2012-2013 Oregon Health and Science University Application Thread

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Status
Not open for further replies.
gettheleadout

gettheleadout

MD
Moderator Emeritus
Verified Member
10+ Year Member
Verified Expert
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
11,799
Reaction score
2,808
Points
5,251
  1. Resident [Any Field]
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Space reserved for prompt.

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:
 
Hi folks!

Anyone else applying for the combined MD/MPH program? I noticed they have added a couple things that I didn't notice last year. Specifically, from the OHSU website:

Policies and requirements for admission (including letters of recommendation) for the MD/MPH Combined Degree Program for entering students are the same as for the MD program, with the exception or addition of the criteria listed below:

In addition to the required letters of recommendation for the MD program, include at least one letter of recommendation from a public health source noting evidence of the unique background that makes the applicant particularly suited to a career in public health.

With the MD/MPH Combined Degree Application Addendum, include a one-page statement of purpose explaining your desire for entering the MD/MPH program and outlining your ambitions regarding your career development.​

I am really unsure about whether I am qualified enough for this, but I am sure I could write a full page. The letter...I'm not as sure about. What kind of experience do you have that you are getting a letter from? I have a clinical volunteer supervisor who is also part of a coalition I've worked with that is trying to work on LGBT health issues on a policy level. I've done a survey regarding a particular populations regarding barriers to accessing healthcare and used the data to build cultural competency trainings. I could probably spin that pretty well, but I am curious about what other folks are applying with.
 
Also, holla to any other Portlanders who I might end up spending the next 4 years with if I'm fortunate.
 
Does anyone have the secondary essay prompt from last year? I'm really hoping to at least get an interview here, but I know it's going to be a reach with my stats :scared:
 
I know OHSU says 3 from teachers, in addition to "carefully select[ing] a well-chosen group of letters that speak to significant experiences in the areas of academics, health care experiences/physician shadowing and extracurricular accomplishments." Any ideas on *how many* this means? How many is too many? I can think of maybe a dozen people that would be happy to write me a character recommendation, but that seems like clearly too many.
 
They wanted to have their cake and eat it too, as in move to MMIs but still ask you a bunch of personal "traditional interview" style questions. It was really hard to answer them, I hope they don't do the same thing again!
 
I am a little confused about their letter stuff also. I've been told that OHSU expects a letter from each of the 3 "most significant" activities you listed in AMCAS, which to me says they want a minimum of 6 letters. Which sounds a little ridiculous, since a lot of schools won't accept more than 5.
 
ddb said:
They wanted to have their cake and eat it too, as in move to MMIs but still ask you a bunch of personal "traditional interview" style questions. It was really hard to answer them, I hope they don't do the same thing again!
Click to expand...

For what it's worth, OHSU's questions have always been on the challenging side. They are one of the few schools that tries to base the bulk of an admissions decision on "intangibles", and that means that they weight interviews, LORs, and essays very heavily (when I applied, they said these things made up 80% of our admissions scores.)

ameriver said:
I know OHSU says 3 from teachers, in addition to "carefully select[ing] a well-chosen group of letters that speak to significant experiences in the areas of academics, health care experiences/physician shadowing and extracurricular accomplishments." Any ideas on *how many* this means? How many is too many? I can think of maybe a dozen people that would be happy to write me a character recommendation, but that seems like clearly too many.
Click to expand...

rachelkj said:
I am a little confused about their letter stuff also. I've been told that OHSU expects a letter from each of the 3 "most significant" activities you listed in AMCAS, which to me says they want a minimum of 6 letters. Which sounds a little ridiculous, since a lot of schools won't accept more than 5.
Click to expand...

I don't know if there is a set answer to this, but I would give the following advice:

1) Try to find multi-purpose letters if at all possible. Did you take a class with someone you also TAed for? Is there a faculty member who taught one of your classes and served as a research mentor? How about faculty members who were academic advisors, or contact people for a student group/hobby? This is a way to create some overlap between faculty letters and "significant experience" letters - it is also likely to create a much stronger letter because the person knows you from more than one setting.

2) You aren't just looking for a character recommendation. You ideally want someone who has objective experience with your work-ethic, response to stress, innate intelligence, communication skills, etc. Make a list of people who fit that bill, and then narrow down from there.

3) For what it's worth, I had 5 letters when I applied (two from research advisors, one from an organic chemistry professor I TAed for, one from a neuroscience professor who was also my academic advisor, and one from a theatre professor who employed me as a stage manager for 2 years)

I know other people who applied (and got in) with a similar number of letters. Personally, I think that 5-6 letters is just fine. More than that is probably overkill if you want faculty members to thoroughly read all of your letters without getting annoyed.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Good luck to all you applicants. If you are invited for an interview, you're in for a treat. The view from the SkyTram will blow your socks off!
 
can someone comment on how OOS friendly OHSU is? is there a OOS cut-off?

what if my undergrad GPA is lower but I have a high SMP GPA?

thanks!
 
