Demographics for residency apps?

[MDFUTURE123]

So I wanted to ask what I should put as my demographics for my residency applications. Now I know this may be a silly question but coming from a mixed race, this has always been on my mind for all the applications I have done through my life. I am half White, half Chinese and was wondering is it favorable to put this on my application (if that is a choice) or just put solely white, or just Asian. Any thoughts?

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[Starbuxian]

I believe you can abstain from filling that portion out (if that's what you wish)

 

[GoSpursGo]

There is probably no explicit benefit or downside to listing yourself as White, Asian, or both, or choosing not to respond. Providing that information probably makes it easier to analyze data later from a research perspective, if you care about those sorts of things, but there will likely be no personal benefit or harm to self-identifying or not.

 

[deleted1139416]

There is probably no explicit benefit or downside to listing yourself as White, Asian, or both, or choosing not to respond. Providing that information probably makes it easier to analyze data later from a research perspective, if you care about those sorts of things, but there will likely be no personal benefit or harm to self-identifying or not.

So this would be different than med school admissions, correct?

 

[GoSpursGo]

So this would be different than med school admissions, correct?

I mean, there is also no explicit benefit or downside to listing yourself as White or Asian (or declining to answer) for med school admissions. There is obviously an incentive to identify as Black, or for ethnicity identifying as Hispanic, but it's not like you get penalized for being White or Asian. So I think the result is the same regardless of whether you identify as one, the other, both, or choose not to respond.

 

[deleted1139416]

I mean, there is also no explicit benefit or downside to listing yourself as White or Asian (or declining to answer) for med school admissions. There is obviously an incentive to identify as Black, or for ethnicity identifying as Hispanic, but it's not like you get penalized for being White or Asian. So I think the result is the same regardless of whether you identify as one, the other, both, or choose not to respond.

Oh ok. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t one of those people who denies that affirmative action exists.

 

[Starbuxian]

Somehow I feel that for med school admissions, being a ORM (over represented minority) puts one at a disadvantage.

 

[deleted1139416]

Somehow I feel that for med school admissions, being a ORM (over represented minority) puts one at a disadvantage.

Yes because it's a zero sum game.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Somehow I feel that for med school admissions, being a ORM (over represented minority) puts one at a disadvantage.

I mean it depends on your perspective. Relative to Black or Hispanic, you don’t get the “bonus” for being a URM. But for the OP’s specific question which I’m trying to answer, where the only two options are both “ORM,” there is probably no functional difference between picking White, Asian, or both (or choosing to not respond).

 

[MDMechEngr]

OP: look at the AAMC average MCAT and gpa stats for accepted med students by race and it will be obvious to you.

 

[OMSRealWeebHours]

Somehow I feel that for med school admissions, being a ORM (over represented minority) puts one at a disadvantage.

It certainly does make it harder to get in and usually average score thresholds for MCAT, GPA, etc. are higher depending on group because the schools think there are too many getting into med school and don't think they faced adversity.

The logic is it is supposed to make it easier for those who don't have access to good studying resources/schools/etc., but it puts a rich Hispanic with access to high end tutoring/charter schools at a greater advantage and a poor student from a Laotian family at a greater disadvantage (they are just grouped in with high scoring Asians but Adcoms).

How much it actually affects decisions relative to personal statement and other factors I'm not sure, I've only heard hearsay and anecdotes. but the stats show it plays a role. Then again, the school I got into seems to be mostly ORM despite the admins seeming to talk a lot about diversity lol.

 

[OMSRealWeebHours]

Oops didn't realize this thread was 1.5 years old because I can't read, sorry for the necro lmao