2009-2010 Oregon Health & Sciences University (OHSU) Application Thread

Who else is applying here?

me!

Right on.

def in my top 5.

I'm ready to get this thing started.

I'm applying to OHSU. Was curious of the stats for people that got accepted last year? MCAT, GPA's, volunteer, research, work, etc.

OHSU is infamous for holding off notices until late in the season. Who do they accept early on?

CSMD2B said:

I'm applying to OHSU. Was curious of the stats for people that got accepted last year? MCAT, GPA's, volunteer, research, work, etc.

OHSU is infamous for holding off notices until late in the season. Who do they accept early on?

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3.7 GPA and 32 MCAT. I remember a student there saying they only take something like 10-15% of the class from interviews, the rest are waitlisted and offered late in the cycle. As for who they take i dont know what you really mean...i mean obviously the 10-15% are those who they have fallen in love with and want at the school no matter what. Like every school theres no real magic formula, a 4.0 and 38 mcat wont guarantee you anything here or any school for that matter.

merryjoulton said:

I was waitlisted #159 with a 3.9/34 so don't worry because stats aren't everything especially at OHSU.

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wow, well i guess on the bright side that bodes well for me because im not a 3.9 34 applicant...

From their website:
Average total GPA: 3.65
Average science GPA: 3.56
Average MCAT: 31

Not sure what year those are from....maybe 2008.

Also, from the MSAR:
- In-state applicant interviews: 203/390 (52.1%)
- OOS applicant interviews: 333/3967 (8.4%)
- 32/3.7 like Elijah05 said.

Good luck everyone!

merryjoulton said:

stats aren't everything especially at OHSU.

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This is very very true. At OHSU, the biggest favor you can do for yourself is to write insightful essays and present yourself well at your interview. Most of OHSU's admissions decisions are based on how well you are able to communicate with others and prove your passion for the field (and the school). They try to select students they think will be effective, compassionate physicians, not the ones they think will ace the exams.

At least, that's what the school has always told us...

URHere said:

This is very very true. At OHSU, the biggest favor you can do for yourself is to write insightful essays and present yourself well at your interview. Most of OHSU's admissions decisions are based on how well you are able to communicate with others and prove your passion for the field (and the school). They try to select students they think will be effective, compassionate physicians, not the ones they think will ace the exams.

At least, that's what the school has always told us...

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i always wondered why you decided on portland as a maryland/upstate ny girl.


i heard its a great city and all (san fran w/ rain) but whyyyyy? no love for the east?

witness23 said:

i always wondered why you decided on portland as a maryland/upstate ny girl.


i heard its a great city and all (san fran w/ rain) but whyyyyy? no love for the east?

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#1) Fantastic research for exactly what I want to do.

#2) A city that has everything close by (hiking, beaches, windsurfing, cities) just like home...but that isn't home.

#3) No snow

#4) The school just sold me. I set foot on campus and there was no doubt where I wanted to be.

Although I have to admit, the east coast is still awesome. I sometimes miss the opportunity to set my unbridled sarcasm free on the world, east coast style.

URHere said:

#1) Fantastic research for exactly what I want to do.

#2) A city that has everything close by (hiking, beaches, windsurfing, cities) just like home...but that isn't home.

#3) No snow

#4) The school just sold me. I set foot on campus and there was no doubt where I wanted to be.

Although I have to admit, the east coast is still awesome. I sometimes miss the opportunity to set my unbridled sarcasm free on the world, east coast style.

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I was just in Portland and toured the school while I was there. I LOVED IT. I loved Portland and the school was AMAZING. I totally understand what you mean when you say the school just sold you. I would love to go to OHSU

Portland is a very nice city and fairly clean considering its size (Boston is still the best city I've been to, that was in the summer though). Extremely beautiful springs and there is snow in winter but it never becomes a problem. It rains half the year here so make sure that doesn't affect your mood too much.

Just found out that OHSU is ranked #2 in primary care. Let's do this

I'm an in-state reapplicant (MCAT: 30, GPA: 3.5, tons of research and publications and a whole bunch of volunteering and shadowing). I had an exit interview last month and they said everything on my app was spot on and my interviews went great; however, I didn't get in because my secondary essay was " a little convoluted." Just FYI, interviews aren't everything at this school, unlike what I'd heard about this school in the past.

I'm applying at OHSU! My mom lives in Oregon, about 3 hours from Portland so it would be nice to be kind of close to home. I haven't really read up a ton on the school. Maybe that's what I will do tonight. I've heard it's a really solid school though.

chuck84 said:

I didn't get in because my secondary essay was " a little convoluted."

