Ethnicity and applying to medschool

[BDNF]

When they ask you to choose your ethnicity on the amcas application. What defines what race you are?

Ethnicity is defined as sharing a common linneage and also as sharing common cultural aspects

For example, Both my parents are chinese, but my dad was born in a hispanic country. So subsequently my dad's half of the family shares a hispanic background as well.

I asked the same questions when applying to undergrad, I wasn't sure so I ended up putting down asian.

Should I put Asian and Hispanic down on the AMCAS application, or just asian.

Thanks.

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[BleepTastic]

you should be able to put down both. Hispanic is supposed to mean "of Spanish descent" but in this usage it's referring to people from Latin America. It's not really about ethnicity. White people who can trace a pure lineage to Europe will still call themselves "hispanic" or Latino if they're from a latin american country. Why would your situation be different?

 

[xylem29]

When they ask you to choose your ethnicity on the amcas application. What defines what race you are?

Ethnicity is defined as sharing a common linneage and also as sharing common cultural aspects

For example, Both my parents are chinese, but my dad was born in a hispanic country. So subsequently my dad's half of the family shares a hispanic background as well.

I asked the same questions when applying to undergrad, I wasn't sure so I ended up putting down asian.

Should I put Asian and Hispanic down on the AMCAS application, or just asian.

Thanks.

What language (english and ________) do your parents and immediate relatives speak most of the time? What kind of foods do your parents mostly cook at home (usual american foods and _________)? What kinds of cultural customs (including celebrations) do you and your immediate family usually engage in?

There's a lot of Chinese and Japanese in Brazil too - they speak portugese and share other brazilian cultural characteristics - but whenever asked, they usually say they're chinese or japanese.

If you look like you're east asian, and you put down hispanic - people might think that you are being smart or something, b/c the question is always obvious and there's no need to complicate it with technicalities (like a white person from africa saying they're african american).

 

[GoodDoctor]

If I remember correctly, AMCAS gives "White", "Black", and "Asian" as Races, and "Hispanic" as an Ethnicity. So, you could select Asian as race, and Hispanic as ethnicity (just like tons of people select "white" as race and "hispanic" as ethnicity).

This is SELF-REPORTED, so you can put whatever you think you are. If you tell people you are "hispanic", do they look at you funny? Do you have good reasoning if someone asks "really, you are?" If so, then put down what you really feel you are.

Ethnicity is defined as sharing a common linneage and also as sharing common cultural aspects

I have many european-looking friends who are "mexican-american", yet they and their parents don't speak Spanish, no one in the family can make a tortilla, and they hate muted trumpets and accordians as much as I do. They are as 'ethnically' mexican as I am 'ethnically' british. Still, due to lineage, they put down "hispanic".

 

[abesogood]

put down BOTH.

 

[Doctormo24]

yea ive been wondering the same...my mom is from Pakistan and my dad is from Mauritius (small island off the coast of Madagascar)...I've always been told to put caucasian becuase we are middle eastern...is that the right ethnicity? i thought it would be Pacific Islander

 

[SupergreenMnM]

I look like a white guy but my mother is native american, so I think I put both (or only native american, can't remember) because thats what you consider yourself.

 

[Doctormo24]

yea ive been wondering the same...my mom is from Pakistan and my dad is from Mauritius (small island off the coast of Madagascar)...I've always been told to put caucasian becuase we are middle eastern...is that the right ethnicity? i thought it would be Pacific Islander

do you think it would be allrite for me to put down Pacific Islander? or what would i put down?

 

[SupergreenMnM]

Well, I think India/Pakistan are still considered "Asian"...I know, don't ask why.

 

[gotmeds?]

Did your dad grow up in a hispanic country?
Do you have family in that country?
Do you speak Spanish?

If you can answer yes to the above, then put it on your app. Otherwise, you might have a hard time justifying it.

 

[Newton Bohr MD]

1)You are NOT hispanic since you are a full blooded Asian!
2)Unless we are talking about Puerto Rico or Mexico it wont make much of a difference
3)If you have not done anything in the Hispanic community you are probably hurting yourself by checking it

 

[Critical Mass]

Paging Christian...

 

[highcidity]

I'd say Asian would be the best choice....

 

[gotmeds?]

1)You are NOT hispanic since you are a full blooded Asian!

Full-blooded? What does that mean? Hispanic, at least as AMCAS defines it, refers to culture or origin, not race. There's no contradiction in being hispanic and full-blooded asian. It's just not something you see very often.

 

[BDNF]

What language (english and ________) do your parents and immediate relatives speak most of the time? What kind of foods do your parents mostly cook at home (usual american foods and _________)? What kinds of cultural customs (including celebrations) do you and your immediate family usually engage in?

There's a lot of Chinese and Japanese in Brazil too - they speak portugese and share other brazilian cultural characteristics - but whenever asked, they usually say they're chinese or japanese.

If you look like you're east asian, and you put down hispanic - people might think that you are being smart or something, b/c the question is always obvious and there's no need to complicate it with technicalities (like a white person from africa saying they're african american).

Well I do look east asian, so thats why I am afraid to put it down.

 

[BDNF]

Did your dad grow up in a hispanic country?
Do you have family in that country?
Do you speak Spanish?

If you can answer yes to the above, then put it on your app. Otherwise, you might have a hard time justifying it.

Yes my dad grew up in Peru.
Yes my dad has relatives in Peru.
I don't speak it fluently, but my dad's side does.

BUT, I look pretty asian. I don't want my interviewer to say "hey, you're not hispanic!"

 

[BDNF]

1)You are NOT hispanic since you are a full blooded Asian!
2)Unless we are talking about Puerto Rico or Mexico it wont make much of a difference
3)If you have not done anything in the Hispanic community you are probably hurting yourself by checking it

1) There is a difference between race and ethnicity right?
2) Please elaborate, why is puerto rico and mexico > than south america?

 

[gotmeds?]

Yes my dad grew up in Peru.
Yes my dad has relatives in Peru.
I don't speak it fluently, but my dad's side does.

BUT, I look pretty asian. I don't want my interviewer to say "hey, you're not hispanic!"

Well, I'd say no. You didn't grow up in Peru. You don't speak Spanish. It doesn't seem like you really have any ties to Peruvian culture. You'd have a hard time justifying it at an interview.