2017-2018 University of Oklahoma

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II on 09/27/2017 complete on 08/05/2017
IS
URM
Stats:
cGPA: 3.43
sGPA: 3.35
MCAT: 513 (126/128/130/129)
ECs: internship at surgery center during college through my tribe (approx 720hrs), shadowing (60hrs), supervisor at a blood bank (approx 2,200hrs), volunteer at assisted living center (approx 30 hrs)

Hope this helps! Let me know if anyone has questions!
 
CONGRATS! I'm OOS too with similar stats (slightly higher GPA, few points lower MCAT). Never lived there but fiancé's family lives there and I really want to move out. Do you mind outlining some ECs you did?

For anonymity's sake, I'd like to stay vague. I have pretty cookie cutter shadowing and probably average clinical volunteering. I have a long-term non-clinical volunteer project, some fraternity leadership, and lots of research.
 
Does anyone have an idea of how long the window for sending out interview invitations is?
 
Anyone with any insight into the SCM or COM interviews? I'm interviewing for both so any help with either is appreciated.
 
any news on where they are with interview invites? I'm a bit lower on the MCAT so I'm wondering if I shoudl expect anything soon (if at all lol)
 
Hi all,

From reading about the people who been granted interviews so far, it seems as if OU is is choosing higher MCAT scores and GPAs right now.

What do you think of my credentials and chances of an interview?

IS
MCAT: 510
cGPA: 3.5
sGPA: 3.25

I struggled some as an undergraduate which is the reason for the lower GPA. But I have been in a biomedical sciences master's program that allows us to take all the foundations courses with the first-year medical students and my graduate GPA is a 3.9 with all science courses. But I know OU clumps graduate and undergraduate GPAs together. I wish they would appreciate and consider the improvement before simply using a formula to select against lower GPAs. I guess they have to screen and limit people somehow, but I hope I have a chance!
 
II, 513 MCAT and 3.8 GPA, URM. I'm not IS, but my family is all from there, so I have strong ties.

Anyone else get an interview at SCM? I'm still a little lost as to how it works.
 
Hi all,

From reading about the people who been granted interviews so far, it seems as if OU is is choosing higher MCAT scores and GPAs right now.

What do you think of my credentials and chances of an interview?

IS
MCAT: 510
cGPA: 3.5
sGPA: 3.25

I struggled some as an undergraduate which is the reason for the lower GPA. But I have been in a biomedical sciences master's program that allows us to take all the foundations courses with the first-year medical students and my graduate GPA is a 3.9 with all science courses. But I know OU clumps graduate and undergraduate GPAs together. I wish they would appreciate and consider the improvement before simply using a formula to select against lower GPAs. I guess they have to screen and limit people somehow, but I hope I have a chance!
Interview consideration is 70% MCAT/30% GPA so I'd definitely say you're gonna get an interview - especially since you're IS
 
II, 513 MCAT and 3.8 GPA, URM. I'm not IS, but my family is all from there, so I have strong ties.

Anyone else get an interview at SCM? I'm still a little lost as to how it works.

If you indicated interest in the SCM, you automatically get an interview for it if you get a COM interview. The SCM interview is scheduled separately from the COM interview, and the COM interview must come first. You can do both on the same day, which is advisable since the SCM interview is only 30 minutes and is regarding your interest in community medicine.

The option to schedule your SCM interview will appear on the calendar in the portal once you pick a COM date. The earliest date to do both on the same date is October 29.
 
I'm having a tough time deciding between OU and OSU. I like the DO program but will have to commute form OKC (wife is in grad school here). I've heard mixed reviews about OU; some say that it is great and a relatively relaxed atmosphere (as far as med schools go), yet others say that it can be pretentious and almost feel like a bootcamp where students can get lost in the crowd.

Any thoughts?
 
I'm having a tough time deciding between OU and OSU. I like the DO program but will have to commute form OKC (wife is in grad school here). I've heard mixed reviews about OU; some say that it is great and a relatively relaxed atmosphere (as far as med schools go), yet others say that it can be pretentious and almost feel like a bootcamp where students can get lost in the crowd.

