2018-2019 Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences

[xsms]

Submitted secondary 10/1, complete email around 10/15, II 10/29. I'm scheduled for 3/29. OOS. Super stoked.

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[kkn2]

What exactly do they want?
Their stats are literally 3.4/501.

They're looking for applicants in the area who have a STRONG interest in rural medicine/underserved/underrepresented areas. That's what they are looking for. Experiences that show you are dedicated to primary care and/or dedicated to the underserved. Just because one has great stats means absolutely nothing. Different schools have different wants/needs. A little bit of research and you'd have your answer. Sounds like you won't have any trouble getting in though! Move on. and Good Luck

 

[deleted813098]

I'm in shock. Complete 8/28, committee 9/12, Oregon resident, Non-trad. 3.4 cgpa/sgpa, 3.7gpa since returning to school, 140 sem. credits over 4 years. I have volunteered with multiple organizations for over 18 months now that focus on working with homeless youth in the Portland metro area (we have a large homeless population here). I have a lot of clinical experience as an ED research volunteer at OHSU and as a CNA. Above their median MCAT and I got a; deny post-supplement. Whoa, really heartbroken by this one. I by no means think I am the worlds gift to medicine or think I deserve anything, but not even an interview? Serious bummer, especially because I know kids that got in last year up there with lower grades and MCAT scores then myself, with way less ECs. Dang. Is it worth calling to see how I can improve my application for them?

 

[xnnsx1]

They're looking for applicants in the area who have a STRONG interest in rural medicine/underserved/underrepresented areas. That's what they are looking for. Experiences that show you are dedicated to primary care and/or dedicated to the underserved. Just because one has great stats means absolutely nothing. Different schools have different wants/needs. A little bit of research and you'd have your answer. Sounds like you won't have any trouble getting in though! Move on. and Good Luck

Hey before getting passive aggressive, I know their mission. Guess what my app is? 100% underserved.

My stats are competitive for MD hence why I believe I got yield protected.

So before you judge, find out all the background (good tip for MMI)

 

[TheRealCookieMonster]

I'm in shock. Complete 8/28, committee 9/12, Oregon resident, Non-trad. 3.4 cgpa/sgpa, 3.7gpa since returning to school, 140 sem. credits over 4 years. I have volunteered with multiple organizations for over 18 months now that focus on working with homeless youth in the Portland metro area (we have a large homeless population here). I have a lot of clinical experience as an ED research volunteer at OHSU and as a CNA. Above their median MCAT and I got a; deny post-supplement. Whoa, really heartbroken by this one. I by no means think I am the worlds gift to medicine or think I deserve anything, but not even an interview? Serious bummer, especially because I know kids that got in last year up there with lower grades and MCAT scores then myself, with way less ECs. Dang. Is it worth calling to see how I can improve my application for them?

If you are already planning on reapplying next year. YES. Let them know you are interested in feedback and they will probably get back after interview season.

 

[santiago99]

Got the acceptance call yesterday morning! Interviewed 10/26.

 

[Madreine_15]

Unimpressed with the school. Has a dress code, does not have workout facility on campus, no cafeteria/food store places you can buy from in building, decently bad crime in the area, when asked what to do in the area there wasn’t much of an answer, they pop quiz you in lecture by focusing a huge camera on your face randomly and having your face pop up in front of a hundred people, test scores have dipped over the past couple of years, curriculum is weirdly crammed (all systems in a year? anatomy taught forever?), some faculty seemed rude while a lot seemed disinterested.... long day, weird interview setup.... judged us based off a team-based Pictionary game.... overall just not great. Wanted to love it but did not.

 

[VikMed1790]

Unimpressed with the school. Has a dress code, does not have workout facility on campus, no cafeteria/food store places you can buy from in building, decently bad crime in the area, when asked what to do in the area there wasn’t much of an answer, they pop quiz you in lecture by focusing a huge camera on your face randomly and having your face pop up in front of a hundred people, test scores have dipped over the past couple of years, curriculum is weirdly crammed (all systems in a year? anatomy taught forever?), some faculty seemed rude while a lot seemed disinterested.... long day, weird interview setup.... judged us based off a team-based Pictionary game.... overall just not great. Wanted to love it but did not.

