2011-2012 Oregon Health & Sciences University Application Thread

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Question 1 - What experience have you had that has given you insight into the patients you hope to eventually serve? (1500 character limit)

Question 2 - What will be your greatest challenge in becoming a physician? (1500 character limit)

Question 3 - Give an example of a time when you tried your best to work with a person or a group but the problems still remained. What did you learn from the experience? (1500 characters)

Question 4 - Describe a time when you did not receive what you felt you deserved, and how you reacted. (1500 characters)

Question 5 - Give an example of personal feedback in the last few years that was difficult to receive. How did you respond? (1500 characters)

Question 6 - Please discuss the diversity that you would bring to the OHSU School of Medicine and the profession of medicine. (1500 characters)

Using the fields below, please provide a brief chronological account of your major activities and employment, including volunteer and summer activities, for the five years immediately preceding your proposed entry to medical school. This should include present and projected activities to the point of matriculation to medical school. Please do not include activities that took place prior to or during high school. Note: You are limited to 20 entries in this section.

Best of luck with your application !

Anyone else applying MD/PhD here???

Just applying to MD. I love Oregon though!

The campus is beautiful. If you have never been to the NW I strongly suggest applying to OHSU or UW just in case you get an interview. Good luck to everyone this cycle.

Originally Posted by the humming sea

The campus is beautiful. If you have never been to the NW I strongly suggest applying to OHSU or UW just in case you get an interview. Good luck to everyone this cycle.

If you have never been to the Northwest, please don't apply to UW. Look at the MSAR stats. If you're not from ID, MT, AK, WY, or WA and you're not a Rhodes scholar then you're throwing $30 down the drain.

OHSU, on the other hand, is very OOS friendly. Especially this year and last.

I hope so. I'm an ID resident but I'm applying MD/MPH. I love Oregon!

I'm going MD/MPH too! From Seattle but would love to stay on the west coast and portland is pretty awesome.

Originally Posted by Northwesterly

If you have never been to the Northwest, please don't apply to UW. Look at the MSAR stats. If you're not from ID, MT, AK, WY, or WA and you're not a Rhodes scholar then you're throwing $30 down the drain.

OHSU, on the other hand, is very OOS friendly. Especially this year and last.

Yeah super OOS friendly lately it seems...

Originally Posted by Northwesterly

If you have never been to the Northwest, please don't apply to UW. Look at the MSAR stats. If you're not from ID, MT, AK, WY, or WA and you're not a Rhodes scholar then you're throwing $30 down the drain.

OHSU, on the other hand, is very OOS friendly. Especially this year and last.

I would actually say, that UW SOM is really interested in those who work with underserved/uninsured/underinsured populations and or show an interest doing that. I had quite a few people like that who were OOS way back when I was interviewing for UW.

Originally Posted by djyujin

I would actually say, that UW SOM is really interested in those who work with underserved/uninsured/underinsured populations and or show an interest doing that. I had quite a few people like that who were OOS way back when I was interviewing for UW.

Sorry djyujin, but I agree with Northwesterly on this one!

I had extensive shadowing, research, and volunteer experience (each at separate locations) with underserved populations, plus rural up-bringing and heavy emphasis on underserved populations in my personal statement. I got interviews at UCSF and UCSD as out of state applicant... But I still couldn't even get a secondary application from UW, despite very competitive GPA and MCAT scores.

I blame out OOS!

Has anyone gotten confirmation of their primary being received yet?

Originally Posted by Monocles

Has anyone gotten confirmation of their primary being received yet?

There wasn't any confirmation email last year, AFAIK--just a secondary notice in late July followed by interview invites from mid-August on.

Does anyone have any idea of the secondary? Does it change each year?

Originally Posted by MtnStndTime

Does anyone have any idea of the secondary? Does it change each year?

I don't think it changes each year, but OHSU's secondary changes occasionally anyway.

Either way, it couldn't hurt to start pondering your answers to the questions from last year. Whether they re-use them or not, these questions at least touch on the topics that OHSU seems to care about

Originally Posted by hopefuldoc97239

I don't think it changes each year, but OHSU's secondary changes occasionally anyway.

