2013-2014 University of Washington School of Medicine

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Please PM the essays or lack thereof to me when the secondary is available and I will update this.

Good luck to everyone applying! :luck:

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Good luck to everyone applying this cycle. This time next year you will probably be wanting to know about how the waitlist moves. Here is our data that is still being compiled at the time of posting this message.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AjUTO5AJAB7IdFpUVG5SNm50NFRZV0ZxcmtSTTdrTHc&output=html

From my own experience, here's some advice. UW was probably my most difficult interview but it was my favorite. The roll play was difficult but everyone has to have one. Also, don't worry about remaining "Still under consideration" for a long time. It isn't the same thing as the waitlist. I was SUC'd five times before getting in.

Best of luck.
 
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Good luck to everyone applying this cycle. This time next year you will probably be wanting to know about how the waitlist moves. Here is our data that is still being compiled at the time of posting this message.

https://docs.google.com/a/uw.edu/sp...VGOB-FHydHlYS0hEc2p3T0dMSFgxS2dZcHFWOXc#gid=0

From my own experience, here's some advice. UW was probably my most difficult interview but it was my favorite. The roll play was difficult but everyone has to have one. Also, don't worry about remaining "Still under consideration" for a long time. It isn't the same thing as the waitlist. I was SUC'd five times before getting in.

Best of luck.

I hope you're able to help a lot, BABS! I followed you and the other people in the 2012-2013 thread and it's been really helpful reading all the stuff on there.

Any tips on secondaries and interviews?
 
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I hope you're able to help a lot, BABS! I followed you and the other people in the 2012-2013 thread and it's been really helpful reading all the stuff on there.

Any tips on secondaries and interviews?

For secondaries, always research the schools enough to have specific examples why you want to attend. Try to fit each schools' mission statement and write about how you do just that. Stress the activities that fall in line with it. For UW, this is medicine that has an underserved or rural focus.

If you check out last year's thread, you will find people that had 4.0s and 38+ MCAT scores that were rejected pre-secondary! UW does give a little slack to instate people on receiving a secondary/interview, but I think they are still looking for the same qualities/activities to give out an acceptance. I had a bunch of WA friends apply and only one was accepted the previous year (planned to help Islamic patients because they are underserved but ultimate did not matriculate to UW) and one this year (planned to do rural medicine and will matriculate). Both had their background to highlight their passion to do what they said that also fit the mission statement.

For interviews, practice answering questions aloud. It sounds stupid, but do this because you can practice stringing together phrases and sentences. You can find what sounds best together. When I thought out my answers without saying them, often times I would think incomplete thoughts and say it was enough and that I would fill in the details in the interview.

You should also make sure you answer their questions. Again, this sounds stupid but practice doing it. I know how nervous you can get and you can forget the question while answering and go on a tangent but try not to. You should also have examples to back up what you say. Like if they say, "do you support (or like or have criticisms of) the ACA?" then don't just say yes or no. Say "yes I do for these reasons" or "no, I don't think it goes far enough in this way" or "no, it is government overreach in this way and may..." Etc. All schools are looking for how you think and these questions show your thought process.

Speaking of thought processes, for interviews you want to think aloud! They can only see the thought process if you do it aloud. Another way of putting this is to give a bunch of reasons for your answer and then saying that all of these are the reason why you have those feelings. For the roll play question, this also means asking questions of the situation given to you. They purposefully leave out some details that may help you but will freely give them to you if you ask for them.

Also, UW has pointers on their website for interviews. For example, they say they want to hear you repeat the question after they ask them. I agree with this because it helps you stay focused when answering and it really helped me not go on tangents.

The final piece of advice I can give you, and this isn't for UW because their interviews are different from other schools, is that if your interviewer likes to talk or go on tangents, don't interrupt or try to steer the talk. Just relax, have fun and go on the tangent with them (this may seem to contradict what I said earlier but notice earlier it was about you not going on a tangent while answering versus your interviewer). You want to leave with the interviewer liking you and small talk is a great way to achieve this. If you try to steer the direction of the interview you may seem like you are power hungry or like to have all control, if you interrupt you may seem impatient, etc.

Sorry if this doesn't make sense, I can try to clarify anything if you have questions. I know this is a stressful time, but relax as much as you can. It is a long process. For example, I applied June 2nd, I was invited to complete the secondary July 5th, got an interview on August 6th, received the date of the interview on September 13th, interviewed on October 9th, and then wasn't accepted until March 21st! That was 9 months of waiting for me. I know other people got accepted sooner, but don't worry if you get strung along like this. Just keep writing them LOIs when you have enough details to do it.
 
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Good luck to everyone.
 
