underserved rural

[ionltd]

Long time reader, first time poster.

How much weight do adcoms give to applicants that are rural underserved? Will it raise the chances of acceptance for a white male?

Thanks

ION

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[Mike59]

Originally posted by ionltd
Long time reader, first time poster.

How much weight do adcoms give to applicants that are rural underserved? Will it raise the chances of acceptance for a white male?

Thanks

ION

"Underserved" usually refers to a community experiencing a professional shortage , not the applicant. If you apply to Texas A&M and express interest in working in an underserved town along the Mexican border, sure, that may score you some favor. The same story may not get any attention in an urban centre. Your success in this game will have more to do with where you hope to end up than where you're from, and how well your goals align with the medical programs you have applied to.

 

[Ryo-Ohki]

Yes, several schools have rural health programs. Lowered admissions standards as well as loan forgiveness are some of the advantages of this program for applicants.

 

[....]

FSU give alot of favor to rural applicants with an intrest in the underserved. But you have to be a FL resident to get in. AV MCAT is 26, ouch...

 

[ionltd]

Thanks guys

Mike, if it isn't an issue for adcoms where you live and only what you want to do, why does amcas take the time to look up whether you live in rural AND underserved and then list by your bio information on their application?

 

[Amy B]

A lot of schools give you extra points for being rural raised. Especially the DO schools. In fact Edward Via (the new DO school) in virginia will only accept non rural students after they have filled the required 50% of the spots to rural students first.

 

[SMW]

Originally posted by ionltd
Thanks guys

Mike, if it isn't an issue for adcoms where you live and only what you want to do, why does amcas take the time to look up whether you live in rural AND underserved and then list by your bio information on their application?

Statistically, people who come from a rural/underserved area are more likely to practice in and stick it out in such a locale.

 

[gick]

how many people actually live in a place where the town/city was NOT classified as rural or underserved? My home county is supposedly underserved according to the AMCAS designations, but I would definitely disagree, compared to other places I've lived. Input anyone?

 

[Paws]

I think the numbers and statistics are flexible. In my case, I grew up in a tiny rural town of 2,500 and the county was considered underserved. I would disagree with the underserved, but there it is - according to amcas' rankings.

I have lived in large cities as an adult (7,000,000) adn now applying to UVM, I said I want to do rural medicine and they ask specifically for all places you've lived and the populations.

Even tho I have lived in big cities, I come from a rural community and so like post-ers have said above, I feel I would happily stay in a small rural community and my essays have all backed this up.

In the end, you could also come from Los Angeles and say you want rural med and as long as you can support that statement consistently, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

 

[ionltd]

Actually, the feds gather information about counties and report them as rural, underserved or rural underserved, and Amcas refers to the federal report and designates an applicant's county accordingly. They don't make the designation on their own.

I grew up 10 miles outside a small town of 1000 people with a 20 mile radius of no Drs or hospitals. I don't quite know what adcoms are looking for when they see the rural underserved designation or how or even if this makes a difference in their decision. I suppose this goes back to my original question about what advantage does this give me if any and why with all schools, not just those that have rural programs.