How would adcoms see the fact that an applicant is an immigrant?

[Monkeymaniac]

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I immigrated to the U.S. shortly after I graduated from a junior high in my home country, and I'm a naturalized citizen now. In my personal statement draft, I described the obstacles my family had to surmount as first generation immigrants. But then I was wondering if this sort of episodes would be seen as cliches to adcom members. I also wanted to hear if being an immigrant would put me at a disadvantage in any way when being compared to the native born applicants with similar stats, counting out all the AA considerations for a moment. Anyone willing to share your stories, or your friends'? Thanks in advance.

 

[SweetRain]

I also talked to my advisor about this, but it really depends on what your story is.

If you came from China or some other over-represented immigrant country and talk about how you had to learn English, you won't win their sympathy.

If you're a refugee from Afghanistan or a first one from the family to go to college an your family came from Madagascar last year, that's a different story...

 

[SweetRain]

Oh, but being a naturalized immigrant will not hurt you at all. You're just in the same pool as any US citizen.

 

[LizzyM]

The only comments I've ever seen (I see comments written by other adcom members who review applications) have been positive and usually related to how well the applicant did on the verbal and written sections of the MCAT despite having been in the country only x years.

 

[Quaero]

The only comments I've ever seen (I see comments written by other adcom members who review applications) have been positive and usually related to how well the applicant did on the verbal and written sections of the MCAT despite having been in the country only x years.

I've been in the country for more than 5 years and still only managed a 10 on the verbal 🙁 Would this hurt me?

 

[LizzyM]

I've been in the country for more than 5 years and still only managed a 10 on the verbal 🙁 Would this hurt me?

A 10 in the verbal is above or includes the 50th percentile, doesn't it? I'd say, you're ok.

 

[lorenzomicron]

How would a desire to one day work in that country be looked upon?

 

[LizzyM]

How would a desire to one day work in that country be looked upon?

It would depend on the school and the country. Some state schools are in the business of training physicians to serve the people of that state. Their continued funding by the legislature (and ultimately the taxpayers) depends on meeting that mission. So, future students who come out & say that they want to practice elsewhere might not be considered "a good fit". Some schools may have a mission of spreading alumni across the globe to meet the needs wherever they may be. Those schools may consider you a good fit.

In other cases, a school may think that it can not be a good fit for a student who wants to practice in a vastly different system. In some cases, the question might be, "why don't you go to medical school in the country where you plan to practice?" (If you can get your hands on it, read the essay Collaterals by M. Allison Arwady in JAMA 2010;303(22):2229-2230 it is an interesting view of the value of a US trained physician in a Ugandan hospital )

 

[puffylover]

hey LizzyM,

just wondering... if you say you want to serve underserved populations... particularly through primary care.. will top notch research schools look at you differently (i've heard some have the mission of training the best of the best... surgeons and what not) i don't know... should i refrain from putting primary care in my personal statement and keep my passion for medicine open ended?

my first draft was focused on primary care so i was wondering if i was focusing on it too much... maybe just mention it in one paragraph or something?

 

[LizzyM]

If you want to be a primary care doc that's great but you may not be a good fit for a top research school which is trying to train leaders for academic medicine (clinical care/teaching/research/advocacy).

If you see yourself training other primary care providers, conducting research in primary care (necessary in that the population treated in primary care settings is different that the population that reach tertiary centers through referral networks), and caring for patients and advocating on their behalf (through community service, lobbying, policy making) then you might be a good fit in a school that emphasizes training academic leaders in medicine.

If you'd waste your time and money on an application to a school where you would not be a good fit for the hope that the school will offer you admission and that you would chose to attend there given the choice of a better fit, well go ahead and apply.

 

[ownage]

Hey LizzyM,

I have 8 in verbal. Will adcoms take into consideration that english is my second language. or it doesnt help at all?

 

[LizzyM]

Hey LizzyM,

I have 8 in verbal. Will adcoms take into consideration that english is my second language. or it doesnt help at all?

Some schools may have a strict cut point and it won't help at all; others may take your ESL situation under consideration in light of the performance of prior students with similar backgrounds & scores.

 

[Hifey]

FYI OP, I had no problems whatsoever with that fact that my family and I are first generation immigrants (now naturalized citizens). You've faced a lot of different challenges than some of your co-applicants and it can help make your story more interesting. good luck!