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For secondaries, always ...........

Wow! Thanks for all that! Yeah ... I've had a couple of friends with similar stats who didn't get in this year so it's been making me nervous. :scared:

Just got to be my real self and hope for the best!
 
I'm OOS, 24 MCAT, 3.41cgpa, 3.75sgpa. I really like everything i've seen from UW... Do I have a shot?
 
Unless you have a lot of activities and/or experience with underserved and/or rural populations your chances are not good. OOS folks have an extremely hard time getting even a secondary here, and those that do have the above experience.

If this helps, here's a link to UW's admission page, there is a handy GPA/MCAT chart that helps you gauge where you stand.

http://www.uwmedicine.org/Education...ApplicationProcedureandRequirements.aspx#mcat
 
Good luck everyone! University of Washington is my dream, hopefully I'll be able to meet some of you.
 
Hello! I'm going to poke my head in here: Like BABSstudent, I am an incoming MS1 this year! Good luck to everyone out there! I was also admitted OOR and I have an idea of what they are looking for out of the teensy handful of OOR students they bring in.
 
OOS 34, 3.4, many hours of volunteering at free clinic. Here goes nothing! :xf:
 
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How sweet.. And only a $35 fee? :love:

Yeah, but we had to mail in a check. They don't allow paying by credit card no matter what. Maybe it will change this year, but I doubt it.

Also, their secondary website looks like it was created when the Internet was invented and was never changed.
 
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Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it seems that they changed the wording for the LOR requirements. As a nontrad I wonder if a two professors, a professional/work reference, and an MD still suffice or if they now insist on 3 professor letters for everyone...
 
anyone get a secondary yet? how competitive are they for OOS? i have a 3.97 and 32 MCAT
 
anyone get a secondary yet? how competitive are they for OOS? i have a 3.97 and 32 MCAT

You will find that stats don't matter that much here if you don't have a lot of work with the underserved/disadvantaged or specifically want to go into rural medicine. This is something the school really looks for and will reject people pre-secondary. For example, last year there OOS people that had 4.0s and 38+ MCAT that were rejected pre secondary because they lacked the ECs to show they wanted to do underserved work.

Here's a hint for all of you. There are a lot of different ways to look at underserved and demonstrate your desire to work with different populations within those groups. Hopefully your PS shows this or your ECs do. If you get a secondary, write about these experiences even more to answer the questions.

And I think our secondaries were available on July 5th last year.
 
Does anyone know anything about the MSTP preliminary secondary?

The system won't let me access the secondary because it says I haven't taken an MCAT in the last three years (because I take it in a week), so does this mean that I won't be able to begin filling it out until I take the MCAT, or until I have a score?
 
How much does UW care about undeserved/disadvantaged and rural population experiences when evaluating MSTP applicants? Is it the same, or does the focus shift largely to research?
 
I'm an Idaho resident applying and was wondering if anyone knew more about the actual progression of the coursework? I know that the first year is done in our home state, but all the information from University of Idaho's site that I've read discusses the "Idaho track" which has you return to Idaho for the 4th year (maybe 3rd as well) and then it sounds like you're practically destined to be in primary care. I truly do have a strong desire for serving under-served areas, whether I end up in a rural or urban setting, but I don't want to be a PCP. Is being an Idaho resident automatic placement into the "Idaho track?" and am I strongly hindering my chances of specializing if I do end up getting accepted and attending? UW has always been such a dream of mine, but now I'm starting to get confused about the actual formatting of the WWAMI education.
 
I'm an Idaho resident applying through the WWAMI program too. I've been wondering this same exact thing. UW is an amazing medical school and I would be so honored to be accepted and attend, but it almost seems like the Idaho track makes it very difficult to go into anything other than rural private practice. UW has long been a dream of mine too, but I also want to be able to go to medical school with as many open options for my future as possible.
 
How much does UW care about undeserved/disadvantaged and rural population experiences when evaluating MSTP applicants? Is it the same, or does the focus shift largely to research?

For MSTP, experience with underserved or rural populations is not required. Focus is only on the research.
 
I'm an Idaho resident applying and was wondering if anyone knew more about the actual progression of the coursework? I know that the first year is done in our home state, but all the information from University of Idaho's site that I've read discusses the "Idaho track" which has you return to Idaho for the 4th year (maybe 3rd as well) and then it sounds like you're practically destined to be in primary care. I truly do have a strong desire for serving under-served areas, whether I end up in a rural or urban setting, but I don't want to be a PCP. Is being an Idaho resident automatic placement into the "Idaho track?" and am I strongly hindering my chances of specializing if I do end up getting accepted and attending? UW has always been such a dream of mine, but now I'm starting to get confused about the actual formatting of the WWAMI education.

