Is SNMA for everyone?

[HolyBasil25]

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I'm an incoming med student and I recently found out about the SNMA conference in April. I am a first-gen Asian and I wasn't sure if the organization particularly supports or provides resources to certain groups over others. I want to attend to connect with schools/programs/other pre-meds but I'm not sure if there would be any opportunities for me.

Does anyone have any experience with attending these events? Would it be beneficial for me as an incoming med student? If it is for URM only, are there other events/orgs more suitable for me?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Pittsburgh's a nice place, and there are many Asian medical student-members who attend (including premed students).

You could also see if APAMSA or SAMSA have conferences (regional near you or national).

 

[Med Ed]

The SNMA website is pretty explicit that it exists to support URM medical students.

It is understandable that you, as an incoming medical student, are quite excited (and somewhat apprehensive) about the future. That said, attending these types of events prior to matriculation is generally not a good use of one's time.

 

[MateoGM416]

That said, attending these types of events prior to matriculation is generally not a good use of one's time.

Disagree. Speaking generally, meeting other URM med students/residents/attendings who are further along in the pathway is not just an excellent opportunity for networking and potential mentorship opportunities but also very important for students' sense of belonging in medicine when it comes to seeing people from similar backgrounds who have been successful in this field. SNMA conferences also usually have learning opportunities and workshops not just about medicine but the pathway to becoming a physician in general which are extremely beneficial for people who have had no prior exposure to how all the steps of the process work.

In the general case of someone who has already been accepted to med school but hasn't started, they might not even get another chance to go to a conference while in med school.

 

[Med Ed]

Disagree.

Apologies, OP isn't URM and I was thinking of APAMSA rather than SNMA. But I obviously did not specify that.

 

[MateoGM416]

Apologies, OP isn't URM and I was thinking of APAMSA rather than SNMA. But I obviously did not specify that.

No apologies necessary, my bad for not thinking you could have been referring to APAMSA 👍

 

[Starr_key]

The SNMA website is pretty explicit that it exists to support URM medical students.

It is understandable that you, as an incoming medical student, are quite excited (and somewhat apprehensive) about the future. That said, attending these types of events prior to matriculation is generally not a good use of one's time.

Certain Southeast Asian populations (Vietnamese, Hmong, etc.) are considered URMs in medicine. So if OP is Southeast Asian, then yes, he could be considered an URM.

Does not apply to East Asians (China, Korea) or South Asians (India, Pakistan).

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I will interject... always check with the organizations themselves. The SNDA chapter at my previous school welcomed Asian members as there wasn't a dental analogy of APAMSA or SAMSA. SNMA also has a pre-med effort supporting premed clubs (MAPS) similarly to AMSA (pre-AMSA). It's possible undergrad programs have a MAPS chapter but not a pre-AMSA; so I'm less concerned about "which club should I join?" I assure you no one checks your "race card" if you attend any SNMA virtual programs, so I am sure you would be welcome if you attended the national conference later in the spring.

Also read

"Overrepresented Minorities": A Brief History | Student Doctor Network | SDN

As a health professions advisor and admissions professional, I have found myself connecting with the frustrations of Middle Eastern/North African (MENA)

www.studentdoctor.net

There should be spaces for allyship that include people who are not URMs with similar interest and intention to promote health justice. Any sincere help is appreciated. In the current higher educational era, we see fewer students learning about others, and learning to engage our community in a civil and respectful manner seems to be discouraged.

 

[Med Ed]

Certain Southeast Asian populations (Vietnamese, Hmong, etc.) are considered URMs in medicine. So if OP is Southeast Asian, then yes, he could be considered an URM.

Does not apply to East Asians (China, Korea) or South Asians (India, Pakistan).

OP indicated in a previous thread that they are South Asian.