Why Paki and Indians want to be Doctors?

[XeReX]

i have a serious question. Why every Paki and Indian wants to be a doctor?
in my college there are so many Indians and Paki students in premed. Its like the whole South Asia wants to be Docs.

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[avatarftw]

Being a physician is pretty prestigious and offers a solid income or net worth. A lot of those Asian cultures highly value education and being a doctor is obviously emblematic of that belief. You could extend the same question to many of the countries in East. I've met a lot of Vietnamese doctors recently, it seems.

i have a serious question. Why every Paki and Indian wants to be a doctor?
in my college there are so many Indians and Paki students in premed. Its like the whole South Asia wants to be Docs.

 

[somepremedkid]

Being a physician is pretty prestigious and offers a solid income or net worth. A lot of those Asian cultures highly value education and being a doctor is obviously emblematic of that belief. You could extend the same question to many of the countries in East. I've met a lot of Vietnamese doctors recently, it seems.

👍

i have a serious question. Why every Pakistani and Indian wants to be a doctor?
in my college there are so many Indians and Paki students in premed. Its like the whole South Asia wants to be Docs.

fixed

This seems so true at my school. I guess several members of their family are in the medical field and they feel pressured to follow in their footsteps. Just a suggestion.

C'mon, not all Pakistanis and Indians want to be doctors. You're being too general

 

[Pisiform]

Why Pisiform, a Pakistani, wants to be a doctor:

- Because my Parents want me too
- All my sisters are doctor
- If I don't become doctor, my family and relatives look down on me
- Being a doctor is a status symbol
- Good Income
- Well respected profession
- Mom thinks that I could get to marry a good, educated girl when I become a doctor, otherwise she thinks that I will get a ***** 🙁


Note: they are not based on order of importance

 

[muhali3]

In Pakistan and India, the main way to rise up from poverty is to be an academic superstar and become either a doctor/engineer. A lot of American-born Paki/Indian people are heavily influenced by their parents into choosing medicine. I told my mom that I might want to be a dentist...she said "but they're doctors too right?...don't you have to go to medical school for that too?"...I said "No."...she said "then don't become a dentist, we need a doctor in this family."

 

[Janieve]

Why Pisiform, a Pakistani, wants to be a doctor:

- Because my Parents want me too
- All my sisters are doctor
- If I don't become doctor, my family and relatives look down on me
- Being a doctor is a status symbol
- Good Income
- Well respected profession
- Mom thinks that I could get to marry a good, educated girl when I become a doctor, otherwise she thinks that I will get a ***** 🙁


Note: they are not based on order of importance

So, you're not in any way doing it for yourself? All your reasons come from someone else. That's not going to look good to ADCOMs....

 

[Electronegative]

I'm not from Pakistan or India, but what I hear from my friends is that Doctors are one of the most respected people there.

EN

 

[Pisiform]

In Pakistan and India, the main way to rise up from poverty is to be an academic superstar and become either a doctor/engineer. A lot of American-born Paki/Indian people are heavily influenced by their parents into choosing medicine.

I don't believe in this. There are so many doctors and engineer in Pakistan right now (and they are well qualified) but do not have jobs. I am ashamed to say that our politicians are highly corrupt. Only way you can become rich is by legacy aka feudalism. There is no such thing as merit for most part.

 

[Pisiform]

So, you're not in any way doing it for yourself? All your reasons come from someone else. That's not going to look good to ADCOMs....

I am not going to tell this to ADCOM of course. I am not that foolish. And there is no way they are gonna find out my emotions 😍

Anyways, its not that I hate medicine, its just like my parents telling me that, "look Pisiform, we know that you like medicine" and gradually I start liking it.

 

[muhali3]

Well I think the whole political/economic climate has changed now compared to when my parents were growing up there. It's still a very highly respected profession, all desi parents want to show off and tell other people that their kid is a doctor.

 

[somepremedkid]

I am not going to tell this to ADCOM of course. I am not that foolish. And there is no way they are gonna find out my emotions 😍

Anyways, its not that I hate medicine, its just like my parents telling me that, "look Pisiform, we know that you like medicine" and gradually I start liking it.

I lol'd

 

[Mbeas]

Why every Paki and Indian wants to be a doctor?

that's a bit stereotypical, no?

Pisiform: consider a different career.

 

[Pisiform]

Why every Paki and Indian wants to be a doctor?

that's a bit stereotypical, no?

