Do you think the obese are being rejected after interviews?

[Tutmos]

This was just a passing thought I had recently and thought this might be the place to spit it out. I'm in pretty good shape so it doesn't really concern me but I wonder if it's common practice for interviewers to turn prospective students down if they're, in not so delicate terms, fat? Let's be honest, a fat physician sends bad signals to patients and is a legitimate health risk, no different than a physician that smokes.

It seems physicians are a lot thinner than I remember them 20 years ago.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

doubtful...but they should.

 

[notdeadyet]

I'm in pretty good shape so it doesn't really concern me but I wonder if it's common practice for interviewers to turn prospective students down if they're, in not so delicate terms, fat?

It's about as a common practice as med schools turning down someone because they are black or Jewish. Do people have personal prejudices about anyone who looks or acts different than themselves? Yes. But medical schools have a pretty good system set in place so that your application goes through many hands before a decision is made.

And something to keep in mind: your average age applicant is 21-22 years of old. Most adcoms are going to be in their 50's and up. They are painfully aware that someone who is overweight now at 22 won't necessarily be so at 30. And a whole lot of people who are fit and slender now with their college lifestyle and just-post-teenager metabolism are going to be in for a very rude awakening as they find their free time is eaten up by med school/residency/work/spouse/children and their metabolism takes a nose dive. Most of your heavy middle aged folks looked pretty great in their early 20's. And many of your fit and healthy middle aged folks were heavier than sin in their early years.

Adcoms are going to be older and probably have this kind of perspective. I wouldn't sweat them watching your waistline too much. As physicians, they should know better.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Agree, but I dont think most ppl heavy in there 20s are going to be slender later on.

 

[jelly476]

im technically obese and i got in.

 

[phenomalove]

It is quite unhealthy to smoke or be obese -- but these are all choices made by the person (except for a select few when it comes to obesity). I think people who make unhealthy decisions should strive to make healthy ones. Simple enough. Howeverrrr...

...If the person is promising, why should they be axed? He has the potential to save many lives (albeit not his own). The only problem is patient discrimination. For example, if he's going into FP where he'll be telling an overweight/obese patient to lose weight, it'll be bad business for HIM. Why? Because the patient will think the doctor is hypocritical, and the word will spread like wildfire. Boom, crappy business. Again, it's on HIM. The school merely educated him; the patient was the one to break the career. The school should act as the middle man, and after the doctor finishes school/residency, he will be independent and capable of having his own responsibilities with his patients.

It's like presenting a person with a million dollars, he can do what he wants with it -- spend it wisely, or squander it all away. The choice is his own.

The obese doctor in question should not be discriminated against when it comes to admissions. If he encounters problems with his patients when he is finished with his schooling, it's his problem.

 

[SB100]

I'm borderline obese and I got in. Since I did get in though I have been dieting and exercising to lose weight.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

ya know..I dont think ive ever met an obese Doctor...Maybe some who were a little hefty, but thats understandable in your 50s, but never obese

 

[LittleRocker]

It's about as a common practice as med schools turning down someone because they are black or Jewish.

And what if you happen to be both like me haha. At least I'm not obese...

 

[aaj117]

I was obese during most of my interviews (the first ten that i went to) and i got in to the majority of those. But i'm no longer obese, and i'm only 5 pounds out of the "normal" weight range now, will be at the middle of the normal range by the time i start school.

 

[NJDIF]

awesome. just awesome.

 

[thethethe]

if your doctor was 400 pounds and said to you, " you know Jim, I think you are a lil overweight and should start exercising," what would you say?

 

[Phillykid162]

Well dang it, that settles it. I'm fat so I better just give up this whole "premed" thing.

Hand me a slice!




Disclaimer: This poster is not responsible for your potential deficiency in the area of sarcasm detection.

 

[nonesuchgirl]

Obese like the crazy god warrior lady, or obese like more than overweight?

 

[Caesar]

And what if you happen to be both like me haha. At least I'm not obese...

Then you are good to go!

 

[iA-MD2013]

Obese like the crazy god warrior lady, or obese like more than overweight?

i've always wondered what sdn threads refer to when they say obese. is it a little over the normal bmi? or significantly overweight?

 

[nonesuchgirl]

i've always wondered what sdn threads refer to when they say obese. is it a little over the normal bmi? or significantly overweight?

IKR. BMI isn't the end-all be-all.

That said, if you're 5'2" and 500 lbs... yeah.

And of course, are they talking about obese-because you've got a metabolic disorder, or obese-because you eat badly and don't exercise?

 

[Jolie South]

i've always wondered what sdn threads refer to when they say obese. is it a little over the normal bmi? or significantly overweight?

i always assumed it was BMI. google BMI calculator and you should find one that will show you a range of what's considered "healthy" vs "overweight" vs "obese".

 

[Dedikated2liftn]

i always assumed it was BMI. google BMI calculator and you should find one that will show you a range of what's considered "healthy" vs "overweight" vs "obese".

