URM status

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Does URM status help for medical school?

 

[wetlightning]

Does URM status help for medical school?

100+ posts and a question like this??

i won't say anymore and risk a flame-war 🙄

 

[Fenrezz]

100+ posts and a question like this??

i won't say anymore and risk a flame-war 🙄

Maybe he asked the question a hundred times and didn't get the answer he wanted.

More likely he's a veteran of the doctor's lounge where you can get 100 posts in one day without realizing it.

 

[Fenrezz]

Does URM status help for medical school?

To answer the question, yes it does help. Just be prepared to get flamed by a bunch of rich white kids who are angry because they have to work a little harder to get accepted to medical school.

 

[dr.z]

To answer the question, yes it does help. Just be prepared to get flamed by a bunch of rich white kids who are angry because they have to work a little harder to get accepted to medical school.

😱

 

[crazy_cavalier]

Does URM status help for medical school?

The politically correct answer to this question:

Well, first we have to clear up what the definition of "URM" is... and also, we should elaborate on the definition of "help"... and while we're at it, we should define what "medical school" is, and also we might wanna just touch-base on "status"...

 

[knight12]

I believe strongly that race should not be a factor in such cases as medical school/college admission and if anything, the economics status of individuals should be used to determine who is in need of assistance for admission. For example, why should a white individual who lives in the "ghetto" along with a black individual be neglected and the black individual given an advantage? That's just unfair. Also, shouldn't the best candidate no matter what race, sex, or age be the one who is accepted? Isn't that the purpose of such selectivity in admission? This, for the most part, should yield better doctors in the long run.

 

[Loco Loki]

The politically correct answer to this question:

Well, first we have to clear up what the definition of "URM" is... and also, we should elaborate on the definition of "help"... and while we're at it, we should define what "medical school" is, and also we might wanna just touch-base on "status"...

You summed it up rather nicely there 😛

Ya know what, I ain't touching this with, well, *pulls out ten foot pole, notices how woefully short it is*...

I do however love random spewing that occurs in this thread:

"To answer the question, yes it does help. Just be prepared to get flamed by a bunch of rich white kids who are angry because they have to work a little harder to get accepted to medical school."

Yes, because white = rich. Of course, of course. Also, maybe defining a "little harder" would help your post. Pfft, anyway, this will degrade into another flame fest; the opening idiot shots have already been fired.

 

[SitraAchra]

Does URM status help for medical school?

Are you in college yet?

 

[riceman04]

I believe strongly that race should not be a factor in such cases as medical school/college admission and if anything, the economics status of individuals should be used to determine who is in need of assistance for admission. For example, why should a white individual who lives in the "ghetto" along with a black individual be neglected and the black individual given an advantage? That's just unfair. Also, shouldn't the best candidate no matter what race, sex, or age be the one who is accepted? Isn't that the purpose of such selectivity in admission? This, for the most part, should yield better doctors in the long run.

Ummmmmmm.....so yeah, most med schools recognize this and now influence "disadvantaged" students (in addition to URM's) to apply.

 

[riceman04]

I believe strongly that race should not be a factor in such cases as medical school/college admission and if anything, the economics status of individuals should be used to determine who is in need of assistance for admission. For example, why should a white individual who lives in the "ghetto" along with a black individual be neglected and the black individual given an advantage? That's just unfair. Also, shouldn't the best candidate no matter what race, sex, or age be the one who is accepted? Isn't that the purpose of such selectivity in admission? This, for the most part, should yield better doctors in the long run.

Ok, so can I count on you to work in an underserved community or will you shoot for that dermatology or plastic surgery residency so that you can practice in the Beverly Hills' of the nation.

But..................... anyway this thread is pointless!

 

[Sanctuary]

I believe strongly that race should not be a factor in such cases as medical school/college admission and if anything, the economics status of individuals should be used to determine who is in need of assistance for admission. For example, why should a white individual who lives in the "ghetto" along with a black individual be neglected and the black individual given an advantage? That's just unfair. Also, shouldn't the best candidate no matter what race, sex, or age be the one who is accepted? Isn't that the purpose of such selectivity in admission? This, for the most part, should yield better doctors in the long run.

