Oh if I didn't mention there was a straight up race-themed party. I stopped going to parties after that
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Experiences at your Medical School
- Thread starter Dr1216
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1) What medical school do you attend?
Boston University
2) Is there a strong support system for URMs?
Yes. They have support for URMs (whether that be racial, gender, or sexuality). Furthermore, they also have an appreciation for ORMs who fall short financially — in other words, they have a good appreciation for SES status.
3) How diverse is your class?
There are a few AA per class, a handful of Latino. There is no attempt to fill the ranks with one type or another, if you're qualified and you fit into the program you were accepted. The class make up, more or less, reflects statistically what you'd see in the field.
4) Do you ever feel left out or do you feel that you are embraced by the rest of your classmates?
No, not even once — though, it seems like I'm the only person who hasn't read Harry Potter; that may have more to do with me being a wet blanket than anything else. But, I come from a highly mixed (by marriage) family, so seeing a bunch of cultures together is more normal to me than being in a "all one type of group" one.
5) Have you experienced any type of racism?
No. Faculty, classmates, and patients have all been great. What you know seems to be more of a concern than what you look like — you'll find thats rather ubiquitous across the Boston medschool campuses: Harvard, BU, Tufts, etc.
5) Would you recommend your school to other URMs?
Yes. The city of Boston itself, while it still has its problem of income inequality and thus income segregation, has a lot of diversity. As such, Boston Medical Center (our affiliated hospital) is a safety net hospital that sees all types of folks.
6) How has being a minority shaped your med school experiences?
This is difficult to answer, because I've never can contrast how being a "majority" shaped my medschool experiences. But, so far, my background (including financial hardships) allows for me to better understand patients and their seeming 'lack of compliance'. However, I'm not sure and I actually doubt, that the insight is exclusive to me. I think the largest experience, that I wasn't anticipating, was having patients pull me aside to thank me for helping them and helping the community by being a role model.
7) Any tips and pieces of advice that you would like to share with other potential URM medical school students?
You only have one person to prove something to: yourself.
Boston University
2) Is there a strong support system for URMs?
Yes. They have support for URMs (whether that be racial, gender, or sexuality). Furthermore, they also have an appreciation for ORMs who fall short financially — in other words, they have a good appreciation for SES status.
3) How diverse is your class?
There are a few AA per class, a handful of Latino. There is no attempt to fill the ranks with one type or another, if you're qualified and you fit into the program you were accepted. The class make up, more or less, reflects statistically what you'd see in the field.
4) Do you ever feel left out or do you feel that you are embraced by the rest of your classmates?
No, not even once — though, it seems like I'm the only person who hasn't read Harry Potter; that may have more to do with me being a wet blanket than anything else. But, I come from a highly mixed (by marriage) family, so seeing a bunch of cultures together is more normal to me than being in a "all one type of group" one.
5) Have you experienced any type of racism?
No. Faculty, classmates, and patients have all been great. What you know seems to be more of a concern than what you look like — you'll find thats rather ubiquitous across the Boston medschool campuses: Harvard, BU, Tufts, etc.
5) Would you recommend your school to other URMs?
Yes. The city of Boston itself, while it still has its problem of income inequality and thus income segregation, has a lot of diversity. As such, Boston Medical Center (our affiliated hospital) is a safety net hospital that sees all types of folks.
6) How has being a minority shaped your med school experiences?
This is difficult to answer, because I've never can contrast how being a "majority" shaped my medschool experiences. But, so far, my background (including financial hardships) allows for me to better understand patients and their seeming 'lack of compliance'. However, I'm not sure and I actually doubt, that the insight is exclusive to me. I think the largest experience, that I wasn't anticipating, was having patients pull me aside to thank me for helping them and helping the community by being a role model.
7) Any tips and pieces of advice that you would like to share with other potential URM medical school students?
You only have one person to prove something to: yourself.
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wtf that's awful. I wish you felt comfortable sharing what school this is so that people know where to avoid. I understand why you aren't though. I also wish that graduate/professional school students would join in on this national movement against racism on university campuses.
