<p>^ Okay. And woman ( or men) shouldn’t prefer to see women health care providers? I get a lot of that too.</p>
<p>*"What??? Where are minorities afraid to get medical treatment from white healthcare professionals? '</p>
<p>I don’t know that I would call it fear. Does preferring a female “provider” seem as outrageous?*</p>
<p>While I don’t have a preference for male or female healthcare providers, I can understand why some do. That isn’t a racial/ethnic issue. That is usually more of a modesty issue…which is a whole different issue. </p>
<p>However, I don’t “buy” the excuse from some women that don’t want male OB/GYNs because men don’t have babies. </p>
<p>I don’t think there should be any concern about there being any kind of Tuskegee issue in the present day.</p>
<p>Even if you don’t think it to be be true, it is. And honestly, if someone has a preference and feels comfortable with a male, female, Asian, Black, lesbian, whatever doctor, why should one even care?</p>
<p>If it’s racist, then so be it. Being called a racist is not an insult, it’s just stating a fact. I live in a world that color of the skin often doesn’t matter, but there are times when it does, and it’s quite obvious and that is dangerous to ignore.</p>
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<p>If you have a preference for a doctor of X group, that’s totally fine. This is America: people are free to have such preferences. But just because a person has a preference for a Hispanic doctor doesn’t mean we should implement affirmative action for Hispanic med school applicants so his preference can be satisfied. That’s all I’m saying.</p>
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<p>Yes, you do decide what your money buys. So if all else equal, a school does not provide a satisfactory level of “diversity” compared to another school, are you going to pay money to the first school? Probably not. Hence, you have implicitly made a decision on what is “diverse” and what is not.</p>
<p>I don’t follow that, but whatever. Demographics are just one part of what value means in the context of paying for college. As long as it’s understood that it is a personal choice, and that I don’t judge what others choose. I accept the choice of California voters, and I pay my taxes. </p>
<p>BTW, I would have gladly paid for a UC, if that’s what my daughter wanted.</p>
<p>And honestly, if someone has a preference and feels comfortable with a male, female, Asian, Black, lesbian, whatever doctor, why should one even care?</p>
<p>It’s one thing to have a preference for a “non-racist” reason…such as wanting a Chinese (speaking) physician because your own English skills aren’t good.</p>
<p>But, if you’re in the hospital about to have surgery and you have a fit because you find out that your anesthesiologist is black, then that is wrong…just plain wrong.</p>
<p>Mom2collegekids, you may find this article interesting. Unfortunately there are instances where patients are unhappy that the doctor is black.
[Racial</a> Encounters in Medicine - Psychiatric Times](<a href=“http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/display/article/10168/1162986]Racial”>http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/display/article/10168/1162986)</p>
<p>“As an African American resident physician, I was not naive about the pervasiveness of racism in our society. However, I have been truly caught by surprise with its emergence in the doctor-patient relationship in strikingly overt forms…”</p>
<p>With regard to medicine ( and NOT to Afirmative Action), I don’t know how often there is time for right and wrong when it comes to individual patients. The fact of the matter is, that behavior based on sex and race is alive, even today. Just not on CC…well not on the parents forum…We had two slightly negative incidents just last week at a VERY expensive resort in San Diego. Didn’t ruin one minute. We are relatively used to it. What we are NOT used to is seeing other African Americans at this particular resort, or as our physicians. </p>
<p>Personally, I see an increased likelihood to attend to health matters a positive form of “prejudice”, and for the time being, better than the alternative. In this case, African Americans are pleasantly surprised to see an African American doctor, and think he is more likely to understand. This has been a VERY big deal for me working with children’s behavior, when many parents think people from other cultures are responding out of prejudice, or do not understand or appreciate social norms. In that moment I am grateful for that belief that I will understand. I have heard some interesting perspectives on this from biracial kids, regarding their extended families.</p>
<p>And I think some patients prefer female doctors not out of “modesty”, but out of assumptions about how men and women are different.</p>
<p>Again, I am NOT saying this is an argument for Affirmative Action.</p>
<p>So I wanted to know whether I should check Asian or Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander, if my parents are from Taiwan.</p>