What constitutes "best candidate"? Certainly not just test scores and GPAs. One must look at the entire package. In addition, the physician work force should resemble the american public. The American people want this (CNN Poll) and so does the AAMC. If this doesn't sit well with you, don't go into medicine. Go into computer science where it's reaching near 70% foreign workers (primarily Indians and Chinese).

 

[Fenrezz]

the opening idiot shots have already been fired.

I rest my case.

 

[Loco Loki]

I rest my case.

The court is adjourned.

What can I take your post as? Admission that what you said was pretty stupid? You orignally posted something as ignorant as "all URMs don't try hard, they get a free ride", i.e. a claim without any real substinance. In the very close horse race of Med school, small advantages are amplified. Also, not every white person is rich as you claim, as much I wish that would be the case. Indeed, whites are not the only ones effected, so are other non-URM minorities. However, you can continue putting your fingers in your ears and saying "la la la". No one is gonna stop you anyway.

 

[Fenrezz]

I believe strongly that race should not be a factor in such cases as medical school/college admission and if anything, the economics status of individuals should be used to determine who is in need of assistance for admission. For example, why should a white individual who lives in the "ghetto" along with a black individual be neglected and the black individual given an advantage? That's just unfair. Also, shouldn't the best candidate no matter what race, sex, or age be the one who is accepted? Isn't that the purpose of such selectivity in admission? This, for the most part, should yield better doctors in the long run.

And then of course, we have the knee-jerk reaction.

 

[Loco Loki]

And then of course, we have the knee-jerk reaction.

You ever look up hypocrisy?

 

[Shredder]

Does URM status help for medical school?

URM
35 MCAT
3.8 GPA
nothing else significant
=any med school in the country with scholarship

no kidding, i was walking around campus the other day and overheard some URMs discussing 14k yearly scholarship for maintaining 2.5 gpa. pretty good deal. sigh...politics

 

[visualwealth]

URM
35 MCAT
3.8 GPA
nothing else significant
=any med school in the country with scholarship

no kidding, i was walking around campus the other day and overheard some URMs discussing 14k yearly scholarship for maintaining 2.5 gpa. pretty good deal. sigh...politics

Proof??? This thread needs to die now!! We have debated this issue one billion times, and people rearly change their convictions about the issue.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

I believe strongly that race should not be a factor in such cases as medical school/college admission and if anything, the economics status of individuals should be used to determine who is in need of assistance for admission. For example, why should a white individual who lives in the "ghetto" along with a black individual be neglected and the black individual given an advantage? That's just unfair. Also, shouldn't the best candidate no matter what race, sex, or age be the one who is accepted? Isn't that the purpose of such selectivity in admission? This, for the most part, should yield better doctors in the long run.

of course you are 100% right but URM designation is not what it was intended to be; it turned into race instead

 

[KNightInBlue]

Two things - first, socioeconomic status is NOT taken into consideration for admissions. So all you need to be is white to get screwed over, not neccessarily rich.
Second, its not just whites who are ORM.

As for the OPs question - yes, it matters. Ppl might discount individual experiences as transitory and therefore not neccessarily case in point, but after seeing SIX such cases in the same year, I must say, it helps.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Two things - first, socioeconomic status is NOT taken into consideration for admissions. So all you need to be is white to get screwed over, not neccessarily rich.
Second, its not just whites who are ORM.

As for the OPs question - yes, it matters. Ppl might discount individual experiences as transitory and therefore not neccessarily case in point, but after seeing SIX such cases in the same year, I must say, it helps.

exactly, it SHOULD be for socioeconomic status, but it is NOT. And the poor white boy who grew up in Harlem with nothing will be discriminated against in admissions whereas the black boy from Beverly Hills who drives a Porche and lives in a mansion will be giving URM status. But hey nothing's wrong with the system, is there?

