2011-2012 Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences Application Thread

[In4thelonghaul]

anyone know what like what percent of interviewees get offered an acceptance? msar only tells me how many matriculated and were interviewed

Here's some information from this year's starting class profile. So you can see 247 were given offers of acceptance. (Actually it was probably a little higher, since I know I got my acceptance after May 15, which was the last time this was updated.)

PROFILE OF THE 2011 FIRST-YEAR CLASS (as of May 15, 2011)
2,542 applicants; 247 offers to fill 171 spaces comprised of 115 men and 56 women.
56 minorities, 21 of whom are classified as underrepresented in U.S. Medicine.
Cumulative Grade Point Average 3.50; Science GPA 3.50.
MCAT total 30; average for each subtest 10; Writing Sample Average “P”.
Geographic distribution by region: North 17%; South 37%; Central 7%; West 40%.

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[Coug]

anyone know what like what percent of interviewees get offered an acceptance? msar only tells me how many matriculated and were interviewed

The interview/acceptance rate is usually like 2-3/1. Don't quote me on this exactly though, but it should be a good rough estimate

 

[citrusguy2010]

is there a difference/disadvantage to not having a service preference? i thought i wanted to do PHS but after reading it, I decided it wasn't aligned with all my interests. anyone have opinions?

 

[Cooperd0g]

is there a difference/disadvantage to not having a service preference? i thought i wanted to do PHS but after reading it, I decided it wasn't aligned with all my interests. anyone have opinions?

I'm not certain there is an advantage or not from the school's point of view, but I will say that the three branches are quite different. Having been in the military for 17 years, if I were looking at an application where someone didn't have a preference for a service at all, then I would question how much thought they put into wanting to join.

 

[Dr Ypaint]

If you're interviewing this early, the acceptance rate is probably 100% so long as you don't royally fail at your interview.

 

[jvqd]

To all those with interviews, good luck. It's coming quick. Did you guys complete DODMERB and SF 86?

How are you guys preparing for the interview??

 

[Emilyyyy]

Just got my DoDMERB stuff in the mail today terrified of going in lol
Still haven't received any security forms, but I still have a bit of time before I should contact them.

 

[citrusguy2010]

If you're interviewing this early, the acceptance rate is probably 100% so long as you don't royally fail at your interview.

i hope that's the case for my interview date!

 

[jvqd]

i hope that's the case for my interview date!

Me too!

Also, what forms did you email in? Just the two forms HostQuestion and SponsorQuestion?

What are we expected to bring?
Passport
Security Forms
preferencestatement
InterviewUpdateSheet
and lunchform?

 

[rubixcube]

Has anyone gotten a response about a host student? I sent in the form weeks ago and haven't heard anything about a possible host student. Most of the hotels near USU don't allow you to cancel reservations, so I'd like to hear soon...

Just had the eye exam, going to the physical in a week. Interviewing on Sept. 22nd! I'm so excited!!!

 

[Emilyyyy]

I think they said they'll contact you the week before, right?

 

[Dartmouth2005]

Not applying but just wondering what are the security forms like? Are they national security clearance applications?

 

[ADNTerp]

Hi, I am one of the student government officers in the class of 2014 at USUHS. For those of you that will be interviewing on 9/15, the students are inviting interviewees to come out and have an informal dinner with us the night before (9/14). The details are as follows:

Caddies
4922 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, MD

Date: Wednesday, September 14th
Time: 7:00PM
Dress code: Informal

The location is a 5-7 minute walk from the closest metro stop(Bethesda, Red line stop). For more information, please contact the Office of Student Affairs.

 

[rubixcube]

Has anyone gotten a response about a host student? I sent in the form weeks ago and haven't heard anything about a possible host student. Most of the hotels near USU don't allow you to cancel reservations, so I'd like to hear soon...

Just had the eye exam, going to the physical in a week. Interviewing on Sept. 22nd! I'm so excited!!!

Just got a host student invitation today!

 

[citrusguy2010]

just got my physical forms today. does it matter when we go do this (i.e. can i just go and do it if i get an acceptance)? my biggest concern for this is that the assigned physical place is more than an hour away from where i live and i don't want to necessarily waste my time doing a physical if i did not get in. from what i've read on the previous year's tread (and correct me if i'm wrong), you can be offered either a conditional acceptance (acceptance on condition that you pass your physical) or an unconditional acceptance (that you're in already because you did your physical). is there any harm in doing the physical after (if) i got in? thanks!