<p>Also, I know one of my ancestors was Native American, but I am barely American Indian myself. I also wouldn’t be able to describe what American Indian background I’m from. So should I not check American Indian off?</p>
<p>Taiwan is not considered a Pacific-Island nation, so you would check off “Asian.”</p>
<p>check off Asian?!? NOOOOO!!! my chances have already dropped</p>
<p>*
“As an African American resident physician, I was not naive about the pervasiveness of racism in our society. However, I have been truly caught by surprise with its emergence in the doctor-patient relationship in strikingly overt forms…” *</p>
<p>Our family has 3 family care physicians…all black.</p>
<p>My kids’ orthodontist is black</p>
<p>Our dentist is black.</p>
<p>I can’t imagine having not having them treat us because of “color”.</p>
<p>So, just for the purpose of us taking advantage of “diverse” perspectives, does it seem that refusing to see someone because of their color, is the same as preferring to see someone because of color? It seems different to me.</p>
<p>Mom2collegekids: To me the huge drawback of living in Leave It to Beaver land is the lack of diversity in the social infrastructure of our town. At the clinic that we go to there are 28 doctors. Only one is non white and he is a surgeon. My kids have never seen a nonwhite health care provider - nurse, NP, doctor, physical therapist, dentist, or veterinarian. Ditto for the schools, library, local government, etc. Our town has some very good points but this has been something we have thought long and hard about.</p>
<p>Shrinkrap: I agree that it feels different and I am trying to put my finger on why. Is it because refusing to see someone implies an insult or a put down?</p>
<p>I can’t imagine refusing to see someone because of race; perhaps because as a “URM”, I’d be dead and/or broke! I don’t think that’s it though. I believe I have been socialized to expect and accept a White male, and don’t even think about it, but I am never surprised to see a woman, or someone Asian. When I see someone Black or obviously “Hispanic”, I think “you go!”( in a GOOD way). I know many of the African Americans in the community are VERY proud of my husband, who is in Family Practice, and he is part of a coalition on disparities in health care. The Black Barbershop Program is a favorite. </p>
<p>AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ASIDE, I don’t see how this can be a bad thing.</p>
<p>[THE</a> BLACK BARBERSHOP HEALTH OUTREACH PROGRAM](<a href=“http://www.blackbarbershop.org/]THE”>http://www.blackbarbershop.org/)</p>
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<p>Well, you could check off Pacific Islander if you have Taiwanese aborigine ancestors, seeing as how they are Austronesian. ([Taiwanese</a> aborigines - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwanese_Aborigines]Taiwanese”>Taiwanese indigenous peoples - Wikipedia))</p>
<p>Anyone know any anti-affirmative action groups in Southern California (that’s not overly conservative/Republican)?</p>
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<p>Well the thing is I don’t know whether or not I’m Taiwanese aborigine or more Chinese. But my skin is pretty dark (compared to Asians) and my mom’s family speaks some dialect that’s not Mandarin Chinese. Do I have to get genetically tested or something to figure this out? Should I check off both Asian and Pacific Islander? Is all of this even important for the application process?</p>
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<p>Leaving aside the question of whether anyone from Taiwanese falls under what colleges define “Pacific Islander” as, a few questions should help to determine your heritage.</p>
<ol>
<li>Were your grandparents already on Taiwan before 1949, or did some come with the KMT after 1949?</li>
<li>Does your mom’s family speak Hokkien or Hakka or some other dialect?</li>
</ol>
<p>Taiwan was part of Fujian Province, Qing Empire from 1683 to 1885 and was its own province from 1885 to 1895. Many ethnic Chinese migrated from mainland Fujian to Taiwan and intermarried with Taiwanese aboriginals; their descendants are known as the Hoklo, and they form the overwhelming majority of Taiwanese. So if your grandparents were already on Taiwan before 1949, there’s a good but not surefire chance that you’ve got some Taiwanese aboriginal ancestry in you. If, however, some grandparents came to Taiwan after 1949 with the KMT, then it depends on whether your other grandparents were already there before 1949. If all four of your grandparents came with the KMT after 1949, I’d say that there’s very little chance that you have any Taiwanese aboriginal ancestry.</p>
<p>There is an imperfect correlation between being Hoklo and speaking Hokkien. It’s imperfect because there are some Hoklo who can’t speak Hokkien at all, whereas some “mainlanders” speak Hokkien very fluently. Ask your parents if you’re curious. I’m sure they’d love to tell you about your family’s history.</p>