Either way, it couldn't hurt to start pondering your answers to the questions from last year. Whether they re-use them or not, these questions at least touch on the topics that OHSU seems to care about

Thanks! Do you like going to school there? Do you know if they give preference to WICHE residents?

Interesting editorial in the Oregonian today - I didn't know that OHSU had officially decided to go with the multiple mini interview format. From what I hear, the MMIs are a better way of assessing people's personalities. Good for OHSU!

Just received this secondary. Will post essay questions shortly.

Originally Posted by TuloRocks

Just received this secondary. Will post essay questions shortly.

Please do! Thanks.

I haven't received it yet. Maybe it's because I'm OOS? Are you IS or OOS?

Originally Posted by TuloRocks

Just received this secondary. Will post essay questions shortly.

TuloRock, PM the prompts to Sammich117 as well if you could so it can be added to the top of this thread. Make it much easier for others to find it when there starts to be a lot of posts.

Originally Posted by sector9

Please do! Thanks.

I haven't received it yet. Maybe it's because I'm OOS? Are you IS or OOS?

I am OOS. The email I received says secondaries will be "rolled-out in batches" and I am "in the first group to receive secondaries." My AMCAS was verified on 6/2.

Originally Posted by TuloRocks

I am OOS. The email I received says secondaries will be "rolled-out in batches" and I am "in the first group to receive secondaries." My AMCAS was verified on 6/2.

Ah I see

Looks like new essays this year.

Question 1 - What experience have you had that has given you insight into the patients you hope to eventually serve? (1500 character limit)

Question 2 - What will be your greatest challenge in becoming a physician? (1500 character limit)

Question 3 - Give an example of a time when you tried your best to work with a person or a group but the problems still remained. What did you learn from the experience? (1500 characters)

Question 4 - Describe a time when you did not receive what you felt you deserved, and how you reacted. (1500 characters)

Question 5 - Give an example of personal feedback in the last few years that was difficult to receive. How did you respond? (1500 characters)

Question 6 - Please discuss the diversity that you would bring to the OHSU School of Medicine and the profession of medicine. (1500 characters)

Using the fields below, please provide a brief chronological account of your major activities and employment, including volunteer and summer activities, for the five years immediately preceding your proposed entry to medical school. This should include present and projected activities to the point of matriculation to medical school. Please do not include activities that took place prior to or during high school. Note: You are limited to 20 entries in this section.

Edit: Activity descriptions are limited to 110 characters.

Oregon just won hardest secondary

Originally Posted by TuloRocks

Oregon just won hardest secondary

Woof. I second that. Good luck everyone!

Question 1 - What experience have you had that has given you insight into the patients you hope to eventually serve? (1500 character limit)

Question 2 - What will be your greatest challenge in becoming a physician? (1500 character limit)

Question 3 - Give an example of a time when you tried your best to work with a person or a group but the problems still remained. What did you learn from the experience? (1500 characters)

Question 4 - Describe a time when you did not receive what you felt you deserved, and how you reacted. (1500 characters)

Question 5 - Give an example of personal feedback in the last few years that was difficult to receive. How did you respond? (1500 characters)

Question 6 - Please discuss the diversity that you would bring to the OHSU School of Medicine and the profession of medicine. (1500 characters)

Using the fields below, please provide a brief chronological account of your major activities and employment, including volunteer and summer activities, for the five years immediately preceding your proposed entry to medical school. This should include present and projected activities to the point of matriculation to medical school. Please do not include activities that took place prior to or during high school. Note: You are limited to 20 entries in this section.

Edit: Activity descriptions are limited to 110 characters.

Now that's a secondary

Wow...and I thought that the, "How will you define your success as a medical student" question was tricky when I applied.

This is...intense.

Originally Posted by TuloRocks

Question 4 - Describe a time when you did not receive what you felt you deserved, and how you reacted. (1500 characters)

Also, anyone who answers this question by talking about a previous year's rejection from OHSU has some serious balls.

Originally Posted by URHere

Also, anyone who answers this question by talking about a previous year's rejection from OHSU has some serious balls.

I thought about that for about 3 seconds, but apparently I'm not quite that... um, manly.

