Applying American Indian?

[JOB]

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Does anyone know the requirements for applying as an American Indian?
On the application it asks for a tribe name, if you choose that option. I do have a tribe in which my family is affiliated, however, I am only 1/8 American Indian by blood.
Will schools research your affiliation with the tribe?

 

[Cegar]

Probably not.

My personal rule of thumb: If you receive or could receive tribal benefits, then you are totally safe in claiming it on any application form.

My other personal rule of thumb: Only claim something if you look like you could be that something.

I.E. If you're white, expect to get a lot of behind-the-doors criticism for not looking like you're Native American.

 

[scowdeva]

Ok, I completely disagree with the 'if you don't look like it then don't claim it'. That's crap. You can't help what you look like. Using this logic, a light skinned African American should never acknowledge that they are black?? Yeah, doesn't sit very well.

I am Native, so I will just tell you how it's worked for me. I am 1/4, and have been asked about it at every interview. Be prepared to talk about your background. I don't think they are looking for epiphanies, just how it has influenced your life (mostly it's influenced mine by my grandparents/parents not having opportunities). Are you registered with the tribe, or at least have your family name on the roles? I know at least a few schools have checked me out, as they wanted exact listings (what SPECIFIC clan of tribe, where they can locate my family name, what location it's registered under, exact spelling of family name, etc). If you can match these criteria, you're fine. If not, it may be in your best interest to not check the box. If you feel like you have enough life experience to back up applying as such, make sure you check the other boxes that correspond to your background. If you don't look like the typical Chief Running Water (and let me tell you, such an incredibly small percentage do!! I live in the town with my tribe's reservation, and most of the people on the rez are even straying from the stereotyped image of a Native American), they're not going to be surprised when they see that some Scottish was also mixed in. If you have any specific questions or concerns, PM me! This will probably get moved pretty fast to a different spot...

 

[Cegar]

Most people will look at someone who looks white and think, "Hey, that person looks white. Huh. They marked Native American."

Now, we all know that someone can be 1/4th Native American and look like a fair-skinned Irish lassie.

But people will still be prejudiced against that applicant if they do not look like the race they marked down.

Get it?


My last name is Garcia. I look white. Sometimes when I don't shave I get a wee bit hispanic looking. But just a little bit.

I always mark Caucasian or white on applications because I look like it and my ethnicity has never played any factor in my life.

 

[scowdeva]

Ok, and I can respect that. However, that doesn't necessarily hold true for everyone. I'm a borderline person- if you know what my tribe looks like, and don't expect someone with feathers in their pitch black hair with chiseled features to sit down, I fit the bill. Once people know that's my background, they tend to go, 'Oh, yeah. I can see it in your eyes and skin now!'. Natives are so very watered down at this point that to find anyone more than 1/4 or so who ISN'T still on a rez somewhere (which brings up a whole other batch of issues) that looks the stereotyped image is pretty rare. And we don't have names that really differentiate our group, as most adopted a European name or just made one up. No one can ever pronounce my name!! And it sounds exactly how it's spelled!

I look kinda white I guess, but I'm being honest about my heritage so it doesn't matter to me. I hope adcoms DO check up on people who claim Native, as its soooo easy and free to do! I don't think that I should have to discredit my heritage because I pulled the eye and hair color of my white grandparents...I can talk about it, and have had some pretty good conversations on the interview trail. If you don't look like it, can't talk about it, are clueless about your tribe, but have some great-great grandparent back in the day who was part Chocktaw or something, than you shouldn't claim it.

 

[sciencebird]

Life is intrinsically unfair, so you should use take any advantage you can. If you qualify as Native American, claim it. Many people here have MD parents, for instance, and have easier access to clinical experience.

 

[dr midnight]

I am 1/8 Indian (blue eyed blonde) My grand mother was born and grew up on an Indian Resv. She left when she was 16 and never looked back. She has never reg. a tribe as she is a mix of tribes tho her family name is on the rolls. There was an era where being a "half breed" was very tabu and often hidden. As she never talks about it. I didn't put it on my app. as I want to get in on my own account and I didn't want to have to explain. Many would think I am just trying to work the system.

 

[notdeadyet]

Does anyone know the requirements for applying as an American Indian?

Do you identify yourself as Native American outside of medical school? Does it play a big role in your belief system and how the world treats you and how you interpret the world on a day-to-day basis?

If you are not culturally Native American, don't check it. If you are, you'll know. If you have to scratch your head and ask yourself if you are really part of a culture, you're probably not.

 

[scowdeva]

Do you identify yourself as Native American outside of medical school? Does it play a big role in your belief system and how the world treats you and how you interpret the world on a day-to-day basis?

If you are not culturally Native American, don't check it. If you are, you'll know. If you have to scratch your head and ask yourself if you are really part of a culture, you're probably not.

I think that the OP is asking about the technical aspect of applying this way, not should he or shouldn't he. As in, do you have to have a CDIB card? If you do have a card, do you have to provide that information to the school? The thing about different tribes is that they have different requirements. For example, some tribes only require that you be 1/32 to be considered a member. For others, you have to be a full 1/4. It's very understandable how someone could technically not be allowed to register because they are 1/8, and therefore not have a CDIB although their name would be on the roles, if the tribe requires them to be 1/4. If they are raised with this cultural awareness, and identify as it, can they then not file that way due to the technicality? This issue tends to get kind of sticky for people due to these reasons, not because they aren't sure if they are really Native or not.

For instance, my grandmother is pure Ojibwa (or Chippewa, same tribe, but a mispronunciation). However, because my grandfather on the other side of the family wasn't issued a birth certificate when he was born (literally born in a barn) I can't be registered for a CDIB because I can't verify the other side of my familial tree on paper to my tribe's satisfaction. Mind you, the Native American is my maternal grandmother, and I don't have my paternal grandfather's birth certificate. I'm missing that one piece of paper. My mother is registered, but I cannot be. My sister and I can only have our names on the roles. Because of this technicality, does it make me less Native?

Edit: that last question was definitely rhetorical. Of course it doesn't!!