I am a Washington resident entering in Fall 2013. I'm not exactly 100% sure but I believe that the state legislatures of WAMI "subsidize" WAMI students' medical education so they get "in-state" tuition. In exchange, you have to sign some sort of contract saying that you will practice in your state for some years. This does not have to be primary care medicine; it can be anything, but there is just a service commitment attached. If you break the contract, you have to pay back your state back the amount of the tuition subsidy.

This doesn't apply to Washington state residents.
 
I also just want to add. For WWAMI applicants, rural/underserved experience or primary care interest is not required for admission. Yes, it's part of the mission of UWSOM, but they also want to have a class of diverse interests. Every year people match in surgical subspecialties, plastic surgery, dermatology, radiology etc. I did not have any rural/underserved experience, am not interested in primary care, interviewed in the first few dates in October, and was accepted mid-October.

If you don't have any interest in primary care or in serving rural/underserved experience (interest is different from appreciation!), don't try to act like someone that you're not. Because they will totally see through your acting. Stand by your experiences and accomplishments.

The best secondary essays are honest and thoughtful responses.

If you receive an interview, make sure to prepare for it! The interview is really the make or break part of the UWSOM app process, but it is definitely something that you can prepare for. Read up on national health policy and ALSO local/state health policy issues. Prepare for ethical scenarios. Good luck!
 
I am a Washington resident entering in Fall 2013. I'm not exactly 100% sure but I believe that the state legislatures of WAMI "subsidize" WAMI students' medical education so they get "in-state" tuition. In exchange, you have to sign some sort of contract saying that you will practice in your state for some years. This does not have to be primary care medicine; it can be anything, but there is just a service commitment attached. If you break the contract, you have to pay back your state back the amount of the tuition subsidy.

This doesn't apply to Washington state residents.


I know that the reason WWAMI residents get in-state tuition is because the state pays the difference for the seats, but I don't think there is a requirement once you complete medical school to stay in your home state for a specific amount of time. Does anyone have any additional info?
 
anyone else applying here MSTP? We can't see the MSTP secondary questions until we're verified. If somebody could post them it would be MUCH appreciated. Thanks!
 
anyone else applying here MSTP? We can't see the MSTP secondary questions until we're verified. If somebody could post them it would be MUCH appreciated. Thanks!
MSTP preliminary application:

Research Interests
Indicate the area(s) of research in which you are interested.

Please check the specific department(s) at the University of Washington that best coincide with your research interests.


Publications (optional)
Please list any publications or papers which have been submitted or are in preparation. Publications may be added throughout the application season. Publications are added to the bottom of the publication list - please scroll to the bottom of the publications field to ensure your additions were added.

Personal Statement
Please use this space to supplement your AMCAS Personal Comments. (MSTP will consider information provided here as well as your AMCAS Personal Comments):

How did you find out about the University of Washington's Medical Scientist Training Program?



Describe your Research Experience
(Has you enter in project title, dates, mentor, etc.)


Describe your Clinical Experience (optional)
(Same format as research experience)

Hope that helps! I can't see on my submitted copy whether any of the essays have character limits, but I don't think they did.
 
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Just got an MTSP secondary invite with an email that started with Congratulations. I assume not everyone gets one?
 
Just got an MTSP secondary invite with an email that started with Congratulations. I assume not everyone gets one?
Is it for the MSTP preliminary application, or the MSTP supplemental application? FYI, what dcol27 cited was actually the preliminary application.
 
Is it for the MSTP preliminary application, or the MSTP supplemental application? FYI, what dcol27 cited was actually the preliminary application.
Thanks for pointing that out - edited my post accordingly.
 
Any advice on whether to submit a committee letter or the three separate letters of rec? I have professors and my current P.I. (department chair at a medical school herself) willing to write great letters, and I don't know the members of our pre-health committee nearly as well. I've heard before that it looks bad if you have a committee but don't have them write you a letter - is this true? If so, what would you suggest given this situation?
 
Just received the secondary!

Same as last year:

An autobiographical statement which should include: the origin and development of your motivation to be a physician, your prior experiences in health care, steps taken to explore a career in medicine, your eventual goals as a physician, and other issues of importance. The Personal Comments section of the AMCAS application may be used to satisfy this requirement, or an additional autobiography may be submitted with your secondary materials. Your AMCAS personal statement will already be on file with our office.

Other Personal Comments or Publications
Due to the volume of applications we receive, publications or manuscripts will not be included in your application file, and cannot be returned if sent. Instead, please submit abstracts or other brief descriptions of your work.

