Confused about URM/Med-Mar

[kam8577]

Hello All!

So, I was born in an Asian country and moved to the US.
I recently found out that I am mixed race and am part Portuguese/Latino which is SO rare for where I was born. Anyway, I was wondering, does that mean I am considered UMR? Can I apply to Med-Mar?
Also, does this give me a better chance of getting into medical school?
I still have a few years before I apply to med school but I was wondering! Any help is appreciated! 🙂

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[Lexdiamondz]

Hello All!

So, I was born in an Asian country and moved to the US.
I recently found out that I am mixed race and am part Portuguese/Latino which is SO rare for where I was born. Anyway, I was wondering, does that mean I am considered UMR? Can I apply to Med-Mar?
Also, does this give me a better chance of getting into medical school?
I still have a few years before I apply to med school but I was wondering! Any help is appreciated! 🙂

Portuguese people aren't considered Hispanic so no.

 

[LizzyM]

Hello All!

So, I was born in an Asian country and moved to the US.
I recently found out that I am mixed race and am part Portuguese/Latino which is SO rare for where I was born. Anyway, I was wondering, does that mean I am considered UMR? Can I apply to Med-Mar?
Also, does this give me a better chance of getting into medical school?
I still have a few years before I apply to med school but I was wondering! Any help is appreciated! 🙂

I presume you are at least 17 years old.. so you've gotten this far in life not knowing that you have this ethinic heritage? When you say Portuguese/Latino do you mean Portuguese? Are Portuguese under-represented in medicine where you are (or in any geographic area in America)? Do you in some way identify with the Portuguese-American community?

What do you bring to the table as a foreign-born Asian-American with Portuguese/Latino heritage?

Med-Mar will add your name to a mailing list and you'll hear from schools that are interested in recruiting underrepresented minorities to their schools. In looking at your application, these schools may or may not decide that you are URM by their standards. You've got nothing to lose except the chance that you'll piss off people who think that you are trying to game the system. Of course, if your gpa is >3.8 and your MCAT is >37, no one will care about your ethnicity.

 

[The Buff OP]

except the chance that you'll piss off people who think that you are trying to game the system.

Yup. As a Mexican-American I sure do get 😡 when people try to file as URM when they are not or hate on us because being URM is not fair to others.

 

[tennischamp822]

...

 

[anegron519]

.

 

[The Buff OP]

born in an asian country, moved to the us, never knew he was "1/10" latino until last week and you think he's a urm? Really?

+1

 

[Ismet]

I was just thinking that pre-allo was below quota on the URM threads this week...

 

[tennischamp822]

...

 

[Ismet]

AA is ridiculous in the first place.

The reason they have it is because patients feel more comfortable with a doctor of their own race supposedly. Why should doctors/med schools/hospitals have to bend over backwards to accommodate racist patiennts? Makes no sense at all.

oh boy...

 

[iave9963]

oh boy...

Tell me about it.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

The reason they have it is because patients feel more comfortable with a doctor of their own race supposedly. Why should doctors/med schools/hospitals have to bend over backwards to accommodate racist patients? Makes no sense at all.

Well they tried accommodating racist doctors and that didnt work

 

[TriagePreMed]

Yes, you can definitely apply as a Latino...because you actually are Latino

Anyone telling you to not apply as a URM does not have your best interests in mind. I would come up with some connections to the Latino culture just in case you are asked though.

LOL go ahead and listen to this guy OP then when you walk into that interview and they find out you're like 1/100 portuguese watch them laugh and reject you. Tennischamp has your best interest in mind.

 

[darklabel]

AA is ridiculous in the first place.

The reason they have it is because patients feel more comfortable with a doctor of their own race supposedly. Why should doctors/med schools/hospitals have to bend over backwards to accommodate racist patients? Makes no sense at all.

The OP is clearly Latino because he was born a Latino. There are a large number of Latinos who get the URM boost even if they don't speak Spanish, grew up in rich communities and know little about the culture. It is not up to you to decide who is a true Latino lol

Hahaha, sure, thats what it is, racism and not cultural at all. Tell that to my uncle who barely understood the doctor (he knows english, but it isn't his strong suit) as well as the fact that he didn't feel personal enough with the doctor.

Besides, people blow the URM thing for latinos out of proportion. A disadvantaged URM (which can be listed in AMCAs) is usually the group medical schools are shooting for, but there aren't as many because the process is incredibly expensive. Despite SDN's adage of just "figuring it out", very few poor students can get the credit or loans to fund the long road that is med school apps. FAP is useful, but doesn't cover the brunt of the expenses