Thank you for the insight! Might just cancel my interview if it’s that bad!

 

[Madreine_15]

Thank you for the insight! Might just cancel my interview if it’s that bad!

It didn’t leave me feeling warm and fuzzy like other osteopathic medical schools.... that’s for sure. :/ Although I also do think it is important to check out schools and find these things out to see how YOU see yourself fitting in there

 

[Madreine_15]

also forgot to mention the WEIRD rotations during 3 and 4 years.... only send you in the five state region (Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, Alaska) and it is based on a lottery... didn’t really understand the preceptor program they explained either, kind of just got the hint that unless you were from a city nearby Seattle/Portland or had a spouse there, you weren’t going to be considered for the nearby city placements.... not that that mattered too much for me, but I would be pissed about being in Alaska, nonetheless

 

[xnnsx1]

Unimpressed with the school. Has a dress code, does not have workout facility on campus, no cafeteria/food store places you can buy from in building, decently bad crime in the area, when asked what to do in the area there wasn’t much of an answer, they pop quiz you in lecture by focusing a huge camera on your face randomly and having your face pop up in front of a hundred people, test scores have dipped over the past couple of years, curriculum is weirdly crammed (all systems in a year? anatomy taught forever?), some faculty seemed rude while a lot seemed disinterested.... long day, weird interview setup.... judged us based off a team-based Pictionary game.... overall just not great. Wanted to love it but did not.

Dress code? dipping board scores?
Welp, guess I don't feel bad about getting rejected from this school.

 

[Madreine_15]

Dress code? dipping board scores?
Welp, guess I don't feel bad about getting rejected from this school.

I am sure you will be a great doctor after going elsewhere, as I believe I will. Best of luck and don’t let any one school’s rejection get you down because you never know how it really is from the other side....

 

[xnnsx1]

I am sure you will be a great doctor after going elsewhere, as I believe I will. Best of luck and don’t let any one school’s rejection get you down because you never know how it really is from the other side....

Mind pm'ing me? I have a few more questions for you.

 

[Madreine_15]

Mind pm'ing me? I have a few more questions for you.

Messaged.... I did also want to point out to others that the school does have positive attributes but these were things I did not know from looking at the school online that were dealbreakers to me.

 

[TheRealCookieMonster]

Unimpressed with the school. Has a dress code, does not have workout facility on campus, no cafeteria/food store places you can buy from in building, decently bad crime in the area, when asked what to do in the area there wasn’t much of an answer, they pop quiz you in lecture by focusing a huge camera on your face randomly and having your face pop up in front of a hundred people, test scores have dipped over the past couple of years, curriculum is weirdly crammed (all systems in a year? anatomy taught forever?), some faculty seemed rude while a lot seemed disinterested.... long day, weird interview setup.... judged us based off a team-based Pictionary game.... overall just not great. Wanted to love it but did not.

Hahaha! I'm glad someone else thought the graded group activities were dumb as rocks. Some of the applicants in those groups were laying it on thick. It was hard not to shake my head. And the poor test scores, I was dying inside laughing. What school openly admits to it's applicants that tests scores have dipped recently, without an excellent explanation?
On a side note they seem very serious about bench research. Which in my experience is rare. I'd trade a gym and cafeteria for the opportunity to publish research any day.

 

[arc5005]

Unimpressed with the school. Has a dress code, does not have workout facility on campus, no cafeteria/food store places you can buy from in building, decently bad crime in the area, when asked what to do in the area there wasn’t much of an answer, they pop quiz you in lecture by focusing a huge camera on your face randomly and having your face pop up in front of a hundred people, test scores have dipped over the past couple of years, curriculum is weirdly crammed (all systems in a year? anatomy taught forever?), some faculty seemed rude while a lot seemed disinterested.... long day, weird interview setup.... judged us based off a team-based Pictionary game.... overall just not great. Wanted to love it but did not.

Hahaha! I'm glad someone else thought the graded group activities were dumb as rocks. Some of the applicants in those groups were laying it on thick. It was hard not to shake my head. And the poor test scores, I was dying inside laughing. What school openly admits to it's applicants that tests scores have dipped recently, without an excellent explanation?
On a side note they seem very serious about bench research. Which in my experience is rare. I'd trade a gym and cafeteria for the opportunity to publish research any day.