 

[Cooperd0g]

You do not have to get the physical done first. A conditional acceptance is awaiting both the medical clearance and security screening. If you are healthy and never had any issues, you are probably fine. However if you had some medical issues then you will probably need a waiver and that process can take a while and it would behoove you to get the ball rolling earlier.

 

[NARP]

Does anybody know if I would still need to take the DoDMERB physical if I took a commissioning physical from my school already (I go to an Academy). I have already had to deal with DoDMERB process once to get into undergrad and it would be nice if I didn't have to do it again

 

[Emilyyyy]

Me too!

Also, what forms did you email in? Just the two forms HostQuestion and SponsorQuestion?

What are we expected to bring?
Passport
Security Forms
preferencestatement
InterviewUpdateSheet
and lunchform?

I think so, for the forms...not too positive. Also, how long did it take for you guys to get your security forms?

 

[Cooperd0g]

Does anybody know if I would still need to take the DoDMERB physical if I took a commissioning physical from my school already (I go to an Academy). I have already had to deal with DoDMERB process once to get into undergrad and it would be nice if I didn't have to do it again

I'm not sure, but in your interview invite email you have a phone number you can call to ask about it. You will get the commissioning coordinator, who will be able to answer your question.

 

[silverhorse84]

Has anyone gotten a response about a host student? I sent in the form weeks ago and haven't heard anything about a possible host student. Most of the hotels near USU don't allow you to cancel reservations, so I'd like to hear soon...

Just had the eye exam, going to the physical in a week. Interviewing on Sept. 22nd! I'm so excited!!!

So the way hosting works on our end is that there's a folder in the student affairs office that has all your forms in it by interview week. Current students go in and look at the folder to choose someone who'd they like to host (usually looking at your preferences). Then they'll contact you. I can't speak for everyone, but when I would host, I generally didn't go in until about a week beforehand. So I wouldn't expect a response until it gets closer - I know that can be unnerving though for you all.

 

[ICUatUCI]

Hi guys, I am filling out the secondary for USUHS and it asks for SAT scores. I looked at the college board website and wrote down my scores. Do I still need to request the scores to be officially send from college board to USUHS?
thanks

 

[robertch8]

Interview invite today! Complete 8/18.

I'm scheduled for 10/13; would it put me at a huge disadvantage to postpone my interview until November or December? Looking forward to learning more about military medicine training...very intriguing opportunity!

 

[LadyRugger]

Hi guys, I am filling out the secondary for USUHS and it asks for SAT scores. I looked at the college board website and wrote down my scores. Do I still need to request the scores to be officially send from college board to USUHS?
thanks

Nope. I think you just need to order your scores if you don't know them!

 

[compshateme85]

Hi, I am one of the student government officers in the class of 2014 at USUHS. For those of you that will be interviewing on 9/15, the students are inviting interviewees to come out and have an informal dinner with us the night before (9/14). The details are as follows:

Caddies
4922 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, MD

Date: Wednesday, September 14th
Time: 7:00PM
Dress code: Informal

The location is a 5-7 minute walk from the closest metro stop(Bethesda, Red line stop). For more information, please contact the Office of Student Affairs.

I am going to try and make it, but my flight gets in at 6pm at Dulles, and I have to pick up my rental car. Do I need to call the Office of Student Affairs to reserve a seat, or can I just show up?

 

[tritown]

Interview invite today! Complete 8/18.

I'm scheduled for 10/13; would it put me at a huge disadvantage to postpone my interview until November or December? Looking forward to learning more about military medicine training...very intriguing opportunity!

Yes it will! Please don't delay, for your sake.

Take it from me; I interviewed December 9th and they were already interviewing people for the waiting list, even that early. I'm applying again, and I am hoping the timeline of when I submitted gets me a late October or early November interview date so I that I don't get waitlisted again and hopefully just accepted.

TLDR: USUHS does have a rolling admissions schedule, so don't delay.

 

[lockian]

I'm wondering if I should bother applying. The school must've gotten wind of my high MCAT score and decided to try to recruit me. Obviously, there's no secondary app fee, but the essay is additional work.

My stats are significantly higher than average for admitted applicants, but I have several things that might just be strikes against me.

I'm female (may be a good thing, though, as females are underrepresented in the matriculating class).

I have no particular military experience (although I am an immigrant who pretty much embodies the American dream).

