any Latino/a applicants

[jmejia1]

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I'm yet to run into a Latino/a at the interviews I've been. I'm curious if there are any on this forum. I usually never attach an etnicity to screen names, but I'm just curious to what extent we are under-represented.

 

[willbeMD]

I'm not Mexican-American, but I am from Central America. I agree, I have seen very few Hispanics at interviews, especially on the east coast.

 

[jaeida8]

I'm mexican-american, but i only applied to all of the Texas schools.

 

[lamyers1]

My husband is Mexican and I got in, does that count? Sorry, just messing around, but seriously, the other day my 1/2 Mexican daughter (8 years old) asked me if she can convert and become Jewish! I thought it was cute. There is only two Hispanic students in my whole undergrad class, one Mexican and one from Peru. What is up with that!

 

[none]

It's probably because you guys are looking for dark skin...Hispanics in general and especially chicanos are a mixed people by definition, half native peoples and half European. The blond, blue eyed person sitting next to you at an interview could most certainly be a chicano/a.

 

[DJ W.R.]

Sup jmejia1! I haven't run into any other Mexican-Americans (or Hispanics in general) at my interviews...it definitely makes me wonder where all my hermanos and hermanas are at 😀

Here are some statistics I pulled off of the AMA's website:

Racial & Ethnic Backgrounds of Medical Students-1st Year Enrollment*: 2000-2001
Mexican American - 404(2.4%)
Puerto Rican (other) - 240(1.4%)
Puerto Rican (Mainland) - 63(0.4%)
Other Hispanic - 365(2.2%)

Total Number of Students (All Races) Enrolled- 16,813

As you can see, the numbers are very low...I think the total number of Hispanic applicants is also pretty low...so that's why we don't see too many peeps around at interviews.

Here are some interesting links:

<a href="http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/168-188.html" target="_blank">http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/168-188.html</a>

<a href="http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/168-191.html" target="_blank">http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/168-191.html</a>

<a href="http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/168-192.html" target="_blank">http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/168-192.html</a>

Have you gotten in anywhere yet? Let me know if you need anymore help.

Hasta luego,
Guillermo

 

[UCLA2000]

I'm latino...ran into only one latina in 12 interviews or so...

 

[watto]

Originally posted by none:
•It's probably because you guys are looking for dark skin...Hispanics in general and especially chicanos are a mixed people by definion, half native peoples and half European. The blond, blue eyed person sitting next to you at an interview could most certainly be a chicano/a.•••

Yup on that. I'm half-Venezuelan but the only way you would really know is by my lactose malabsorbance and extreme distaste for Argentinian soccer.

 

[Ceelo]

half-mexican here 😀

 

[tonem]

It's been a couple of years so I don't really remember who I interviewed with. There are 5 of us in my class though (out of 150). If I can do anything to help any of you let me know...I'm trying to keep my foot in the door so to speak.

 

[oneironaut]

Tonem: I just interviewed at Pitt. To bad I didn't have you as my student-interviewer. I'm mexican-american too, but I happen to have one of the most common anglo names after smith or jones. Ahh well. No, I haven't seen many of us Mex-Americans either.


Hehe.. I can't help but think of the Cheech Marin song: "mexican americans take spanish in high-school and get a B"

 

[mpp]

I'm a light-skinned Dominican & Cuban (mother and father respectively)...arch-enemies of cigar making and the proper way to prepare platanos. Don't ask my why I'm going into medicine and not baseball...

 

[mdmom]

Mexican mom of two. Accepted at UTHouston

 

[Jedi In Training]

Hello Latino SDN people. I am Bolivian. I have seen other Latinos at interviews in California. Anyone interviewing at Drew-UCLA on 2/16?

 

[Dr. Don]

wazz uppp!!! well joe you know I'm latino homie, and seeing that I have not gone to any interviews I can't comment on that, but when I do I'll be posting about it...But on a more serious note what do you people think about the lack of health care in our latino (underserved) population? I heard that latinos will make up more than 50% of the californian population in 20 more years. If that is the case, don't you think that more latino doctors will be needed for the future? I hope med schools take that into account, specially my baby UCLA....take care and good luck to you all 😎

 

[Jedi In Training]

Dr Don has good points that future physicians should be aware of, especially if they want to practice in California. Its no secret that roughly one of every two babies born in California has Latino parents. Already 1/3 of California's population is Latino. Half of Los Angeles county's population is of Latino descent. UCLA is aware of the growing Latino segment, and (correct me if I am wrong) they are the only California medical school asking students to complete at least one year of Spanish in an academic setting.

 

[none]

I'm pretty impressed by UCSF's Fresno program. The Central Valley, which I believe now has an actual Hispanic majority, certainly needs more doctors, but it also needs education actually taking place in the area.