The Interview itself:
I was really unimpressed by PNWU as well. I left my interview feeling that the school was a poor fit for me. The group activities were very mediocre. Additionally, I know this is very situational, but the group I was put into had some real true gunners that did not understand how to share in a team activity, and even called out one of the people in our group for not talking. They put another individual on the spot, and that individual was stumbling all over their words; I felt bad for that individual. Their "gunnerness" may have worked against them, since PNWU seems like a very collaborative school, and the students do seem like they work together, or so they say. However, I felt that the MMI stations were not sufficient in getting to know an applicant like other interviews I've been on. I really think they need to add in a 1-on-1, and get rid of at least one of the group activities.

The program:
Big primary care push. Not much push for or support for USMLE. I'm really unsure if their students are going to be competitive come the merger. Lectures are technically not mandatory, but it seems like you kind of have to go to get a % of your grade through daily quizzes that are held in lecture. Dress code of scrubs or business casual is meh (this doesn't seem to be too uncommon however among DO schools) - however, we're adults, let us study in our own comfort. not impressed by flexibility of rotations in 3rd/4th year. Your 3rd year site is based on your ties to an area, so essentially if you aren't from Washington, you are most likely not going to be able to get one of the sites near the bigger cities, so you may end up in who knows where - yakima, idaho, tri-cities, alaska, etc... There is essentially no support from the school for 4th year rotations. You have to find your rotations, especially if you are looking outside of a primary care specialty. There board scores aren't that great. The bench research is a plus if you're looking to do research - not sure how many students actually can be apart of this though.

Living in Yakima:
Also, eastern Washington is very RED, so coming from any area that is progressive is going to require you to adapt. Additionally, if you drive from Seattle -> Yakima, you're going to see some beautiful sights, since western Washington is GORGEOUS, but then you'll arrive in Yakima, which has a topography of barren brown hills -- it's ugly, and even the current students agree, and most mentioned that it was their least favorite part about Yakima. A plus is that Yakima is super cheap and affordable, but for me that isn't worth having to live somewhere I'd hate for 2 years.

Diversity:
The school and the students (that were visible) do not seem that diverse - and when one of the student ambassador's who was an Asian kid living on the west coast tries and mentions that he is a "minority," I just rolled my eyes. While some of the staff is Hispanic, I don't believe any faculty member is POC. Additionally, I'm pretty sure at my interview there wasn't even 1 black or Hispanic individual out of the 40-50 interviewees. Yakima itself has a high Hispanic population though; however, when asked if there was much room to get active in the community clinically in the first 2 years, they said that would be difficult to do, so you really wouldn't even get to take advantage of getting clinically active in an underserved hispanic community, unless you stay in yakima for your 3rd year. Also, I understand that a school like PNWU is rural Washington is going to have a hard time attracting diverse faculty & diverse applicants, who tend to want to live in more urban and progressive areas.

That being said, I think this school is great for those who truly want to practice RURAL medicine and want to stay in and practice in community health clinics in the PNW region. It is their mission, and the majority of the site rotations are rural, and they really seem to want their grads to practice in a rural environment. I think their mission really resonates with certain people, and some of you, and that is why PNWU is a great fit for those who are from small towns and want to practice in small towns.

 

[VikMed1790]

The Interview itself:
I was really unimpressed by PNWU as well. I left my interview feeling that the school was a poor fit for me. The group activities were very mediocre. Additionally, I know this is very situational, but the group I was put into had some real true gunners that did not understand how to share in a team activity, and even called out one of the people in our group for not talking. They put another individual on the spot, and that individual was stumbling all over their words; I felt bad for that individual. Their "gunnerness" may have worked against them, since PNWU seems like a very collaborative school, and the students do seem like they work together, or so they say. However, I felt that the MMI stations were not sufficient in getting to know an applicant like other interviews I've been on. I really think they need to add in a 1-on-1, and get rid of at least one of the group activities.

