Good luck!
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Native American Applicant
- Thread starter Nathan21
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Even as an NA, this sounds like a very far shot. That being said, as someone able to claim NA myself (but chose not to because, you know, I think it's kind of a bunch of BS for the most part), the fact that you would "use" your NA status to overcome a very weak academic past seems a bit audacious (read: offensive) to me. I think giving us NAs some sort of advantage just because of our ethnic background is pretty much just plain offensive. It's like we are seen as not being able to hack it on our own. That's racism if I've ever seen it. Now, if you've worked with your tribe for many years and your tribe is underserved and you intend to return, well, then maybe but if that's the case then non-URM applicants who express an interest in URM populations should get the exact same special treatment.
As for getting into an "elite" school with that past plus applying late, etc., I doubt it. (It honestly seems laughable to me.) Getting into an unranked school this cycle? Possible.
As for getting into an "elite" school with that past plus applying late, etc., I doubt it. (It honestly seems laughable to me.) Getting into an unranked school this cycle? Possible.
Being NA ≠ necessarily you deserve to be admitted to an elite med school. Don't abuse the system. If the bolded segment is genuine, you don't need to attend Harvard or Cornell, etc., to accomplish this goal.
Additionally, I don't think you will get into an elite institution with those stats despite your background and arguably "different and unique" challenges of which presumably we haven't faced.
Good luck.
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You probably don't have a chance at those schools, but who cares. This would've been a better question for before you actually applied, but what's done is done. You already have an interview at a US school so that's one step closer.
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QFT.
Actually, a lower-ranked school would be BETTER for this mission as that is generally what they focus on. For instance, the Jesuit schools (generally ranked in the 70s) are VERY focused on serving the underserved.
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I believe the primary mission of U Minnesota - Duluth campus is to serve native american populations. Maybe this program would be a good fit?
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Posts discussing your chances are best suited for the "What are my chances?" subforum
Moving. Also marking this as "MD" only unless you want it marked otherwise
Moving. Also marking this as "MD" only unless you want it marked otherwise
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Can you post your BCPM GPA by academic year (i.e. freshman, sophomore, etc. which is how adcomm's in the US will see it presented)?
BTW, I think your BCPM is basically an automatic screen out at any American MD, especially the top tier ones you are interested in. Also the lack of research is another huge negative as you applied to only research giants. You must be very compelling if Cornell offered you an interview though
BTW, I think your BCPM is basically an automatic screen out at any American MD, especially the top tier ones you are interested in. Also the lack of research is another huge negative as you applied to only research giants. You must be very compelling if Cornell offered you an interview though
This is discouraging. I doubt that you are really Native American, music2doc, or else you would actually understand the challenges that many of us have confronted. It's obvious that your opinions are biased given your background.
Thank you, sector9. I may be getting a research position in the near future at the U of A.
It is evident that many users of this site are competitive to the point of aggressiveness and exclusion. In reality, it will be up to admissions teams to decide for themselves. Given that I've heard from 2/11 schools and been offered interviews to both, I believe that I must be heading in the right direction.
Medicine is a way for me to help my people. It is what I want and what I've always wanted.
Good luck everyone.
Thank you, sector9. I may be getting a research position in the near future at the U of A.
It is evident that many users of this site are competitive to the point of aggressiveness and exclusion. In reality, it will be up to admissions teams to decide for themselves. Given that I've heard from 2/11 schools and been offered interviews to both, I believe that I must be heading in the right direction.
Medicine is a way for me to help my people. It is what I want and what I've always wanted.
Good luck everyone.
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I think you should have applied to more safety schools, considering your stats. I'd say your best bet at the moment is to do alot of mock interviews, because if you don't really nail the interview I don't see you getting accepted.
G
gmcguitar4
The top universities are meant to breed the future leaders of medicine, not drag along sob stories. Taking a URM spot with those stats at a top university would be a shame.
They still heavily consider MCAT and GPA after interview as well. If not this cycle, then apply broadly next cycle. Consider post-bac to improve GPA.
They still heavily consider MCAT and GPA after interview as well. If not this cycle, then apply broadly next cycle. Consider post-bac to improve GPA.
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Native American? You'll even get in with a University of Phoenix degree to Harvard full ride.