 

[criminallyinane]

I believe strongly that race should not be a factor in such cases as medical school/college admission and if anything, the economics status of individuals should be used to determine who is in need of assistance for admission. For example, why should a white individual who lives in the "ghetto" along with a black individual be neglected and the black individual given an advantage? That's just unfair. Also, shouldn't the best candidate no matter what race, sex, or age be the one who is accepted? Isn't that the purpose of such selectivity in admission? This, for the most part, should yield better doctors in the long run.

On the AMCAS app there is a place to talk about whether you are a disadvantaged applicant and to comment on why you believe you are. So regardless of race, you can get recognized for your achievements if you work your way out of the ghetto.

I think AA is necessary, but very easy manipulated. A girl I went to college with had a dad who grew up in Mexico. He wasn't Mexican-born, his parents and he were both from the US, but his parents' work took them to Mexico, where he was raised. He spoke English and Spanish. He moved back to the US and married, had kids. His kid went to college with me and told me that she had put that she was hispanic on her application because her dad was a Mexican citizen and a US citizen. Um, that doesn't make her hispanic. She is actually Polish and English. That annoyed me... she's reaping the benefits of AA while actually being a very rich white girl who grew up in the city.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

On the AMCAS app there is a place to talk about whether you are a disadvantaged applicant and to comment on why you believe you are. So regardless of race, you can get recognized for your achievements if you work your way out of the ghetto.

I think AA is necessary, but very easy manipulated. A girl I went to college with had a dad who grew up in Mexico. He wasn't Mexican-born, his parents and he were both from the US, but his parents' work took them to Mexico, where he was raised. He spoke English and Spanish. He moved back to the US and married, had kids. His kid went to college with me and told me that she had put that she was hispanic on her application because her dad was a Mexican citizen and a US citizen. Um, that doesn't make her hispanic. She is actually Polish and English. That annoyed me... she's reaping the benefits of AA while actually being a very rich white girl who grew up in the city.

exactly why it NEEDS to be based on socioeconomic status and NOT race!

 

[velo]

exactly why it NEEDS to be based on socioeconomic status and NOT race!

holy crap I agree with Psycho, somebody shoot me in the face...

 

[Psycho Doctor]

holy crap I agree with Psycho, somebody shoot me in the face...

 

[velo]

agreeing with you makes me resent my position 😀...but its true. The most equitalbe thing would be to base AA on socioeconomic factors, I think that is most true to the most important mission of AA, which is to allow for social mobility.

That said, AA isn't really that big of a deal. If you're a non-URM don't waste your time worrying about other people's applications. If you're a strong candidate you'll get in. The only people that you could remotely argue "lose their spot" because of AA are the borderline candidates who could not make it in for any number of reasons. So if you're worried about AA, stop it and spend that energy turning yourself from an iffy applicant into a solid one...

 

[Psycho Doctor]

agreeing with you makes me resent my position 😀...but its true. The most equitalbe thing would be to base AA on socioeconomic factors, I think that is most true to the most important mission of AA, which is to allow for social mobility.

That said, AA isn't really that big of a deal. If you're a non-URM don't waste your time worrying about other people's applications. If you're a strong candidate you'll get in. The only people that you could remotely argue "lose their spot" because of AA are the borderline candidates who could not make it in for any number of reasons. So if you're worried about AA, stop it and spend that energy turning yourself from an iffy applicant into a solid one...

Of course, that's the whole intended point of AA...however that is not the way it was utilized, therefore turning it into a reverse discrimination and making people racist in the process. It's also the priniciple of the whole thing.

I don't personally care for me; it's those hard-working borderline kids who perhaps grew up in a poor socio-economic area that truly loses out.

 

[LizzyM]

I don't personally care for me; it's those hard-working borderline kids who perhaps grew up in a poor socio-economic area that truly loses out.

Believe me, if the PS, or more commonly the LOR, makes the case for a hard-working kid who grew up in a poor soci-economic area that kid gets props from the adcom. Its called "bootstraps". Adcoms love it even if it doesn't get the med school any brownie points as enrolling a URM does.