I also have had charges brought against me, but they were dropped. Later, the whole thing was expunged. As a result, normal, civilian background checks don't see any of it, but since the USUHS is a federal institution, it _will_ see it. (...right?) Now, the incident in question was a result of me having done something really, really stupid that is not characteristic at all -- a white-collar crime -- nothing drug, violence, etc.-related.

So do you think that if I answer "yes" to any of the questions in the background check, they'll throw my app out right away? Or is it worth a shot and potential heartbreak later?

 

[ACDJ]

Will there be a place for us to leave a suitcase? I am flying out right after the interviews and won't have time to go back to my hotel to pick up bags.

 

[Emilyyyy]

I'm wondering if I should bother applying. The school must've gotten wind of my high MCAT score and decided to try to recruit me. Obviously, there's no secondary app fee, but the essay is additional work.

My stats are significantly higher than average for admitted applicants, but I have several things that might just be strikes against me.

I'm female (may be a good thing, though, as females are underrepresented in the matriculating class).

I have no particular military experience (although I am an immigrant who pretty much embodies the American dream).

I also have had charges brought against me, but they were dropped. Later, the whole thing was expunged. As a result, normal, civilian background checks don't see any of it, but since the USUHS is a federal institution, it _will_ see it. (...right?) Now, the incident in question was a result of me having done something really, really stupid that is not characteristic at all -- a white-collar crime -- nothing drug, violence, etc.-related.

So do you think that if I answer "yes" to any of the questions in the background check, they'll throw my app out right away? Or is it worth a shot and potential heartbreak later?

I'm not sure, and I'm probably not the best person to answer. But the app costs nothing, only some time to write the essay. If you think you would love this school, I say you should apply and find out.

 

[Shakespeare37]

I'm wondering if I should bother applying. The school must've gotten wind of my high MCAT score and decided to try to recruit me. Obviously, there's no secondary app fee, but the essay is additional work.

My stats are significantly higher than average for admitted applicants, but I have several things that might just be strikes against me.

I'm female (may be a good thing, though, as females are underrepresented in the matriculating class).

I have no particular military experience (although I am an immigrant who pretty much embodies the American dream).

I also have had charges brought against me, but they were dropped. Later, the whole thing was expunged. As a result, normal, civilian background checks don't see any of it, but since the USUHS is a federal institution, it _will_ see it. (...right?) Now, the incident in question was a result of me having done something really, really stupid that is not characteristic at all -- a white-collar crime -- nothing drug, violence, etc.-related.

So do you think that if I answer "yes" to any of the questions in the background check, they'll throw my app out right away? Or is it worth a shot and potential heartbreak later?

I don't know about your application, but you have to apply and receive a security clearance. I've done it, and a ton of guys in my old unit had to do the same thing. They will most likely not deny you a clearance based on what you stated, but the key is not to lie and DO NOT TRY TO HIDE ANYTHING. Just be open and honest about the whole thing. I'd apply and see what happens.

 

[slipshade]

a couple of points. the parking situation here sucks. not sure how that will affect applicants, but there are times when there are literally no (legal) parking spots available on base. show up earlier than expected and you should be fine.

if you want to come here, apply. stop asking for validation and just put in the few extra hours of work to complete the secondary. whether you have a high or low score, questionable history, medical problems, just address them honestly when asked and emphasize how your shortcomings or achievements have put your life in perspective and made you a better applicant. my application was great in some areas, weaker in others. get over the problems and move on.

if you don't want to come here, and i mean really want to be here and then in the military for a long time, don't bother applying. you won't be happy, and i won't be happy working with you.

is there preference given to prior military? not officially, and honestly each class is mostly non-prior. but undoubtedly we have by far the most prior service members of any medical school. still i think this school treats all non-traditional students well. you need to demonstrate potential as an officer, not just that you are a smart kid; i think prior service or non-traditional experiences go a long way towards demonstrating that potential.

is there a place to store your luggage? if you have a duffel bag you can stuff it in a locker. if you have bigger suitcases, not really. you could probably find a place to stuff it or ask someone nicely to watch it for you, but you will probably look more professional if you have already made arrangements on your own.

which service is best? seriously, they all have pros and cons. plenty of discussions about that elsewhere, but don't let someone else make that decision for you. it boils down to air force = better quality of life, smaller service with less opportunity, some gmo tours; navy = best base locations, pretty big service with better opportunities, some gmo tours (necessary to get best residencies unless you do well in school); army = worst bases and quality of life, big service with many opportunities, no (or VERY few) gmo tours. your individual experience will be different, so take that with a grain of salt.