Any thoughts?
This is medical school we're talking about, so I'm not sure how good it is to want too much handholding and an easier time. The same trends for any MD vs DO are going to hold true for OU vs OSU. The better students *primarily* will be attracted and sought after by OU while the less competitive students will not have have a choice and will therefore drift toward OSU. This is exemplified by the 510 vs 500 median MCAT scores. MD school are stereotyped as being more rigorous, especially in the clinical years, and I expect that that holds true when compared being OSU. Going to OU will open up more opportunities and acces to more competitive specialties and career positions than OSU will, purely off the initials. That being said, OSU is known nationally as one of the best DO schools since they do have their own teaching hospital, which is rare for DO schools. Both will make you a good doctor, especially as most students of both schools are from OK and stay in OK, but OU will grant more options and choices than OSU will. The cost may be that OU is slightly more hardnosed than OSU, but opinion may vary depending on who you ask.

I wouldn't worry about this choice too much until you gain an acceptance to both schools.
 
I'm having a tough time deciding between OU and OSU. I like the DO program but will have to commute form OKC (wife is in grad school here). I've heard mixed reviews about OU; some say that it is great and a relatively relaxed atmosphere (as far as med schools go), yet others say that it can be pretentious and almost feel like a bootcamp where students can get lost in the crowd.

Any thoughts?

Do you want to go into a competitive specialty (ortho, anesthesiology, derm, etc.)? Then go to OU. Although DOs can get into these specialties, you're at a disadvantage by not going to an MD school. If you want to go into internal med or another primary care role, then it doesn't matter. You also have to remember that DO students have to study for, pay for, and take COMLEX which is pretty much worthless now unless you're trying to match into DO only specialties which won't exist once the MD-DO residency merger happens.

If commuting is the problem, try getting into the OU School of Community Medicine which is in Tulsa. You'll get an MD degree and you won't have to deal with going to and from OKC.
 
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II offer this morning!!
Scheduled OU for Nov. 19 and SCM for Nov. 20

Submitted secondary on Aug. 1

MCAT 510. cGPA 3.5. sGPA 3.3

SUPER NERVOUS! Would appreciate any advice for OU interviews!! Thank you!!!
 
I'm having a tough time deciding between OU and OSU. I like the DO program but will have to commute form OKC (wife is in grad school here). I've heard mixed reviews about OU; some say that it is great and a relatively relaxed atmosphere (as far as med schools go), yet others say that it can be pretentious and almost feel like a bootcamp where students can get lost in the crowd.

Any thoughts?

It's about as relaxed as you can get when you consider the fact that it is still a medical school preparing you to become an excellent physician. OSU has the best DO program in the world, but I think OU is the better choice. Your clinical rotations are a million times better than what you would be getting at OSU. Like others have said, apply for the Community Medicine program if commuting is the main concern. You do all 4 years in Tulsa, and that program is still better than OSU's.
 
If you have any questions regarding the SCM track, feel free to message me personally. Current MSII here.
 
If you have any questions regarding the SCM track, feel free to message me personally. Current MSII here.
Hey, Karma. Thanks for being willing to answer questions. I am loving the idea of SCM. I am a public health undergrad at my school, and I'm from OK (although I went OOS for school). I know SCM is a public health-centric curriculum -- how does that look from day to day? How do that include public health in the curriculum?

Also, how often do you guys see the OU main campus students?
 
Is there anything about the SCM track that you dislike? Anything you wish you knew before selecting OKC vs SCM? How does the smaller class size affect your learning and opportunities? @MagentaKarma
 
II offer this morning!!
Scheduled OU for Nov. 19 and SCM for Nov. 20

Submitted secondary on Aug. 1

MCAT 510. cGPA 3.5. sGPA 3.3

SUPER NERVOUS! Would appreciate any advice for OU interviews!! Thank you!!!

Congrats! are you IS or OOS?
 
Hey guys! I am an OOS, ORM applicant with no ties. Do you think I have a chance at an interview here with 510 MCAT and 3.73 GPA? Was complete early September
 
Hey guys! I am an OOS, ORM applicant with no ties. Do you think I have a chance at an interview here with 510 MCAT and 3.73 GPA? Was complete early September
You never know, but your stats are only right at the average of a school that takes 95% IS students each year. I wouldn’t get my hopes up, unfortunately.
 
