Western/COMP Interview Discussion thread

[mshheaddoc]

For discussion of the school noted above for INTERVIEW DATES ONLY!. Threads will be merged in here if they are created on their own. If you are looking for the general discussion thread, please check here to find the appropriate thread.

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[DangQ3]

I just got an interview invite from COMP in Nov. Anyone interviewing in Nov? I'm thinking of Nov 15th.

 

[Tensyle]

congratulations!! I havent received an interview yet...when were you complete, and are you OOS for western?

 

[DangQ3]

congratulations!! I havent received an interview yet...when were you complete, and are you OOS for western?

Thanks. They gave me the interview pre-secondary. My primary app sent out on 9/16. I'm in state by the way, so that must have contributed to the interview invite.

 

[ocwaveoc]

Hey guys, I'm interviewing at Western on Nov 15th! If you are flying in, I suggest you fly into Ontario airport instead of LAX. Pay that extra $80 for the ticket and save yourself the grief at LAX. (I'm from the area, so I know) Ontario airport is MUCH closer to Western and much easier to get through than LAX. I am very excited to be interviewing at Western.....one of the most happy day in as long as I can remember.

 

[StringerBell]

If you are flying in, I suggest you fly into Ontario airport instead of LAX.

I second that. I live right next to the Ontario airport, and it's only 15 minutes away from Western. LAX is more like 45-to-an-hour, with unpredictable traffic. Just don't end up in Canada.

If you're from other places in California (ie, NorCal), it's really not even any more expensive than flying into LAX. Just don't fly into Orange County (John Wayne International) because it's just as far as LAX and is usually also more expensive.

 

[Tensyle]

hey guys, i just got invited to interview!! im excited :-D im OOS...

I know western is a really good program....my only concern with western is that the campus is like 4 buildings...and the location is pretty rural-ish? Anyone has comments on this?

thanks

 

[jzeidenb]

what are the western interviews like, i got one in a couple weeks

 

[cyclohexanol]

what are the western interviews like, i got one in a couple weeks

Interview day is a bit long. They show you some videos, give a tour, blah blah. Then you go to sit and wait for your name to be called (can take up to 5 hours so bring something to do as well as food/water). You're hauled back into the faculty offices and interviewed by usually 1 person (sometimes 2). Most interviews are kick back, they just wanted to get to know you. I hear sporadic reports about getting asked ethical questions.

Check out the interview feedback on SDN for a sampling of questions asked in the past.

Also, 90% of people interviewed at western are eventually accepted. If that helps ease some anxiety, more power.

Good luck

 

[ocwaveoc]

hey guys, i just got invited to interview!! im excited :-D im OOS...

I know western is a really good program....my only concern with western is that the campus is like 4 buildings...and the location is pretty rural-ish? Anyone has comments on this?

thanks

Hey Tensyle,
Western is in a city named Pomona. I wouldn't call the area rural. It's not a city. It's got more of a suburban feel (not a real nice suburban area....). Pomona is known to have poor air quality. Umm..what else, I'm not sure about 4 different building....perhaps someone else can tell you more about that. The campus sort of looks **itty. It is about 45 minute drive (without traffic) from downtown LA, and about the same distance to the Orange county beaches. Being in Socal, housing is expensive. One of the Western students (StringerBell) informed me that the financial aid budget for room AND board is $11,500/yr. This amount is insanely low considering that you are in Socal. I'd say you need to have 2 other room mates to survive with such low budget for room and board or live in a bad area. Hmm...this is an issue for me since I have to finance 100% of the budget/fee.

 

[DangQ3]

Hey OC, I'll see you there on Nov 15th. Congrats Tensyle; when is your interview?

 

[caprisun]

Also, 90% of people interviewed at western are eventually accepted. If that helps ease some anxiety, more power.

that's definitely not true.. the hard numbers say only about 1/3 of those interviewed get accepted. but if you think about it, that is still some amazing odds.

i interviewed in september. the place is not rural but it isn't like downtown LA or anything. i am OOS and flew into ontario. distance was not a big problem. got a rent-a-car and hotel and drove my way around town to the school. the actual university is an old shopping complex so it's as if ure walking through the center of an outdoor mall kinda thing. but it seemed pretty homey. i saw some med students shooting hoops outside and everyone was super super super friendly. a lot of MSI's and MSII's came up to me randomly and gave me advice about interviewing.

the day was not too bad.. a lot of good info, touring, and eventually interviews by a board of 3. mine consisted of an MSIV, a PhD, and a DO. got one tough ethical Q but the rest was pretty straightforward (why medicine, strengths, weaknesses, etc).

in general.. i got a good vibe. but that was my first interview so not much to compare it with.