is it less competitive (between classmates) than elsewhere? well, it may be one of the few places students choose to go out of their way to help each other out. it does not feel competitive. and for residency grades play a very small role in determining your ranking. but they do play a role, and ultimately you are competing against your classmates, so don't get complacent.

do your physical early. do your physical early. do your physical now. if something pops up, and it will for many of you, you will need a waiver. these are not hard to get for many things in your past medical history. and maybe you'll get lucky. but even for something simple like high blood pressure it can takes months to get a waiver....

and no, previous dodmerb/commissioning physicals will not count unless done within 2 years of your new commissioning date.

i probably missed answering a few questions, but those are a few of the key points. there are better schools (academically) than this, and there are easier schools to get into. my recommendation is to only apply if this is your top choice. if you get in here you could get in elsewhere, so why use this as your safety?

best of luck, and see you all soon.

 

[rubixcube]

Good luck to all the 9/15 interviewees tomorrow!

 

[silverhorse84]

Will there be a place for us to leave a suitcase? I am flying out right after the interviews and won't have time to go back to my hotel to pick up bags.

I didn't do this personally, but I seem to remember people leaving suitcases in the admissions office. I'd call them beforehand and ask. I found this to be true of most the admissions offices I interviewed with, so I think it's fairly common.

 

[Ace of Hearts]

Hey guys, I'm an MS1 @ USU (USAF) and I can give you guys some insights in regards to interviews.

1. How do I get to campus?
I would advise just taking a cab from the airport (I had to take a red-eye flight from CA to MD), or if you're staying with your sponsor, have him/her give you a ride. Keep in mind that the university is currently going through a lot of rearranging and construction, so your sponsor may offer to go on the Metro with you as most of us will not be able to park in the USU parking garage for awhile. Also, make sure to arrive not "too" early because the security will not have your name on the list until 0600 (or so.. I think) and you will not be able to enter the campus.

2. What do I do w/ our suitcases?
You leave them at the admissions office. They also have fresh pastries and coffee for all of you to enjoy, so relax!

3. What's the interview day like?
You come in, listen to the briefings, interview, and listen to more introductions, and go on tours. PM me if you're interested in my experience, and I will reply to them as soon as I can. Or, you can also come to the USU open house this coming Monday and I will be there to answer some questions.

4. What do I do after the interview?
Go back home stress-free! Go ahead and arrange your transportation back to the airport (in my case, I was lucky to find a few students who were driving back to the airport).

5. Which branch do I pick?
First of all, I'm sure all of you know that you HAVE to pick the branch of your choice at the day of the interview. Which branch you pick will also affect your acceptance as each branches only accept a certain number of students (i.e. AF is the least, then Navy, then Army), but don't let that judge your decision of picking the branch. I personally picked AF because I'm not a swimmer and I would rather fly than ride Humvees around lol.

Last but not least, you'll do fine. For those of you who haven't gotten the invite, stay strong- it will happen. You can PM me if you want to ask me about my journey to med schools lol

 

[Ace of Hearts]

Yes it will! Please don't delay, for your sake.

Take it from me; I interviewed December 9th and they were already interviewing people for the waiting list, even that early. I'm applying again, and I am hoping the timeline of when I submitted gets me a late October or early November interview date so I that I don't get waitlisted again and hopefully just accepted.

TLDR: USUHS does have a rolling admissions schedule, so don't delay.

Military has rolling admissions schedule lol. So if the branch of your choice is full, you will get waitlisted even if the school really wants you. However, if the school really really wants you, it may offer you a decision to change to a different branch to give you a better shot at the wait-list or even to take you off the wait-list.

 

[ADNTerp]

Hi,

I am one of the student government officers in the class of 2014 at USUHS. For those of you that will be interviewing on 9/22, the students are inviting interviewees to come out and have an informal dinner with us the night before (9/21). The details are as follows:

Caddies
4922 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, MD

Date: Wednesday, September 21th
Time: 7:00PM-9:00PM
Dress code: Informal

The location is a 5-7 minute walk from the closest metro stop(Bethesda, Red line stop). For more information, please contact the Office of Student Affairs.

 

[murkle8832]

My understanding was that you essentially began paying back your time during residency, but just incurred an extra year of obligation during each year of residency. You would effectively still owe 7 years after you are done with your residency. So if you count 4 years of med school, 5 year residency (for the sake of having an example), plus 7 year commitment, you are in the service for a total of 16 years, 12 of those being post med school.