3 additional short essays (250 word limit each)
How have your experiences prepared you to be a physician?
What perspectives or experiences do you bring that would enrich the class?
What obstacles have you experienced and how have you overcome them?
 
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Got a pre-secondary rejection from the MD only program, didn't even know I was being considered for both. My application is VERY research heavy (6-8+ solid years of research work) and didn't really cater to underprivileged folks besides my time as an EMT for a similar period. Needless to say, I don't mind because I made it through the first cut of the MTSP process and got their secondary and that's where I want my career and education to head.
 
Got the secondary (normal MD).

IS (WA), 3.7 cGPA, 33S MCAT
 
Got the secondary as well. Best of luck to everyone!
 
Secondary questions are not the same as last year. Slightly modified.

Autobiographical Statement Addendum. Limit 250 words. (same as before)

How have your experiences prepared you to be a physician? Limit 250 words.
What perspectives or experiences do you bring that would enrich the class? Limit 250 words.
What obstacles have you experienced and how have you overcome them? Limit 250 words.
 
Dumb question - I'm probably over-thinking this question, but in the secondary there is a yes or no drop down question as follows: Will you have resided in your designated home state immediately prior to August 1, 2014?

Is this only "yes" if you are currently a non-resident? Or would I still select "yes" if I am a current resident?
I am a current WA state resident and have been for quite some time.
 
Ya that's confusing. Are they asking if we will be living in Washington during this upcoming year?
 
250 word limit for the autobiography now? I don't understand where I'm supposed to go with this prompt. 250 words is not enough space for me to even recapitulate my AMCAS PS, let alone meaningfully expand on it. Would it be appropriate to elaborate on one particular, meaningful activity that I only started after submitting my primary?
 
250 word limit for the autobiography now? I don't understand where I'm supposed to go with this prompt. 250 words is not enough space for me to even recapitulate my AMCAS PS, let alone meaningfully expand on it. Would it be appropriate to elaborate on one particular, meaningful activity that I only started after submitting my primary?

I'm having a lot of trouble with this as well. Would it be terrible to just refer to my AMCAS personal statement? I received a lot of great feedback on it, and I think it's quite sufficient. I know the general advice is if that it's optional, you should still write something, but writing an autobiography that highlights all of what they ask for in 250 words...:eek: :shrug: Also, for MSTP applicants: how will you be approaching that autobiography? It seems there's no word limit.
 
You guys are way over thinking the autobiographical section.

If you want to redo your PS, I would suggest doing it in a different way. For me, I went another direction and chose to write about my past. In my PS, I wrote more about my desire to be a physician.

In the autobiographical section I wrote about my severely disadvantaged background and how it has shaped how I want to be a physician and how it had made me different from my peers. I specifically named ways that I am better from it despite it causing many people to never graduate from high school and I tried to focus on the positives. I even named a goal of mine to volunteer at local schools and give free health checkups at least once a year to help the poorer children.

During my interview, I further brought up examples to highlight this. They know that 250 words is super short and this is just giving them a bigger picture of yourself. They are going to use this as a scaffold for asking questions later. Don't waste it.
 
You guys are way over thinking the autobiographical section.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the 250 word limit new this year? Writing anything that's comprehensively autobiographical in that few words is impossible, IMO. What I have now is an expounding upon of my AmeriCorps service that I began after submitting my primary, but it doesn't even pretend to address earlier parts of my life.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the 250 word limit new this year? Writing anything that's comprehensively autobiographical in that few words is impossible, IMO. What I have now is an expounding upon of my AmeriCorps service that I began after submitting my primary, but it doesn't even pretend to address earlier parts of my life.

Mine was 250 words because I matched it in length with all the other essays.

Like I said, this is basically giving them an outline that they will use to get a bigger picture of you. The finishing details can come out in an interview.
 
For those of us not applying to TRUST, does anyone know if we should submit the TRUST section of the secondary with blank essays or N/As, or just leave it un-submitted?
 
Submitted. One of my top choices. Let's see how this goes!
 
whoa, old fashioned rejected letter via post. it's good to know early at least.
 
Is anyone not putting anything down for the autobiography? I'm having a hard time coming up with anything that was not already mentioned in my PS. I know I probably should put something down but I'm not sure what else I can add.

I was thinking about doing this as well. I was told by some of my letter writers that my PS was really good, and looking back on it I think it provides good detail about my past and my desire to be a doctor. The question makes it seem like a legitimate option, so I was just going to put "See AMCAS Personal Statement," or something like that. I feel like if they wanted something new, they would either not have added two sentences about how the PS is acceptable, or they would have said "please do not repeat your PS" like some other schools do.

I dunno.
 
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