 

[sundevil1]

Hey guys, I'm Peruvian and I agree, I haven't seen much of any sort of latino around the interview circuit. I've had four interviews and I have only met two hispanic applicants. I agree with none, both of the hispanics I met were light skinned, much like myself and not dark as you normally would think.

Oh yeah, one more thing, during interviews, when asked about your views on AA, what are you guys saying?

 

[UCLA2000]

I'll flat out tell the person. I have very strong views on AA. I was one of those people out there protesting SP1 and SP2.

affirmative action was created in order to help to level the playing field and erase the socioeconomic disparity between the groups.

As it is now, the playing field is not level because most of the people who are living in poverty in the US are minorities. They make up the largest percent of people in our ghettos, and barrios. These are not areas which have quality school systems.

Because of the poor schooling received in these areas the average minority students are not in the position to compete with nonminorities without some sort of compensation for their disadvantage.

Where is proof of this?

Well the average minority student scores much lower on the MCAT and has a lower gpa than the average non minority. I'm sure that as scientists we can all agree that there is inherently no intelligence difference between a minority child and a non minority child. Therefore there must be some environmental influence which is holding the minority child back. That's why AA is necessary.
----

Yes I've actually said that during interviews. It's the way I feel, and I'm not going to change my views to try and fit in with an interviewers pre-existing schema of what my views should be.

 

[tonem]

How did you like Pitt oneironaut?

 

[jrucb]

I'm a chicano applicant and I met 2 latino/a applicants at my interview at U.C. Davis a couple weeks ago. I went to Washington University in St.Louis this weekend, and no latino/a interviewees there, but i did have breakfast with a latino MSTP student. Next i'll be going to UCLA for an MSTP interview, hopefully I meet more latino applicants and students there.
At Wash U I had an interesting conversation with my interviewer about the future roles of minority doctors in society and also about California's legislation to eliminate bilingual education.

stats:
GPA: 3.7
MCAT: 33

-Javi

 

[Bevo]

hispanic: my parents were born in latin america

 

[tonem]

My parents were born in Latin America too...New Mexico!

 

[WildChild]

I'm half Guatemalan but you wouldn't necessarily know it by looking at me. There were two hispanic guys at my interview at Loyola and there were only five of us that day. Otherwise, though, I haven't seen too many. They may just be like me though, not easily recognizable.

 

[medica2006]

I am 100% Boricua! I have yet to met any other Puerto Rican applicants on my interviews. I was even in a program for pre-med minorities this summer and I was the only mainland PR. So, What's up? Where are all the Puerto Ricans, especially men? I have yet to met a Puerto Rican man who is pre-med.

 

[BlackPuma]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Jedi In Training:
•Dr Don has good points that future physicians should be aware of, especially if they want to practice in California. Its no secret that roughly one of every two babies born in California has Latino parents. Already 1/3 of California's population is Latino. Half of Los Angeles county's population is of Latino descent. UCLA is aware of the growing Latino segment, and (correct me if I am wrong) they are the only California medical school asking students to complete at least one year of Spanish in an academic setting.•••••actually your wrong...UCLA does not require students to finish a year of spanish! They Highly recommend it! that is a difference....they also highly recommend a year of humanities, and computer applications....doesn't mean if you dont have it, u wont get in!

 

[mma]

reina,

I am mainland Boricua, as well!

There are far too few of us (hey, of all Latinos) in medical school... As I told me Yale interviewer, by 2030 we Latinos will be in the majority--we need better representation in the field of medicine.

Good luck, everyone!

mma

PS I have met about 5 Latinos (mostly S. American) during my 9 interviews.

 

[Jedi In Training]

•••quote:•••actually your wrong...UCLA does not require students to finish a year of spanish! They Highly recommend it! that is a difference....they also highly recommend a year of humanities, and computer applications....doesn't mean if you dont have it, u wont get in![/QB]••••Watcha is correct. I apologize if people thought Spanish was a requirement at UCLA. In this day and age in California, however, knowing Spanish seems like an obvious requirement. I constantly have physicians requesting my help during H&P because they lack the skill to communicate in Spanish.

 

[jmejia1]

bumping an old thread

 

[Rhiana]

I'm half Puerto Rican Half mutt. I found that at UCSF there seemed to be a decent amount of minorities on campus. One other interviewee was Hispanic and my interviewer was African-American. Yet another reason I love UCSF

 

[Blazed]

Puerto Rican here, and I must agree that I have seen one latina in all my interviews. Where are my people? More representation in the medical field will be a good thing for Latins in general considering the fact that the hispanic population is the fastest growing in the US. Could have been a ball player the money is unbelievable, plus I played college ball, but medicine caught my attention. To all my fellow students regardless of race, "Good Luck, may you have all the success in the world in you pursuit to practice medicine".

 

[8deuce]

i am the most hardcore Puerto Rican in SDN!

i am not applying this year but next year and i hope to see more of us in the med field

oh, Reina...I'm a P.R. male!

Puerto Rico hoooooooooooo!
😎