Well BMI says that I'm a fat bastard (borderline overweight/obese)....too bad it doesn't take into account one's muscularity.

 

[Jolie South]

Well BMI says that I'm a fat bastard (borderline overweight/obese)....too bad it doesn't take into account one's muscularity.

it has its limitations, but for the average person that isn't muscle-y it's probably a good estimate.

 

[Dedikated2liftn]

it has its limitations, but for the average person that isn't muscle-y it's probably a good estimate.

Well where's the fun in that....

 

[Tutmos]

I was thinking obese in the sense that a patient would look at you and make a mental note of it, meaning enough that it stands out to the majority of people. I don't mean 25-35 over ideal but 50-70lbs + over ideal.

 

[EpiPEN]

I was thinking obese in the sense that a patient would look at you and make a mental note of it, meaning enough that it stands out to the majority of people. I don't mean 25-35 over ideal but 50-70lbs + over ideal.

well one can make an argument that if you are overweight, then fat patients (which this country has plenty of) will be able to connect with you better. Some fat people resent skinny people. But I guess that's kind of like saying doctors who smoke would develop better empathy with smoker patients. Which I guess could be true...


I'm going to go home and drink some moonshine, smoke some unfiltered (becuase it's more manly) cigs, drop some E, and eat three plates of carne asada fries so I can be a good doctor!

 

[closer23]

.

 

[EpiPEN]

Sounds like a solid plan to me. Good like with your endeavor.

Thanks... wait.... heyyyyyy.... you are being sarcastic aren't you. I see what you are doing!

 

[notdeadyet]

if your doctor was 400 pounds and said to you, " you know Jim, I think you are a lil overweight and should start exercising," what would you say?

I used to take my car into a mechanic who drove a real piece of $hit. Didn't make him any less of a mechanic. He kept getting my business because he knew his stuff, regardless of how well his car ran.

Or how about the premeds that give other premeds advice, saying, "You know Jim, this is what you'll need to do to improve your application...." even though they have never been to medical school?

The practice-what-you-preach thing is a great party line, but it's not a deal killer.

 

[Character]

doubtful...but they should.

lol...dude!

 

[Instatewaiter]

i always assumed it was BMI. google BMI calculator and you should find one that will show you a range of what's considered "healthy" vs "overweight" vs "obese".

IKR. BMI isn't the end-all be-all.

That said, if you're 5'2" and 500 lbs... yeah.

And of course, are they talking about obese-because you've got a metabolic disorder, or obese-because you eat badly and don't exercise?

The whole BMI thing only works for the average person. By BMI standards pretty much anyone with a stocky build or any athlete would be obese or at least very overwt.

If I had 0% body fat- literally none, I'd just be in my nl BMI range by 0.7 of a BMI point. BMI is an outdated system that has limited utility IMPO

 

[Instatewaiter]

As to the whole fat person getting into medical school- I am not sure if it is because med students are more driven and keep themselves in shape or if it is due to subconscious processes in the adcom members but perhaps only 5-10 out of 186 of my classmates are chubby.

 

[kevster2001]

yes.

 

[dArroway]

As to the whole fat person getting into medical school- I am not sure if it is because med students are more driven and keep themselves in shape or if it is due to subconscious processes in the adcom members but perhaps only 5-10 out of 186 of my classmates are chubby.

They must make up for it with their charisma

 

[notdeadyet]

As to the whole fat person getting into medical school- I am not sure if it is because med students are more driven and keep themselves in shape or if it is due to subconscious processes in the adcom members but perhaps only 5-10 out of 186 of my classmates are chubby.

Means nothing. If you noticed the folks coming around for interviews this year, you'd probably find that that was about the same proportion it the interview pool.

Med school attracts more healthy types. More importantly, it also attracts the vain.

 

[Jolie South]

The whole BMI thing only works for the average person. By BMI standards pretty much anyone with a stocky build or any athlete would be obese or at least very overwt.

If I had 0% body fat- literally none, I'd just be in my nl BMI range by 0.7 of a BMI point. BMI is an outdated system that has limited utility IMPO

yea, i mentioned that later. i realize that. for my particular body type, i think it's a fair assessment. i have a bmi of around 22 and body fat of 23%.

if you don't think you're overweight and your bmi is out of control, probably should do some other kind of analysis like body fat or see a physician to make sure things are ok.

 

[bozz]

cleveland clinic has a mcdonalds (serious)

 

[SamusLives]

There are many people of different weights and heights in my class, I don't think it makes any kind of difference in terms of admissions.

BTW, Parkland has a McDonalds on the first floor. You can get a Cath in the basement, a Big Mac on the first floor, and a CABG on the 2nd floor. This is the world we live in.

 

[Randal Graves]

i always assumed it was BMI. google BMI calculator and you should find one that will show you a range of what's considered "healthy" vs "overweight" vs "obese".

At 5'8" 190 I am almost obese! Despite being about 8-9% BF.

btw...my personal feelings on fat people (from our generation)- they are lazy and lack self-control. Does this sound like someone who would be a good doctor?

