2012-2013 Oregon Health and Science University Application Thread

[BigBlueBear]

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!!

Wanna post the questions for non-first-batchers like me?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[mybubbles627]

Yo does Oregon screen? I'm not expecting verification until the end of the month.

Not for a secondary. Everyone receives a secondary.

 

[ddb]

Wanna post the questions for non-first-batchers like me?

Question 1 - What experience have you had that has given you insight into the patients you hope to eventually serve?
Question 2 - What will be your greatest challenge in becoming a physician?
Question 3 - Give an example of a time when you tried your best to work with a person or a group but the problems still remained. What did you learn from the experience?
Question 4 - Describe a time when you did not receive what you felt you deserved, and how you reacted.
Question 5 - Give an example of personal feedback in the last few years that was difficult to receive. How did you respond?
Question 6 - Please discuss the diversity that you would bring to the OHSU School of Medicine and the profession of medicine.

 

[Propylene]

Question 1 - What experience have you had that has given you insight into the patients you hope to eventually serve?
Question 2 - What will be your greatest challenge in becoming a physician?
Question 3 - Give an example of a time when you tried your best to work with a person or a group but the problems still remained. What did you learn from the experience?
Question 4 - Describe a time when you did not receive what you felt you deserved, and how you reacted.
Question 5 - Give an example of personal feedback in the last few years that was difficult to receive. How did you respond?
Question 6 - Please discuss the diversity that you would bring to the OHSU School of Medicine and the profession of medicine.

Do you know what the character limits are?

 

[DAPI]

1500 for all but the last one. 2000 for that.

I'm surprised this thread hasn't blown up like the rest when the first secondary comes out.

 

[Propylene]

Great, thanks! Good luck everyone!!

 

[BigBlueBear]

Yikes this is going to be a tough one. Best of luck to all

 

[ShenanigansMD]

"Question 4 - Describe a time when you did not receive what you felt you deserved, and how you reacted."

Yeah, my secondary man! I can't take this anymore, where is it!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

[BigBlueBear]

"Question 4 - Describe a time when you did not receive what you felt you deserved, and how you reacted."

Yeah, my secondary man! I can't take this anymore, where is it!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

[Northwesterly]

"Question 4 - Describe a time when you did not receive what you felt you deserved, and how you reacted."

Yeah, my secondary man! I can't take this anymore, where is it!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Don't be surprised if some of you have to wait a bit. I was verified the first week of June last year and didn't get my OHSU secondary 'til late August. (after I had submitted all my other secondaries and started getting interviews.)
It won't hurt your chances any, but it can be a tough few (several?) weeks.

 

[DAPI]

To all of you who have no started writing this secondary, 1500 characters is WAAAAY too short

 

[mybubbles627]

Good luck on the secondary everyone! I know its brutal cause I did it last year but don't over think it and just write honest answers. I wish you all the best!

 

[cherahla]

Wise writing tips from good ol' K Vonnegut. Although intended for writing fiction, I amended them to be useful for secondary writing. Good luck, friends!

1) Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
2) Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for (you).
3) Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water (or to become an Oregon doc...).
4) Every sentence must do one of two things-reveal character or advance the action.
5) Start as close to the end as possible. (1500 characters!!!)
6) Be a Sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them-in order that the reader may see what they are made of. (this one is probably, hopefully irreconcilably irrelevant)
7) Write to please just one person (adcom). If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia (or whooping cough, in Oregon's case)
8) Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To hell with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages. (instead of pages... sentences?)

 

[starstarie]

do you guys think i should i even bother sending in the secondary OOS 3.83/30

boo a 32 is a pretty high cutoff isnt it?

im a nontrad and have some pretty cool experiences and stuff, but if they are just gonna screen me out right after sending in my secondary fee..

 

[CsHead]

do you guys think i should i even bother sending in the secondary OOS 3.83/30

boo a 32 is a pretty high cutoff isnt it?

im a nontrad and have some pretty cool experiences and stuff, but if they are just gonna screen me out right after sending in my secondary fee..

I don't know.... do you often find yourself content with giving up without trying?

 

[ddb]

I don't know.... do you often find yourself content with giving up without trying?