They're very stingy with IIs for OOS applicants. You need some ties to the state to have a good chance, but you never know.

You never know, but your stats are only right at the average of a school that takes 95% IS students each year. I wouldn’t get my hopes up, unfortunately.

Thank you! I'm a Texas resident so I was hoping the proximity would help since I have no ties.
 
Do they complete interviews by end of December or do they do spring interviews too? Getting a little antsy even though I know my stats are more down the line...
 
II today! So stoked. In state, 513/3.6. Complete at the end of July, but there was a clerical error with my application that only recently got resolved.

Will any of you who’ve interviewed comment on the experience? What kind of questions? how long was it? The invitation doesn’t really give much info.
 
II today! So stoked. In state, 513/3.6. Complete at the end of July, but there was a clerical error with my application that only recently got resolved.

Will any of you who’ve interviewed comment on the experience? What kind of questions? how long was it? The invitation doesn’t really give much info.
My interview was relaxed. You will have a 25-30 min semi-blind "structured" portion. You will then leave the room and the interviewers will look at your MCAT, GPA and recommendation letters. You will go back and they will ask you more questions for about 25 min. It really is low stress. Just know yourself well, and you will be fine.
 
My interview was relaxed. You will have a 25-30 min semi-blind "structured" portion. You will then leave the room and the interviewers will look at your MCAT, GPA and recommendation letters. You will go back and they will ask you more questions for about 25 min. It really is low stress. Just know yourself well, and you will be fine.

To add on to this, there are three interviewers in the room with you at once. Mine had two physicians and one MS4, but you can have three physicians and no med students as well I'm pretty sure.
 
II today! So stoked. In state, 513/3.6. Complete at the end of July, but there was a clerical error with my application that only recently got resolved.

Will any of you who’ve interviewed comment on the experience? What kind of questions? how long was it? The invitation doesn’t really give much info.

To give a different perspective, my interviewers were extremely intense and seemed determined to throw me off. However, the student running interviews told me that everyone who had interviewed in my room w/ those interviewers that day had the same experience. It really is luck of the draw I suppose. As the previous commenter mentioned, the first 30 minutes are GPA/MCAT blind and you are asked seven standardized questions meant to examine the core competencies. At that point, you leave the room while they are shown your scores, and then the rest of the interview is more of a typical anything goes format.
 
II today! So stoked. In state, 513/3.6. Complete at the end of July, but there was a clerical error with my application that only recently got resolved.

Will any of you who’ve interviewed comment on the experience? What kind of questions? how long was it? The invitation doesn’t really give much info.

To give a different perspective, my interviewers were extremely intense and seemed determined to throw me off. However, the student running interviews told me that everyone who had interviewed in my room w/ those interviewers that day had the same experience. It really is luck of the draw I suppose. As the previous commenter mentioned, the first 30 minutes are GPA/MCAT blind and you are asked seven standardized questions meant to examine the core competencies. At that point, you leave the room while they are shown your scores, and then the rest of the interview is more of a typical anything goes format.


Hii!! So to add to what neuroticpotato said, I recently spoke with a couple of my friends currently attending OU and they also mentioned the 7 competencies. AAMC has a chart of 9 competencies which I'll try to attach on here...
2 of them - "oral communication" and "social skills" are the ones they just observe through your responses. The other 7 will have a question that relates to them. So the first portion of the interview will be 7 questions based on those 7 competencies and will be about 35 minutes. Hope that helps!
 

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This was one of the most stressful interviews I have experienced. I'm sure it depends on who interviews you but the standardized questions are actually pretty tough to answer and can throw you off if you are not prepared - no matter how nice your interviewers are. My interviewers were very intense. It was also very obvious that they did not read my application which in my eyes sheds a very negative light on the school. The facilities are older but still nice, the students were friendly but did not seem overly happy - that concerns me a little bit. It seems like a solid program overall but it gave me somewhat of a negative vibe. To all those who are interviewing soon: feel free to message me if you want know more about the interview day & the specific questions asked. I'd be more than happy to help.
 
The facilities are older but still nice, the students were friendly but did not seem overly happy
Did we interview at the same school?? I personally got the complete opposite impression. Also, everything has either been newly built or completely renovated in the last 5 to 15 years, which they talked about. Out of the 3 interviews I’ve been on and my internship at Duke med, OU had by far the nicest facilities. Except Duke’s hospital system was like 3 times larger, of course.

