*2016-2017 Washington State University Application Thread

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Pashinator said:
Anyone heard anything in regards to another so batch of interviews?
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nope... starting to get very anxious. we were told we would hear before January (which means tomorrow is our last shot if they are actually keeping to their timeline). It doesn't seem like they have been keeping to their timeline well so far though so.....
 
seattlerain said:
nope... starting to get very anxious. we were told we would hear before January (which means tomorrow is our last shot if they are actually keeping to their timeline). It doesn't seem like they have been keeping to their timeline well so far though so.....
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I assume they got them all out prior to taking this past week off.
 
paulie_gaultierie said:
This might be overconfidence, but I'm really surprised to have not received an II. I thought I'd be exactly the kind of applicant they wanted.

Born and raised in Eastern WA, non-traditional, really interesting/unique work experience, volunteer experience in US and abroad, desire to practice in my hometown, 3.8 GPA and 515 MCAT.

Then again maybe I'm an idiot and my essays sucked...

As another data point, I submitted December 1.


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You're not an idiot. Some of it's a numbers game. Definitely reapply. I was in your shoes last year.
 
paulie_gaultierie said:
Appreciate the support.

Fortunately I got an II at UWSOM and have others pending still.

Here's an interesting thought for this thread:

I have a mentor that is a UWSOM alum, currently teaches at UWSOM, and is a state leader in her specialty. She told me if it was her, she would absolutely choose EFCOM in their inaugural class over UWSOM. She said the opportunities at a new school and the energy could be an incredible opportunity. She also had a number of critiques of UW. And she's completely confident that EFCOM will get full accreditation - made it sound like a forgone conclusion.

Just food for thought...


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I applied to UW last year and did not get an II. When I spoke to a few faculty members I was actually very turned off by the school and didn't bother to reapply.
 
hopefuldoc24 said:
I applied to UW last year and did not get an II. When I spoke to a few faculty members I was actually very turned off by the school and didn't bother to reapply.
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I had an interview in October last cycle with UWSOM. I was then strung along for months with SUC emails until MARCH, when I was finally told I was rejected. It felt bad, and I fear it will happen again this year :/
 
hopefuldoc24 said:
You're not an idiot. Some of it's a numbers game. Definitely reapply. I was in your shoes last year.
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I'm with you, 3.95 GPA,, 505MCAT, 5+ years work in rural work domestic and international, strong desire to work in state. There's a lot of variables we can't control. Sometimes great applicants get bypassed. Best of luck with other schools.
 
I'm convinced there's still more to go out... Even the last people on this thread still noted multiple options for interview days. I think we can safely assume, based on the course of this thread, that they are running behind what they originally planned.
 
So from what we understand, there have been only 10 total interview dates (4 in January, 5 in February and 1 in March) with 24 applicants each day which puts us at 240 total interview invites?
 
When's the first interview date?
 
I think first was 1/6. And I think there were 5 in January (4 Fridays and 1 Saturday)


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Microphile said:
I think first was 1/6. And I think there were 5 in January (4 Fridays and 1 Saturday)


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When I signed up for a date in January there wasn't a Saturday or otherwise I would have picked it..maybe I'm wrong but I think I would have noticed
 
Husky28 said:
When I signed up for a date in January there wasn't a Saturday or otherwise I would have picked it..maybe I'm wrong but I think I would have noticed
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I think it was January 28th. I was going to pick it because it was on a Saturday and I didn't want to miss school. Maybe the date was popular and got filled up pretty fast.


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All else aside, long term, EFCOM for now will have no where near the "luster" if you will that comes with a top program when you are applying to residency, at least for now. There is a reason why UWSOM is #1 and has been for a long time, and that fact isn't lost when you are applying to residency. Also, as I have heard from friends who have been MS1's at places like OHSU the first year they did a new curriculum, new schools/curriculums are going to have problems, it's just a reality. A big question it leaves is how does the school deal with them and how receptive to student feedback are they. Obviously at a brand new school, you don't have any inkling of this - it could go either way. Just food for thought
 
mavric1298 said:
All else aside, long term, EFCOM for now will have no where near the "luster" if you will that comes with a top program when you are applying to residency, at least for now. There is a reason why UWSOM is #1 and has been for a long time, and that fact isn't lost when you are applying to residency. Also, as I have heard from friends who have been MS1's at places like OHSU the first year they did a new curriculum, new schools/curriculums are going to have problems, it's just a reality. A big question it leaves is how does the school deal with them and how receptive to student feedback are they. Obviously at a brand new school, you don't have any inkling of this - it could go either way. Just food for thought
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What types of problems do you expect them to have?
 