Pisiform: consider a different career.

too late man, already spent money on doing Bio major and money on MCAT books and registration

 

[The Poet Sings]

my boyfriend is indian and as far as i know, nobody in his family is/wants to be a doctor. so i think i may have poked a hole in this theory...

 

[pennstate4life]

Why can't they all just be friends. I would hate to be drafted for WW3

 

[whoMD]

The Indians that came to America are the ones that could afford it or came for a better education. The Indian population in America is a very skewed population of our race. Those that came her for educational purposes try really hard to instill in their children the value of education. While I don't agree with everything my parents believe in. I do believe in the importance of education and I really do enjoy biology and chemistry. To delve deeper into understanding the human body (I'm mostly fascinated with the pathology aspect) is something I look forward to. Neither of my parents are doctors by the way.

 

[meanderthal]

this thread is feeding an overhyped stereotype. premed studies are in general popular among every group and probably for many of the reasons above.

 

[orthomyxo]

Why Pisiform, a Pakistani, wants to be a doctor:

- Because my Parents want me too
- All my sisters are doctor
- If I don't become doctor, my family and relatives look down on me
- Being a doctor is a status symbol
- Good Income
- Well respected profession
- Mom thinks that I could get to marry a good, educated girl when I become a doctor, otherwise she thinks that I will get a ***** 🙁


Note: they are not based on order of importance

Those aren't very good reasons.

Bolded = WTF??

 

[apumic]

.

 

[somepremedkid]

this thread is feeding an overhyped stereotype. premed studies are in general popular among every group and probably for many of the reasons above.

👍

 

[Fregoli and Me]

FYI. In 2009 there was 8,577 "Asian" applicants to medical school (which includes Indians and people from Pakistan I suppose). Of those, 3,763 were accepted and matriculated to medical school. Also in 2009 there was 25,304 "White" applicants to medical school. Of those, 11,557 were accepted and matriculated to medical school. This means that "Asians" had a matriculation rate of ~43.8% and "Whites" a matriculation rate of 45.6%. The two groups were almost exactly the same.

So long story short, it is all in your head. You are letting other people think for you instead of finding out the facts on your own.



Here are some statistics from the AAMC that you might want to look at....

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table8-fact2006to2009det-web.pdf

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table9-fact2006to2009detmat-web.pdf

 

[LizzyM]

with regard to this and earlier posts:

I am not going to tell this to ADCOM of course. I am not that foolish. And there is no way they are gonna find out my emotions 😍

Anyways, its not that I hate medicine, its just like my parents telling me that, "look Pisiform, we know that you like medicine" and gradually I start liking it.

The interviewers have their work cut out for them but they are very clever. When you consider why some people with really, really excellent stats and experiences and all the rest are passed over for someone who is not "as qualified", look back at some of the reasons that some people have for wanting to go into medicine and you may have a better idea of the method of our "madness".

 

[apumic]

.

 

[QuesoAndFromage]

im not trying to make some altruistic stance about how a doctor should be or anything, but all I know is that if I were looking for a doctor, I would not want him or her to be in it for the same reasons as Pisiform

 

[QuesoAndFromage]

with regard to this and earlier posts:



The interviewers have their work cut out for them but they are very clever. When you consider why some people with really, really excellent stats and experiences and all the rest are passed over for someone who is not "as qualified", look back at some of the reasons that some people have for wanting to go into medicine and you may have a better idea of the method of our "madness".

what are some ridiculous reasons you have heard as an adcom?

 

[Vadoff]

i have a serious question. Why every Paki and Indian wants to be a doctor?
in my college there are so many Indians and Paki students in premed. Its like the whole South Asia wants to be Docs.

Are you racist?

 

[Janieve]

what are some ridiculous reasons you have heard as an adcom?

I'm also interested in this. Story time, Miss Lizzy! Please!

 

[The Poet Sings]

I'm also interested in this. Story time, Miss Lizzy! Please!

also dying to hear some stories

 

[MisterVeil]

Funny how everybody skeptical of this "theory" is not South Asian!

Unfortunately, you guys are wrong. The "my kids have to become doctors/engineers/etc" attitude is very prevalent in the South Asian population here precisely for the following reason:

The Indians that came to America are the ones that could afford it or came for a better education. The Indian population in America is a very skewed population of our race. Those that came her for educational purposes try really hard to instill in their children the value of education.

