Expressing that you want to work in underserved communites?

[texassports]

Hello Everyone, I was wondering how important it is to show that you want to serve in undeserved communities if you are a URM?

I am a hispanic applicant applying this cycle and I really do want to serve these communities.

I have volunteered in Costa Rica and Nicaragua for 2 weeks on a medical volunteer trip and I have a medical internship in a San Ignacio clinic in Belize this June.

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[Barcu]

Hello Everyone, I was wondering how important it is to show that you want to serve in undeserved communities if you are a URM?

I am a hispanic applicant applying this cycle and I really do want to serve these communities.

I have volunteered in Costa Rica and Nicaragua for 2 weeks on a medical volunteer trip and I have a medical internship in a San Ignacio clinic in Belize this June.

How do you know? Two week medical volunteering trips don't really give you much of an idea that you want to work in underserved communities, especially ones here in the US.

It's risky to say something in an interview and then have little to no experience backing it up. You may want to try and get more experience if you want to be trusted about your stated goals. Maybe try and find some opportunities to add to your application, and then you can bring these up in interviews.

I say all of this assuming that you really do want to serve underserved communities. If you don't, please don't say that you do.

 

[Catalystik]

Hello Everyone, I was wondering how important it is to show that you want to serve in undeserved communities if you are a URM?

I am a hispanic applicant applying this cycle and I really do want to serve these communities.

I have volunteered in Costa Rica and Nicaragua for 2 weeks on a medical volunteer trip and I have a medical internship in a San Ignacio clinic in Belize this June.

I suggest you get do some medically-related communuity service in an area closer to home. Show your interest. Don't just tell about it without the experience to back it up. I agree with barcu's comments.

 

[longhorn41592]

^

 

[Geebeejay]

As has been mentioned already, serving underserved populations in America is different than international medicine in 3rd world countries - entirely different. You should gain some exposure in a hospital setting in an underserved neighborhood or city

Also, just because you are URM does not mean you need to have desire to serve the underserved. If you actually want to work with the underserved in your future theoretical practice, then yes: mention it (to medical schools that focus on this aspect of medicine) - but don't feel pressure to mention it just because you are Hispanic.

 

[Ellie Arroway]

Yep. Stop going on expensive medical vacations and do some long term volunteering in a free clinic or something else oriented to your communities of interest. Medical schools do not take 2-week missions that seriously.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Just telling ADCOMs what they want to hear isn't enough. In fact, on the contrary, it will hurt you if you come off as a faker. If you want to play the underserved card, you need to back it up with ECs.

 

[DokterMom]

Yep. Stop going on expensive medical vacations and do some long term volunteering in a free clinic or something else oriented to your communities of interest. Medical schools do not take 2-week missions that seriously.

This.

I'd bet if you looked, you could find an underserved community clinic close to home where your efforts would have greater benefit. They'd certainly carry more weight with ADCOMs.

 

[texassports]

Thank you all for your comments. I guess I should have mentioned that my hometown has been ravaged by several hurricanes and that most of the community is still struggling. I have have been volunteering in both a hospital and family practice where a good majority of the patients do not have the means to pay for treatment. Because of this many doctors have left the area and so it is now undeserved. So i do have about 200 hours of volunteer experience in the states with an undeserved community. However, being Hispanic I guess I was just trying to ask if it was important to get experience working in a hispanic community like I did on my volunteer trip abroad? I have read on Sdn that if you are a urm that it is important to show that you want to work with an undeserved population of your ethnicity.

 

[Barcu]

Thank you all for your comments. I guess I should have mentioned that my hometown has been ravaged by several hurricanes and that most of the community is still struggling. I have have been volunteering in both a hospital and family practice where a good majority of the patients do not have the means to pay for treatment. Because of this many doctors have left the area and so it is now undeserved. So i do have about 200 hours of volunteer experience in the states with an undeserved community. However, being Hispanic I guess I was just trying to ask if it was important to get experience working in a hispanic community like I did on my volunteer trip abroad? I have read on Sdn that if you are a urm that it is important to show that you want to work with an undeserved population of your ethnicity.

Good. Be sure to specify that those were in underserved communities if you want to emphasize that part of your app.

In terms of being hispanic and having to serve hispanics, I don't think that is a huge issue. You are free to work in whatever community you choose and that really should not hurt you. Are you interested in working in hispanic communities? If so, I would suggest you try and find some experience. Can you speak Spanish? That will be a huge boost too and a much needed skill in the healthcare community today.

 

[DokterMom]

Thank you all for your comments. I guess I should have mentioned that my hometown has been ravaged by several hurricanes and that most of the community is still struggling. I have have been volunteering in both a hospital and family practice where a good majority of the patients do not have the means to pay for treatment. Because of this many doctors have left the area and so it is now undeserved. So i do have about 200 hours of volunteer experience in the states with an undeserved community. However, being Hispanic I guess I was just trying to ask if it was important to get experience working in a hispanic community like I did on my volunteer trip abroad? I have read on Sdn that if you are a urm that it is important to show that you want to work with an undeserved population of your ethnicity.

This volunteering is the type that will get you noticed. If you're in Texas, there should be plenty of patients who are primary Spanish speakers. If you are fluent in Spanish and can use that in your volunteering, work that into your PS or activities descriptions and use that to demonstrate your interest. That'll be perceived as much more sincere than the 'medical vacations.'

 

[circulus vitios]

Nothing shows a desire to work with local, underserved communities like taking a thousand dollar vacation to a third world country.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Thank you all for your comments. I guess I should have mentioned that my hometown has been ravaged by several hurricanes and that most of the community is still struggling. I have have been volunteering in both a hospital and family practice where a good majority of the patients do not have the means to pay for treatment. Because of this many doctors have left the area and so it is now undeserved. So i do have about 200 hours of volunteer experience in the states with an undeserved community. However, being Hispanic I guess I was just trying to ask if it was important to get experience working in a hispanic community like I did on my volunteer trip abroad? I have read on Sdn that if you are a urm that it is important to show that you want to work with an undeserved population of your ethnicity.

This is the general consensus I believe. Show as much interest in helping the Hispanic community as possible. They don't like to see someone check the box yet be completely detached from the community.

Nothing shows a desire to work with local, underserved communities like taking a thousand dollar vacation to a third world country.

A trip to an exotic country for one grand? Where do I sign up?! I was looking at all-inclusive Caribbean vacation packages, and they were way more expensive.

 

[Sabate]

Thank you all for your comments. I guess I should have mentioned that my hometown has been ravaged by several hurricanes and that most of the community is still struggling. I have have been volunteering in both a hospital and family practice where a good majority of the patients do not have the means to pay for treatment. Because of this many doctors have left the area and so it is now undeserved. So i do have about 200 hours of volunteer experience in the states with an undeserved community. However, being Hispanic I guess I was just trying to ask if it was important to get experience working in a hispanic community like I did on my volunteer trip abroad? I have read on Sdn that if you are a urm that it is important to show that you want to work with an undeserved population of your ethnicity.

This is much more so the stuff that Adcoms will take seriously. Getting on the ground experience (and showing a more serious commitment) in a medically underserved community will stand out. I had a similar experience volunteering and shadowing in an economically depressed rural area that pushed me towards serving a rural population.