2014-2015 Western Michigan University Application Thread

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Members don't see this ad.
The Milkman said:
Well, not sure if it can be "known" for anything yet since their first class is starting in fall. But maybe someone could say what it is expected to be like..
Click to expand...

yea i'd appreciate that. it'd be good to know more about the school when it's hard to find much info on it even from the website.
 
Got the secondary. Hopefully can crank it out by later tonight. This was the only one I didn't pre-write because I thought I was going to get screened
 
Submitted! One of my top choices depite being so new.
 
I anyone else having trouble with the secondary? When I log in all i see it welcome! and a black page with some pictures at the bottom and under the admissions tab it only says admissions status and schedule and interview. There is no link to a secondary, even though I was invited for one.
 
readingrl said:
I anyone else having trouble with the secondary? When I log in all i see it welcome! and a black page with some pictures at the bottom and under the admissions tab it only says admissions status and schedule and interview. There is no link to a secondary, even though I was invited for one.
Click to expand...
Are you sure you clicked the right link?
 
you have to be sure that you hit the "click here" link in the email they sent you. idk how this computer stuff all works, but that specific link has the power to open up the secondary app after you login, even though it goes to the same login page as you are describing.
 
The Milkman said:
you have to be sure that you hit the "click here" link in the email they sent you. idk how this computer stuff all works, but that specific link has the power to open up the secondary app after you login, even though it goes to the same login page as you are describing.
Click to expand...

Thanks! That did work. I was copying and pasting. Weird that you have to click on the link directly.
 
first question - check
first part of second question - check
last part of second question - stuck
 
Did anyone get a payment confirmation email? I haven't submitted yet, and it says I've paid, I just wanted to make sure.
 
Shinobiz11 said:
Did anyone get a payment confirmation email? I haven't submitted yet, and it says I've paid, I just wanted to make sure.
Click to expand...
I didn't get a confirmation about my payment, but I submitted successfully and completed the online interview...so the payment must have been received.
 
Hey guys,

I am accepted into the c/o 2018 and will be matriculating here this fall. Feel free to ask me (almost) anything, and I will try to answer your questions. Hopefully I can convince you to seriously consider our program, and get the honor to welcome you to our second class.

If any of my classmates figure out who I am, please don't reveal my identity. 😉

PS: I cannot reveal things about the MMI portion, as I have signed a non disclosure agreement.
 
Last edited:
Just submitted and did the online interview. I felt that each question had 4 correct answers, so I just picked what fit my personality. I wonder how they analyze our answers
 
For the question: "1.Describe why you wish to enroll at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine. You should describe any connection that you have to southwest Michigan." How have OOS applicants approached this?
 
BMExican92 said:
For the question: "1.Describe why you wish to enroll at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine. You should describe any connection that you have to southwest Michigan." How have OOS applicants approached this?
Click to expand...

I don't think I've ever been to Kalamazoo myself. I just said I had no prior connection, but am eager to move.
 
BMExican92 said:
For the question: "1.Describe why you wish to enroll at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine. You should describe any connection that you have to southwest Michigan." How have OOS applicants approached this?
Click to expand...
I just ignored that part of the question. I needed all of the characters anyway.
 
BMExican92 said:
For the question: "1.Describe why you wish to enroll at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine. You should describe any connection that you have to southwest Michigan." How have OOS applicants approached this?
Click to expand...
I am an oos applicant, so I had no connections to the entire state of Michigan.

However, you should describe what you can contribute and what you bring to the table. There has to be a concrete reason why you want to go to Stryker that is easy to understand and quick to grasp.

Just an FYI, the admissions committee actually reads your essays and pays attention. The adcom were able to quote stuff from my entire application, including quotes from my lor, on my interview day. So I don't suggest you give a bs or shallow reason.
 
Last edited:
Anyone having problems accessing the secondary? I can log in, but all of the questions don't show up.. it's just a blank page.
 
