Aboriginals and preferential treatment in the medical school admissions process

[mac_attack]

Is anyone else bothered by the fact that for some schools, certain traits like Aboriginal decent or being a francophone give you a boost for getting into med school. For instance, look at Ottawa, the differences in cut-off are like 3.4 and 3.8!!!!
I thought Canada was a land of equal opportunity for all.

What about others, like immigrants who maybe moved here from an non-English speaking country, learned the language, excelled through school past many English speaking students, have to work 2 jobs to get through school, etc.

If we're going to give special considerations to one group of people we should do it for everyone.
I am appalled that medical schools decrease cut-offs for certain people based on race.

Aboriginals in Canada do not have it as bad as people think. I worked in a community last summer in Manitoba and I'm telling you, they get a lot of special privileges, don't pay taxes, have the option of sending their kids to special schools for free, and many other things. The biggest problem facing the communities is basically laziness because they are handed everything and they expect others/the government to take care of everything for them. I think it's time to stop feeling sorry for them and allowing them to be stupider.


Umm I know I will get a lot of stones thrown at me but if you could at least read my point before you reply that would be appreciated!

[The Law]

I understand your frustration, but I really think you need to think before you speak. "Aboriginals are stupider or what" <--- that is a very racist comment, and just because you feel that other groups should be given an extra chance at getting into med school, it doesn't mean you need to lash out at a group. Honestly, I hate when I see posts like this. This is the system we live in, so just put up with it. Sitting here and *****ing about it isn't going to do anything. Honestly, have you haven't even applied to med school - stop wasting time thinking about things that are not going to change, and instead, think about your own application and how you can improve it.

[degoo_]

Its such a complex issue. There are many (good) reasons for why it is set up like it is. As Law said, that's the way it is today, so you better get used to it. I don't think you should draw large conclusions based on your experience with one group in Manitoba.

The biases exist everywhere. If they aren't racial, then they are regional. If not regional, then they are age-based. But rest assured, if you work hard enough, it won't matter where you are from, what your age or race are.


I hope the title gets edited.

[TimmyMax]

Hey,

Wow, this post is so incredibly narrow-minded that I'm not even going to bother to respond. Just be sure to voice these opinions at your medical school interviews (assuming that you get one)- I'm sure that they will score you tons of points with your interview committees! I sincerely hope that you never become a medical student with that attitude.

[degoo_]

Don't chastise him like how he chastises others. Surely he can question why the requirements are set up how they are. The manner in which he is doing it is the problem though.

I think its because aboriginal people will more likely return to a rural community and provide essential primary care there. There has to be some incentive for them to do so.

[TimmyMax]

Hey,

I think that as The Law stated earlier, the OP really needs to think before s/he speaks.

[degoo_]

definately.

[DOC_Ma]

Originally Posted by degoo_

Don't chastise him like how he chastises others. Surely he can question why the requirements are set up how they are. The manner in which he is doing it is the problem though.

I think its because aboriginal people will more likely return to a rural community and provide essential primary care there. There has to be some incentive for them to do so.

Well the incentive is big $$$/prestege and many many more isn't that good enough? and I do agree with OP on one point, Canada should be a land of equal opportunity and giving one racial group privilege doesn't seem to follow that ideal.

[rmorelan]

Originally Posted by DOC_Ma

Well the incentive is big $$$/prestege and many many more isn't that good enough? and I do agree with OP on one point, Canada should be a land of equal opportunity and giving one racial group privilege doesn't seem to follow that ideal.

In principle I would agree with you - but I am concerned about the flip side as well. I mean the reason the schools are trying to recruit more Aboriginals is similar to the reason this are trying to recruit more rural doctors - the situation in many aboriginal communities is just terrible from a medical point of view. You have a greatly shortened lifespan, 4 times the child mortality rate compared the rest of the country, massive levels diabetes, obscenity, heart disease ...... pretty much every measure of health we have they are significantly worse off. They also happen to be the largest growing segment of the population, which suggests the situation as bad as it is is going to get worse.

Aboriginal communities also have the right to equal opportunity to good health and that means having access to medical care. I would be more concerned about the quotes (designed to help improve the situation) if we had some alternative plan/strategy that addresses it some other way.

Schools I think have made an tough ethical choice here. The quotas don't follow the principle of justice with respect to the applicants, but they do follow that principle with respect to attempting to equalize patient care. I am not completely happy about it, but since patient care is suppose to trump everything else I can live with it - at least until we figure out a better way.

[svp2k5]

Originally Posted by DOC_Ma

Well the incentive is big $$$/prestege and many many more isn't that good enough? and I do agree with OP on one point, Canada should be a land of equal opportunity and giving one racial group privilege doesn't seem to follow that ideal.

The aboriginal students at my school have never had lower cutoffs than the rest of the class. The difference has been that their was a parallel interview/application process. This whole notion that that group is getting in with substandard MCAT/GPA, etc is totally off base.

Even if they did away with the aboriginal spots, it really wouldn't make a difference to the average premed who is applying. At western for instance, there are three dedicated spots for aboriginal students. Typically 1 or 2 of these spots get filled each year. Out of 1800 applicants that takes out 2 spots of the available 147. So really you want from having an 8.05% chance of acceptance to a 8.1% chance.

Some of you seem to be reaching at straws and trying to find out how this application process is unjust. It is the way it is, and its not changing because you disagree with it.