Question

I've been reading websites/forums, and many people who are minorities have a greater impact on getting accepted into Medical Schools/DO schools.

Can't find good information that confirms this, what are your opinions?

I'm from Bosnia, so European.

Answer 1

Through the AAMC.org, I found this. Seems like there is a better chance for minorities getting an edge over people.

https://www.aamc.org/students/minorities/med-mar/

Answer 2

uhhhh european = white

last time i checked that wasn't a minority...

Answer 3

@aaronq What I meant to say was ethnic miniority

Answer 4

oh okay. carry on

Answer 5

Hmmm this is an interesting and totally random question. Not really sure what you are trying to say.

Answer 6

@Preetha There are many rumors out there that, because you are outside of the U.S. that you have privileges over other students when applying towards medical schools, and I wanted to know what people's opinions where of this.

Answer 7

you are born*

Answer 8

Are you trying to do research on affirmative action, or are you undergoing the application process?

Answer 9

I did some research on this regarding law school applications. This might be consuming, but I think it said that law schools (like med schools I'm sure) like to encourage diversity, but do not like to lose their rank status, so if they get a black applicant that gets a 160 on the last (90th percentile), they will accept immediately since this is a good score, but also will diversify their schools.

For this reason, black applicants may have higher acceptance rates than white applicants.

Answer 10

Hmm... I'm not that well versed on specifics and it really depends on the school. I've heard that minorities with high scores are sometimes more likely to be accepted, but this is not always a conscious thing.

for example, a minority applicant in their essay might write about something in their life that made them want to be a doctor or a lawyer that is connected to their ethnicity, and that might be an experience only minorities can write about and might cause more sympathy from the reader of the essay.

I know I went to a law school panel where the applicant had a 159 on the lsat (which is decent), spoke three languages, worked two jobs to put himself through school because he was an undocumented immigrant, and wrote in his essay he wanted to be a lawyer to help undocumented immigrants like himself. He was accepted, but not just because of that story, also his scores, gpa, internships, etc.
But that the letter contributed.

Answer 11

In short, I think that being an ethnic minority probably plays more of a role if you have lower scores, then they look at your essays and background where you ethnicity might come into play if that makes sense?

Answer 12

I think the purpose of this exercise is to show skills at writing more than the justification on greater impact of minorities being accepted in medical or osteopathic school. My hint is that you reduce the vague topic to a specific one. Greater impact to what, advancement of medicine itself, greater impact in the community of "minorities," or being a minority gets a leg-up in getting accepted in an MD/DO school? Maybe if you can zero in this criterion by yourself, you wouldn't need any help at writing at all. After all, you're supposed to be a graduate student :)