URHere said:
For what it's worth, OHSU's questions have always been on the challenging side. They are one of the few schools that tries to base the bulk of an admissions decision on "intangibles", and that means that they weight interviews, LORs, and essays very heavily (when I applied, they said these things made up 80% of our admissions scores.) . . .
Click to expand...

Wow, if this is true, I might have a great shot!

tasiubao said:
can someone comment on how OOS friendly OHSU is? is there a OOS cut-off?
. . .
Click to expand...

I'd be very interested to know this answer, too. Thanks in advance.
 
tasiubao said:
can someone comment on how OOS friendly OHSU is? is there a OOS cut-off?

what if my undergrad GPA is lower but I have a high SMP GPA?

thanks!
Click to expand...

On the OHSU website (for the cycle just ending) they state that they "give preference" to IS, WICHE, and:

Non-resident applicants with superior achievements in academics and other related
experiences. For the 2012 cycle, superior academics is defined as a cumulative
Total GPA, as reported by AMCAS, of 3.65 or higher and a cumulative score of
32 or higher on the most recent eligible MCAT.

I'd be willing to bet it's still possible to get an interview as an OOS candidate with a sub 32 MCAT or 3.65 GPA, but it doesn't help the odds any. Once you *get* the interview, OTOH, I think OHSU is pretty open to considering other factors. So... are they OOS friendly? For folks with a 32/3.65+ I'd say absolutely, but for more lopsided candidates possibly not.
 
Northwesterly said:
So... are they OOS friendly? For folks with a 32/3.65+ I'd say absolutely, but for more lopsided candidates possibly not.
Click to expand...
With good stats, I'd say they're very OOS friendly. Most Oregon residents would probably kvetch that they're too OOS friendly, but we don't have enough taxpayer support for education to have much of a leg to stand on.
 
Submitted my primary two weeks ago and just recently got my MCAT score back. I'm excited for the application cycle and wish the best of luck to all of my fellow Oregonians! and I guess you OOS'ers too 😛

Also, I'm a native Oregonian from Portland, so if you have any questions about Portland or OHSU, feel free to ask and I'll see if I can answer them.

PS: this thread needs more activity 🙂
 
DAPI said:
Submitted my primary two weeks ago and just recently got my MCAT score back. I'm excited for the application cycle and wish the best of luck to all of my fellow Oregonians! and I guess you OOS'ers too 😛

Also, I'm a native Oregonian from Portland, so if you have any questions about Portland or OHSU, feel free to ask and I'll see if I can answer them.

PS: this thread needs more activity 🙂
Click to expand...

Agreed. Maybe OHSU should just start sending out some secondaries 🙂
 
cherahla said:
Agreed. Maybe OHSU should just start sending out some secondaries 🙂
Click to expand...
Don't get too excited there, buddy. Their admissions process is probably the slowest in the nation!
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
ddb said:
Don't get too excited there, buddy. Their admissions process is probably the slowest in the nation!
Click to expand...

OHSU had a slow admissions process BEFORE it was mainstream.
 
cherahla said:
OHSU had a slow admissions process BEFORE it was mainstream.
Click to expand...

And now the only reason they still have a slow admissions process is so they can be ironic.
 
Applying to OHSU... Looking forward to the possibility of interviewing here. I am also an Oregon resident (have lived in the area for the last 12 years, though I attend undergrad in Oklahoma). So, why have people chose OHSU???
 
jdlykins91 said:
Applying to OHSU... Looking forward to the possibility of interviewing here. I am also an Oregon resident (have lived in the area for the last 12 years, though I attend undergrad in Oklahoma). So, why have people chose OHSU???
Click to expand...
Because we are Oregon residents, or maybe the Portlanders just love it and want to build a moat across I-5 so that applicants from Oregon's Heart of Darkness don't dare apply.
 
Last edited:
ShenanigansMD said:
Because we are Oregon residents, or maybe the Portland snobs just love it and want to build a moat across I-5 so that applicants from Oregon's Heart of Darkness don't dare apply.
Click to expand...

Same here. Except the build a moat thing. There are a couple of people in our neighboring state that I can handle hanging with.

I was born in Portland, and have lived less than 30 minutes from the heart of the city my entire life, except the few years that I was away at college (in another Oregon town). I can even go as far as to say that both of my parents were born in Portland.

That being said, I am not looking forward to the amount of time that OHSU makes people wait to know if they are accepted. Glaciers move faster than the OHSU ad-com.

dsoz
 
So I was born in Portland, lived in oregon until I was 9, moved to Cali (residency) and went up to visit very often since all my family lives around Portland, with ties like this would I be looked at more favorably than an average OOS applicant?
 
skargylejohn said:
So I was born in Portland, lived in oregon until I was 9, moved to Cali (residency) and went up to visit very often since all my family lives around Portland, with ties like this would I be looked at more favorably than an average OOS applicant?
Click to expand...

