Race

I agree that programs appreciate diversity and actively try and increase minorities in programs. Here's an articles from jaaos- www.jaaos.org/cgi/content/full/15/suppl_1/S37 about women and minorities. Having worked with diversity issues extensively, I can tell you there are a few groups of minorities that programs, med schools, businesses etc... care about. These include african americans, hispanic, native american, and asian american/pacific islanders. The aamc explicitly named these groups as underrepresented minorities and these are the groups programs try and recruit.

If you are in the "other" category like myself, this does not help you and may even hurt you given current world events. So being african american, hispanic, etc.. is definetely a plus on your app and should help (theoretically) but this is certainly not the case for other minority groups, unless you're a female, then at least you have that going for you.

what does other mean?

Not an attending. Am a Fellow.

Tread lightly when breaching this topic. This is a very sensitive subject. Lots of things come into play. Region, application, variety of programs applied to. I'm african-american. Was an average applicant when I applied 6 years ago. Got interviews at some great programs and ended up in a great residency program. Not only am I african-american, but I came from a pretty impoverished background (inner-city, poor, child of single parent, etc.). I only mention that because most of the people in ortho that I have come into contact with the past 6 - 7 years are not from that sort of background. With that said. . . . . . .I can truly only recall only 2 or 3 times that I have felt out of place or unwanted during my training. That counts residency, national meetings, conferences, interviews, etc. I'm from the midwest, and trained in the midwest, so the climate may just be different.

If any thing, I saw race as an advantage. You show up on interview day and there's seriously 40 6-foot, white guys, with dark hair in black suits. Then there was me, 6-foot-3, black guy in a black suit. Who do you think they'll remember best? I was also a Jock, so that may have helped me out a bit too.

As for the paucity of interviews. . . . . . . . . .there has got to be something that sticks out about the application. It could be board scores, a bad LOR, odd personal statement, a bad rotation grade, your program origin, poor selection of programs to apply too (i.e. applied to "upper tier" places w/o any "lower tier" places in the mix). Knowing the review process at my residency program. Choices of whom to interview was based on board scores, LOR's, grades, research/publications. . . . . . . .not race. Just my anecdotal experience.

Bone_Jock I would like to talk to you sometimes, always good to meet brothas like yourself, pm me

interesting the comment you make about meeting "brothas", is that not racist? I am white, but would it ever be appropriate for me to publicly tell someone else I would like to meet them because they are "(insert word for white man)" like myself?

racist, thats funny. As a minority it is not often that I have come across other minorities in medicine, especially in orthopaedics. It would be nice if we lived in a world that race does not matter, but unfortunately it does. As a minority in medicine I have had to over come obsticles that others have not. I am not complaning about this, as I believe ultimately the struggles i have endured only make me stronger and ultimately a better doctor. But if you think that there is not opposition to minorities in medicine and in orthopaedics you are mistaken. As someone who aspires to become an orthopaedic sergeon it is inspiring to meet other brothas that have done it before me. As they can provide insight and wisdom. Just as you would ask a future collague for advise about a rotation at a new hospital.