The program:
Big primary care push. Not much push for or support for USMLE. I'm really unsure if their students are going to be competitive come the merger. Lectures are technically not mandatory, but it seems like you kind of have to go to get a % of your grade through daily quizzes that are held in lecture. Dress code of scrubs or business casual is meh (this doesn't seem to be too uncommon however among DO schools) - however, we're adults, let us study in our own comfort. not impressed by flexibility of rotations in 3rd/4th year. Your 3rd year site is based on your ties to an area, so essentially if you aren't from Washington, you are most likely not going to be able to get one of the sites near the bigger cities, so you may end up in who knows where - yakima, idaho, tri-cities, alaska, etc... There is essentially no support from the school for 4th year rotations. You have to find your rotations, especially if you are looking outside of a primary care specialty. There board scores aren't that great. The bench research is a plus if you're looking to do research - not sure how many students actually can be apart of this though.

Living in Yakima:
Also, eastern Washington is very RED, so coming from any area that is progressive is going to require you to adapt. Additionally, if you drive from Seattle -> Yakima, you're going to see some beautiful sights, since western Washington is GORGEOUS, but then you'll arrive in Yakima, which has a topography of barren brown hills -- it's ugly, and even the current students agree, and most mentioned that it was their least favorite part about Yakima. A plus is that Yakima is super cheap and affordable, but for me that isn't worth having to live somewhere I'd hate for 2 years.

Diversity:
The school and the students (that were visible) do not seem that diverse - and when one of the student ambassador's who was an Asian kid living on the west coast tries and mentions that he is a "minority," I just rolled my eyes. While some of the staff is Hispanic, I don't believe any faculty member is POC. Additionally, I'm pretty sure at my interview there wasn't even 1 black or Hispanic individual out of the 40-50 interviewees. Yakima itself has a high Hispanic population though; however, when asked if there was much room to get active in the community clinically in the first 2 years, they said that would be difficult to do, so you really wouldn't even get to take advantage of getting clinically active in an underserved hispanic community, unless you stay in yakima for your 3rd year. Also, I understand that a school like PNWU is rural Washington is going to have a hard time attracting diverse faculty & diverse applicants, who tend to want to live in more urban and progressive areas.

That being said, I think this school is great for those who truly want to practice RURAL medicine and want to stay in and practice in community health clinics in the PNW region. It is their mission, and the majority of the site rotations are rural, and they really seem to want their grads to practice in a rural environment. I think their mission really resonates with certain people, and some of you, and that is why PNWU is a great fit for those who are from small towns and want to practice in small towns.

Wow... thank you for taking the time to type this!

 

[hopefuldoctor511]

Welp, I’m a little more leery of the school, but I’m gonna give it a shot. I can’t be choosy, and I haven’t heard back from the majority of my apps yet, so...

 

[MotherofDragonflies]

Welp, I’m a little more leery of the school, but I’m gonna give it a shot. I can’t be choosy, and I haven’t heard back from the majority of my apps yet, so...

+1

Beggars can’t be choosers.

 

[VikMed1790]

+1

Beggars can’t be choosers.

Amen to this! I actually matriculated at Ross University in the fall of 2017. We were there for about 6 weeks and got hit by hurricane Maria. We were stranded on the island without communication for about 8-9 days, then finally got evacuated by ship. So.... that being said, I'd take this school (in the US) any day over going back to an island.

 

[Madreine_15]

The Interview itself:
I was really unimpressed by PNWU as well. I left my interview feeling that the school was a poor fit for me. The group activities were very mediocre. Additionally, I know this is very situational, but the group I was put into had some real true gunners that did not understand how to share in a team activity, and even called out one of the people in our group for not talking. They put another individual on the spot, and that individual was stumbling all over their words; I felt bad for that individual. Their "gunnerness" may have worked against them, since PNWU seems like a very collaborative school, and the students do seem like they work together, or so they say. However, I felt that the MMI stations were not sufficient in getting to know an applicant like other interviews I've been on. I really think they need to add in a 1-on-1, and get rid of at least one of the group activities.