Also:

too late man, already spent money on doing Bio major and money on MCAT books and registration

...that's "too late"? Seriously? Too late will be when you're 200K in debt working your ass off as a resident. "Too late" is not "I'm a bio major who has yet to take the MCAT".

FYI. In 2009 there was 8,577 "Asian" applicants to medical school (which includes Indians and people from Pakistan I suppose). Of those, 3,763 were accepted and matriculated to medical school. Also in 2009 there was 25,304 "White" applicants to medical school. Of those, 11,557 were accepted and matriculated to medical school. This means that "Asians" had a matriculation rate of ~43.8% and "Whites" a matriculation rate of 45.6%. The two groups were almost exactly the same.

So long story short, it is all in your head. You are letting other people think for you instead of finding out the facts on your own.



Here are some statistics from the AAMC that you might want to look at....

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table8-fact2006to2009det-web.pdf

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table9-fact2006to2009detmat-web.pdf

Not sure what you're trying to point out here. That there are more white people in America, therefore there will be more white applicants and matriculants, and that both groups are accepted at roughly the same rate? This is common knowledge. I'm not really sure how it fits into this thread/topic.

What many of us are trying to say is that, of the South Asian population in the US, a great deal of South Asian parents and families either directly or indirectly pressure/convince their kids to go to medical school. The statistics you've quoted have nothing to do with that.

 

[Pisiform]

Anyways, I will be a doctor, I am pretty positive and I can see it doing for the rest of my life.

I assure all neurotic SDNers that I won't be frustrated.
I can say that I won't get frustrated because I have volunteered at different hospitals, clinics, did research in Microbiology and I enjoy doing it.
I also help my sister run a free clinic -NGO where every weekend she sees patient for free.

Although I enjoy playing cricket more than medicine, and I am very good at cricket - was a captain and coach for the team for 3 yrs - but I know that I don't wanna be a cricketer for a living.....

The only point i was trying to make is that:

Medicine is not the profession I chose for myself. It is my parents, family values and social impact that helped me too look deep into this profession. And I don't hate medicine. Neither I love it too much. I like it (moderately high but not too much) and I can see myself working as a doctor for the rest of my life.

PERIOD

 

[HealthHare]

There is nothing wrong with having other motivations for going into medicine besides a strong desire to care for other people. I feel that as long as you have a strong desire to do any type job whether its mopping a floor or performing a surgery with the best of your abilities then you will be good at what you do. I personally would rather have a doctor who is concerned the most with money and prestige, but still strives to be the best doctor he or she can be than have a "caring" physician who puts in medium effort at best. Not all doctors are created equally.

 

[Narmerguy]

Not sure what you're trying to point out here. That there are more white people in America, therefore there will be more white applicants and matriculants, and that both groups are accepted at roughly the same rate? This is common knowledge. I'm not really sure how it fits into this thread/topic.

What many of us are trying to say is that, of the South Asian population in the US, a great deal of South Asian parents and families either directly or indirectly pressure/convince their kids to go to medical school. The statistics you've quoted have nothing to do with that.

I think the point was that many people have the impression that Asian applicants are a lot stronger than the rest and that they get accepted at a higher rate. This is, as he pointed out, not that true when they are compared to whites.

FYI. In 2009 there was 8,577 "Asian" applicants to medical school (which includes Indians and people from Pakistan I suppose). Of those, 3,763 were accepted and matriculated to medical school. Also in 2009 there was 25,304 "White" applicants to medical school. Of those, 11,557 were accepted and matriculated to medical school. This means that "Asians" had a matriculation rate of ~43.8% and "Whites" a matriculation rate of 45.6%. The two groups were almost exactly the same.

So long story short, it is all in your head. You are letting other people think for you instead of finding out the facts on your own.



Here are some statistics from the AAMC that you might want to look at....

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table8-fact2006to2009det-web.pdf

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table9-fact2006to2009detmat-web.pdf

Nice work 👍 Sometimes I wish I'd look stuff up instead of just going with my gut feeling about how they are because I would have thought Asians would have a higher acceptance rate than anyone else.

 

[Mbeas]

too late man, already spent money on doing Bio major and money on MCAT books and registration

Oh, duh! I forgot that once you have registered for the MCAT you are required to go to medical school and will have no other options for the rest of your life.