 

[cyclohexanol]

that's definitely not true.. the hard numbers say only about 1/3 of those interviewed get accepted. but if you think about it, that is still some amazing odds.

From 2005 US News
Applied In state/OOS; Interviewed In state/OOS; Accepted In state/OOS; Enrolled Instate/OOS.

COMP: 736/1606; 289/312; 261/281; 132/80

Total interviews = 289+312 = 601
Total accepted = 261+281 = 542

542/601 = .90

And if you don't like this representation, how about this spiffy graphic (courtesy of SamaraMorgan)?
http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/2658/2005dostatsqw8.jpg

 

[Tensyle]

Hey OC, I'll see you there on Nov 15th. Congrats Tensyle; when is your interview?

Hi, DangQ3...thank you. i think im gonna sign up for the nov 15th interview

 

[Tensyle]

Hey Tensyle,
Western is in a city named Pomona. I wouldn't call the area rural. It's not a city. It's got more of a suburban feel (not a real nice suburban area....). Pomona is known to have poor air quality. Umm..what else, I'm not sure about 4 different building....perhaps someone else can tell you more about that. The campus sort of looks **itty. It is about 45 minute drive (without traffic) from downtown LA, and about the same distance to the Orange county beaches. Being in Socal, housing is expensive. One of the Western students (StringerBell) informed me that the financial aid budget for room AND board is $11,500/yr. This amount is insanely low considering that you are in Socal. I'd say you need to have 2 other room mates to survive with such low budget for room and board or live in a bad area. Hmm...this is an issue for me since I have to finance 100% of the budget/fee.

Thanks for the info, OC. The looks of the campus, the area, and the budgeting set aside, would you say COMP has a good program/rotations?

 

[ocwaveoc]

Thanks for the info, OC. The looks of the campus, the area, and the budgeting set aside, would you say COMP has a good program/rotations?

First of all, I don't have a very good insight into the clinical rotations or the program to give you much details. Perhaps someone else can do that.

What I can tell you is this, from my perception, Western is at least in the mid tier of the DO world if not towards the top. Again, that's my perception. Just my gut feeling is that the top DO programs are PCOM, CCOM, DMU, MSU, Kirksville.....I don't think Western measures up to PCOM in terms of clinical rotations. Can someone else make a comment about this?

One other thing, I've read in the past in Western's website that they have affiliations with Pacific hospital of Long Beach, Downey medical ctr etc.... Those hospitals (especially Pacific hospital of LB) are some lower tiered hospitals.....Pacific hospital is tiny. However, I think Western may have new clinical affiliations with Arrowhead hospital. I'm not sure how that hospital is. It's a rural hospital I'm sure since Arrowhead is right by a ski resort named Big Bear which is very rural. Again, I have no idea how big/rural Arrowhead hospital is.

But, from what I hear, the students at Western are very happy and feel that they get excellent educations there.

I love Western no matter what though.

 

[cyclohexanol]

Thanks for the info, OC. The looks of the campus, the area, and the budgeting set aside, would you say COMP has a good program/rotations?

Yes it has a good program and for the most part, good rotations (from what I hear, I'll let you know next year).

 

[cyclohexanol]

One other thing, I've read in the past in Western's website that they have affiliations with Pacific hospital of Long Beach, Downey medical ctr etc.... Those hospitals (especially Pacific hospital of LB) are some lower tiered hospitals.....Pacific hospital is tiny. However, I think Western may have new clinical affiliations with Arrowhead hospital. I'm not sure how that hospital is. It's a rural hospital I'm sure since Arrowhead is right by a ski resort named Big Bear which is very rural. Again, I have no idea how big/rural Arrowhead hospital is.

But, from what I hear, the students at Western are very happy and feel that they get excellent educations there.

I love Western no matter what though.

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center is a [brand new] 373 bed facility that serves as a county hospital for San Bernardino County. It is a level II trauma center w/3 helipads, and the only burn unit from San Bernardino to Nevada (Loma Linda doesn't have one). It receives >100k ER visits/year making it one of the most heavily trafficked ERs in so cal (I think its only second to LAC+USC). And it is nowhere near Big Bear. It's actually right off the 10 freeway not too far from Ontario Airport. It's a really sweet hospital actually. I like it better than Harbor-UCLA and UCLA-Westwood as far as the hospital itself. The location leaves something to be desired. Read more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrowhead_Regional_Medical_Center

Also, Pacific hospital of LB is small, yes. It is literally across the street from Long Beach Memorial (large hospital that serves most of LB) and I'm not exactly sure how much action it sees because of that. However, Will Kirby, DO, the dermatologist from Dr. 90210 did his fellowship there (although I believe he completed his tool/dbag training elsewhere).