 

[visualwealth]

Of course, that's the whole intended point of AA...however that is not the way it was utilized, therefore turning it into a reverse discrimination and making people racist in the process. It's also the priniciple of the whole thing.

I don't personally care for me; it's those hard-working borderline kids who perhaps grew up in a poor socio-economic area that truly loses out.

blah blah blah, those same kids you speak of would probably want to open a practice in a rich area and make money also. Face it, many of the people who are against AA are selfish!!! What one has to understand is all of the people getting AA are qualifed for med school. That is, they have what it takes to be doctor. What AA does is it ensures that schools are recruiting URM's. Think about it, would any school really want to take any URM's if they could just take all rich kids, or kids who had connections?? The school system is a little flawed today that is, many people can cheat, or pay their way to having great grades and great mcat scores. What the med school people have realized is that these numbers don't mean much. In all honesty the hopkins and harvard class could be filled with 3.95's and 40 mcats but instead they really look for characteristics that cannot be measured in numbers.

All in all, the urm debate is really not a debate and should not be argued. Think about the NBA (national basketball association).. Right now every team in the league is desperate for a top center, and if they find one they are willing to pay him any amount of money... The URM situation is similar...That is, if a minority is qualified then obviously school will be looking to grab them.

One last point, urm's dont get a free ride into med school. I know some urms with great grades and mcats that did not get a full ride to a top 20 schools and a benz. .. Most of the minorities that do well in the process are simply amazing people 👍

 

[Psycho Doctor]

blah blah blah, those same kids you speak of would probably want to open a practice in a rich area and make money also. Face it, many of the people who are against AA are selfish!!! What one has to understand is all of the people getting AA are qualifed for med school. That is, they have what it takes to be doctor. What AA does is it ensures that schools are recruiting URM's. Think about it, would any school really want to take any URM's if they could just take all rich kids, or kids who had connections?? The school system is a little flawed today that is, many people can cheat, or pay their way to having great grades and great mcat scores. What the med school people have realized is that these numbers don't mean much. In all honesty the hopkins and harvard class could be filled with 3.95's and 40 mcats but instead they really look for characteristics that cannot be measured in numbers.

All in all, the urm debate is really not a debate and should not be argued. Think about the NBA (national basketball association).. Right now every team in the league is desperate for a top center, and if they find one they are willing to pay him any amount of money... The URM situation is similar...That is, if a minority is qualified then obviously school will be looking to grab them.

One last point, urm's dont get a free ride into med school. I know some urms with great grades and mcats that did not get a full ride to a top 20 schools and a benz. .. Most of the minorities that do well in the process are simply amazing people 👍

talking about AA and the NBA, they should recruit URMs...white and asians!

 

[sunnyjohn]

agreeing with you makes me resent my position 😀...but its true. The most equitalbe thing would be to base AA on socioeconomic factors, I think that is most true to the most important mission of AA, which is to allow for social mobility.

That said, AA isn't really that big of a deal. If you're a non-URM don't waste your time worrying about other people's applications. If you're a strong candidate you'll get in. The only people that you could remotely argue "lose their spot" because of AA are the borderline candidates who could not make it in for any number of reasons. So if you're worried about AA, stop it and spend that energy turning yourself from an iffy applicant into a solid one...

👍

 

[Fenrezz]

You ever look up hypocrisy?

I rest my case.

 

[Loco Loki]

I rest my case.

...And so, the jury deliberated for all of five minutes. The verdict: Fenrezz was guilty of murder in the first degree, purgery, grand theft auto, minor left auto, and square dancing in a round room. His lengendary "defense" turned a case reguarding his refusal to pay for a parking ticket into a carnival of his own destruction.

Now the case has been rested.

 

[BeBlessedMD]

I dont even now how to reposnd to you people. I'm ashamed that you will be polluting the world with your nonsense and hold the same title as me. Grow up people. You mean nothing in the big scheme of things, and I'll be the one to make sure you go un-noticed. Our struggle continues.......

 

[riceman04]

Does URM status help for medical school?

Maybe to an extent!