Can anyone out there comment on whether or not this is an accurate way to think about it?

My Uncle went to USUHS many years ago, and made a career out the military. He loved it, and ended up retiring as a Colonel in the AF. He was pretty high up in the system, and was pretty well-versed in those policies. My understanding from him is that you will very likely be required to complete a military residency after graduation. After residency, whether it is 3-7 years, you begin to repay your 7 year commitment. So you're looking at a minimum of 10 years after graduating med school.

 

[Ace of Hearts]

My Uncle went to USUHS many years ago, and made a career out the military. He loved it, and ended up retiring as a Colonel in the AF. He was pretty high up in the system, and was pretty well-versed in those policies. My understanding from him is that you will very likely be required to complete a military residency after graduation. After residency, whether it is 3-7 years, you begin to repay your 7 year commitment. So you're looking at a minimum of 10 years after graduating med school.

Yep, you're right.
The calculation is: 4 yrs school + residency + fellowship + commitment. On the contract, it is listed as "you will gain one year commitment per post-graduate year education (residency)", but they explained that that means although we will be putting in commitment while in residency, it is also being added onto our commitment--hence the residency years not really counting towards your commitment. The good thing is that these years that do not count toward your commitment will get added on to your years of service, which means a way higher pay benefits when you retire.

By the way, once you get accepted, you will sign this huge contract packet that explains all the policies, and they will also explain it during the interview day.

 

[jvqd]

OMG. 9/22. It's getting close!

Anyone interested in meeting up?

PM me and we can figure it out! I will be arriving on the 21st.

Excited to see MD!

 

[citrusguy2010]

anyone interview here on 9/15 care to share? thanks!

 

[fingerofdeath]

I went to the 9/15 interview and it was awesome. People are really nice and the students at the university even took some time to just help the interviewees out
You can store your luggage at the admission office.
As for the interview, it's mostly conversational. They rarely have a pre-made questions. I would say, before the interview, just know for sure why you want to be a doctor and specifically military doctor. Don't try to make up some cliche answers, because they can see right through it. And, try to relax, but make sure not to be disrespectful.

After the visit, I've made up my mind to go to USUHS. I was wondering whether to turn in a Letter of Intent soon. Does anyone from USUHS know if that will help me get in or will that make me look just desperate.???

 

[Ace of Hearts]

After the visit, I've made up my mind to go to USUHS. I was wondering whether to turn in a Letter of Intent soon. Does anyone from USUHS know if that will help me get in or will that make me look just desperate.???

I realized that your "letter of intent" is a personal letter to school saying you would love to go..
In regards to that, SURE- turn it in if you want to. From what I understand, the admissions love people who are enthusiastic about coming here. I can't say how the letter would affect your application status, but it won't hurt to show your interest. I personally just sent thank you emails to my interviewers and the admissions office, but that's just me. Good luck!

 

[jvqd]

How would you go about writing a letter of intent?

I decided a while ago that this was the only school for me as I believe the military is a perfect cultural fit for me.

 

[Ace of Hearts]

How would you go about writing a letter of intent?

I decided a while ago that this was the only school for me as I believe the military is a perfect cultural fit for me.

I will redirect you to this thread I found on SDN

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=50676

 

[citrusguy2010]

so i just relooked at my forms for my physical information and didn't read the part where it says i should contact the physical people 5 days after getting the packet. do you think i'm going to have problems with them now or what? i wasn't planning on scheduling my physical until after i heard back after my interview because i didn't want to waste time in getting it for nothing (that and the concorde office is an hour and a half away from where i live). any suggestions?

 

[Ace of Hearts]

so i just relooked at my forms for my physical information and didn't read the part where it says i should contact the physical people 5 days after getting the packet. do you think i'm going to have problems with them now or what? i wasn't planning on scheduling my physical until after i heard back after my interview because i didn't want to waste time in getting it for nothing (that and the concorde office is an hour and a half away from where i live). any suggestions?

The reason for contacting them within 5 days after getting the packet is to streamline the paperwork process. When I did my interview, I did not have time to schedule within 5 days, and it ended up becoming "schedule it as soon as possible". Basically, it is part of your paperwork package. It may or may not delay your processing and therefore make a difference in your acceptance--as I heard from some of my classmates, they were notified to lose their weight as they got phone calls for acceptances.

I personally recommend getting it done and forgetting about it rather than trying to scramble to do it in the last minute.