The program:
Big primary care push. Not much push for or support for USMLE. I'm really unsure if their students are going to be competitive come the merger. Lectures are technically not mandatory, but it seems like you kind of have to go to get a % of your grade through daily quizzes that are held in lecture. Dress code of scrubs or business casual is meh (this doesn't seem to be too uncommon however among DO schools) - however, we're adults, let us study in our own comfort. not impressed by flexibility of rotations in 3rd/4th year. Your 3rd year site is based on your ties to an area, so essentially if you aren't from Washington, you are most likely not going to be able to get one of the sites near the bigger cities, so you may end up in who knows where - yakima, idaho, tri-cities, alaska, etc... There is essentially no support from the school for 4th year rotations. You have to find your rotations, especially if you are looking outside of a primary care specialty. There board scores aren't that great. The bench research is a plus if you're looking to do research - not sure how many students actually can be apart of this though.

Living in Yakima:
Also, eastern Washington is very RED, so coming from any area that is progressive is going to require you to adapt. Additionally, if you drive from Seattle -> Yakima, you're going to see some beautiful sights, since western Washington is GORGEOUS, but then you'll arrive in Yakima, which has a topography of barren brown hills -- it's ugly, and even the current students agree, and most mentioned that it was their least favorite part about Yakima. A plus is that Yakima is super cheap and affordable, but for me that isn't worth having to live somewhere I'd hate for 2 years.

Diversity:
The school and the students (that were visible) do not seem that diverse - and when one of the student ambassador's who was an Asian kid living on the west coast tries and mentions that he is a "minority," I just rolled my eyes. While some of the staff is Hispanic, I don't believe any faculty member is POC. Additionally, I'm pretty sure at my interview there wasn't even 1 black or Hispanic individual out of the 40-50 interviewees. Yakima itself has a high Hispanic population though; however, when asked if there was much room to get active in the community clinically in the first 2 years, they said that would be difficult to do, so you really wouldn't even get to take advantage of getting clinically active in an underserved hispanic community, unless you stay in yakima for your 3rd year. Also, I understand that a school like PNWU is rural Washington is going to have a hard time attracting diverse faculty & diverse applicants, who tend to want to live in more urban and progressive areas.

That being said, I think this school is great for those who truly want to practice RURAL medicine and want to stay in and practice in community health clinics in the PNW region. It is their mission, and the majority of the site rotations are rural, and they really seem to want their grads to practice in a rural environment. I think their mission really resonates with certain people, and some of you, and that is why PNWU is a great fit for those who are from small towns and want to practice in small towns.

This is spot on.

 

[Heytheree]

Not sure if this has been answered before, but do they screen before sending secondaries? I'm not sure if its worth sending in a secondary being OOS with no ties.

 

[mountainmed]

Not sure if this has been answered before, but do they screen before sending secondaries? I'm not sure if its worth sending in a secondary being OOS with no ties.

They screen pretty heavily. If you have the money and your stats are higher than the average it might be worth it if you have ties to at least something rural through volunteer, work, home town, etc. If not, it may be better to save that moolah or use it for a different school you're thinking about.

 

[VikMed1790]

They screen pretty heavily. If you have the money and your stats are higher than the average it might be worth it if you have ties to at least something rural through volunteer, work, home town, etc. If not, it may be better to save that moolah or use it for a different school you're thinking about.

I’m from Illinois, no ties at all, not rural, and I got an interview invite. I say if you can afford to spend the money, don’t let an opportunity get away.

 

[lessupsetSHstudent]

Unimpressed with the school. Has a dress code, does not have workout facility on campus, no cafeteria/food store places you can buy from in building, decently bad crime in the area, when asked what to do in the area there wasn’t much of an answer, they pop quiz you in lecture by focusing a huge camera on your face randomly and having your face pop up in front of a hundred people, test scores have dipped over the past couple of years, curriculum is weirdly crammed (all systems in a year? anatomy taught forever?), some faculty seemed rude while a lot seemed disinterested.... long day, weird interview setup.... judged us based off a team-based Pictionary game.... overall just not great. Wanted to love it but did not.