 

[riceman04]

Does URM status help for medical school?

You just started a flame war. You just started a flame war 😛 😴 😴 😴

 

[riceman04]

exactly, it SHOULD be for socioeconomic status, but it is NOT. And the poor white boy who grew up in Harlem with nothing will be discriminated against in admissions whereas the black boy from Beverly Hills who drives a Porche and lives in a mansion will be giving URM status. But hey nothing's wrong with the system, is there?

ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm disadvantaged status is given equal weight!!!!
Read MSAR playa! 😎 😎

 

[riceman04]

Two things - first, socioeconomic status is NOT taken into consideration for admissions. So all you need to be is white to get screwed over, not neccessarily rich.
Second, its not just whites who are ORM.

As for the OPs question - yes, it matters. Ppl might discount individual experiences as transitory and therefore not neccessarily case in point, but after seeing SIX such cases in the same year, I must say, it helps.

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..........read MSAR foolio

 

[tank you]

Does URM status help for medical school?

seriously, why would you ask this question? you already know the answer.

 

[DrYo12]

In the off-chance that someone is actually looking for an answer to this question, here's what experience has shown me. Does being an URM make a difference? Yes. Is the system perfect? No. As in any system, flaws exist and persons likewise that will exploit the system to their own end.

Persons claiming URM and disadvantaged status aren't able to do so without explaining their situation. Initially, in the AMCAS application, anyone wishing to claim disadvantaged status must explain why they think the designation is appropriate. Many schools will have an additional section in their secondary where they ask applicants to elaborate on their experiences as a disadvantaged applicant.

Bear in mind that those students wishing to claim status as an URM or disadvantaged applicant don't undergo more or less scrutiny in the admissions process, its just different. These applicants typically have an academic record, combined with testimonials from their LOR, unique extracurriculars, jobs/careers, and a personal statement and secondaries that all add up to an applicant that has the potential to do well in medical school given the chance. That's not to say that there aren't students that manipulate the system, but considering the size of the premedical population in the United States and the number of applicants to medical schools each year, the number of students that are admitted to medical school that don't have the potential to do well is very, very small.

Medical schools, particularly publicly funded ones, have a vested interest in filling their classes with low-risk students. Students with high grades and MCAT scores are a lesser calculated risk than those with lower grades and MCAT scores. However, as most people realise, there is an element of compassion and professional committment to medicine that is unquantifiable by numbers alone. In this respect, medical schools have come under scrutiny for turning out doctors who perform well academically and have little to no clinical connection with patients. Medical schools have been forced to realise that numbers don't tell the whole story and in the case of many, many URM, there is a story to supplement their 'lesser' numbers, but on the whole, URM applicants are not any less qualified to be medical students than their non-URM counterparts.

Also supporting the case of accepting URM is the simple fact that URM students are more likely to return to the communities from which they were raised. This is not to preclude the idea of a non-minority person from wanting to enter medically underserved communities, but simply recognises the fact that if the medical field wants doctors to return to those communities, they need to accept students from those areas. Not every URM that comes from a medically underserved commmunity is going to be expected to return, but on the whole, a larger percentage of these students are willing and committed to returning to these communities.

Yes, there is the rich URM applicant that hasn't worked a day in his/her life that doesn't know what that designation signifies and has no intention of going to a medicallly underserved area. Yes, there are minority students that enter medical school with the intention of returning to their communities and don't. However, on the whole, this is the solution that medical schools have put forth to address the lack of minorities in medicine and physicians in underserved communities, and I'm say that something is better than nothing.

 

[KNightInBlue]

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..........read MSAR foolio

Ummmmmmmmmmmm..............stop saying "ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm" dumbo
What are you? in junior high?


Now lets debate PROPERLY. Tell me exactly what was wrong in my post and prove me wrong by showing where the MSAR contradicts it and I will accede your point.

And dont say its that part of the AMCAS that allows you to write one paragraph about your disadvantaged status, 'cuz that's bulls*** (a director of admissions herself told me so).