Captain Toad said:
Hey guys,

I am accepted into the c/o 2018 and will be matriculating here this fall. Feel free to ask me (almost) anything, and I will try to answer your questions. Hopefully I can convince you to seriously consider our program, and get the honor to welcome you to our second class.

If any of my classmates figure out who I am, please don't reveal my identity. 😉

PS: I cannot reveal things about the MMI portion, as I have signed a non disclosure agreement.
Click to expand...

What made you chose Western Michigan?
 
@Captain Toad /anyone else, what is a acceptable abbreviation for Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine? WMed, WMU, Stryker? Trying to save on characters 🙂
 
lilypond147 said:
@Captain Toad /anyone else, what is a acceptable abbreviation for Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine? WMed, WMU, Stryker? Trying to save on characters 🙂
Click to expand...
WMed is the official one that I would use in essays.

But a lot of the students are referring it as Stryker when talking or on fb.
 
hoihaie said:
What made you chose Western Michigan?
Click to expand...

The number one reason why I chose stryker is that the community. Although I am not from the area, the people are very excited to have you there and welcome you there with open arms. Being OOS, this is important.

I have firsthand experience with other medical schools where the community could really care less. This results in more hostile patients that not great to work with, and I see high burn out rates in part because of this. The fact that the Kalamazoo community is so excited about our first class is such a huge plus, and will help with burn out for me personally. This is a community that I can see myself settling in, having a family, and serving for the rest of my life.

Plus, there is a flexibility in terms of how you want to customize your medical education, since it is a new school. Some people need a roadmap with everything drawn out. Other's like a blank canvas and the free range to paint in order to perform their best. If you are the latter, then stryker is a good fit.
 
Captain Toad said:
The number one reason why I chose stryker is that the community. Although I am not from the area, the people are very excited to have you there and welcome you there with open arms. Being OOS, this is important.

I have firsthand experience with other medical schools where the community could really care less. This results in more hostile patients that not great to work with, and I see high burn out rates in part because of this. The fact that the Kalamazoo community is so excited about our first class is such a huge plus, and will help with burn out for me personally. This is a community that I can see myself settling in, having a family, and serving for the rest of my life.

Plus, there is a flexibility in terms of how you want to customize your medical education, since it is a new school. Some people need a roadmap with everything drawn out. Other's like a blank canvas and the free range to paint in order to perform their best. If you are the latter, then stryker is a good fit.
Click to expand...
what do you mean by flexibility in curriculum? You get to decide what classes to take and when? or liek which rotations you wanan do first ...etc?
 
hoihaie said:
what do you mean by flexibility in curriculum? You get to decide what classes to take and when? or liek which rotations you wanan do first ...etc?
Click to expand...
Let me clarify.

The MS1 and 2 curriculum is pretty much set in stone. There will be some optional classes that you can take at a later time. This is true of 99% of the med schools that I have encountered, which isn't unique to stryker.

But there is some degree of flexibility in terms of what you want to do to build up your residency application. At stryker, if you have a good idea or what to start a club, you can run with it. You have free reign to do what you want, hence the white canvas analogy. Other schools are more rigid about this.<---This is a little hard to describe if you haven't seen it. New ideas might not fly at more traditional and established medical schools. I know a very traditional med school that shot down a "music in the park" proposal by med students.

I hope that helped.
 
Captain Toad said:
Let me clarify.

The MS1 and 2 curriculum is pretty much set in stone. There will be some optional classes that you can take at a later time. This is true of 99% of the med schools that I have encountered, which isn't unique to stryker.

But there is some degree of flexibility in terms of what you want to do to build up your residency application. At stryker, if you have a good idea or what to start a club, you can run with it. You have free reign to do what you want, hence the white canvas analogy. Other schools are more rigid about this.<---This is a little hard to describe if you haven't seen it. New ideas might not fly at more traditional and established medical schools. I know a very traditional med school that shot down a "music in the park" proposal by med students.