 

[Homunculus222]

I was invited a couple weeks ago to interview on 10/13 and I was just wondering if those who interviewed in September have any advice to offer whether it be logistics (getting to base, where to stay, etc) or about the actual interview day itself.

I have not been contacted about the physical exam yet. How long did it take those of you who were invited for the earlier interviews to hear from them about the exam?

And does anyone know how and when they begin the security clearance process?

My first choice is Navy for USU (by a long shot) and I was wondering if anyone, especially current students, know how likely it is to get your first choice branch? I understand that there are limited spots in each one, so how do they choose who gets their first choice and who doesn't if it comes down to one person over another?

Thank you!

 

[Ace of Hearts]

I was invited a couple weeks ago to interview on 10/13 and I was just wondering if those who interviewed in September have any advice to offer whether it be logistics (getting to base, where to stay, etc) or about the actual interview day itself.

I have not been contacted about the physical exam yet. How long did it take those of you who were invited for the earlier interviews to hear from them about the exam?

And does anyone know how and when they begin the security clearance process?

My first choice is Navy for USU (by a long shot) and I was wondering if anyone, especially current students, know how likely it is to get your first choice branch? I understand that there are limited spots in each one, so how do they choose who gets their first choice and who doesn't if it comes down to one person over another?

Thank you!

1) For lodging and logistics, I suggest using the student host program at USUHS. They will provide you free lodging to stay overnight and may even drive you to school on the interview day. To get to the host's apartment, I suggest you take a taxi or take a metro and meet them there. I actually took a red-eye flight and went to the interview straight from the airport. Interview day is structured into briefings, interviews, lunch and Q&A, and tours.

2) Physical exam stuff- I got more details on it on the day of the interview, included in their welcome packet. I don't know how they're doing it this year, but basically it's a sheet with instructions on who to call to schedule your physical exam.

3) Security clearance process begins after you're accepted. Although they have you fill out the packet and bring it to interview, the actual security process begins when you're going through in-processing during the first couple weeks of school. This info should be disseminated to you via email as far as I remember, about 2 weeks before the interview. I don't know how they're doing it for you guys though as the system changed from paper to electronic.

4) Plenty of spots in the Navy. Don't worry about that for now and just write down your favorite branch. I wrote more about the whole choosing process a few posts earlier. From my understanding, school chooses if they want to accept or not regardless of military branch; military branches just fill spots in as the school gives them names.

 

[digitalsea11010]

I just got an interview offer today after the Army ROTC OML was released. I think they may screen cadets to make sure they were at least generally good at ROTC. I can't verify this, but I don't think it is coincidence that I found out about both within an hours time. Can anyone verify this?

Anyway, very excited about this interview. I've heard so many good things about the school and the community. I'm so sleep deprived that it almost took the entire day for me to realize how lucky I am, and how grateful I am for this opportunity. I can't wait for next month!

 

[jvqd]

So I read last years forum and found out that the first acceptances are handed out on 10/16 and then every two weeks. I also read that they might hold your application if youre still taking classes. Can anyone comment on this? I am still in my last year of undergrad and since USUHS is on a true rolling acceptance cycle, having my application held for fall grades would really hurt my chances of an acceptance.

Thanks guys!

 

[LadyRugger]

So I read last years forum and found out that the first acceptances are handed out on 10/16 and then every two weeks. I also read that they might hold your application if youre still taking classes. Can anyone comment on this? I am still in my last year of undergrad and since USUHS is on a true rolling acceptance cycle, having my application held for fall grades would really hurt my chances of an acceptance.

Thanks guys!

I have my interview Thursday -- so I just completed the "Informational Update Form" which says:
"if you have not yet graduated from college or have been in the process of taking post-bacc or graduate courses, please update the Admissions Committee. Bear in mind that the committee will not review any applicant who has completed a fall semester but has not reported the grades to the Admissions Office."

One of the interview e-mails also says: "Response Times
DO NOT CALL THE OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS AFTER YOUR INTERVIEW TO CHECK YOUR APPLICATION STATUS. We will NOT give you your status over the phone if you call. Please use the following as a general guideline regarding response times from the Admissions Committee. These time frames will be lengthened if you are taking fall classes, took the MCAT anytime after June 2011, did not secure a Letter of Approval, or any other extenuating circumstance.

If you interview in October/November, you will not hear a response any earlier than January.
If you interview in December, you will not hear a response any earlier than February.
If you interview in January or thereafter, your response will not arrive any earlier than 10 weeks after the date of your interview."

So I am assuming by then, you would have your fall grades and you'd want them reported.