Originally Posted by TuloRocks

Oregon just won hardest secondary

I third that. I thought last years were pretty rough, but they pale in comparison to this year's. Good luck!

This secondary is SIGNIFICANTLY harder than last year. I applied last year and got through the interview, but sadly was not accepted. I had an exit interview but they didn't tell me anything to fix. I was ranked competitive and highly competitive in all the categories according to the person I met with. Neither of my interviewers said I needed to fix anything and they said I had no red flags. I asked about retaking the MCAT but she said it shouldn't be a top priority because my academics were completely fine. So I was very disappointed in that. I felt like I got no information as to how to improve. Anyone else have that same problem? Or did people get helpful information? If so, would you care to share?

Submitted. That was brutal.

Originally Posted by TuloRocks

Question 4 - Describe a time when you did not receive what you felt you deserved, and how you reacted. (1500 characters)

Originally Posted by URHere

Also, anyone who answers this question by talking about a previous year's rejection from OHSU has some serious balls.

Perhaps ballsy in the sense that it's not a good strategy for admissions, but from a rational standpoint... if a person didn't think he or she deserved to be admitted then why apply? I don't mean deserved as in entitled, but deserved as in worthy.


Any any event... this is a tough series of essays. Glad I made it into the class starting next month. Good luck to all!

Originally Posted by mybubbles627

This secondary is SIGNIFICANTLY harder than last year. I applied last year and got through the interview, but sadly was not accepted. I had an exit interview but they didn't tell me anything to fix. I was ranked competitive and highly competitive in all the categories according to the person I met with. Neither of my interviewers said I needed to fix anything and they said I had no red flags. I asked about retaking the MCAT but she said it shouldn't be a top priority because my academics were completely fine. So I was very disappointed in that. I felt like I got no information as to how to improve. Anyone else have that same problem? Or did people get helpful information? If so, would you care to share?

When I had my exit interview last summer, I got the same thing. They told me all was good and I was very competitive; however if I wanted to improve my app, I could diversify my volunteer experiences (this is with 2 years ER, 1.5 years free health clinic, and numerous non-medical volunteering experiences). Hoops to jump through I guess, because when my interviewers for the 2010-2011 cycle asked what we talked about during the exit interview and I told them, they scoffed, saying that wasn't really necessary and I was accepted 4 weeks later. My whole experience was that the process is pretty random and probably very subjective with respect to the interviews. Hopefully the MMI will make it a little better.

Originally Posted by chuck84

My whole experience was that the process is pretty random and probably very subjective with respect to the interviews. Hopefully the MMI will make it a little better.

Here's hoping!

Incidentally, have any other early AMCAS submitters not gotten their OHSU secondaries yet?

Originally Posted by Northwesterly

Here's hoping!

Incidentally, have any other early AMCAS submitters not gotten their OHSU secondaries yet?

Submitted AMCAS 6/1, verified 6/7, still no secondary.

Originally Posted by Northwesterly

Here's hoping!

Incidentally, have any other early AMCAS submitters not gotten their OHSU secondaries yet?

Submitted and verified on 6/1. No secondary.

Originally Posted by Schizotypy

Submitted and verified on 6/1. No secondary.

Schizotypy: We have avatars from the same movie! Find me someone with a Ms. Cross avatar, and we'll start the feud!

Originally Posted by hopefuldoc97239

Schizotypy: We have avatars from the same movie! Find me someone with a Ms. Cross avatar, and we'll start the feud!

Haha, I love it! Yours is great!

Originally Posted by hopefuldoc97239

Schizotypy: We have avatars from the same movie! Find me someone with a Ms. Cross avatar, and we'll start the feud!

What about Dirk? Or his mom?

Back on topic, though, anyone else gotten their secondary yet? Waiting into August is making me a little antsy.

Originally Posted by Northwesterly

What about Dirk? Or his mom?

Back on topic, though, anyone else gotten their secondary yet? Waiting into August is making me a little antsy.

It worries me only slightly because at one of my schools, there was a problem and they did not receive the applications of anyone who submitted their AMCAS 6/1 through 6/3. I am really hoping that isn't the case this time!

