Hispanic Applicants and AA

Yes. Certain groups are URMs while others aren't. URM = Underrepresented minority

No luck for you.

Black, Native American, Mexican, Puerto Rican (mainland) are URMs

Just in case you want to see exactly what the AAMC has to say on the issue:
http://www.aamc.org/meded/urm/start.htm

BrettBatchelor said:

No luck for you.

Black, Native American, Mexican, Puerto Rican (mainland) are URMs

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This is correct. Maybe you're 1/16th Puerto Rican? Try to pitch that if you are

Hehe good luck with the apps!

LTrain1 said:

I know that, but do you know which groups are considered and which aren't, i'm Cuban so that one would help

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Shiit you should go to cuba and study in Fidel's program. I am sure Castro will give you a boost (free tuition) if you plan to come back to North America and do your residency and work in an underserved area.

3....2....1 Boom

med schools will like you if you're fluent in spanish. don't lie though. other than that, there's no extra love for us cubans. it doesn't matter. just do your best and you'll get in.

Does anyone know the difference between a mainland Puerto-Rican and an Commonwealth/Island Puerto-Rican?

benelswick said:

You could have come from a country village in Equador, and if you don't fit into the specifications of the URM designation your as SOL ans a white farm boy from from kansas, in terms of special consideration. To me its particularly revealing of the limitations of the AA policies when a minority with extra cultural skills is excluded.--Ben.

like the other poster said, I quess your just going to have to bust you @ss that much harder.

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I'm Ecuadorian, and on a few of my interview days I've had an additional meeting with the director of diversity programs or some sort of diversity thing that other (white or Asian) interviewees did not have. So while being a non-Puerto Rican or Mexican latino may not be considered URM, I think there might be some recruitment of other Latinos involved. Whether that helps in admission I have no idea since I haven't heard from those schools yet, but I thought I'd throw that possibility out there.

MB in SD said:

Does anyone know the difference between a mainland Puerto-Rican and an Commonwealth/Island Puerto-Rican?

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mainland puerto rican = A puerto rican who resides in the continental U.S. or Alaska and Hawaii
Commonwealth puerto rican = A puerto rican who resides in the Island of Puerto Rico.

Labslave said:

Just in case you want to see exactly what the AAMC has to say on the issue:
http://www.aamc.org/meded/urm/start.htm

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am I reading that link wrong? I think it says that the schools used to only consider the 4 groups (mexican, puerto rican, black, native american), but now consider all other groups urm's if they are actually underrepresented

Your right...the new definition of URM includes any background/ethnicity that is underrepresented in medicine, not just mexican but other Latino groups. It is NOT clear-cut, BrettBatchelor was incorrect. Good luck!

Elastase said:

Your right...the new definition of URM includes any background/ethnicity that is underrepresented in medicine, not just mexican but other Latino groups. It is NOT clear-cut, BrettBatchelor was incorrect. Good luck!

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Schools, particularly, in CA were the ones strongly vouching for expanding the URM status recognition, as they have seen how other Latino groups are rising through the academic ranks and pursuing higher education are still UNDERREPRESENTED in medicine.

Historically, those four groups -- Blacks, Natives, Mainland Puerto Ricans, and Mex-Amer -- were the ones that, when Affirmative Action was implemented, were discriminated against during the college and medical school admission and entrance process. NOW, the U.S. population has such a diverse population that it no longer makes sense only to focus diversity efforts in only those 4 groups only. While schools are aiming to increasing diversity and being inclusive of different ethnicities and countries of origins, many schools, particularly those out east, remain focused on the 4 groups initially defined as URM.

At Stanford, for instance, now students are recognized as Underrepresented in Medicine, and it makes sense because whether you are Puerto Rican, Salvadorian, Mexican, or Brazilian, you are underrepresented in a field that is predominatly White and Asian, for example.

I hope many of you consider applying to Stanford Med, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me.

Peace,

Will Ferrell said:

med schools will like you if you're fluent in spanish. don't lie though. other than that, there's no extra love for us cubans. it doesn't matter. just do your best and you'll get in.

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LOL -- I wouldn't necessarily say that Cubans get no love. There's a few Cubans in my class and in the class above mine.
In the U.S., Cubans, of all the Latino groups, are the wealthiest, usually most educated, and have established strong connections in the social and educational system of the United States. Schools like UPenn have a strong Cuban contingency ....

ALSO, i cannot emphasize the lying part -- we do find out if you are lying or not. people who interview can do this easily. there's interviewers at my school that if you list that you are fluent in Spanish, they may ask you to converse with them in Spanish, as to validate your proficiency. SO BE HONEST!

Gabi_MD said:

ALSO, i cannot emphasize the lying part -- we do find out if you are lying or not. people who interview can do this easily. there's interviewers at my school that if you list that you are fluent in Spanish, they may ask you to converse with them in Spanish, as to validate your proficiency. SO BE HONEST!

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Word. I did get tested at one of my interviews this year. I'm actually a gringa who was a Spanish major in college, not Latina. But I wrote on my AMCAS that I spoke Spanish, and sure enough, an interviewer and I had a nice little chat in Spanish.

QofQuimica said:

Word. I did get tested at one of my interviews this year. I'm actually a gringa who was a Spanish major in college, not Latina. But I wrote on my AMCAS that I spoke Spanish, and sure enough, an interviewer and I had a nice little chat in Spanish.

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Yup. Born just as gringo as the next guy and now spend the majority of my life (outside of the lab) speaking in Spanish. I, too, listed that I speak Spanish on AMCAS and have had a couple of 'tests.'

I have to say that I find it encouraging; there are far too many posers.

What schools did you have your "tests" at?

LTrain1 said:

I know that, but do you know which groups are considered and which aren't, i'm Cuban so that one would help

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being cuban as well, i can tell you from experience, just be prepare to answer a lot of questions about cuba and fidel if you do say you are cuban.

LTrain1 said:

I know that, but do you know which groups are considered and which aren't, i'm Cuban so that one would help

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I'm Cuban as well. Cubans are considered ORM (over represented minorities).