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Was it? What was the prompt last year?

DHite said:

Was it? What was the prompt last year?

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PERSONAL ESSAY (REQUIRED):
How will you evaluate your success as a medical student? (Please submit on a separate sheet of paper, do not exceed one page. No particular format, font or spacing is required.)

EMPLOYMENT/ACTIVITIES HISTORY (REQUIRED):
Using the format below, give us a brief chronological account of your major activities and employment, including volunteer and summer activities, for the five years immediately preceding your proposed entry to medical school.

Its been the same for the past few years, good chance it will also be this years.

Elijah05 said:

Its been the same for the past few years, good chance it will also be this years.

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Thank-you.

Do they screen for secondaries?

Sleight said:

Do they screen for secondaries?

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nope all get it....though after looking at last years thread, it seems they send it out VERY slowly and in general everything is slow. Do u not have an msar sleigh lol?

Sleight said:

Do they screen for secondaries?

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There is a very lax screen for secondaries based on GPA and MCAT. You need to have at least a 2.8 GPA and a 24 MCAT to be considered. If your scores are above that, you'll get a secondary.

URHere said:

There is a very lax screen for secondaries based on GPA and MCAT. You need to have at least a 2.8 GPA and a 24 MCAT to be considered. If your scores are above that, you'll get a secondary.

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wow really?!! then i wonder if there are many people who dont get the secondary..

after looking at some pics, i think i may be in love with portland already. does anyone know their policies on admitting OOS applicants?

premed bedhead said:

after looking at some pics, i think i may be in love with portland already. does anyone know their policies on admitting OOS applicants?

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People argue about this. OHSU does give preference to instate applicants, but not as much preference as some other state schools give their students. I'd say it's worth applying, there are plenty of out-of-staters in my class!

chuck84 said:

I'm an in-state reapplicant (MCAT: 30, GPA: 3.5, tons of research and publications and a whole bunch of volunteering and shadowing). I had an exit interview last month and they said everything on my app was spot on and my interviews went great; however, I didn't get in because my secondary essay was " a little convoluted." Just FYI, interviews aren't everything at this school, unlike what I'd heard about this school in the past.

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If your secondary was convoluted, it's kind of odd that you got an interview. Maybe they meant your statements in the interview were great, but that they conflicted with the secondary?

Everything else I've ever heard has indicated that roughly three quarters of the final decision is interview related, though they use hour-long interviews which will draw upon your secondary/amcas, while stats are considered but just barely in the final decision.

I'm in-state and I think it's a great school, and probably my #2 choice. But their slowness makes it kind of unlikely I'll go there.

LiveUninhibited said:

If your secondary was convoluted, it's kind of odd that you got an interview. Maybe they meant your statements in the interview were great, but that they conflicted with the secondary?

Everything else I've ever heard has indicated that roughly three quarters of the final decision is interview related, though they use hour-long interviews which will draw upon your secondary/amcas, while stats are considered but just barely in the final decision.

I'm in-state and I think it's a great school, and probably my #2 choice. But their slowness makes it kind of unlikely I'll go there.

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Admissions told me that it was the secondary essay that was convoluted and my interviews went fine so you can interpret that how you want. Oddly, both interviewers didn't really ask me any questions about the secondary. I can't think of anything that I would have said that would contradict the essay, but there had to be something. I have no clue.

Also, they might include the letters of recommendation and the essays within that 3/4 of the final decision

We shouldn't hold our breaths...yet. I found this on the website today:

"OHSU is currently transitioning to an online secondary application process. We project that email invitations for the secondary application will start going out in mid-August."

AGLAIA said:

We shouldn't hold our breaths...yet. I found this on the website today:

"OHSU is currently transitioning to an online secondary application process. We project that email invitations for the secondary application will start going out in mid-August."

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the fact that it wont be snail mail is awesome though, i dont like paper apps

[
oops double post...

AGLAIA said:

We shouldn't hold our breaths...yet. I found this on the website today:

"OHSU is currently transitioning to an online secondary application process. We project that email invitations for the secondary application will start going out in mid-August."

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I hope by then I will still be able to write a decent essay...i might write this one soon because i am starting to run out of secondary energy...

Sleight said:

I hope by then I will still be able to write a decent essay...i might write this one soon because i am starting to run out of secondary energy...

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I really hope the essay stays the same as last year, I think the one i wrote for ohsu was one of my best secondary essays period!. Unfortunately, the same cant be said of a lot of my other essays

Elijah05 said:

I really hope the essay stays the same as last year, I think the one i wrote for ohsu was one of my best secondary essays period!. Unfortunately, the same cant be said of a lot of my other essays

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Seriously. I looked at mine after I saw your message and it's beautiful.

