were born (in the US) and grew up and live now are on the list of medically underserved areas. HOWEVER, the question is "do you believe that this area was medically underserved?"
This is about your opinion based on your experience. Did you have to travel a great distance to see a primary care provider? Were there long wait times to get an appointment for a primary care provider? Did you (or your mom) have to call many providers before finding one who would take your insurance plan? Did people you know go without needed care because there was no neurosurgeon or high risk OB in your entire county? Answer this from your heart and head, not from Google and a .gov website.

Hi LizzyM, I don't believe the question is applicable to non-resident, international applicant?

 

[LizzyM]

Hi LizzyM, I don't believe the question is applicable to non-resident, international applicant?

If you wish to leave it blank, and AMCAS permits you to skip the question or answer "not applicable" go ahead and do that. I don't know what AMCAS looks like from the applicant point of view.

 

[Laureatebarrel]

If you wish to leave it blank, and AMCAS permits you to skip the question or answer "not applicable" go ahead and do that. I don't know what AMCAS looks like from the applicant point of view.

I found this on the aamc website while searching for how to answer this question:
https://www.aamc.org/students/services/332852/aftersubshared3.8.html

I'm going to say "no" to the disadvantaged status just to be on the safe side.

 

[respiir-ati0]

AMCAS knows your address and can (and does) determine if where you were born (in the US) and grew up and live now are on the list of medically underserved areas. HOWEVER, the question is "do you believe that this area was medically underserved?"
This is about your opinion based on your experience. Did you have to travel a great distance to see a primary care provider? Were there long wait times to get an appointment for a primary care provider? Did you (or your mom) have to call many providers before finding one who would take your insurance plan? Did people you know go without needed care because there was no neurosurgeon or high risk OB in your entire county? Answer this from your heart and head, not from Google and a .gov website.

this thread is so old. is this advice still valid here, @LizzyM ? this sounds like exactly what I am trying to figure out.

 

[LizzyM]

The disadvantaged section has gone away and has been replaced with something less stigmatizing and relevant to a broader subset of applicants.

Whether your area is/was underserved and if you are choosing to go into medicine with the hope of serving in a similar area (or that exact area) - (and understanding the financial/legal dynamics of such choices -- there are reasons related to malpractice - and now reproductive rights - why people choose not to serve in some states and go just over the border to a neighboring state) you can reflect on the issues your family have had with access. Alternately, you can just let AMCAS do it's thing with the [ U ] for underserved and [ R ] for rural.

 

[respiir-ati0]

The disadvantaged section has gone away and has been replaced with something less stigmatizing and relevant to a broader subset of applicants.

Whether your area is/was underserved and if you are choosing to go into medicine with the hope of serving in a similar area (or that exact area) - (and understanding the financial/legal dynamics of such choices -- there are reasons related to malpractice - and now reproductive rights - why people choose not to serve in some states and go just over the border to a neighboring state) you can reflect on the issues your family have had with access. Alternately, you can just let AMCAS do it's thing with the for underserved and [R] for rural.

thank you so much for your reply, it was very helpful. have a great day!