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This is a really great resource, I am hoping more students from URM backgrounds can update, I would really love to know how the environs are at some of the schools I really like.
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Bump
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Bump
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Can't wait to add my experience
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1) What medical school do you attend?
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; I am apart of the Charles R. Drew Medical Education Program.
2) Is there a strong support system for URMs?
Yes, there is a relatively strong support system. As a Drew student, I feel as though the faculty really know me, and have my best interests in mind.
3) How diverse is your class?
Overall, the DGSOM is very diverse. This is including the Drew, PRIME and MSTP programs.
4) Do you ever feel left out or do you feel that you are embraced by the rest of your classmates?
As an incoming student, this was one of my biggest concerns. I mean, I was attending UCLA as apart of a joint program, and imposter syndrome is very real lol! Once I got there, I never felt left out, and I have met some of my closest friends here.
5) Have you experienced any type of racism?
Overt racism? No, but I have experienced micro aggressions, and there are times where cultural sensitivity could be emphasized a bit better. The great thing is that the administration have put forth a strong effort in terms of fixing those issues.
5) Would you recommend your school to other URMs?
Absolutely! You get the best of both worlds; the access to a ridiculous amount of resources, as well as the support from Drew. I feel like I would not have gotten that anywhere else. So yeah... apply to Drew folks! lol
6) How has being a minority shaped your med school experiences?
This is sort of a loaded question. Perhaps because my identity as a minority shapes everything that I do, so I am unsure how medical school would be different if my background was different.
7) Any tips and pieces of advice that you would like to share with other potential URM medical school students?
Few pieces of advice:
- Positive affirmations are real! They can help you get through those trying nights when you don't want to study, or if you're feeling discouraged.
- If the second years are present, definitely reach out to them in order to identify a mentor. They can give you guidance on how to handle the material, especially since they've recently gone through out.
- Well-being is important; do not overwork yourself, because you feel as though you need to be "twice as good." Find one or two things that you can do for your mental health (e.g., dance class, paint 'n sips), and make time to do them. Don't be too social though, because that may affect your grades.
- Choose a school that aligns with your personal mission, and that will support you!
- Have fun! And strive to be joyful.
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; I am apart of the Charles R. Drew Medical Education Program.
2) Is there a strong support system for URMs?
Yes, there is a relatively strong support system. As a Drew student, I feel as though the faculty really know me, and have my best interests in mind.
3) How diverse is your class?
Overall, the DGSOM is very diverse. This is including the Drew, PRIME and MSTP programs.
4) Do you ever feel left out or do you feel that you are embraced by the rest of your classmates?
As an incoming student, this was one of my biggest concerns. I mean, I was attending UCLA as apart of a joint program, and imposter syndrome is very real lol! Once I got there, I never felt left out, and I have met some of my closest friends here.
5) Have you experienced any type of racism?
Overt racism? No, but I have experienced micro aggressions, and there are times where cultural sensitivity could be emphasized a bit better. The great thing is that the administration have put forth a strong effort in terms of fixing those issues.
5) Would you recommend your school to other URMs?
Absolutely! You get the best of both worlds; the access to a ridiculous amount of resources, as well as the support from Drew. I feel like I would not have gotten that anywhere else. So yeah... apply to Drew folks! lol
6) How has being a minority shaped your med school experiences?
This is sort of a loaded question. Perhaps because my identity as a minority shapes everything that I do, so I am unsure how medical school would be different if my background was different.
7) Any tips and pieces of advice that you would like to share with other potential URM medical school students?
Few pieces of advice:
- Positive affirmations are real! They can help you get through those trying nights when you don't want to study, or if you're feeling discouraged.
- If the second years are present, definitely reach out to them in order to identify a mentor. They can give you guidance on how to handle the material, especially since they've recently gone through out.
- Well-being is important; do not overwork yourself, because you feel as though you need to be "twice as good." Find one or two things that you can do for your mental health (e.g., dance class, paint 'n sips), and make time to do them. Don't be too social though, because that may affect your grades.
- Choose a school that aligns with your personal mission, and that will support you!
- Have fun! And strive to be joyful.
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