Elijah05 said:

I really hope the essay stays the same as last year, I think the one i wrote for ohsu was one of my best secondary essays period!. Unfortunately, the same cant be said of a lot of my other essays

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Since we won't be seeing the secondary for a while, would anyone be able to post last year's prompts?

Coal said:

Since we won't be seeing the secondary for a while, would anyone be able to post last year's prompts?

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I posted the questions on this same page (post 20)...try looking

AGLAIA said:

We shouldn't hold our breaths...yet. I found this on the website today:

"OHSU is currently transitioning to an online secondary application process. We project that email invitations for the secondary application will start going out in mid-August."

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wonderful. we are guinea pigs...exciting.

Well, someone told me today that the class about to matriculate is 85% out-of-state, and this was because of the budget cuts. I can't confirm it, but I do know that I was waitlisted at #117 last year. I still need to do my exit interview though.

I know this has been done to death, but honestly, the problem keeps on recurring. OHSU has a chronic problem with accepting lots of OOS applicants, in direct opposition to their "mission statement" which explicitly states they have a preference for in-state applicants and want to train physicians who will practice in Oregon. As an Oregon resident with a good application, it just doesn't sit well

brianmartin said:

Well, someone told me today that the class about to matriculate is 85% out-of-state, and this was because of the budget cuts. I can't confirm it, but I do know that I was waitlisted at #117 last year. I still need to do my exit interview though.

I know this has been done to death, but honestly, the problem keeps on recurring. OHSU has a chronic problem with accepting lots of OOS applicants, in direct opposition to their "mission statement" which explicitly states they have a preference for in-state applicants and want to train physicians who will practice in Oregon. As an Oregon resident with a good application, it just doesn't sit well

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I feel sorry for you. My state schools let in more OOS than typical state schools, but that's ridiculous. At the same time, it's good news for others who are OOS, right?

brianmartin said:

Well, someone told me today that the class about to matriculate is 85% out-of-state, and this was because of the budget cuts. I can't confirm it, but I do know that I was waitlisted at #117 last year. I still need to do my exit interview though.

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The Class of 2013 Facebook page quotes the Dean's Office as saying that our class is 120 students with 73% Oregonians...

I don't think its fair to blame OHSU for taking OOS students. They barely receive any state support. If you look at the percentage of instate applicants given interviews verses OOS, they obviously favor Oregonians tremendously. That being said, I plan on leaving the state for my medical education--much cheaper to go to a well endowed private institution with plenty of financial aid.

Here's the story with OOS acceptances that I was told officially on interview day (I interviewed for the 2008 entering class):

In state applicants are given preference for receiving an interview. After the interview, during the final decision process, no preference is given to in state-ers. So I guess that if you are OOS and you got an interview, that's good news for you.

I was in state and had all the stats, plus lots of research, but I didn't get in. Not enough volunteer work, I think. Plus, they really like older applicants who are well-rounded and have life experience in another field. I was definitely a math and science girl and I didn't take any humanities.

Has anybody heard anything from them yet...any acknowledgment at all? I've heard from all 11 other schools I've applied to, but nothing from OHSU yet!

Guess I'd better join this year's thread since I'm a leftover from last year's cycle

Hello everyone!

dlaw7 said:

Has anybody heard anything from them yet...any acknowledgment at all? I've heard from all 11 other schools I've applied to, but nothing from OHSU yet!

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i dont think that anyone has heard from them...

dlaw7 said:

Has anybody heard anything from them yet...any acknowledgment at all? I've heard from all 11 other schools I've applied to, but nothing from OHSU yet!

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They're pretty slow most of the time, so try not to stress (difficult, I know). Quick overview of the time line for me last year: submitted my primary around mid august, got the secondary first week of October, wasn't acknowledged as "complete" until mid January, and then invited for interview late Feb...

That said, I was late to submit my primary, then submitted my secondary in the last week of my deadline. I think a quick return will help things go slightly quicker for you...

Oregon is one of my reach schools. Seems like a great place and is pretty high ranked for both primary care and research! Just hope I hear from them

This announcement was posted on OHSU's website today.

"The Office of Admissions is currently in the process of finalizing our new online secondary application and applicant status page. Secondary applications have not yet been distributed. We project that secondary application invitations will start being emailed to applicants in late August."

No one has received a secondary yet, so no need to start worrying.

OOOaF said:

Oregon is one of my reach schools. Seems like a great place and is pretty high ranked for both primary care and research! Just hope I hear from them

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Well, you're above their average stats. I think you have a good chance.