Obviously the big sites to do rotations during 3rd year are at ARMC and Riverside county regional medical center (http://www.rcrmc.org/about/index.html). However, the smaller hospitals definitely have their merits. Additionally, 4th year you go wherever you want (you set it up). We have a student rotations feedback section on the internal website where you can check feedback from COMP students at basically every hospital in the country (and other countries) from UCLA to Stanford to BIDMC, Mass gen, Yale, etc... just FYI

 

[hookem]

Hey guys I had a unique experience when I went to interview at Western. In talking to my interviewers I told them that I would be in town for a couple of days after my interview and so they told me to go and check out their rotation sites. I was close to Downey Regional and so I told them to set me up with someone there who wouldnt mind showing me around the place. It turned out that the person they set me up with was an intern and so I got there around 6 am the next morning and got to round with the interns, go on grand rounds, even answer a couple questions that the attending threw at me in the break room during discussion. It was pretty damn awesome. So I realize that the hospital was kinda small in comparison to Arrowhead or Westwood but being a county hospital you see most anything and everything (according to the residents).

It was just a really neat experience and its one that eased my mind about coming to Western.

 

[Tensyle]

Hey guys I had a unique experience when I went to interview at Western. In talking to my interviewers I told them that I would be in town for a couple of days after my interview and so they told me to go and check out their rotation sites. I was close to Downey Regional and so I told them to set me up with someone there who wouldnt mind showing me around the place. It turned out that the person they set me up with was an intern and so I got there around 6 am the next morning and got to round with the interns, go on grand rounds, even answer a couple questions that the attending threw at me in the break room during discussion. It was pretty damn awesome. So I realize that the hospital was kinda small in comparison to Arrowhead or Westwood but being a county hospital you see most anything and everything (according to the residents).

It was just a really neat experience and its one that eased my mind about coming to Western.

wow thats really cool what kinda questions did the attending throw at you?

 

[Hkoser]

Anyone know how soon after the interview they send out acceptances. Also, how long after an offer is extended do you have until you have to put a deposit down? I'm interviewing 11-8 but I just became completed at all other DO schools I applied to so i don't have other interview offers yet. I just don't want to get stuck paying their deposit if I have other options.

 

[hookem]

the only question I got right was when we were "rounding" and he asked what one of the biggest symptoms was when a patient has liver problems (was in the context of the patient we had just seen who was obese and had an obstructed bowel). I guessed jaundice and got a high five for it

 

[go lakers]

alright i have a question for other future interviewees.

what is a wise response to if they ask "did you apply to DO and MD programs? (and maybe how many of each?)"

because i did apply to both schools (many more MD than DO), so is it a good idea to divulge that type of information? what is everyone's opinion on this type of question? thanks.

 

[cyclohexanol]

alright i have a question for other future interviewees.

what is a wise response to if they ask "did you apply to DO and MD programs? (and maybe how many of each?)"

because i did apply to both schools (many more MD than DO), so is it a good idea to divulge that type of information? what is everyone's opinion on this type of question? thanks.

Sometimes it might be better to not divulge that information, but at Western they don't seem to care. Obviously you don't have to be honest because they don't have access to your AMCAS application, but if they somehow find out you weren't being honest, well heh...

I would just be honest and explain where you applied, why, etc...

Personal anecdote: When I interviewed (oh so long ago), my interviewer (one of the most traditional osteopaths on staff) asked where I applied and I simply told him: ~43 MD, 1 post-bacc, 1 DO. That didn't seem to affect the decision process since I'm drudging through 2nd year now.

Your mileage may vary.

Good luck!

 

[go lakers]

Sometimes it might be better to not divulge that information, but at Western they don't seem to care. Obviously you don't have to be honest because they don't have access to your AMCAS application, but if they somehow find out you weren't being honest, well heh...

I would just be honest and explain where you applied, why, etc...

Personal anecdote: When I interviewed (oh so long ago), my interviewer (one of the most traditional osteopaths on staff) asked where I applied and I simply told him: ~43 MD, 1 post-bacc, 1 DO. That didn't seem to affect the decision process since I'm drudging through 2nd year now.

Your mileage may vary.

Good luck!

thanks! good advice

 

[Daydreamer2008]

thanks! good advice

hmm so you lied but you previously posted that it was good advice to be honest?? I hope they saw through u.....

 

[mrd5003]

Anyone else interviewing there on Dec. 20? Also, I'm trying to get my DO letter in before that date, but I don't know yet if that's possible. Will they still interview me if it is not in by Dec 20?