I hope that helped.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
hoihaie said:
ohhhh i see what you mean. There are many opportunities that we can take advantage of by having the initiative to do so, while at other schools many things are already set one way and change is harder to be accepted
Click to expand...
exactly.

You have to worry about the politics at other schools and make sure you don't step on other people's toes, including the professors who serve as advisors. At Stryker, that isn't an issue since they want you to run with your ideas.
 
After you guys completed the questionnaire, did a confirmation show up on your "Applicant Status" page?

UPDATE: Called the office, they said they download the results once and day and update it.
 
Last edited:
submitted.. Has anyone had a phone interview scheduled yet?
 
Last edited:
anyone have any idea what the class profile looks like in terms in avg gpa & mcat?
 
theparty said:
anyone have any idea what the class profile looks like in terms in avg gpa & mcat?
Click to expand...
I have no clue. But I don't want to the one to ask, because it might make me look like a gunner (which I am not I swear 😀)

Perhaps if you call Jean/Natalie in the admissions office, they can tell you, and you can post here 😀
 
Almost ready to submit!!


Weird note, but does anyone think of this man from x men when hearing Stryker? Or am I just weird 😛

ImageUploadedBySDN Mobile1406233306.125874.jpg
 
Does anyone know the average stats of the entering class this year?
 
Doctor11 said:
Does anyone know the average stats of the entering class this year?
Click to expand...
I will say that this adcom definitely looks at your application holistically, and more importantly, you as a person. So even if you don't think you are competitive in terms of stats, they might see something that you or I might not see.

I have seen people with 29-35, which is within range of most medical schools.
 
@Captain Toad

Is WMed geared more toward patient care or research, and if so, what unique opportunities do they offer for either that med students can utilize.

Also, besides MSAR and their admissions webpage, where can I find more information about the school and what it offers?

Thanks for all your help
 
theparty said:
anyone have any idea what the class profile looks like in terms in avg gpa & mcat?
Click to expand...

Doctor11 said:
Does anyone know the average stats of the entering class this year?
Click to expand...

I just found this on their website. It basically says that as of now, the average GPA and MCAT are 3.5/31-33 with 54 students. They have some more stats too if you go to the link, and I imagine they'll update it as the first class begins next month. They plan on a class of 60 for the second year.
 
I am definitely struggling with their first essay. Theres just not enough information on their website.
 
tellme_areyoufree said:
Are you applying to the school without a reason for doing so?
Click to expand...
No, I really love how this school in incorporating research into the curriculum. I figured what I really liked about the school and managed to write my essay
 
SparkOfLife538 said:
@Captain Toad

Is WMed geared more toward patient care or research, and if so, what unique opportunities do they offer for either that med students can utilize.

Also, besides MSAR and their admissions webpage, where can I find more information about the school and what it offers?

Thanks for all your help
Click to expand...
Stryker currently is more centered around patient care, which is pretty common with most new medical schools that are opening up.

Each residency program is performing clinically based research. http://med.wmich.edu/education/residents/residency-programs

They are actively recruiting new faculty and starting new research opportunities.

I think our school will draw a lot of guys who are interested in ortho, for obvious reasons.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

wysdoc
2024-2025 Western Michigan (Stryker)
11 12 13 14 15
Replies
743
Views
138K
wheattrout
wheattrout
wysdoc
2023-2024 Western Michigan (Stryker)
8 9 10 11 12
Replies
551
Views
137K
DocMazard
D
wysdoc
2024-2025 Michigan
11 12 13 14 15
Replies
741
Views
197K
FuturePediatricNeurosurge
FuturePediatricNeurosurge
chilly_md
2024-2025 Central Michigan
2 3 4 5
Replies
249
Views
61K
anothergenericpremed
A
wysdoc
2024-2025 Michigan State
4 5 6 7 8
Replies
390
Views
82K
coolpandas
C
Top