How are you designated as a URM?

[emma2015]

I've been told that being a veteran qualifies as a URM. Can anyone confirm/deny this? If true, how are you put in the URM category? I'm wondering if it's something you have to select on your application or if they will automatically designate you based on your app. For instance, I discuss my military experiences, and there was a place on the primary where I indicated that I was a veteran - does this qualify me as a URM?

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[NotASerialKiller]

I've been told that being a veteran qualifies as a URM. Can anyone confirm/deny this? If true, how are you put in the URM category? I'm wondering if it's something you have to select on your application or if they will automatically designate you based on your app. For instance, I discuss my military experiences, and there was a place on the primary where I indicated that I was a veteran - does this qualify me as a URM?

There are a lot of places on your application to check off or mention that you are a veteran, and yes this is thought of very highly. I'm pretty sure URM is a term that's only used for your ethnic background, but regardless you don't have to worry, this is something that you won't have to do any work to find on the applications and will make you a much more appealing applicant. Thank you for you service!

 

[Dr.Sticks]

Based on who your mama and papa are..
So if you got a black papa, and a black mama you're URM
If you got a black papa white mama, you're URM(generally)
If you got a white papa and black mama you're URM(generally)

If you got a hispanic mama and papa you're URM
If you got a white papa and hispanic mama(you probably won't be classified as URM, generally biracial latino/white children look more white)
If you got a white mama and latino papa you're probably an URM

If you are Asian, or White, Indian, Arab, etc.. You are not URM in any manner

Oh and Native Americans are URM too

Basically URMs are ethnic groups that are "underrepresented" in medicine. So in order to promote diversity and give opportunity, URMs are given special consideration, even if their application is mediocre at best. (economically disadvantaged perhaps, or other things, etc..)

 

[Mad Jack]

Veterans are not URM, but they do get mad bonus points in the process.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

Based on who your mama and papa are..
So if you got a black papa, and a black mama you're URM
If you got a black papa white mama, you're URM(generally)
If you got a white papa and black mama you're URM(generally)

If you got a hispanic mama and papa you're URM
If you got a white papa and hispanic mama(you probably won't be classified as URM, generally biracial latino/white children look more white)
If you got a white mama and latino papa you're probably an URM

If you are Asian, or White, Indian, Arab, etc.. You are not URM in any manner

Oh and Native Americans are URM too

Basically URMs are ethnic groups that are "underrepresented" in medicine. So in order to promote diversity and give opportunity, URMs are given special consideration, even if their application is mediocre at best. (economically disadvantaged perhaps, or other things, etc..)

...what? The OP was just asking if veterans are considered URM. This parent by parent breakdown of racial identity is completely unnecessary frankly extremely creepy. You really felt it was a good idea to break down how you think people are classified based on which parent is which race? And you seriously think that a medical school would determine who is URM based on whether their mother or father is hispanic? I would have said that you probably didn't mean to be offensive with this post, but that ignorant remark at the end really tips the scale. You should be embarrassed.

 

[Dr.Sticks]

...what? The OP was just asking if veterans are considered URM. This parent by parent breakdown of racial identity is completely unnecessary frankly extremely creepy. You really felt it was a good idea to break down how you think people are classified based on which parent is which race? And you seriously think that a medical school would determine who is URM based on whether their mother or father is hispanic? I would have said that you probably didn't mean to be offensive with this post, but that ignorant remark at the end really tips the scale. You should be embarrassed.

What?
I was explaining what an URM was.
Also generally if the father is white, the baby will look more Caucasian than latino.
If I offend you with that statement, I apologize. I don't mean to offend anyone.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

What?
I was explaining what an URM was.
Also generally if the father is white, the baby will look more Caucasian than latino.
If I offend you with that statement, I apologize. I don't mean to offend anyone.

I believe you, that you genuinely don't understand why analyzing someone's skin colour and facial features to determine URM status is horribly offensive, and very obviously not what medical schools do. I don't have it in me to explain to you why this is the case, so I'll just drop it. Maybe someone else will take the time.

 

[nwts]

What?
I was explaining what an URM was.
Also generally if the father is white, the baby will look more Caucasian than latino.
If I offend you with that statement, I apologize. I don't mean to offend anyone.

URM is based on your race, not what race people think you appear to be. If a person is biracial African-American and Caucasian, that person can reasonably identify as both African-American and Caucasian, and the person will be considered URM. It would be very offensive to people's identities and cultures if we started saying: "You don't look Hispanic enough, so you aren't Hispanic."

 

[Goro]

100% correct.

Veterans are not URM, but they do get mad bonus points in the process.

 

[Dr.Sticks]

@Goro if someone writes on their app that they are African American, but look caucasian to you; What do you think as an interviewer?

I believe you, that you genuinely don't understand why analyzing someone's skin colour and facial features to determine URM status is horribly offensive, and very obviously not what medical schools do. I don't have it in me to explain to you why this is the case, so I'll just drop it. Maybe someone else will take the time.

Yes it is; But people do judge.

 

[Mad Jack]

@Goro if someone writes on their app that they are African American, but look caucasian to you; What do you think as an interviewer?

Yes it is; But people do judge.

African as hell. Technically way more African than the average African American, given that he spent half of his life in Africa and was born there.

 

[Dr.Sticks]

African as hell. Technically way more African than the average African American, given that he spent half of his life in Africa and was born there.

Technically he would be European African American

 

[emma2015]

Thanks for the feedback - Even without URM status, I'm hoping my military medical experience will help my app.

 

[Chelsea FC]

OP run before your thread devolves into something entirely different

 

[Goro]

I'll look for any involvement in the African-American or other minority communities...I might give the candidate the benefit of the doubt by assuming that s/he is of mixed race.

But any hint that this is someone trying to be disingenuous will lead to auto-reject.

Sadly, too many people do this for Native American status, hence our leeriness and that's why you always see the wise @gyngyn asking for commitment to community.

@Goro if someone writes on their app that they are African American, but look caucasian to you; What do you think as an interviewer?

Yes it is; But people do judge.

 

[Goro]

Now Jack, you know that my white Afrikaans-speaking neighbor from South Africa is indeed African-American, but is not URM! Ditto my Jewish friend from Zimbabwe.

African as hell. Technically way more African than the average African American, given that he spent half of his life in Africa and was born there.

 

[Doug Underhill]

Many prefer the term "black" these days to "African-American". The Black Lives Matter movement and the tremendous racial diversity in Africa are both factors involved in this change.