Minorities in the OD profession

[LucidEyes]

I was just curious if being a minority would put you at a small advantage to getting accepted to optometry school? I realize you have to have the grades, OAT scores, etc but do you think that do to the startlingly low statistics of minorities in the field of optometry this would put one at a small advantage especially if the were bilingual. I'm viewing this as one of the reasons for the opening of Incarnate Word since it is in south Texas and this may bring more diversity to the field.

I read, "most states have less than 10 minority optometrists." AND ..."African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans are underrepresented in optometry"

"Ten percent of the students currently enrolled in optometry schools are minorities; nearly 13% of optometrists 25 to 40 years old are members of minority groups, compared to 6% of those aged 41 to 50 and only 4% of optometrists over age 50."-http://www.oglethorpe.edu/faculty/~d_schadler/optometry.htm

I also discovered the society called NOSA and NOA http://www.natoptassoc.org/
There website claims it's goals are" Increasing the number of minority eye care practitioners, through student recruitment and career placement, has been the NOA's historical focus."

Walmart even partnered up with the organization to help provide jobs and scholarships to students. See the website http://walmartstores.com/Careers/7965.aspx

I tried to do a search on any posts in the history of the OD forum but am surprised to see that there aren't any posts on peoples thoughts or comments. I want to know what you all think.

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[eyestrain]

Is there actually a shortage of minorities in schools right now? I thought some schools have something like 50% minorities.

 

[pienfoo]

asians don't count : p

 

[sportvision]

haha damn asians....

 

[Jay12]

haha damn asians....

 

[jefguth]

I was just curious if being a minority would put you at a small advantage to getting accepted to optometry school? I realize you have to have the grades, OAT scores, etc but do you think that do to the startlingly low statistics of minorities in the field of optometry this would put one at a small advantage especially if the were bilingual. I'm viewing this as one of the reasons for the opening of Incarnate Word since it is in south Texas and this may bring more diversity to the field.

I read, "most states have less than 10 minority optometrists." AND ..."African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans are underrepresented in optometry"

"Ten percent of the students currently enrolled in optometry schools are minorities; nearly 13% of optometrists 25 to 40 years old are members of minority groups, compared to 6% of those aged 41 to 50 and only 4% of optometrists over age 50."-http://www.oglethorpe.edu/faculty/~d_schadler/optometry.htm

I also discovered the society called NOSA and NOA http://www.natoptassoc.org/
There website claims it's goals are" Increasing the number of minority eye care practitioners, through student recruitment and career placement, has been the NOA's historical focus."

Walmart even partnered up with the organization to help provide jobs and scholarships to students. See the website http://walmartstores.com/Careers/7965.aspx

I tried to do a search on any posts in the history of the OD forum but am surprised to see that there aren't any posts on peoples thoughts or comments. I want to know what you all think.

I don't think one new school (Incarnate Word) is going to make any difference in the number of minority optometrists. Why? The dearth of minority OD's really reflects inequities in society, not just at the optometry schools. Even if Incarnate World is located in a highly hispanic corner of the country I'm not so sure it's going to matter b/c the applicant pool is not going to change all of a sudden.

Hey just look at the student population at ICO. We're located in a community that is largely African American, with a nearby growing Hispanic neighbourhood yet unfortunately we only have a handful of African American students (half of which are foreign students) and an equally few number of Hispanic students.

 

[itek2OD]

Welcome to SDN, OP. You may want to check out the Minority Affairs Offices of OD schools you are interested in.

I think you will find the "Underrepresented in Healthcare" forum has what you're looking for.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=219

A couple threads there are interesting. Check out the vanishing white coat thread. The most recent (only?) optometry thread is old, though. It is here:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=485242

 

[gochi]

Why are A.Americans considered a minority when Asians are not ?

 

[jefguth]

Why are A.Americans considered a minority when Asians are not ?

I think what people are saying is that African Americans, Hispanics etcetera are UNDER-REPRESENTED in optometry. Asians on the other hand are possibly over-represented in the profession, just as caucasians are.

 

[gochi]

I think what people are saying is that African Americans, Hispanics etcetera are UNDER-REPRESENTED in optometry. Asians on the other hand are possibly over-represented in the profession, just as caucasians are.

It's disgusting how people create problems which they can't fix, but try to give the perception that they are trying to do so.

 

[eyepoker]

yep, Asians don't count (too bad.......), if I remember correctly, there are some schools that have close to 50% of students in one class that are Asian
, it is PCO or SUNY, I dunno, but "Asian" group also include Indians and all the southeast Asians, so that's a pretty big ethnic group.

Honestly, I think you still have to have the grades to make it. I remember reading it in some other forum (pre med or pre dental) that the admin people add more scores to certain minority students, and take off points for Asians to make it more even. I don't know how valid that is, but it wouldn't surprise me if that happens.

 

[anchan]

Honestly, I think you still have to have the grades to make it. I remember reading it in some other forum (pre med or pre dental) that the admin people add more scores to certain minority students, and take off points for Asians to make it more even. I don't know how valid that is, but it wouldn't surprise me if that happens.

are you kidding me? that makes no sense, why would they do that? that's a totally unethical and irrational admissions process

a good candidate makes a good candidate regardless of ethnicity or social background

 

[DPMstudent]

are you kidding me? that makes no sense, why would they do that? that's a totally unethical and irrational admissions process

a good candidate makes a good candidate regardless of ethnicity or social background

welcome to affirmative action