Same for the biology major. Obviously, there is nothing else to do with that! 🙄

Medicine is not the profession I chose for myself. It is my parents, family values and social impact that helped me too look deep into this profession. And I don't hate medicine. Neither I love it too much. I like it (moderately high but not too much) and I can see myself working as a doctor for the rest of my life.

PERIOD

Dude (or dudette), seriously you need to do some soul searching because adcom's are going to see straight through you.

I would really like to see what your personal statement says...

But, if medicine is what YOU want to do, then I wish you the best of luck!

 

[bbcnp]

i have a serious question. Why every Paki and Indian wants to be a doctor?
in my college there are so many Indians and Paki students in premed. Its like the whole South Asia wants to be Docs.

I'm Indian and my parents wanted me to go into either Law, Medicine, Engineering, or Business. They wanted to see me going into a career that they thought I could make a living off of. I'm not saying that these are the best careers but that these are the only careers that my parents(and most Asian parents) believe provide long-term financial stability.

So yes there is a certain degree of pressure to choose one of these careers. However, no amount of pressure should force you to be something you don't want to be.

 

[apumic]

Dude (or dudette), seriously you need to do some soul searching because adcom's are going to see straight through you.

I would really like to see what your personal statement says...

But, if medicine is what YOU want to do, then I wish you the best of luck!

I don't. It's pretty predictable.

 

[Mbeas]

I'm Indian and my parents wanted me to go into either Law, Medicine, Engineering, or Business. They wanted to see me going into a career that they thought I could make a living off of. I'm not saying that these are the best careers but that these are the only careers that my parents(and most Asian parents) believe provided long-term financial stability.

umm...not to be rude, but these are careers that ALL parents believe provide long term financial stability. Not just Asian or Indian parents.

This thread is racist and promotes stereotyping.

 

[The Poet Sings]

Dude (or dudette), seriously you need to do some soul searching because adcom's are going to see straight through you.

I would really like to see what your personal statement says...

But, if medicine is what YOU want to do, then I wish you the best of luck!

i agree. at first i thought they were being sarcastic and just kidding, especially with the "Mom thinks that I could get to marry a good, educated girl when I become a doctor, otherwise she thinks that I will get a *****" thing. but the more they talk, the more i think they're serious! but, best of luck to you, pisiform. i think you'll need it more than the rest of us who are genuinely interested (and don't just like it and think we have no choice).

 

[Pisiform]

Oh, duh! I forgot that once you have registered for the MCAT you are required to go to medical school and will have no other options for the rest of your life.

Same for the biology major. Obviously, there is nothing else to do with that! 🙄



Dude (or dudette), seriously you need to do some soul searching because adcom's are going to see straight through you.

I would really like to see what your personal statement says...

But, if medicine is what YOU want to do, then I wish you the best of luck!

Anyways, I will be a doctor, I am pretty positive and I can see it doing for the rest of my life.

I assure all neurotic SDNers that I won't be frustrated.
I can say that I won't get frustrated because I have volunteered at different hospitals, clinics, did research in Microbiology and I enjoy doing it.
I also help my sister run a free clinic -NGO where every weekend she sees patient for free.

Although I enjoy playing cricket more than medicine, and I am very good at cricket - was a captain and coach for the team for 3 yrs - but I know that I don't wanna be a cricketer for a living.....

The only point i was trying to make is that:

Medicine is not the profession I chose for myself. It is my parents, family values and social impact that helped me too look deep into this profession. And I don't hate medicine. Neither I love it too much. I like it (moderately high but not too much) and I can see myself working as a doctor for the rest of my life.

PERIOD

Thanks for wishing me good luck 😍

 

[Pisiform]

i agree. at first i thought they were being sarcastic and just kidding, especially with the "Mom thinks that I could get to marry a good, educated girl when I become a doctor, otherwise she thinks that I will get a *****" thing. but the more they talk, the more i think they're serious! but, best of luck to you, pisiform. i think you'll need it more than the rest of us who are genuinely interested (and don't just like it and think we have no choice).

Its not completely sarcastic, but for sure an Exaggeration. She never said anything like that. She just meant that I could marry in a good family if I am educated - and she is happy to see me as an educated doctor.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

i have a serious question. Why every Paki and Indian wants to be a doctor?
in my college there are so many Indians and Paki students in premed. Its like the whole South Asia wants to be Docs.

why you no speak like the rest of us? yet another question that's non of my business

 

[The Poet Sings]

Its not completely sarcastic, but for sure an Exaggeration. She never said anything like that. She just meant that I could marry in a good family if I am educated - and she is happy to see me as an educated doctor.

yea i figured that part was just a huge joke, but, you could still end up with someone that sucks as a human being even as a doctor! it may even be more likely to happen, since they'll get all "oooh a doctor he must have money" and then screw you over. not saying it WILL happen, but just that it can/does. gold-diggers exist! beware...

