<p>Are overweight people looked down upon in the med school admissions process (obviously during the interview portion where they could actually see you) ? I'm just curious since a doctor should be a healthy role model. But then again my doctor smokes so neeeeeehhhhh............. This might be a stupid question but it's interesting to me.</p>
<p>Well, no one can escape the issue that a visual evaluation is likely done during the interview process.</p>
<p>The issue isn’t just weight, but can be all sorts of things…unattractive people often face the same sorts of discrimination during interviews.</p>
<p>As for weight, I imagine the amount could be a factor. If someone is just pudgy, then probably not a factor. If someone is so obese that the interviewers might question the ability to have the stamina for med school, then that could be a factor.</p>
<p>Out of the 102 people in my class, I’d say 1 is obese and <10 are close/quite heavy. Many (>50%?) are quite fit and really enjoy working out on a regular basis. Don’t know what that means or if it helps, but I think it’s interesting!</p>
<p>My observations of D1’s class are similiar to kristin’s. One severely/noticably overweight (male, if that makes any difference), ~6-8 “chubbies” out of 97 students. </p>
<p>The rest look quite fit (or as my MIL used to say “what a healthy looking bunch of puppies”).</p>
<p>going by BMI I would guess at most 1 out of the nearly 150 kids in my class would hit the obese (30+) range but I also know they run several miles a day so while they may look obese, they probably aren’t. With probably 10 in the overweight range (25-29.9). Also of note is that when we started there was 1 kid who definitely was in the obese range but has lost 75lbs since starting med school, another student has lost 50+ and I myself gained weight and then lost a bunch also (much harder to maintain a healthy lifestyle when you’re no longer a D1 athlete forced to exercise 6 days a week). I’m pretty sure that med students are statistically significantly more healthy than average.</p>
<p>None of this answers the real question: are unhealthy students at a disadvantage or are students interested in health more likely to be interested in their own health? My gut says it’s the latter.</p>
<p>DS is likely more interested in his own health. If he does not exercise for a few days, he would feel very uneasy about it, even if he is not overweight (In the eyes of this parent, I actually think he is likely a slightly underweight for his height.)</p>
<p>He also paid a lot of attention on what he eats, mostly avoiding junk/greasy food like pizza, or anything deep fried. I think he started to be interested in cooking because he thinks most food that he would eat at a restaurant or fastfood chain is not healthy.</p>
<p>I think he will feel bad when he needs to eat “cafeteria food” at hospital in the near future because he does not have time to find quality food to feed himself.</p>
<p>"Are overweight people looked down upon in the med school admissions process "
-I do not think so.</p>
<p>Going by BMI, I am sure I am obese despite my weight being within normal range. BMI and visual assessment are 2 very different things. Size 8 -10 might be obese if you go by BMI.</p>
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<p>BMI is just a formula based on height and weight. Or do you mean BF% (body fat percentage) which may indicate “normal weight obesity” for some, but also indicate that muscular athletes who are “obese” by BMI or weight standards are really not obese?</p>
<p>BF% is a better individual assessment, but is more difficult to measure consistently or accurately. BMI is useful in population studies where the small number of “normal weight obese” people and heavy muscular athletes do not have much effect on a large population sample.</p>
<p>I am saying that BMI and visual assessment is not always indicates the same. Some who are obese by BMI, might look OK because their size and weight within normal range for their height.<br>
In addition, many who are overweight by BMI, exercise regularly and eat healthy and actually have been heavily in sport at some point in their lives and might still be.
Anyway, I am all for great BMI, but I do not think that it has influence in Med. School acceptance.</p>
<p>I’d actually be pretty surprised if sz 8-10 equated to an obese BMI. My BMI is 22 and I wear a 6. I’d have to gain 50lb or shrink 9in to have a BMI of 30, which is the obese cutoff. I really can’t imagine a ht/wt combo that leads to an obese BMI at size 8-10, although I don’t see why it wouldn’t be theoretically possible.</p>
<p>And while I don’t think BMI itself plays into med school acceptance, I’d be surprised if all med school adcoms (people!) were completely immune to the judgment cast on people who are obese.</p>
<p>Sorry, I wasn’t trying to start a debate on BMI, just using it since it’s the standard unit now.</p>
<p>You can play around with figuring out where you or people you know fall using this: [Calculate</a> Your BMI - Standard BMI Calculator](<a href=“http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/]Calculate”>nhlbisupport.com - nhlbisupport Resources and Information.)</p>
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<p>Maybe someone was looking at a “vanity sized” 8-10 article of clothing?</p>
<p>Example of “vanity sizing” here (although with men’s clothing):
[Pants</a> Size Chart - Mens Pant Sizes by Brand - Esquire](<a href=“http://www.esquire.com/blogs/mens-fashion/pants-size-chart-090710]Pants”>Pants Size Chart - Mens Pant Sizes by Brand)</p>
<p>I would have no fat on my body if I were to have a “normal” bmi.</p>
<p>^I have plenty and plenty of fat. My BMI is actually “normal” in a morning, but in a eventing it goes up to overweight (3 lbs difference, which is normal for me). If you think that I am not toned, I do exercise 1.5hrrs/2hrs every day including vacations. I do not even need to motivate myself, I really like it, great relaxation. So, I might not be toned enough, but not much more I can do about it. There are plenty of people like me. I have seen some who are exercising more rigorously than me and obviously in great physical condition and still have plenty of fat on thier bodies. I am in pretty good shape myslef, I can easily out-walk much younger people</p>
<p>Well, if your BMI is on the upper range of normal and occasionally fluctuating to the lower range of overweight, you’re still pretty far from being obese. It sounds like you lead a healthy lifestyle and are satisfied with yourself!</p>