I wouldn't frame it that way, CsHead. I imagine they are strict with that cutoff, otherwise why would they make one? Do you honestly think there is some sort of honor in spending $134 to ignore someone's instructions?
I hate to say it starsie, but I would take them at their word and not get your hopes up. The way they drag out the admissions process here will only make it even harder on you!

 

[dsoz]

do you guys think i should i even bother sending in the secondary OOS 3.83/30

boo a 32 is a pretty high cutoff isnt it?

im a nontrad and have some pretty cool experiences and stuff, but if they are just gonna screen me out right after sending in my secondary fee..

The 32 is only a cutoff for "mission based groups" not for OOS applicants. Trust me, I don't want to enourage competition at my number one MD choice, but OOS applicants can apply with less than a 3.6 and 32 but they have a harder time getting an interview. The "mission groups" get first crack at interviews and anyone else gets the left overs. It would not be a good place to be, but all hope is not lost.

OHSU is now taking more OOS because they can charge more for tuition. They are also expanding the class sizes over the next few years.

Good luck with your decision, whatever it may be.

dsoz

 

[DAPI]

The 32 is only a cutoff for "mission based groups" not for OOS applicants. Trust me, I don't want to enourage competition at my number one MD choice, but OOS applicants can apply with less than a 3.6 and 32 but they have a harder time getting an interview. The "mission groups" get first crack at interviews and anyone else gets the left overs. It would not be a good place to be, but all hope is not lost.

OHSU is now taking more OOS because they can charge more for tuition. They are also expanding the class sizes over the next few years.

Good luck with your decision, whatever it may be.

dsoz

I looked at your MDapp, OHSU is going to love you. They love non-trads.

Also, your signature is golden!

 

[dsoz]

I looked at your MDapp, OHSU is going to love you. They love non-trads.

Also, your signature is golden!

thanks! I hope OHSU loves me. That way my spouse can keep working and carry the health insurance, and I don't have to figure out what to do with my house in Oregon City.

As for the signature, I have more that I didn't write. Like "the paranoid wants to know who has been drinking out of their glass. The pragmatic wants to know who is going to get the glass full again. The insomniac looses sleep over whether it is half full or half empty. The fundamentalist prays that the glass will become full again. The agnostic wonders if God really made the glass and the drink..."

Probably too much for a signature, but things I think about nonetheless. Ha ha.

dsoz

 

[HuskyFan]

While you are correct that the 32 is the cutoff for "mission based groups", it should be noted that OHSU has only interviewed candidates that fall into one of their mission groups as of late. I think I remember this being said at either last years interview, or as an update posted in the online portal. So while there is a chance that they might interview OOS applicants that don't meet the mission based academic and MCAT cutoffs, this hasn't occurred in at least the last several years.

Not trying to be a downer, but secondary costs add up quick and OHSU's secondary isn't cheap. Best of luck to all applying this cycle!

 

[mybubbles627]

do you guys think i should i even bother sending in the secondary OOS 3.83/30

boo a 32 is a pretty high cutoff isnt it?

im a nontrad and have some pretty cool experiences and stuff, but if they are just gonna screen me out right after sending in my secondary fee..

Residents of Oregon.

Non-resident applicants with Oregon Heritage. The School of Medicine uses the Oregon Heritage Policy for student selection, but it is not used as a basis for determining residency, and therefore the tuition a student pays. Oregon Heritage is defined as 1) A student with one or both parents residing in Oregon at the time of application, 2) A student who graduated from high school in Oregon with at least two years at a high school in Oregon, or 3) A student who graduated from an institution of higher education in Oregon with at least two years at an institution in Oregon.

WICHE-Certified residents of Montana and Wyoming.

Applicants applying to the M.D./Ph.D. and M.D./M.P.H. Combined Degree Programs.

Non-resident applicants with superior achievements in academics and other related experiences. For the 2013 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.

The School of Medicine Admissions Committee fully recognizes the importance of diversity in its student body and in the physician workforce in providing for effective delivery of health care. Accordingly, the OHSU School of Medicine strongly encourages applications from persons from all socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, religious, and educational backgrounds and from persons from groups underrepresented in medicine.