The Interview itself:
I was really unimpressed by PNWU as well. I left my interview feeling that the school was a poor fit for me. The group activities were very mediocre. Additionally, I know this is very situational, but the group I was put into had some real true gunners that did not understand how to share in a team activity, and even called out one of the people in our group for not talking. They put another individual on the spot, and that individual was stumbling all over their words; I felt bad for that individual. Their "gunnerness" may have worked against them, since PNWU seems like a very collaborative school, and the students do seem like they work together, or so they say. However, I felt that the MMI stations were not sufficient in getting to know an applicant like other interviews I've been on. I really think they need to add in a 1-on-1, and get rid of at least one of the group activities.

The program:
Big primary care push. Not much push for or support for USMLE. I'm really unsure if their students are going to be competitive come the merger. Lectures are technically not mandatory, but it seems like you kind of have to go to get a % of your grade through daily quizzes that are held in lecture. Dress code of scrubs or business casual is meh (this doesn't seem to be too uncommon however among DO schools) - however, we're adults, let us study in our own comfort. not impressed by flexibility of rotations in 3rd/4th year. Your 3rd year site is based on your ties to an area, so essentially if you aren't from Washington, you are most likely not going to be able to get one of the sites near the bigger cities, so you may end up in who knows where - yakima, idaho, tri-cities, alaska, etc... There is essentially no support from the school for 4th year rotations. You have to find your rotations, especially if you are looking outside of a primary care specialty. There board scores aren't that great. The bench research is a plus if you're looking to do research - not sure how many students actually can be apart of this though.

Living in Yakima:
Also, eastern Washington is very RED, so coming from any area that is progressive is going to require you to adapt. Additionally, if you drive from Seattle -> Yakima, you're going to see some beautiful sights, since western Washington is GORGEOUS, but then you'll arrive in Yakima, which has a topography of barren brown hills -- it's ugly, and even the current students agree, and most mentioned that it was their least favorite part about Yakima. A plus is that Yakima is super cheap and affordable, but for me that isn't worth having to live somewhere I'd hate for 2 years.

Diversity:
The school and the students (that were visible) do not seem that diverse - and when one of the student ambassador's who was an Asian kid living on the west coast tries and mentions that he is a "minority," I just rolled my eyes. While some of the staff is Hispanic, I don't believe any faculty member is POC. Additionally, I'm pretty sure at my interview there wasn't even 1 black or Hispanic individual out of the 40-50 interviewees. Yakima itself has a high Hispanic population though; however, when asked if there was much room to get active in the community clinically in the first 2 years, they said that would be difficult to do, so you really wouldn't even get to take advantage of getting clinically active in an underserved hispanic community, unless you stay in yakima for your 3rd year. Also, I understand that a school like PNWU is rural Washington is going to have a hard time attracting diverse faculty & diverse applicants, who tend to want to live in more urban and progressive areas.

That being said, I think this school is great for those who truly want to practice RURAL medicine and want to stay in and practice in community health clinics in the PNW region. It is their mission, and the majority of the site rotations are rural, and they really seem to want their grads to practice in a rural environment. I think their mission really resonates with certain people, and some of you, and that is why PNWU is a great fit for those who are from small towns and want to practice in small towns.

They also have the highest average student debt out of any medical school in the country, MD or DO.

They also haven't updated their GME reports (which might be required? I don't know) for a long time, which is suspicious because you wouldn't not get to that if you have good outcomes (can't link to this, but you can find it on their website under >About PNWU>Postdoctoral Education (GME)>GME Outcomes

And agree, the lack of focus on USMLE is not ideal for any future residency applicant. The school would be better served to focus on being the best osteopathic medical school possible before immediately expanding into more allied health professions (a money grab).

That being said, tons of med students at school across the country feel they are being physicians in spite of, not because of, their program, so I for one would rather attend this school than no school at all. Unfortunately, that's not the right kind of praise.

 

[hopefuldoctor511]

Y’all are making me feel like I won’t match with this stuff. I did talk to a current student who said that she was enjoying her time. I just don’t want to be cornered into a community residency if I go here.

 

[lessupsetSHstudent]

Y’all are making me feel like I won’t match with this stuff. I did talk to a current student who said that she was enjoying her time. I just don’t want to be cornered into a community residency if I go here.