 

[nonesuchgirl]

At 5'8" 190 I am almost obese! Despite being about 8-9% BF.

btw...my personal feelings on fat people- they are lazy and lack self-control. Does this sound like someone who would be a good doctor?

no you do not

 

[Randal Graves]

no you do not

Sorry [SIZE=-1]if the truth [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]is too much for you. [/SIZE]

 

[MedMan25]

This was just a passing thought I had recently and thought this might be the place to spit it out. I'm in pretty good shape so it doesn't really concern me but I wonder if it's common practice for interviewers to turn prospective students down if they're, in not so delicate terms, fat? Let's be honest, a fat physician sends bad signals to patients and is a legitimate health risk, no different than a physician that smokes.

It seems physicians are a lot thinner than I remember them 20 years ago.

I heard of someone being asked about his weight during an interview so apparently it is something that at least some interviewers are concerned about.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

FATTIES!!!!

 

[TexasTriathlete]

1. BMI is nonsense. I was once considered "obese" according to BMI. I was 6'4" 255 or something, and my body fat was less than 10%. I wasn't in the best shape of my life or anything (well, cardio-wise... I was a big, strong guy though), but I was hardly obese.

2. You should not be obese. If you are, what are you thinking? Take care of that ****. At the ER where I work, I see people who come in every day who would not be in that position if they had taken care of themselves when they were younger.

3. Maybe its the personal trainer/kinesiology-degree-holder in me, but typically, I consider obesity to be a sign of irresponsibility and laziness. If I was on an adcom, I would definitely wonder what the hell was wrong with someone who is in their early-20's and in that condition. At what point does it occur to you that maybe you shouldn't eat as much, or maybe you should be a little more active? Is it when you can't see your junk anymore? When you can't walk up a flight of stairs? The onset of diabetes? Your first BKA? Your second BKA? Obviously, there are exceptions, but if I was on an adcom, I would want to know what the problem was if I interviewed someone who had allowed themselves to get like that.

4. For those of you who are obese, or close to it... don't let it get out of hand. Take care if it while you're still young, and your body can handle the stress a little better. You'll be happy you did when you're 50 and can still walk comfortably.

 

[Dazedinvt]

It's about as a common practice as med schools turning down someone because they are black or Jewish. Do people have personal prejudices about anyone who looks or acts different than themselves? Yes. But medical schools have a pretty good system set in place so that your application goes through many hands before a decision is made.

Really? Comparing obesity to religion or race? Especially comparing the obese to two groups of people who have endured decades if not centuries of discrimination/genocide? Really?


Lame. This whole discussion is lame.

 

[ghostfoot]

Really? Comparing obesity to religion or race? Especially comparing the obese to two groups of people who have endured decades if not centuries of discrimination/genocide? Really?


Lame. This whole discussion is lame.

I agree. There's not alot of tact around here.

 

[TheRealMD]

cleveland clinic has a mcdonalds (serious)

How else do you think they stay in business?

 

[erica31]

How else do you think they stay in business?

Agreed. McDonald's might just be a 2nd stop for some patients....... specifically, the ones that leave their hospital room (wearing a hospital gown & and still hooked up to their IV meds & IV pole) to have a cigarette outside.

 

[SaveThisLabRat]

Lame. This whole discussion is lame.

NO U!

 

[notdeadyet]

Really? Comparing obesity to religion or race?

Uh, no... I wasn't. I was listing folks who get judged based on the fact that they are different. Whether this is race, religion, sexual identify or physical appearance. That's it.

I applied to UCSF, USC and UCD last year. That's not a comparison either. Read what I wrote in what you just quoted. It should be pretty clear.

Especially comparing the obese to two groups of people who have endured decades if not centuries of discrimination/genocide? Really?

Was I comparing the hardship suffered by blacks during slave years and the diaspora of the Jewish people to what the obese go through? No. I only used them as examples of how folks will be prejudged based on being different.

Has nothing at all to do with the hardship suffered by a people. Read more closely then jump off the high horse. Oppressed peoples can be brought up in conversation without their culture being reduced to a symbol for oppression. That's bordering on caricature.

 

[Sandy Lyle]

Uh, no... I wasn't. I was listing folks who get judged based on the fact that they are different. Whether this is race, religion, sexual identify or physical appearance. That's it.

Yeah, nobody chooses to be fat- they were born that way! Not their fault at all. I am tired of these poor people being persecuted for their beliefs. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes!

http://www.naafa.org/

 

[135892]

This was just a passing thought I had recently and thought this might be the place to spit it out. I'm in pretty good shape so it doesn't really concern me but I wonder if it's common practice for interviewers to turn prospective students down if they're, in not so delicate terms, fat? Let's be honest, a fat physician sends bad signals to patients and is a legitimate health risk, no different than a physician that smokes.

It seems physicians are a lot thinner than I remember them 20 years ago.

They should be... We don't need fat people in med school

 

[Phillykid162]

They should be... We don't need fat people in med school

Yes, we all know fat people are contagious.