Will I be considered a URM

[DrLeon]

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According to AAMC the correlation between MCAT and USMLE 1 is only between the PS and BS sections, each contribute statistically equivalently (the correlation is about 0.03 higher on PS - insignificant). VR correlates slightly. Writing does not correlate at all.

For the majority of URMs I know personally, it was the VR that hurt them on the MCAT. A close friend of mine was rejected because a low VR score put them under the minimum score to get an interview, but the PS and BS were just fine. And this points to what I am talking about; we are qualified, but many times it is this one section that barely correlates that gets us.

 

[psychgirrrl]

1. I don't know of any schools that do not require math and science classes. I don't know where you went to school, but every place I've heard of requires at least basic math and science classes to graduate. Three years of math to catch up? Exactly what kind of physics did you take? The physics I took was trig based. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you take trig after you take algebra. So even if you didn't take pre-algebra in high school, you can take pre-algebra your first semester, college algebra your second semester, and then trig the first semester of sophomore year. Traditional students take physics their junior year, so even if you were behind in math, you wouldn't be behind in terms of pre-requisite timing. Furthermore, I took math through Calc 1 in high school. My first semester of college I took Calculus 1 again. Between then and Physics 1 (First semester of Junior year) I didn't take any math classes and it wasn't a problem.


2. The reason you didn't realize you needed physics is because you didn't do the research and look at the pre-reqs. That's no one's fault but your own. It's beyond annoying to constantly read about people making excuses and blaming other people for their shortcomings. We have all messed up at some point. Take responsibility for it.

I wasn't passing blame to anybody MedPr, I took physics when I took physics, and yes, I took 3 years of straight math in college before I was able to take Physics. I was well behind in high school and was passed along until college where I was instructed to take academic skills math and finally learned a lot of the basic math I had difficulty learning in HS. I am not trying to blame anybody for anything, I was giving an example of how it can hurt people how it hurt me. In the state of Wisconsin, you are required to take 3 math classes to graduate HS. I stopped at Geometry because I had no idea I had to take physics in college to become a doctor. I was in HS and mentioned to my advisor that I wanted to become a doctor several times and was never instructed to take physics or to buckle down in math. But I learned the hard way and ended up doing just fine. I think blaming a 15 year old for not doing her research about medical school while in HS is kind of off-putting. But sure, if you want to go ahead and blame my stupid 15 year old self for not being on SDN then, be my guest sweetie. I am sorry you read it as whiny, I was using myself as an example of what I know happens all the time at my university. I meet kids everyday who are in the exact same situation I was in when I got into college. I had no idea what to do and all I knew was that I wanted to be a doctor, but I worked out it through my undergrad and here I am, applying and hopefully will be succeeding soon.

The educational situation in this country is dire and I know a lot of requirements to graduate HS have been cut with the current administration here in Wisconsin. Programs like the one I work for try to encourage kids to do their best and take as much science and math as it is available to them but unfortunately we can't get to everybody and a lot of schools are over-populated and students end up falling through the cracks like I did. I don't blame my HS for this or anybody really, I am just pointing out that this is the situation a lot of kids go through. I don't resent my HS or anything that happened, I do wish though I had somebody tell me that I needed to buckle down and take as much math as I could. I have always had a knack for Biology and I took advanced courses in Bio instead of taking the physics. If I could go back knowing what I know now I would of put myself through physics while in HS.

That's is why when I am working and I meet kids who tell me they want to be doctors, I share my story with them and make sure to tell them they absolutely need to take math and science in HS. Don't stop on what is required of you, start achieving now and you will achieve everything you want.

I am glad your experience was different than mine and you were able to graduate all caught up, I don't wish all the remediation I had to do upon anybody. It was tough for me because as you probably have already gathered, I hate mathematics with a burning passion. Still, I am only 21 and am already applying and hopefully will be 22 and a medical student. So really what else could I ask for? If I applied any younger I would be the baby of the class. 🙂

 

[psychgirrrl]

Thinking something sounds cool and having the desire to pursue it are two different things though. Many students don't have the desire to take calc in high school.I don't understand why everyone thinks URMs are getting cheated in high school. In small towns, which make up a large part of america, minorities and white people have equal opportunity as far as high school goes.There isnt as many "fancy upscale" high schools as people seem to think. Believe it or not there are tons of run down crap high schools where the middle class goes. I mean the high school i went to was absolutely terrible; but the people that wanted to do well, DID do well. High school is free and equal opportunity, if you do bad, how can you blame anyone but yourself when theres so many free resources to help you these days? And don't tell me theres limited access to those...its pretty easy to get a library card.

Yes, Cole, I agree with you in all counts. I went to a pretty crappy HS (I am pretty middle class as well) and I had a lot of work to do to get myself caught up in a lot of things. It was hard but I did and I am with you when you say everyone else can do it. My critique is of the educational system in general, I just mentioned that I worked with under-represented children (many of them are just straight up poor, no matter what ethnicity) to kind of give you a perspective of where I was coming from.

I usually don't tell kids though "you did bad, you've got nobody else to blame but yourself!" because well that's a little harsh and honestly not true a lot of times. When you are a kid and you have to develop the maturity to do everything on your own w/o the help from any adults, I think failure is expected and honestly should be appreciated. At least they are trying. A lot of children from all colors, shapes and sizes have a lot of issues at home and no social support. I think that's what makes it so hard for them to do well in school and unfortunately, because african americans are disproportionately poor they are the ones that often find themselves in this situation. You are right though, it's not about race and the URM classification is not very well-written. But it is what it is, the intentions are good but like everything else people fall through the cracks.

In regards with motivations to be a doctor, I am not sure that we can do that or that their early motivations are based on any sort of reality but still I think kids should be taken seriously when they have such ambitious dreams. Like I said before, we can give them the ability no matter what their profession ends up being. I am just saying that they should have the opportunity to take those math and science classes early on even if later they decide to be an actor and not doctors. It won't hurt them that's for sure and they will be prepared for anything they want later on in life.

 

[dad386]

How about white South African, first generation American? Technically African American by definition, but I've never checked that box. If heritage comes up later on, I address it there. nbd