Those are the mission based groups. As said above, OHSU is big on filling these groups. If you are OOS but don't fit the OOS group then you would have to fit the last option of being part of a group underrepresented in medicine. OHSU is a very good public university so they can be a little more picky about the OOS students they select. It is your choice to apply or not. I just wanted to present you (and others) with the facts so they know what they are up against by applying here. Best of luck to you!

 

[jdlykins91]

About how long is the interlude between submission of the primary and receiving the secondary from OHSU? I know that OHSU is notoriously slow, but does it start this early in the process?... haha... So, what is appealing to you all about OHSU?

 

[DAPI]

About how long is the interlude between submission of the primary and receiving the secondary from OHSU? I know that OHSU is notoriously slow, but does it start this early in the process?... haha... So, what is appealing to you all about OHSU?

I was verified on the 5th, got the secondary on the 19th, and I was told I was in the first batch. It does not look like, from the posts at least, that another batch has been rolled out. Also, I'm IS, so that may speed the process along for me, but idk.

Maybe check last years thread for more data points.

 

[jdlykins91]

I was verified on the 5th, got the secondary on the 19th, and I was told I was in the first batch. It does not look like, from the posts at least, that another batch has been rolled out. Also, I'm IS, so that may speed the process along for me, but idk.

Maybe check last years thread for more data points.

I will do that. I just saw a comment from another poster saying that they had to wait a couple of months. That is just crazy. I have an interview already, but not a word from OHSU... I am in-state as well...

So, again, I am soliciting opinions. Apart from living in Portland, which is a pretty nice place, what is appealing to you all about OHSU?

 

[ddb]

I was verified on the 5th, got the secondary on the 19th, and I was told I was in the first batch. It does not look like, from the posts at least, that another batch has been rolled out. Also, I'm IS, so that may speed the process along for me, but idk.

Maybe check last years thread for more data points.

I applied last year. I was in the second batch, which came out about a month after the first. It was so frustrating to wait that long!!! Good luck waiting everyone, hope you have something to distract you this summer!

 

[DAPI]

I will do that. I just saw a comment from another poster saying that they had to wait a couple of months. That is just crazy. I have an interview already, but not a word from OHSU... I am in-state as well...

So, again, I am soliciting opinions. Apart from living in Portland, which is a pretty nice place, what is appealing to you all about OHSU?

In no particular order:
- AMAZING research facilities at the Knight Cancer Institute (Starting a job there on Monday )
- I know my way around OHSU like the back of my hand
- I know lots of doctors up there already if I ever needed guidance from someone I truly trusted up there
- All of my family lives in Oregon
- Great pediatrics center with Doernbecher
- They use block style curriculum - meaning you learn one subject at a time over a few weeks instead of lots of subjects overlapping throughout the year
- Ascetically pleasing building (well, maybe not the med school buildings, but most of the hospitals)

I think the two biggest let downs of OHSU, and many other schools, is that they use essentially and A,B,C,D,F grading system, rank their class, and have a below average pass rate of step 1. 2010 was their lowest in quite a while at 85%, with past years before that being around 90-91%. I'm not sure if something changed in their curriculum or what. Also, their average scores are often a few points below the national average, consistently around 217 compared to a national average of 221. But honestly, I do not even know how big of difference this is.

 

[DAPI]

I applied last year. I was in the second batch, which came out about a month after the first. It was so frustrating to wait that long!!! Good luck waiting everyone, hope you have something to distract you this summer!

Thats insane. Well, at least the prompts are posted that people can pre-write them.

 

[jdlykins91]

In no particular order:
- AMAZING research facilities at the Knight Cancer Institute (Starting a job there on Monday )
- I know my way around OHSU like the back of my hand
- I know lots of doctors up there already if I ever needed guidance from someone I truly trusted up there
- All of my family lives in Oregon
- Great pediatrics center with Doernbecher
- They use block style curriculum - meaning you learn one subject at a time over a few weeks instead of lots of subjects overlapping throughout the year
- Ascetically pleasing building (well, maybe not the med school buildings, but most of the hospitals)

I think the two biggest let downs of OHSU, and many other schools, is that they use essentially and A,B,C,D,F grading system, rank their class, and have a below average pass rate of step 1. 2010 was their lowest in quite a while at 85%, with past years before that being around 90-91%. I'm not sure if something changed in their curriculum or what. Also, their average scores are often a few points below the national average, consistently around 217 compared to a national average of 221. But honestly, I do not even know how big of difference this is.

