2014-2015 Ohio State University Application Thread

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Darn it, are you sure? This is the same weekend as Michigan's Second Look. 🙁 I don't want to have to choose which one to attend.

Let's be real for a minute, that school up north has a good program, and Ann Arbor has its nice days, however... Ohio State is where it is at 😉

If it helps any, I attended Ohio State's Second Look over Pitt's, didn't regret it for a second. But that's just me.
 
Hey Everyone!

I am a current student and was chatting with Dr. Capers the other day. He mentioned to me this awesome opportunity OSUCOM is offering to help deferred and accepted students fulfill the anatomy requirement. Read on below and have a very happy holidays!

The Ohio State University College of Medicine is pleased to announce that we now offer an on-line option to complete our anatomy prerequisite. Developed by Dr. Jennifer Burgoon of The Ohio State University Division of Anatomy, this course consists of 41 on-line lectures (total time: 37 hrs) with accompanying quizzes after each lecture. This non-credit course is exclusively for students accepted into the entering class of 2015 of The Ohio State University College of Medicine and all applicants whose official status for the class of 2015 is "deferred." Students successfully (i.e., 100%) completing all quizzes and master quizzes (following each major unit) will have completed The Ohio State University College of Medicine's anatomy prerequisite. Quizzes may be repeated until 100% is achieved.
The course will be available on-line beginning February 1, 2015 and will close on July 3, 2015. Students can work at their own pace as long as all quizzes are successfully completed by July 3, 2015. While there is no fee or tuition for the course, there is a required text that needs to be purchased: Julia F. Guy's 2013 Learning Human Anatomy: A Laboratory Text and Workbook, A Custom Edition with Additional Course Materials by Jennifer M. Burgoon, published by Pearson Learning Solutions.
Interested students should contact The Ohio State University College of Medicine by email (medicine.osu.edu) or telephone (614-685-3053) to sign up for the course.
 
I just got the email about the online anatomy course. Does anyone think that taking it would reflect favorably upon deferred students, in terms of demonstrating their continued interest? Obviously I'll take it if I get accepted, but I'm not sure it would give me any advantage to take it before then (if "then" even comes).
 
I just got the email about the online anatomy course. Does anyone think that taking it would reflect favorably upon deferred students, in terms of demonstrating their continued interest? Obviously I'll take it if I get accepted, but I'm not sure it would give me any advantage to take it before then (if "then" even comes).

Well, considering the course doesn't open until February, it'll be coming down to the home stretch of interview season. If you have the time, taking it can't hurt, but I don't think that initiative will be something that puts you from the deferred pile into the accepted pile. A significant update letter would probably do more for your case.
 
I tried to log onto my application page and it said it was no longer there? Does this mean I got denied? Do they not send out an email saying thanks for applying? Or is it just say this because the deadline has past?
 
Hey guys! I hope the interview season is going well for you. I'm a fourth year OSUCOM student, just checking in and wishing you all the best of luck. I perused a bit of this thread and thought I would add a few comments-

For those interviewing: in terms of places to stay, try to hit up the Visiting Students Housing options (i.e. we medical students do host interviewing applicants; albeit, sometimes its busy and we can't host but we try our best - so take advantage of free housing). When getting to the interview, use an Uber or a Lyft. Columbus is super rideshare-friendly and Uber's pricing is at an all-time low.

Additionally, I know everywhere says this, but since almost every single one of my friends is on the admissions committee, I can vouch for the fact that we want to know YOU as a person. Once you've gotten the interview, we do not care about scores or numbers. We want you to enjoy yourself while you're here. We want you to make lifetime friends and/or romances, if you wish. Basically, we want this to be a place where you want to be. So invest in figuring out if being at Ohio State is what YOU want. It's far more convincing when the answer is that it is.

WHY would anyone want to be at OSUCOM?
I think the interview process is tough because you're being asked to assess what you want out of a program, without really having the knowledge of what a program entails and what is and is not important. Here's my view (which may not be akin to what you need) - For the most part, regardless of what programs say, they're all very similar in terms of what they teach in you in the end. The sweet spot is finding a place that is A) a solid education system (i.e. How many people failed Step 1 within the last 5 years? (inevitably, almost every place has some people fail each year, but do they retake it? do they pass? What percentage pass? What's the average score?)), B) a willingness to rearrange the curriculum to mirror the demands of the healthcare system (i.e. OSUCOM recently updated their curriculum to a LSI (Lead, Serve, Inspire) structure, in order to better prepare students for healthcare in a continuous method), C) a hospital that can sustain students and expose you to every opportunity (Seriously? Its Ohio State. We have everything here. Every niche is here. This is also where rankings come into play - does the hospital have highly ranked hematology, ID, OBGYN, cancer programs (we, do, in fact, in each of these divisions)). D) A NAME (this is the one that everyone stresses about - "Well, don't I need to go to Hopkins? So that everyone recognized where I'm from and so that I can go to the best residency and become amazing?" NO. Seriously. NO. I just interviewed for residency, and I can tell you that there's something that matters more than a name - it's your letterwriter's names. Everyone across the country has this system of connections -everyone knows everyone. And what do they really care about? Not that you came from a NAME, but that your letterwriters, who they know, can vouch for your abilities as a future physician. That means something. And we have so many well-known, hard-working, inspiring, diligent and well-regarded physicians, its kind of unbelievable. Every single interview I went to, at least one of my letter-writers were regarded by the Program Director as impressive, and the fact that that person would vouch for me, even more impressive. You need to go to a place that can place you up on that pedestal (but only if you work for it) and allow you to shine. I 100% believe Ohio State does this.