Originally Posted by Northwesterly

What about Dirk? Or his mom?

Back on topic, though, anyone else gotten their secondary yet? Waiting into August is making me a little antsy.

Look on the bright side, at least you have the questions. So you could write them up and then that provides you the opportunity to submit the secondary the same day you get it.

Originally Posted by mybubbles627

Look on the bright side, at least you have the questions. So you could write them up and then that provides you the opportunity to submit the secondary the same day you get it.

Oh, no doubt. It's just that I'd rather have sent it in last week and potentially be in line for early interview dates than wait 'til early/mid August.

Any MD/PhD applicants receive a secondary yet?

This is not a secondary app-related question, but did anyone else realize too late that OHSU has really strict academic requirements? I didn't take biochem or genetics in college, and those two courses are required... I sent an email asking about this (like, whether all of my other upper-level biology courses would make up for it or if I should withdraw my application), but I haven't received a response yet. I guess I will have to call them.

I feel so stupid for not looking more closely at the prerequisites before adding this school to my primary app....

Originally Posted by Giraffe Guy

Any MD/PhD applicants receive a secondary yet?

Yes. MD/PhD received secondary July 22. But I am also in-state (not sure if that changes which batch you are in).

Originally Posted by alpinebrook

This is not a secondary app-related question, but did anyone else realize too late that OHSU has really strict academic requirements? I didn't take biochem or genetics in college, and those two courses are required... I sent an email asking about this (like, whether all of my other upper-level biology courses would make up for it or if I should withdraw my application), but I haven't received a response yet. I guess I will have to call them.

I feel so stupid for not looking more closely at the prerequisites before adding this school to my primary app....

Don't withdraw your application!

OHSU will require their students to have these courses completed before matriculating, but there's a full year between now and next August. You can still take these classes... you don't need them to apply, you just need them before you start.

It might be worth sending an e-mail update saying "I've registered for these courses, even though I didn't list them as 'In Progress' on my AMCAS application."

That said, I don't think any other upper-division biology courses will substitute for the required courses unless the course descriptions really indicate that they cover the same material.

Originally Posted by hopefuldoc97239

It might be worth sending an e-mail update saying "I've registered for these courses, even though I didn't list them as 'In Progress' on my AMCAS application."

You mean even if I haven't actually registered for such courses? I would definitely take the classes if OHSU was the only school I had a chance at. Otherwise, I have 25 other schools to cross my fingers on.

Originally Posted by alpinebrook

You mean even if I haven't actually registered for such courses? I would definitely take the classes if OHSU was the only school I had a chance at. Otherwise, I have 25 other schools to cross my fingers on.

Well it won't affect wether or not you get admitted (as long as you have other good grades in science courses to show you can handle the material) But you do have to consider whether or not you'd have time after getting an acceptance before classes starting to finish the pre-reqs. I was accepted without them thinking I had completed biochem (they hadn't received an updated transcript which had the course) but by the time I found out I wouldn't have had time to take the course.

OHSU has about as far from rolling admissions as you can get without outright having a set date (or at least they were) so even if you apply and interview early that doesn't mean you'll hear back until sometime later next year.

Originally Posted by alpinebrook

You mean even if I haven't actually registered for such courses? I would definitely take the classes if OHSU was the only school I had a chance at. Otherwise, I have 25 other schools to cross my fingers on.

Well, I don't know how registration works at your undergrad, but for me I would be able to register for a Spring quarter course as late as March of next year.

Originally Posted by Gara

...But you do have to consider whether or not you'd have time after getting an acceptance before classes starting to finish the pre-reqs...

This is a good point.

So: Don't withdraw your app. Send an update letter saying that you're planning to take these courses in the Spring (or Spring and Summer, or whatever).

If you get an interview and you feel good about getting an acceptance, and you think you'd go to OHSU over other schools, then you actually have to take these classes to go to OHSU.

If you don't get an interview at OHSU, or don't think you'll get an acceptance, or don't think you'd take an acceptance over other schools, you don't have to make good on your promise to take the classes.

But don't withdraw your application!

Anybody receive an "app complete" notification yet?

I have still yet to receive my secondary....2 months later?