mavric1298 said:
All else aside, long term, EFCOM for now will have no where near the "luster" if you will that comes with a top program when you are applying to residency, at least for now. There is a reason why UWSOM is #1 and has been for a long time, and that fact isn't lost when you are applying to residency. Also, as I have heard from friends who have been MS1's at places like OHSU the first year they did a new curriculum, new schools/curriculums are going to have problems, it's just a reality. A big question it leaves is how does the school deal with them and how receptive to student feedback are they. Obviously at a brand new school, you don't have any inkling of this - it could go either way. Just food for thought
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I don't entirely agree with this. A lot is dependent on your step 1 scores. Also UW receives tons of federal money because they're the med school for a 5 state region. When programs get ranked the amount of NIH grant money they bring in is a big factor.
 
I think the reality is, if you're a US MD student who has demonstrated interested/commitment to your specialty through research or other connections, and has a 75th+ percentile USMLE, most specialties are within reach. Once you get to the residency interview it's all about who you are as a person and the fit with the school. The name of the school might snag you a few interviews, but it's not gonna make you match if you're arrogant and entitled.

On the other note, I think UW benefits from being one of 2 MD schools in the region, and especially in that they span WWAMI. They get insane funding and have a good reputation because they are the only school that operates like they do. It shouldn't be a wonder why they are #1 in primary care/rural medicine - so many of their students come from areas deficient in this care, so the interest is intrinsically there. I think their great research is probably 2-fold: having a lot of money, and some superstar researchers wanting access to that money and migrating to the PNW (and staying in this area because it's pretty cool around here).
 
Hospitalized said:
I think the reality is, if you're a US MD student who has demonstrated interested/commitment to your specialty through research or other connections, and has a 75th+ percentile USMLE, most specialties are within reach. Once you get to the residency interview it's all about who you are as a person and the fit with the school. The name of the school might snag you a few interviews, but it's not gonna make you match if you're arrogant and entitled.

On the other note, I think UW benefits from being one of 2 MD schools in the region, and especially in that they span WWAMI. They get insane funding and have a good reputation because they are the only school that operates like they do. It shouldn't be a wonder why they are #1 in primary care/rural medicine - so many of their students come from areas deficient in this care, so the interest is intrinsically there. I think their great research is probably 2-fold: having a lot of money, and some superstar researchers wanting access to that money and migrating to the PNW (and staying in this area because it's pretty cool around here).
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Couldn't say it better myself. Exactly my point. Medicine is a meritocracy once you get into an MD program.
 
And the better we perform as the first class at WSU, the better the reputation of the school will become. A lot is in our hands as the charter class. To me that's a huge opportunity.
 
hopefuldoc24 said:
And the better we perform as the first class at WSU, the better the reputation of the school will become. A lot is in our hands as the charter class. To me that's a huge opportunity.
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If Im accepted Im actually going to have a lot of pride being the charter class working to make it one of the best med schools out there.
 
hopefuldoc24 said:
Couldn't say it better myself. Exactly my point. Medicine is a meritocracy once you get into an MD program.
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Except this doesn't exactly play out in reality. Can you get a high step score anywhere, and get into competitive residency slots? Yes. BUT where you go does have large effects on step scores, and scores aren't the be all factor for residency selection - it's the number one thing - but almost as important is your LOR's - which actually on average was ranked higher in importance. (http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/PD-Survey-Report-2014.pdf). Having a program with established affiliations and rotations is a huge factor and something everyone should think about when choosing a school. If you're interested in a specialty, you better make damn sure you have the opportunity to have exposure, mentorship, etc. A huge reason why certain schools are known for certain specialties is because of the affiliations they have and rotations they offer.