Scrutinize their match data. Around 20% of their class has scrambled/SOAPed recently, which I think is quite high. This last year was the first year they didn't have a 100% match after the SOAP/Scramble. They have at least a few solid matches every year, and if you work hard, you'll match. It's mostly on you. But when choosing a program, it's generally helpful to take the data into account.

I also know a lot of people are happy going to school there, and feel supported, so that's worth something too.

 

[hopefuldoctor511]

Scrutinize their match data. Around 20% of their class has scrambled/SOAPed recently, which I think is quite high. This last year was the first year they didn't have a 100% match after the SOAP/Scramble. They have at least a few solid matches every year, and if you work hard, you'll match. It's mostly on you. But when choosing a program, it's generally helpful to take the data into account.

I also know a lot of people are happy going to school there, and feel supported, so that's worth something too.

That seems weird since their tuition isn’t that bad compared to other DO schools. I guess it’s something to be aware of. I just currently only have this school and OHSU for IIs right now (hopefully will hear back from a couple more) and I just don’t know if I should just sit tight and apply again if I only get in here.

 

[WhereMyLiberalsAt]

Scrutinize their match data. Around 20% of their class has scrambled/SOAPed recently, which I think is quite high. This last year was the first year they didn't have a 100% match after the SOAP/Scramble. They have at least a few solid matches every year, and if you work hard, you'll match. It's mostly on you. But when choosing a program, it's generally helpful to take the data into account.

I also know a lot of people are happy going to school there, and feel supported, so that's worth something too.

I agree with 100% of what you’re saying (that’s why I’m taking an acceptance elsewhere), but recently a lot of schools have higher than usual SOAP numbers. This is because of the merger getting closer to initiation. This is because more DO students are applying ACGME and either 1) backing out last minute because of the “fear” of not matching (even though they might have matched but fear is a strong motivator), or 2) passed on ranking meh ACGME community programs and SOAPed into a preferred AOA program.

PNWU is doing something wrong getting their students ready, but I would note that SOAP data point is unusually high for many DO schools across the board. No matter the outcome of the merger the one clear benefit is that we won’t have to deal with two application systems.

 

[lessupsetSHstudent]

I agree with 100% of what you’re saying (that’s why I’m taking an acceptance elsewhere), but recently a lot of schools have higher than usual SOAP numbers. This is because of the merger getting closer to initiation. This is because more DO students are applying ACGME and either 1) backing out last minute because of the “fear” of not matching (even though they might have matched but fear is a strong motivator), or 2) passed on ranking meh ACGME community programs and SOAPed into a preferred AOA program.

PNWU is doing something wrong getting their students ready, but I would note that SOAP data point is unusually high for many DO schools across the board. No matter the outcome of the merger the one clear benefit is that we won’t have to deal with two application systems.

This seems like a reasonable thought process!

 

[snowcrawler85]

Withdrew my interview for 11/30, so if anyone is on waitlist I would reach out to admissions. Best of luck to everyone this cycle

 

[VikMed1790]

Withdrew my interview for 11/30, so if anyone is on waitlist I would reach out to admissions. Best of luck to everyone this cycle

I just did the same! Mine was for March 29th. What other school(s) are you considering over this one?

 

[snowcrawler85]

I just did the same! Mine was for March 29th. What other school(s) are you considering over this one?

I was accepted to ICOM and UIW in Texas, but I’m accepting at ICOM. I’m from Oregon and haven’t heard from COMP-NW or OHSU so for now I’m going to plan on ICOM unless I get Oregon. I was really impressed with ICOM and feel like it’s going to be a great school

 

[VikMed1790]

I was accepted to ICOM and UIW in Texas, but I’m accepting at ICOM. I’m from Oregon and haven’t heard from COMP-NW or OHSU so for now I’m going to plan on ICOM unless I get Oregon. I was really impressed with ICOM and feel like it’s going to be a great school

Awesome! Congrats! ICOM is new right? I saw pictures of the campus and it looks very innovative. Best of luck to you!

 

[snowcrawler85]

Awesome! Congrats! ICOM is new right? I saw pictures of the campus and it looks very innovative. Best of luck to you!

Yes, ICOM is new... it’s stunning and was really impressed while I was there. Where are you going?