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Everyone should relax- why be so harsh? Most of us on here are not NA and have not grown up in the environment the OP has grown up in. I think that many of you are underestimating the hardship because we aren't really taught in school about what it means to be native American in the US or Canada. It's harsh to reduce this person's life to a "sob story" or to assume he is using his status to get ahead of everyone. All of us are allowed to dream and even if the top schools are out of our reach or won't help to further his mission, I can understand why it would be a goal of his or anyone else on here.
OP, I hope it works out for you, and maybe try the underrepresented in healthcare forum for more supportive answers.
OP, I hope it works out for you, and maybe try the underrepresented in healthcare forum for more supportive answers.
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Check out this MDApps:
http://www.mdapplicants.com/profile.php?id=21637
Similar numbers - low GPA, okay MCAT. Your backgrounds are different (I won't mention what I remember, since they obviously changed their MDApps for anonymity), but their experience this cycle may give a better idea of what you might be able to expect. Note, however, that their school list is much larger and broader than yours.
Best of luck.
http://www.mdapplicants.com/profile.php?id=21637
Similar numbers - low GPA, okay MCAT. Your backgrounds are different (I won't mention what I remember, since they obviously changed their MDApps for anonymity), but their experience this cycle may give a better idea of what you might be able to expect. Note, however, that their school list is much larger and broader than yours.
Best of luck.
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First off, congratulations on your improvement in GPA over time as well as on your success so far. I hope that will continue for you.
As for me -- I am, in fact, Native American. And while I understand many people are at a disadvantage due to circumstances, it has been my experience that many manage to rise above. You could say my background has biased me to not see obstacles or challenges as such but to see only minor bumps in the road. I could have legitimately put down "disadvantaged" and "Native American" but I decided against both (I am multiracial with Native American) because 1) I am philosophically opposed to such discriminatory tactics, 2) there are people who grew up more disadvantaged than I did, and 3) I do not intend to work heavily with NA populations. That said, my disadvantaged background naturally came up in almost every secondary I wrote, was mentioned briefly in my PS, and has generally managed to come up at most of my interviews as well. (My Native American background much less so because I plan on working with primarily Latino populations, not NA; therefore, I consider my NA background somewhat irrelevant.)
While my response may seem callused to you, from my perspective your posts here sound very entitled. You seem to feel that because of your NA background, you deserve to attend medical school. Further, instead of desiring to attend a school that would optimally prepare you to go back to your community and serve (which you state is your goal), you apparently feel entitled to attend an "elite" school (i.e., one that would be a very poor fit for such a goal).
Regardless, I wish you the best. Hopefully, you will be accepted into a program that will be a good fit for you to be well-trained to serve underserved NA communities.
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Mom looks almost White. Has hair dyed blond, which means she doesn't value Native culture or looks. Dad without his long hair will pass as a White guy too. I bet you look even Whiter. For an old picture, your family is rather well-dressed and affluent to be Indian.
An Indian who puts out his parents old picture and not his own is an apple.
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This argument is pointless.
To the OP, good luck with the rest of your interviews. Show the humble side of your personality. I'm sure things will work out. If not, apply to a broader school list next cycle.
To the OP, good luck with the rest of your interviews. Show the humble side of your personality. I'm sure things will work out. If not, apply to a broader school list next cycle.
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...Not cool.
And OP, good luck. I hope to have you as a colleague some day. If you're humble about it, I do think you will be successful.
Yes, partially. That and Native American. I already implied this. So...umm...good investigative work?
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Nuture seems like a troll. I got redirected here from one of his other threads.
To OP, if you have interviews then you've got a great shot! That means you've passed the academic hurdle and now they just want to see what you're like one-on-one. Go for it! There's no reason not to, and don't let anybody tell you that you can't do it. The process is just random enough that there's no telling what might happen! Go for the big schools or else you'll always wonder what could have happened 🙂
To OP, if you have interviews then you've got a great shot! That means you've passed the academic hurdle and now they just want to see what you're like one-on-one. Go for it! There's no reason not to, and don't let anybody tell you that you can't do it. The process is just random enough that there's no telling what might happen! Go for the big schools or else you'll always wonder what could have happened 🙂