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Ummmmmmmmmmmm..............stop saying "ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm" dumbo
What are you? in junior high?


Now lets debate PROPERLY. Tell me exactly what was wrong in my post and prove me wrong by showing where the MSAR contradicts it and I will accede your point.

And dont say its that part of the AMCAS that allows you to write one paragraph about your disadvantaged status, 'cuz that's bulls*** (a director of admissions herself told me so).

yup, that sounds about right. the system is flawed and we all know it.

 

[riceman04]

Ummmmmmmmmmmm..............stop saying "ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm" dumbo
What are you? in junior high?


Now lets debate PROPERLY. Tell me exactly what was wrong in my post and prove me wrong by showing where the MSAR contradicts it and I will accede your point.

And dont say its that part of the AMCAS that allows you to write one paragraph about your disadvantaged status, 'cuz that's bulls*** (a director of admissions herself told me so).

Wow, very testy!

So lets debate properly, even though this is one of the most heavily debated, least understood subjects posted on this website. Yes, there are flaws in almost everything existing in today's society. Explain why there is a flaw in the public education system that damn near ensures that schools in poorer neighborhoods are not funded as well as schools in wealthier neighborhoods. Explain why kids in these disadvantaged neighborhoods often have to go without proper school materials and an actual teacher simply because their school does not have the same resources. Explain why there is such a discepancy in healthcare. Hell, explain why it is so damn easy for a child to gain acceptance into the school of their choice (despite not being qualified) if their parents donate enough money or have simply attended themselves.

The point of all that is just to show that there are flaws in all facets of society.

Now back to medical school processes: When I said read MSAR I was hoping you would get the clue to investigate each school and its policies. Take the UC's as an example. They pride themselved on focusing on the disadvantaged student and not just URM's (all the UC's abide by this policy).
In the MSAR it says (on the UC Davis page), "the mission is to ensure diversity among students and faculty through outreach, development, and support activities for individuals from educationally and socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds....................ya da ya da ya."

The same is said about Univ. Washington and several other schools around the country.

And why are you so worried about URM status when it obviously is not helping that much to begin with. Why don't you check out the dwindling numbers of URM matriculants into medical school, then ask yourself if that many URM's are taking your spot and everyone else's

And about the "wealthy URM".....you know the hypothetical situation almost eveyone has used on this board.........they are so few and far between that their existence is definitely not a big enough detriment to the system for you to rant and rave about it. And if you are so worried about this then why don't you discuss the unfair practice of grandfathering as well.

 

[it.]

Does URM status help for medical school?

step 1: change name to tyrone jackson
step 2: sign changed name on blank piece of paper
step 3: send in paper to med schools
step 4: get accepted

j/k. i don't mean to undermine all those deserving, hardworking urms out there, but every now and then, i kinda do wish i were an urm, cuz that extra little umph just might get you in. to answer your question though, yes.

 

[riceman04]

step 1: change name to tyrone jackson
step 2: sign changed name on blank piece of paper
step 3: send in paper to med schools
step 4: get accepted

j/k. i don't mean to undermine all those deserving, hardworking urms out there, but every now and then, i kinda do wish i were an urm, cuz that extra little umph just might get you in. to answer your question though, yes.

I like your post!!!!!

See I am a URM (Afr-Amer male, the underrep of the underrrep) and I can laugh at jokes like that. That was funny

 

[beefballs]

Wow, very testy!

Yes, there are flaws in almost everything existing in today's society. Explain why there is a flaw in the public education system that damn near ensures that schools in poorer neighborhoods are not funded as well as schools in wealthier neighborhoods. Explain why kids in these disadvantaged neighborhoods often have to go without proper school materials and an actual teacher simply because their school does not have the same resources. Explain why there is such a discepancy in healthcare.

So by this logic why not just base the diversity of a med school on socio-economic background and remove any element of race? This would shut up all of the people who claim URM's get in unfairly and since a higher % of minorities are poor they will benefit to a greater extent (as a population) from strictly a socio-economic classification.