As for what problems are common? It's a mix. I know other schools have struggled with getting thins like their extracurriculars going (for example do you think their are focusing on their spousal support group, student leadership, learning specialists, etc all the stuff that student affairs runs, or getting their academic program up and running). Other schools had issues with things like the timing of the curriculum, how much study time, when the tests were given, how info was presented (aka were things taught together in context). Also another big Q is how are the new teachers going to be. Where are they from, where did they previously teach (did they?)

I'm not saying it's not going to be a great school, all I'm saying is there is 100's of factors that are very important, and honestly as applicants at this point we don't have a clue about them. On the flip side, UW has a yield rate of 78%, vast funding, top ranking, and perhaps the most diverse and respected affiliation program out there. If your making a logical choice based on factors more than from a half day visit and a "feeling" - then I think the choice is pretty easy.

Think of it this way - if all things were a wash once you get in - no one would care where they go. Clearly that's not reality.


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mavric1298 said:
Except this doesn't exactly play out in reality. Can you get a high step score anywhere, and get into competitive residency slots? Yes. BUT where you go does have large effects on step scores, and scores aren't the be all factor for residency selection - it's the number one thing - but almost as important is your LOR's - which actually on average was ranked higher in importance. (http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/PD-Survey-Report-2014.pdf). Having a program with established affiliations and rotations is a huge factor and something everyone should think about when choosing a school. If you're interested in a specialty, you better make damn sure you have the opportunity to have exposure, mentorship, etc. A huge reason why certain schools are known for certain specialties is because of the affiliations they have and rotations they offer.

As for what problems are common? It's a mix. I know other schools have struggled with getting thins like their extracurriculars going (for example do you think their are focusing on their spousal support group, student leadership, learning specialists, etc all the stuff that student affairs runs, or getting their academic program up and running). Other schools had issues with things like the timing of the curriculum, how much study time, when the tests were given, how info was presented (aka were things taught together in context). Also another big Q is how are the new teachers going to be. Where are they from, where did they previously teach (did they?)

I'm not saying it's not going to be a great school, all I'm saying is there is 100's of factors that are very important, and honestly as applicants at this point we don't have a clue about them. On the flip side, UW has a yield rate of 78%, vast funding, top ranking, and perhaps the most diverse and respected affiliation program out there. If your making a logical choice based on factors more than from a half day visit and a "feeling" - then I think the choice is pretty easy.

Think of it this way - if all things were a wash once you get in - no one would care where they go. Clearly that's not reality.


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Click to expand...
Don't get me wrong I have some serious questions about WSU. However, if you go to a well ranked school, even Harvard, and tank the step 1 if will have a dramatic effect on your residency choices regardless of how many great letters of rec you have. Also WSU being such a small starting class gives you more personal one on one time with faculty members. And they brought many in from other institutions like Rosalind Franklin Med School meaning they probably have connections all across the country.

In medicine, Where you go to Med school is less important than where you went to law school for lawyers.

But I've been waiting for an II for a long time. I finally have one from WSU. Is it a perfect fit. Maybe not. Most things in life aren't. But I'm going to make the most of it and certainly not kick a gift horse in the mouth.
 
Pashinator said:
On a slightly different topic, I just talked to admissions and they said that they will have the rest of the interview invites by the end of the week, so that's good news for those that haven't received a II yet.
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This makes me happy!
 
mavric1298 said:
Except this doesn't exactly play out in reality. Can you get a high step score anywhere, and get into competitive residency slots? Yes. BUT where you go does have large effects on step scores, and scores aren't the be all factor for residency selection - it's the number one thing - but almost as important is your LOR's - which actually on average was ranked higher in importance. (http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/PD-Survey-Report-2014.pdf). Having a program with established affiliations and rotations is a huge factor and something everyone should think about when choosing a school. If you're interested in a specialty, you better make damn sure you have the opportunity to have exposure, mentorship, etc. A huge reason why certain schools are known for certain specialties is because of the affiliations they have and rotations they offer.

