Affirmative Action in Medical School Admissions (MD claims "catastrophic consequences" if no AA)

MedScape from JAMA ^ | March 4, 2003 | Laurie Barclay, MD

[LurkedLongEnough]

Like their actor counterparts, doctors are now proclaiming "correct" social policy from on high.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

These folks won't be satsified until white people are banned from all the professions.

[APBaer]

"Very small percentages of underrepresented minority applicants score as well on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and have as high a grade point average (GPA) as most white and Asian applicants.

Well then keep them the fu*k out of my insides, you basta*d.

[goodnesswins]

Catastrophic all right....catastrophic for the patients treated by AA Docs who got their because of their race/color, and not because of their skills/brilliance. I want the BEST doc, no matter what color working on my husband's heart.....I don't give a damn about AA. The problem is now, because of AA people question doctors "of color" and wonder whether they got there because they were the best, or because they were the best COLOR!

[goodnesswins]

first "their" = there......I really CAN spell....just not in the morning!

[Black Agnes]

I think if they HAD to perform well to get into med school they WOULD perform well on the MCAT. AA is training wheels. I went to school with many black science majors who were plenty bright enough to score well on the MCAT. The trick here is...they knew they didn't have to, so they didn't bother to prepare as much. Sad.

[joesnuffy]

Yeah right!

That's why minorities get "special exams" and "extra tries" and a host of "legs up" no one else gets...not even white females...

My wife's lifelong friend remarked to her that in Veterinary school minorities actually took "different" exams than the other students...and got not only "special help" meeting requirements but also had "special requirements"...

Which is really "unfair" to qualified minorities as their legitimacy and skill level will always be in question - until proven otherwise.. doubts will always linger ...leaving bitterness I would imagine..

Affirmative action is undermining our society and is grossly unfair to everyone imo

[arkfreepdom]

Like their actor counterparts, doctors are now proclaiming "correct" social policy from on high.

Only the academic morons think this way. In the field doctors know better. Read about the guy who received Bakke's place if you want a real horror story. That guy was a butcher.

[keithtoo]

I have a question. Why aren't the race-pimps complaining about the low representation of Blacks, Hispanics, and other 'approved minorities' in Physics, Mathematics, Engineering and other hard sciences????????

Maybe its because numbers dont discriminate and cant be accused of discriminating. There's no subjectivity in 2+2=4. It either is or it isn't. If you dont study, the numbers dont come out.

This is just one way to show these hypocrites dont really mean what they say.

[harpseal]

I would suggest the good doctor take a look at the Bakke case and the minority MD who was admitted instead of Bakke then try telling some of that quacks victims how affirmative action admittees are good doctors.

[Hodar]

Why do people insist that equal opportunity somehow creates in equal results? By changing the 'opportuntiy' they are forcing the 'results', and in so doing are preventing good people from achieving their potential, bases solely upon rascist critera.

[goodnesswins]

But...that would be TOO LOGICAL (and anti-socialist.)

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

There are two reasons not to pass a test.
1) too dumb
2) too lazy

I do not want a person to operate on me
with either of these reasons.

[thinktwice]

I can remember when doctors made house calls.

The AMA is a socialist union controlling -- actually RESTRICTING -- the number of students admitted to American Medical Schools. Consequently, most doctors you run into today are immigrant "graduates" from foreign institutions.

Adding more disaster to American medicine, are the unnatural socialized -- government controlled -- medicine schemes such as Medicare.

The AMA, and socialist politicians, have collectively sabotaged American medicine.

The free-market American medical system I grew up with was wonderful. Doctors were free to practice wisely, to set their own prices -- and those price structures were set to accommodated all; rich, poor and indigent.

[jimt]

... and other noncognitive skills.

Uh, I prefer my doctors with heavy emphasis on cognitive skills, thanks.

Idiotic policies like this will make people distrust black and hispanic doctors - for good reason.

[goodnesswins]

"Idiotic policies like this will make people distrust black and hispanic doctors - for good reason."

They already have! (And, it's a sad state of affairs for QUALIFIED minorities.)

[Frankss]

Don't worry sir, Dr. Jones is operating on your brain tommorrow, she is the smartest, afirmative action, diadvantaged, alternate lifestyle, minority,female in her class.

[Labyrinthos]

Well then keep them the fu*k out of my insides, you basta*d

Nice choice of words. < /sarcasm >

[The Great RJ]

As a patient, I'd be very worried whether the physician treating me was admitted to medical school based on academic merit or political correctness.

The minority student admitted to medical school in what the Supreme Court ruled reverse descrimination in the Bakke case later was subject to numerous malpractice claims for gross incompetance.

[RAT Patrol]

Sure, physicians should be from all races, but only if they score well in school. I want a doctor who is knowledgeable, not a doctor who looks like me. His looks won't save my life.

I think it is racist to claim that minorities cannot score as well on tests (except Asians). What about areas where white students are the minority? Do they score lower? Shouldn't colleges find out if you are a minority in your community, rather than just asking your race, if they think it is all about that?

Are these people saying that the state of being in the minority group automatically causes lower scoring, or are they saying that some races and ethnic groups just aren't as smart as others? I'd be mad if I were black and the government treated me as if I just couldn't perform as well.