As for this thread, as I do far more reading than posting on this site many of you demonstrate intelligence and passion from your viewpoints, and if you continue on your path to medicine you will be the positive role models in your community, I don't think attacking anyone who disagrees with you projects the image of a benevolent and wise individual that seem to be in such short supply these days. just my 2 cents

 

[BeBlessedMD]

Heres some questions to ponder as well....

Does being from a influential "majority" family help you get into med school? YES
Does being just a plain "majority" applicant help you get into med school? YES
Does coming from a family full of doctor's help you get into med school? YES

Cleary if your not disadvantaged, then you are ADVANTAGED. I dont even know why you people are comparing yourselves to URM's. We are two entirely different entities. It wasn't until the mid 60's that we actually gained full "legal" civil rights in this country. When you look at a black person in your med class do realize he was NOT GIVEN that seat...his people had to be TORTURED and KILLED for him to sit there. How many of your people died fighting to have the chance to be equal in America? Be assured that we werent and arent given anything, weve demanded it and taken it ourselves. Give credit where the credit is due and stop actin like we po' and helpless negros are still relyin on our majority superiors to give us free hand outs. You are ALL FOOLS. 😱

 

[MoosePilot]

This is an interesting question to me.

This year I'm applying as Native American and White. My maternal grandmother was Native American.

The effects of that are secondary, though. My grandmother was dirt poor, which meant my mother grew up dirt poor. I grew up poor. Did my grandmother's race have anything to do with my poverty? No telling, but it probably contributed. Is it as important to the story as the poverty itself? Probably not, because I only ever met one of my four grandparents (totally fragmented family and a lot of early deaths), but it went on my application. I'll be completely honest about it. That's all I can do.

 

[MoosePilot]

Heres some questions to ponder as well....

Does being from a influential "majority" family help you get into med school? YES
Does being just a plain "majority" applicant help you get into med school? YES
Does coming from a family full of doctor's help you get into med school? YES

Cleary if your not disadvantaged, then you are ADVANTAGED. I dont even know why you people are comparing yourselves to URM's. We are two entirely different entities. It wasn't until the mid 60's that we actually gained full "legal" civil rights in this country. When you look at a black person in your med class do realize he was NOT GIVEN that seat...his people had to be TORTURED and KILLED for him to sit there. How many of your people died fighting to have the chance to be equal in America? Be assured that we werent and arent given anything, weve demanded it and taken it ourselves. Give credit where the credit is due and stop actin like we po' and helpless negros are still relyin on our majority superiors to give us free hand outs. You are ALL FOOLS. 😱

Identifying yourself primarily by race is racist. If a white person isn't supposed to think of you primarily as black, how does it make sense if you do it?

Taking credit for the achievements of others is ridiculous. I can't take credit for Einstein's achivements because we have a similar complexion. Why can you take credit for other's admirable struggles for the same reason? What have you done to be able to use the first person as you've done above?

I have fought for our (that's me and my fellow Americans, regardless of skin color) U.S. freedoms and feel justified in using the first person. Have you?

 

[riceman04]

Wow, very testy!

Yes, there are flaws in almost everything existing in today's society. Explain why there is a flaw in the public education system that damn near ensures that schools in poorer neighborhoods are not funded as well as schools in wealthier neighborhoods. Explain why kids in these disadvantaged neighborhoods often have to go without proper school materials and an actual teacher simply because their school does not have the same resources. Explain why there is such a discepancy in healthcare.

So by this logic why not just base the diversity of a med school on socio-economic background and remove any element of race? This would shut up all of the people who claim URM's get in unfairly and since a higher % of minorities are poor they will benefit to a greater extent (as a population) from strictly a socio-economic classification.

As for this thread, as I do far more reading than posting on this site many of you demonstrate intelligence and passion from your viewpoints, and if you continue on your path to medicine you will be the positive role models in your community, I don't think attacking anyone who disagrees with you projects the image of a benevolent and wise individual that seem to be in such short supply these days. just my 2 cents

Are you saying that I was attacking the other people who disagreed with me? B/c clearly that was not my intention.