Phew - okay - tirade over. Just wanted to give 2 cents. Best of luck, guys! 🙂
 
Does anybody know how long OSUCOM students have to study for Step 1?
 
Does anybody know how long OSUCOM students have to study for Step 1?

Depends on when you schedule it. The dates will likely change next year, but this year our last final is February 19th. The Monday after that begins our board prep block, and all of that time until May 11 (or a few days before that - May 11 is when 3rd year begins for us) is reserved for board studying/taking the exam. Most people are taking it around April 14-20th.

Personally, I will have 6.5 weeks or so to study for it.

EDIT: So our dedicated board prep block time is from February 20th (but let's be real - the 19th is our post-block party and the 20th is our Medprom. Nobody is going to be starting their studying then) to approx. May 11.
 
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Depends on when you schedule it. The dates will likely change next year, but this year our last final is February 19th. The Monday after that begins our board prep block, and all of that time until May 11 (or a few days before that - May 11 is when 3rd year begins for us) is reserved for board studying/taking the exam. Most people are taking it around April 14-20th.

Personally, I will have 6.5 weeks or so to study for it.

EDIT: So our dedicated board prep block time is from February 20th (but let's be real - the 19th is our post-block party and the 20th is our Medprom. Nobody is going to be starting their studying then) to approx. May 11.
Thanks so much!!
 
Can a current medical student comment on where most students live?
 
Can a current medical student comment on where most students live?

Just south of the med school, in the NECKO/Dennison Place/Victorian Village areas. A lot of students live there. Several live west of the river, in Grandview Heights. Even more live east/northeast of the med portion of campus, toward the undergrad portion of campus. Many try to stay west of High Street, though I know some who live east of High and are fine with it.
 
Can a current medical student comment on where most students live?
I agree with Celdurant. Additionally, many people live in living communities such as The Quarry, Marble Cliff Commons, Heritage Apartments, University Village, and the Meridian. There are a few newer places as well on Olentangy River Road and on Lane Avenue. I have lived in a variety of places around campus, mostly along Neil Avenue and have enjoyed it greatly.
 
Is the NECKO area, around Michigan and 9th, relatively safe? I've heard mixed things about that area of campus, particularly as you move east towards High St. Also, do most students that live in Grandview bike or ride COTA to campus for the day?
 
Is the NECKO area, around Michigan and 9th, relatively safe? I've heard mixed things about that area of campus, particularly as you move east towards High St. Also, do most students that live in Grandview bike or ride COTA to campus for the day?
Yes. Things get hairy East of High St.

West of High is predominantly (like 95%+) undergrads.

For Grandview, a fair number of my classmates bike or drive from there.
 
Yes. Things get hairy East of High St.

West of High is predominantly (like 95%+) undergrads.

For Grandview, a fair number of my classmates bike or drive from there.
How does parking work around the medical campus?
 
How does parking work around the medical campus?
You can park west of high on street parking provided the sign's times permit you to. The Med center has parking garages but to do that every day is quite expensive and generally not recommended/routinely done.

Campus parking is really severely limited which is why so few people rely on driving regularly to get to class.
 
You can park west of high on street parking provided the sign's times permit you to. The Med center has parking garages but to do that every day is quite expensive and generally not recommended/routinely done.

Campus parking is really severely limited which is why so few people rely on driving regularly to get to class.
Thanks! Looks like Grandview or anything further west means biking or COTA!
 
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II this morning. Status change email at 6:52am central time. I figured for the worst, as it had been total silence from tOSU since mid August. Very thrilled to get this II. The interview date is Monday February 9 which is very soon. If ticket prices are sky high for that date does anyone know what the odds of them rescheduling me a week or two later would be?
 
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II this morning. Status change email at 6:52am central time. I figured for the worst, as it had been total silence from tOSU since mid August. Very thrilled to get this II. The interview date is Monday february 9 which is very soon. If ticket prices are sky high for that date does anyone know what the odds of them rescheduling me a week or two later would be?
Not sure how flexible rescheduling is, but I would imagine they could work with you. The admissions office is very friendly and accommodating!

That being said, if you can swing the pricier ticket, it's definitely advantageous to interview earlier rather than later 🙂 hope this helps!
 
Not sure how flexible rescheduling is, but I would imagine they could work with you. The admissions office is very friendly and accommodating!

That being said, if you can swing the pricier ticket, it's definitely advantageous to interview earlier rather than later 🙂 hope this helps!
Thanks for the prompt reply. Hey can you speak to the advantage you mention about interviewing earlier? It's already not too early in the admissions cycle and I'm fired up about the II but also don't want to take a trip for nothing. I'd read on this thread before that tOSU admits people fairly consistently from throughout the interview dates and not just front loaded like some places. Truth or?
 
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