As for what problems are common? It's a mix. I know other schools have struggled with getting thins like their extracurriculars going (for example do you think their are focusing on their spousal support group, student leadership, learning specialists, etc all the stuff that student affairs runs, or getting their academic program up and running). Other schools had issues with things like the timing of the curriculum, how much study time, when the tests were given, how info was presented (aka were things taught together in context). Also another big Q is how are the new teachers going to be. Where are they from, where did they previously teach (did they?)

I'm not saying it's not going to be a great school, all I'm saying is there is 100's of factors that are very important, and honestly as applicants at this point we don't have a clue about them. On the flip side, UW has a yield rate of 78%, vast funding, top ranking, and perhaps the most diverse and respected affiliation program out there. If your making a logical choice based on factors more than from a half day visit and a "feeling" - then I think the choice is pretty easy.

Think of it this way - if all things were a wash once you get in - no one would care where they go. Clearly that's not reality.


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Click to expand...

What's a yield rate of 78%?
 
Just talked to admissions. The girl I talked to said interview invites would be sent all the way through mid-January. I don't even know what to believe anymore -__-
 
This is probably too early to tell, but does anyone know when we should hear back about post-interview decisions?
 
And does anyone know if the one on one part of the interview is open or closed file?
 
Hospitalized said:
What's a yield rate of 78%?
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Yield rate in this context refers to the number of students who are accepted who choose to attend the school. For example, of 100 students given admission offers, 78 students choose to attend. In the world of med school admissions, 78% is a very high yield rate.
 
Fran0412 said:
Yield rate in this context refers to the number of students who are accepted who choose to attend the school. For example, of 100 students given admission offers, 78 students choose to attend. In the world of med school admissions, 78% is a very high yield rate.
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Yes because UW has had a monopoly on medical education in the PNW for so long. Tuition costs often play a huge role in a students decision to enroll as well.
 
Why all this criticism of UW suddenly? We live in the best state ever and now have TWO amazing MD schools - exciting!
 
Whyamionhere said:
Why all this criticism of UW suddenly? We live in the best state ever and now have TWO amazing MD schools - exciting!
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I was just explaining that upon meeting some of the faculty at UW I wasn't left with a good impression and I didn't bother to reapply. If UW fits well with someone else that's fine. No doubt they turn out great docs. It just would never be the right fit for me. That's all.
 
colormecolorful said:
Just talked to admissions. The girl I talked to said interview invites would be sent all the way through mid-January. I don't even know what to believe anymore -__-
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Probably depends on who we talked to. I think the takeaway here is that they are still interview invites coming
 
Anyone have any resources for MMIs?
 
Werent there some interviews this week?
 
paulie_gaultierie said:
This might be overconfidence, but I'm really surprised to have not received an II. I thought I'd be exactly the kind of applicant they wanted.

Born and raised in Eastern WA, non-traditional, really interesting/unique work experience, volunteer experience in US and abroad, desire to practice in my hometown, 3.8 GPA and 515 MCAT.

Then again maybe I'm an idiot and my essays sucked...

As another data point, I submitted December 1.


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Click to expand...

Yeah, I am confused at this point. I didn't follow this thread over the break but now I am concerned with claims at one point that all II were sent. I was born and raised in a small, central Washington town and currently live in Spokane. I am a non traditional student with degrees from EWU and Gonzaga. 3.75 GPA and 514 MCAT. Speak Spanish and am most interested in primary care. I thought I would at least get an interview. I submitted my primary the first day it was open but my secondary was delayed, apparently having a post bac degree made their system have issues so I turned in my secondary a week later than I would have liked.
 
Tomego said:
Yeah, I am confused at this point. I didn't follow this thread over the break but now I am concerned with claims at one point that all II were sent. I was born and raised in a small, central Washington town and currently live in Spokane. I am a non traditional student with degrees from EWU and Gonzaga. 3.75 GPA and 514 MCAT. Speak Spanish and am most interested in primary care. I thought I would at least get an interview. I submitted my primary the first day it was open but my secondary was delayed, apparently having a post bac degree made their system have issues so I turned in my secondary a week later than I would have liked.
Click to expand...

When I called admissions earlier this week they said they were hoping to send all II by the end of the week (though they said they couldn't guarantee this and it might go into next week). But they said they definitely have more interviews to send out 🙂 don't worry, I'm still waiting on one too!
 
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