Edit: Also, I think having 20-30 students there to volunteer at 8 AM on a Sunday morning completely on their own free will, including ones from Tulsa, speaks a lot more than if they seemed overly happy. Interesting the different impressions that were received!
 
Did we interview at the same school?? I personally got the complete opposite impression. Also, everything has either been newly built or completely renovated in the last 5 to 15 years, which they talked about. Out of the 3 interviews I’ve been on and my internship at Duke med, OU had by far the nicest facilities. Except Duke’s hospital system was like 3 times larger, of course.
I guess It just depends on where you interview 🙂 Not trying to say anything negative just expressing my opinion. I'm sure OU graduates great doctors so in the end the facilities shouldn't be the major concern of anyone deciding to attend.
Edit: I didn't say anything bad about the students and trust me, I appreciate the fact that they were there very much. They just seemed a little tense and not as happy as other MS I have met. This is simply my personal opinion and yes, things get perceived differently by different people. I don't understand why you think I'm trying to argue or degrade the school in any way - I think OU is a great program and I would be more than happy to attend. My initial comment was actually aimed at people who are interviewing soon to provide them with some insight about the interview day and to offer help. I'm sorry you took it the wrong way!
 
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Did we interview at the same school?? I personally got the complete opposite impression. Also, everything has either been newly built or completely renovated in the last 5 to 15 years, which they talked about. Out of the 3 interviews I’ve been on and my internship at Duke med, OU had by far the nicest facilities. Except Duke’s hospital system was like 3 times larger, of course.

Edit: Also, I think having 20-30 students there to volunteer at 8 AM on a Sunday morning completely on their own free will, including ones from Tulsa, speaks a lot more than if they seemed overly happy. Interesting the different impressions that were received!
Agreed.
This was my best interview so far. My interviewers were very kind and supportive. I guess it just depends on who you were assigned to that day though. I consider myself very lucky to have interviewed with the people I did. I enjoyed talking with them.
Also the campus was great. I interviewed at the University of Iowa (Carver) (ranked 35 for research), and OU has similar facilities to that medical school.
 
I guess It just depends on where you interview 🙂 Not trying to say anything negative just expressing my opinion. I'm sure OU graduates great doctors so in the end the facilities shouldn't be the major concern of anyone deciding to attend.
Edit: I didn't say anything bad about the students and trust me, I appreciate the fact that they were there very much. They just seemed a little tense and not as happy as other MS I have met. This is simply my personal opinion and yes, things get perceived differently by different people. I don't understand why you think I'm trying to argue or degrade the school in any way - I think OU is a great program and I would be more than happy to attend. My initial comment was actually aimed at people who are interviewing soon to provide them with some insight about the interview day and to offer help. I'm sorry you took it the wrong way!
I think you missed the tone of my reply, because I was not arguing, just offering an alternative impression for those same people. I would still like to know how you formed your impressions. When were students tense? During the tour, lunch, before interviews? My tour guides were joking and chatting and telling us not to worry literally the entire time. I would also like to know what facilities you thought looked old? Literally the only thing I saw that didn’t look brand knew was the lecture hall. You could have told me that everything else had been opened yesterday and I would have believed it. Especially since they provide every single student with their own desk, and have a discussion room for every 10 student. That’s only in the actual medical school medical building as well, not counting the library and the rest of the Health Science Campus. Where have you interviewed that had better facilities and how were they nicer?
 
Still waiting for an interview invite from here, but a friend told me that all MS1s get new laptops? Did they talk about this during the visits? And do you know what kind, I’m kind of a tech buff haha
 
Still waiting for an interview invite from here, but a friend told me that all MS1s get new laptops? Did they talk about this during the visits? And do you know what kind, I’m kind of a tech buff haha
I'm sure the laptops are nothing fancy, it's probably a move to streamline and make the encryption process by IT less complicated e.g. dealing with all the different OS and OS versions from personal computers that students will bring with them.
 
I literally just purchased a really nice laptop this weekend for medical school. I had not heard of the students receiving new laptops. Do y’all think it would be required to use these laptops I want to use the one I just bought?
 
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