I am definitely applying. I have lived in Oregon for the better part of 10 years, and my immediate family is still in Hillsboro. But it is just a tough decision. I know several docs who graduated from OHSU, and their impressions are decidedly mixed!!! I've never been up the mountain before... I might have to try visiting before I go back to school. Congrats on your job at the Cancer Institute... What will you be doing? And I'm definitiely not too excited about that kind of grading system. The vast majority of the schools I am applying to have a pass/ fail or honors/pass/fail grading policy. What do they do prior to Step 1 in terms of classes? Is there time built in to the schedule for studying/ reviewing material for Step 1? That seems to be a common thread in schools that do very well on that exam.

And no joke about the surprise... Like I said, there shouldn't be that kind of a huge lag. Some schools are actually giving out interview invites. And OHSU is still not releasing secondaries to everyone... haha... I guess that's just OHSU... I wonder if it is a reflection of the school's attitude toward their students?

 

[DAPI]

I am definitely applying. I have lived in Oregon for the better part of 10 years, and my immediate family is still in Hillsboro.

1) But it is just a tough decision. I know several docs who graduated from OHSU, and their impressions are decidedly mixed!!!

2) I've never been up the mountain before... I might have to try visiting before I go back to school.

3) Congrats on your job at the Cancer Institute... What will you be doing?

4) And I'm definitiely not too excited about that kind of grading system. The vast majority of the schools I am applying to have a pass/ fail or honors/pass/fail grading policy.

5) What do they do prior to Step 1 in terms of classes? Is there time built in to the schedule for studying/ reviewing material for Step 1? That seems to be a common thread in schools that do very well on that exam.

6) And no joke about the surprise... Like I said, there shouldn't be that kind of a huge lag. Some schools are actually giving out interview invites. And OHSU is still not releasing secondaries to everyone... haha... I guess that's just OHSU... I wonder if it is a reflection of the school's attitude toward their students?

1) I have never really talk to doctors that have graduated from OHSU, but I have seen hints of this in the doctors I do know up there. I have never asked for their reasoning though.

2) You need to take a trip up there and just drive around. Maybe the med school will give you a tour if you call ahead, but IDK

3) Thanks! I got a Research Assistant II position doing work on prostate cancer epigenetics looking at histone modification

4) Agreed, but also of note, the grading is not distributed among student scores, its a preset score that gets you an A, B, C, etc. So like a 90% gets you an A, not the top 10% get an A.

5) Here is the curriculum. I'm not really sure about time for studying for step 1.

6) Yeah, OHSU is just a waiting game. I hope its not a reflection towards their students. I hope it means they do a great holistic review. I mean, that way they have lots of time to review everyones apps between submission waves.

 

[mybubbles627]

I applied last year. Here is my timeline in case you are interested.

Primary Verified: 9/13
Secondary Received: 9/14
Secondary Submitted: 9/21
File Processed/Complete: 11/8 (They take a very long time to process your secondary before it is ready to review)
Interview Invite: 11/30

 

[jdlykins91]

You need to take a trip up there and just drive around. Maybe the med school will give you a tour if you call ahead, but IDK

Thanks! I got a Research Assistant II position doing work on prostate cancer epigenetics looking at histone modification


Yeah, OHSU is just a waiting game. I hope its not a reflection towards their students. I hope it means they do a great holistic review. I mean, that way they have lots of time to review everyones apps between submission waves.

I think I'll do that. I've always wanted to go and just take a look around. And epigenetics is definitely an up and coming field. I attended the Drosophila Research Conference in Chicago earlier this year, and everyone was really excited about this kind of stuff. I've never been to big of a fan of the "histone code" type stuff, but definitely incredibly important work. I'm glad!!! And yeah... OHSU is going to be the death of me... haha...

 

[ShenanigansMD]

About how long is the interlude between submission of the primary and receiving the secondary from OHSU? I know that OHSU is notoriously slow, but does it start this early in the process?... haha... So, what is appealing to you all about OHSU?

Uh... how many med schools have a ski lift? I'm lookin' to get in some snowboarding.