 

[Pisiform]

yea i figured that part was just a huge joke, but, you could still end up with someone that sucks as a human being even as a doctor! it may even be more likely to happen, since they'll get all "oooh a doctor he must have money" and then screw you over. not saying it WILL happen, but just that it can/does. gold-diggers exist! beware...

hahaha!!! I will remember your advice Poet, sure I will 👍

 

[LizzyM]

Miss Lizzy won't reveal some of the boneheaded remarks she's heard from interviewees or fellow interviewers. However, I will tell you about my experience reading a local newspaper produced for the Indian/Pakistani community in my city (my husband was doing business in that area & bought some advertising in the publication) What entertained me were the personal ads. Most were taken out by brothers on behalf of sisters or by men seeking women and the prominent feature for both men and women was PGY year (post graduate year -- year of residency or fellowship) and medical specialty. It just goes to show you what a socially valuable characteristic medicine as a career is in that community. I have never seen anything like that in mainstream US publications.

 

[Dreaming big]

My parents were too tricky for this crap - they used reverse psychology to get me to choose medicine.

I grew up here things like "dont become a doctor" - so I rebelled.


/Purely fictional account

 

[Pisiform]

So true

 

[The Poet Sings]

My parents were too tricky for this crap - they used reverse psychology to get me to choose medicine.

I grew up here things like "dont become a doctor" - so I rebelled.


/Purely fictional account

good thing they didn't try using "stay out of prison"

 

[Cleavername]

FYI. In 2009 there was 8,577 "Asian" applicants to medical school (which includes Indians and people from Pakistan I suppose). Of those, 3,763 were accepted and matriculated to medical school. Also in 2009 there was 25,304 "White" applicants to medical school. Of those, 11,557 were accepted and matriculated to medical school. This means that "Asians" had a matriculation rate of ~43.8% and "Whites" a matriculation rate of 45.6%. The two groups were almost exactly the same.

So long story short, it is all in your head. You are letting other people think for you instead of finding out the facts on your own.



Here are some statistics from the AAMC that you might want to look at....

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table8-fact2006to2009det-web.pdf

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table9-fact2006to2009detmat-web.pdf

that means literally absolute nothing since you have no idea what the stats of the matriculation were, meaning if lets say Asians were higher in stats yet they still experienced the same rate of matriculation, or if the white population were matriculated into much more competitive medical schools. i am obviously not implying thats what exactly happens but the conclusion is that you can't say the matriculation process is completely fair base solely on matriculation rates of those 2 populations.

 

[muhali3]

Miss Lizzy won't reveal some of the boneheaded remarks she's heard from interviewees or fellow interviewers. However, I will tell you about my experience reading a local newspaper produced for the Indian/Pakistani community in my city (my husband was doing business in that area & bought some advertising in the publication) What entertained me were the personal ads. Most were taken out by brothers on behalf of sisters or by men seeking women and the prominent feature for both men and women was PGY year (post graduate year -- year of residency or fellowship) and medical specialty. It just goes to show you what a socially valuable characteristic medicine as a career is in that community. I have never seen anything like that in mainstream US publications.

Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous. My mom does the same thing, wanting my sisters to marry either a doctor, engineer, or lawyer. It's mostly a prestige thing as there are many other financially secure "noble" professions but they are not lauded as highly in the community.

 

[Busdrivin4life]

Hey all,

I'm an indian, and my parents have allowed me to choose whatever field I wanted. Since day one, they have told me to do whatever I want, as long as I'm an honest person and respectable. We are by no means filthy rich, yet also we certainly are not poor.

Ever since I was younger I had a great interest in biology. Later on through out high school and college volunteering opportunities have allowed me to see the significance of helping others.

Since then, I've wanted to be part of the Medical field. I recently graduated from college and am applying to medical schools...

Not all Indians and Paki folks are getting into this field because of their parents... or the money... or the status...

Just thought I'd share with you guys.

 

[Kanye West]

Medicine is a solid way to make a living and have job security.