Meh, no real way to say w/o talking to an adcom, but OHSU is already very OOS friendly as long as you meet the cutoff for OOS applicants for the year with is normally around 3.65 cGPA and 32 MCAT.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Anyone know if these cut offs are "no exceptions" or electronically done? I don't they are, but I have a weird GPA of 3.59 with a sci GPA of 3.76. I got a 32 so I think I'm good there.
 
jlescher said:
Anyone know if these cut offs are "no exceptions" or electronically done? I don't they are, but I have a weird GPA of 3.59 with a sci GPA of 3.76. I got a 32 so I think I'm good there.
Click to expand...

I have HEARD that if one of your GPA's is above a 3.65 but I can't say that with certainty. It may be best to call and ask or try to find someone who was interviewed with a GPA below that 3.65 who wasn't part of WHICHE or a URM.
 
jlescher said:
Anyone know if these cut offs are "no exceptions" or electronically done?
Click to expand...
Electronically?! :laugh:

As far I've seen, most things in the admissions office are either paper-based or at best rudimentary computer technology.

This certainly does contribute to the glacial inefficiency, however the benefit is that because more things are done manually you stand a greater chance of getting a more holistic review. 👍
 
Wait, OHSU is in Oregon? I thought it stood for Ohio State University!
 
BigBlueBear said:
Wait, OHSU is in Oregon? I thought it stood for Ohio State University!
Click to expand...

You serious? 😕

We also have an OSU, Oregon State University, but they do not have a med school 🙁
 
Wait do only Portlanders apply here, or are there "others," like in Lost. I'm applying from Oregon's boonies.
 
Last edited:
ShenanigansMD said:
Wait do only Portlanders apply here, or are there "others," like in Lost. I'm applying from Oregon's boonies.
Click to expand...

I think you have an advantage as a non-Portlander; you stand out. If you want to get creative, talk about it in your diversity essay. Honestly, Oregon is ranked so highly in primary care because it's the focus of a state that NEEDS people to go into rural medicine. Having someone FROM that area gives you an edge, I would say.
 
I have a feeling OHSU's secondary will be coming out in the next few days based on the last two years. Hoping its not as bad as it has been in the past though :xf:
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
I'm from Missouri and I'm applying because of their reputation for Primary Care excellence. I don't meet the GPA cutoff unless you incorporate my grad school grades (3.5 w/o grad school, 3.7 w/ grad school), but I do have the MCAT score. I also have a Masters of Health Administration and about 5000 hours of work at a hospital. Hoping to just get a secondary!
 
DAPI said:
I have a feeling OHSU's secondary will be coming out in the next few days based on the last two years. Hoping its not as bad as it has been in the past though :xf:
Click to expand...

Next Friday, Friday, it's gunna come out next Friday,
Everybody will write it on the weekend, the weekend!
 
cherahla said:
Next Friday, Friday, it's gunna come out next Friday,
Everybody will write it on the weekend, the weekend!
Click to expand...

How do you know next Friday? I was thinking more like tomorrow or Monday.
 
BigBlueBear said:
I take it you've never heard of Rebecca Black.
Click to expand...

lol, I know who Rebecca Black is, but by saying "next" Friday I thought he/she may know something we don't.
 
DAPI said:
lol, I know who Rebecca Black is, but by saying "next" Friday I thought he/she may know something we don't.
Click to expand...

Not surprised, SDN, not surprised at all.
 
I'm sort of torn about applying here. I didn't list OHSU on my initial AMCAS submission, because I don't meet the OOS numbers for "superior academic achievement" (>32 MCAT, >3.65 GPA). Anyone know how strict they are with these standards? I don't want apply and pay the secondary fee with absolutely no chance of getting an interview.
 
SpacemanSpifff said:
I'm sort of torn about applying here. I didn't list OHSU on my initial AMCAS submission, because I don't meet the OOS numbers for "superior academic achievement" (>32 MCAT, >3.65 GPA). Anyone know how strict they are with these standards? I don't want apply and pay the secondary fee with absolutely no chance of getting an interview.
Click to expand...

No idea, but those numbers are likely to change as they are based on the current class. Those number looks the same as last year so it may be worth a shot. But if I had to guess I would say those numbers are going to go up if they change, not down.


EDIT: The secondary FAQ says you can apply as long as you have a 24 MCAT and a 2.8 GPA. The numbers you cited are their mission based group for OOS people. So not really sure what that means.
 
Last edited:
Called it!

Just got the secondary! In State Applicant.

Best of luck everyone!!!!

It says they are rolling it out in batches and I was in the first batch, so if you didn't get it, you will soon!!
 
Last edited:
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

wysdoc
2024-2025 Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU)
11 12 13 14 15
Replies
730
Views
208K
amygdalahijack
A
wysdoc
2023-2024 Oregon Health and Sciences University
10 11 12 13 14
Replies
664
Views
164K
addoncase
A
chilly_md
2024-2025 CA University of Science and Medicine
9 10 11 12 13
Replies
617
Views
189K
Sphygmomanometer
Sphygmomanometer
wysdoc
2024-2025 Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS)
9 10 11 12 13
Replies
629
Views
149K
DocMazard
D
wysdoc
2022-2023 Oregon Health and Sciences University
10 11 12 13 14
Replies
674
Views
161K
taylorsprivatejet1
T
Top Bottom