 

[jdlykins91]

Uh... how many med schools have a ski lift? I'm lookin' to get in some snowboarding.

There's no denying that Oregon is a beautiful state, and that there is a lot to do in the area. I was just more interested in what attracted you about the actual school, rather than the surrounding area. Again, the surrounding area is definitely an important factor, but what else?

 

[DAPI]

With the secondary question: "What experience have you had that has given you insight into the patients you hope to eventually serve?"

What do you think they are really asking? Is it:
1) What experience do you have with patients/tell me a little about all of your experiences with patients.
2) What's one great experience/long term experience you have had, what insight did you gain, and how will that help you serve your patients?
3) Something else entirely

 

[ShenanigansMD]

With the secondary question: "What experience have you had that has given you insight into the patients you hope to eventually serve?"

What do you think they are really asking? Is it:
1) What experience do you have with patients/tell me a little about all of your experiences with patients.
2) What's one great experience/long term experience you have had, what insight did you gain, and how will that help you serve your patients?
3) Something else entirely

It's in the eye of the beholder man, at least that's my approach.

 

[DAPI]

It's in the eye of the beholder man, at least that's my approach.

Well my eye is seeing it both ways so I can't decide as they are both very different

I think the second option is probably a little better though as its gives more depth to the applicant.

 

[jdlykins91]

Well my eye is seeing it both ways so I can't decide as they are both very different

I think the second option is probably a little better though as its gives more depth to the applicant.

I did number two, I guess. I talked about two of my major clinical experiences and what I was taught through them. I also used the space to talk about cultural diversity (the clinic that I volunteer in is predominantly Spanish speaking and my other trip was to Honduras) and the value of cultural competency in medicine.

 

[DAPI]

Thanks guys. I'll write it the second way. That's what I initially did, but I started questioning myself after reading the question 1000x lol

 

[tommy7191991]

Secondary Received! OOS

 

[ShenanigansMD]

Secondary Received! OOS

Hey are you verified? Just out of curiosity.

 

[tommy7191991]

Hey are you verified? Just out of curiosity.

I was verified 6/7 but added OHSU in early July.

 

[BigBlueBear]

Ugh so I guess I'm not in the second batch either

 

[starstarie]

Not surprised, SDN, not surprised at all.

I LOVE PEOPLE HERE!!!! AHHHHHHH everyone is so crazy!!!! im so including myself btw

 

[soon2bedoctor]

Finally secondary!!

 

[portlandpixie]

I am definitely applying. I have lived in Oregon for the better part of 10 years, and my immediate family is still in Hillsboro. But it is just a tough decision. I know several docs who graduated from OHSU, and their impressions are decidedly mixed!!! I've never been up the mountain before... I might have to try visiting before I go back to school. Congrats on your job at the Cancer Institute... What will you be doing? And I'm definitiely not too excited about that kind of grading system. The vast majority of the schools I am applying to have a pass/ fail or honors/pass/fail grading policy. What do they do prior to Step 1 in terms of classes? Is there time built in to the schedule for studying/ reviewing material for Step 1? That seems to be a common thread in schools that do very well on that exam.

And no joke about the surprise... Like I said, there shouldn't be that kind of a huge lag. Some schools are actually giving out interview invites. And OHSU is still not releasing secondaries to everyone... haha... I guess that's just OHSU... I wonder if it is a reflection of the school's attitude toward their students?

The now 3rd year med student I know at OHSU told me they give students 5 weeks to study for and take Step 1 but that most students only use 4 weeks and take the last week for vacation since they don't have an official break before 3rd year starts.

 

[GiraffeMode]

received the secondary at like 530 today! OOS.

 

[Graywolf]

Secondary received! I I'm OOS, but worked in R&D at a pharmaceutical in Portland for the past 6 months. Maybe that'll give me a leg up god knows. One thing about OHSU ---> $$$$$$$$ Wayyyy too expensive. At $60,000 per year, it would take a whole lot of persuasion for me to rack of that kind of a tab.

 

[earf]

Just got a secondary as an OOS student! Woot!

 

[deleted454156]

Finally got this beast of a secondary.

 

[elevenses]

Secondary received here as well. It is indeed a beast. Just enough overlap with my other secondaries to be supremely irritating, as it's just different enough to require completely new essays.