 

[VikMed1790]

Yes, ICOM is new... it’s stunning and was really impressed while I was there. Where are you going?

Finding the school that fits you is very important. I interviewed at a few places and got accepted into ATSU-SOMA, KYCOM, and waiting to hear back from KCUMB and my local school Southern Illinois University. SIU is my top choice, but if I don't get in, it'll be between ATSU-SOMA and KCUMB (if I get an acceptance). Both of their programs are awesome. My biggest concern is price. KCUMB is ~10k a year cheaper.

 

[tsmleague]

Finding the school that fits you is very important. I interviewed at a few places and got accepted into ATSU-SOMA, KYCOM, and waiting to hear back from KCUMB and my local school Southern Illinois University. SIU is my top choice, but if I don't get in, it'll be between ATSU-SOMA and KCUMB (if I get an acceptance). Both of their programs are awesome. My biggest concern is price. KCUMB is ~10k a year cheaper.

KCUMB is also more established, higher board scores. I'd go KCUMB if I were you.

 

[VikMed1790]

KCUMB is also more established, higher board scores. I'd go KCUMB if I were you.

Thank you! I appreciate the insight. The only problem is, I interviewed 10/30 and they said ~6 weeks before I hear back. That’s going to put me over the deadline, or very close, for atsu-soma. They want a deposit by December 14th. Let’s hope I hear back from kcumb sooner!

 

[snowcrawler85]

Finding the school that fits you is very important. I interviewed at a few places and got accepted into ATSU-SOMA, KYCOM, and waiting to hear back from KCUMB and my local school Southern Illinois University. SIU is my top choice, but if I don't get in, it'll be between ATSU-SOMA and KCUMB (if I get an acceptance). Both of their programs are awesome. My biggest concern is price. KCUMB is ~10k a year cheaper.

Best of luck with everything. I hope we both get our first choices! Still early in the cycle!

 

[VikMed1790]

Best of luck with everything. I hope we both get our first choices! Still early in the cycle!

Thank you very much! I have a good feeling we will!

 

[shellgraham]

Interview Invite today!

 

[Heytheree]

I’m from Illinois, no ties at all, not rural, and I got an interview invite. I say if you can afford to spend the money, don’t let an opportunity get away.

Are your stats competitive? If you dont mind me asking

 

[VikMed1790]

Are your stats competitive? If you dont mind me asking

My stats are average, but definitely no ties to the school or that area.

 

[singernursepremed]

Anybody plan on attending here for sure next year? I really like this school - but I am also one of the people that grew up in this area and wants to stay in this area and do rural health care (north Idaho/eastern Washington especially). Just curious who else on here is planning on going at this point.

 

[MotherofDragonflies]

Portal change. Deny post supplement.

Good luck everyone.

 

[dr.octopus]

Anybody plan on attending here for sure next year? I really like this school - but I am also one of the people that grew up in this area and wants to stay in this area and do rural health care (north Idaho/eastern Washington especially). Just curious who else on here is planning on going at this point.

Hey, I am! I am also looking for someone to share an apartment around campus. The Facebook page has not been very active..so was hoping I could reach someone through here.

 

[singernursepremed]

I would volunteer, but I live in West Valley with my dog and preschooler. Granted, I have a house with a yard, but the boy is still noisy and busy, and home isn’t the most conducive studying area lol. If you need help moving or have questions about the area, feel free to PM me, we’d be happy to help!

Edited because typing on a phone properly is impossible.

 

[dr.octopus]

I would volunteer, but I live in West Valley with my dog and preschooler. Granted, I have a house with a yard, but the boy is still noisy and busy, and home isn’t the most conducive studying area lol. If you need help moving or have questions about the area, feel free to PM me, we’d be happy to help!

Edited because typing on a phone properly is impossible.

Alright, I will keep looking.

 

[singernursepremed]

Want to PM me? Maybe we could come up with some ideas, and if you tell me the type of person you'd like to room with - I work at the hospital and I know we occasionally have people looking for roommates. There is probably someone also medically minded, whether it's a fellow student or otherwise. We've got a great bunch of people in this area!

 

[LizzyBeth2282]

Has anyone received an interview invite without their Casper being scored?