2018-2019 A.T. Still University (Mesa, Arizona) ATSU-SOMA

[chizledfrmstone]

Good luck to everyone applying this cycle!

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[Golden_Caramel]

6/21 Received secondary

1.Describe your activities during any gaps longer than 3 months in your college or postgraduate record.
(Please limit your response to 500 words or less. All information provided in this section must be the original work of the applicant and not from another author.)

2. Describe your experiences with osteopathic physicians. Have you ever shadowed a DO, if not explain why? Do you have a letter of recommendation from a DO, if not explain why?
(Please limit your response to 500 words or less. All information provided in this section must be the original work of the applicant and not from another author.)

3. Describe your understanding of SOMA by answering one of the following questions:

• What unique feature of SOMA appeals to you? What specific feature of SOMA concerns you?
• What would be your strongest attribute as a SOMA student? What would be your weakest?
• How do you plan to be involved with medically underserved populations in your medical career? How have your past volunteer experiences influenced your plans?

(Please limit your response to 500 words or less. All information provided in this section must be the original work of the applicant and not from another author.)

4. Please list any changes or updates to your AACOMAS application. This section may be left blank if your AACOMAS application is complete and accurate. (No character limit)

 

[Garurumon]

Secondary received
Verified 5/23

 

[penciltopaper]

Secondary received!

 

[deleted600623]

Secondary received!

 

[deleted600623]

For the LOR- I don't have a physician that I've shadowed for 20+ hours that is not a family member but the letters I am submitting are from physicians (MD and DO) that I have worked directly with for 20+ hours. Will this matter at all?

 

[cubswin]

For the LOR- I don't have a physician that I've shadowed for 20+ hours that is not a family member but the letters I am submitting are from physicians (MD and DO) that I have worked directly with for 20+ hours. Will this matter at all?

Did not matter for me. My response to this question was along the lines of this, "I did not shadow an osteopathic physician, rather I worked directly beside one for x years. yada yada yada. I also have a LOR from this physician, etc...."

 

[yogidoc19]

Any current students that can comment on the early patient interaction/ ability to work with underserved communities?

 

[Les93]

2' submitted!

 

[MicroDO]

In regards to SOMA in prompt #3-- I assume that they are referring to ATSU-SOMA, not Student Osteopathic Medical Association, right?

 

[Throwaway3214]

For the clinical experience, the prompt asks for a list of verifiable volunteer clinic/health experience. Do you guys really think this has to be limited to unpaid work? I've worked over 2,000 hours as an ER scribe and I was really hoping to highlight this in my application.

 

[doc1994]

Got the following email this morning: "We are happy to inform you that your application for admission to A.T. Still University-School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona is now complete. Your admissions file is ready for review and you will be notified when a decision has been made regarding your application."

 

[deleted600623]

I'm having trouble understanding the first question. I've been out of college since 2016 working so would I just include what I've done since I graduated? I just want to actually answer the question correctly.

 

[LukaDoncicLuk]

How are you guys going about answering the "why osteopathic medicine" question? I just want to practice medicine.

 

[ChandlerBing24]

For the clinical experience, the prompt asks for a list of verifiable volunteer clinic/health experience. Do you guys really think this has to be limited to unpaid work? I've worked over 2,000 hours as an ER scribe and I was really hoping to highlight this in my application.

Was wondering this as well!

 

[Garurumon]

For the clinical experience, the prompt asks for a list of verifiable volunteer clinic/health experience. Do you guys really think this has to be limited to unpaid work? I've worked over 2,000 hours as an ER scribe and I was really hoping to highlight this in my application.

Sorry I don't have the answer, because I'm wondering about this too. On one hand I made my scribe experience an important part of my PS, but on the other, I want a chance to talk more about how I work at an inner city hospital that sees mostly the underserved.

 

[lilsebastian18]

Sorry I don't have the answer, because I'm wondering about this too. On one hand I made my scribe experience an important part of my PS, but on the other, I want a chance to talk more about how I work at an inner city hospital that sees mostly the underserved.

Option C on the last question addresses working with the underserved population and past experiences so maybe your inner city work could fit there.

As far as including the scribing thing, I think the instructions are pretty clear that it only wants verifiable volunteer work, but the actual questions do give room to include employment like scribing, which is where I put mine. SOMA has an application specialist you can call for clarification, he was very helpful in answering another question I had about the application.

 

[cubswin]

I'm having trouble understanding the first question. I've been out of college since 2016 working so would I just include what I've done since I graduated? I just want to actually answer the question correctly.

Definitely! Looks like they want to know what you’ve done since being out of school (postgraduate). Just let them know you graduated in year x and have been doing y and z since graduation.

Edit: postgraduate is normally coursework taken after you graduated. However since you haven’t started any postgraduate studies within 3 months of graduating they want to know what you have been doing. You don't necessarily had to have started a postgraduate program, taken a 3 month break, and then re-started to be able to answer the question.

 

[deleted600623]

I'm not hitting the 500 word limit in these essays. Is this ok? I feel like I've answered the question well and don't want to ramble on and on.

 

[yogidoc19]

I'm not hitting the 500 word limit in these essays. Is this ok? I feel like I've answered the question well and don't want to ramble on and on.

SAMEEE I'm at like 300-400 max... I feel like being direct is better than rambling just to hit the max words since again it is a maximum not a minimum but maybe that's just my opinion. I think if you are 80% of the max then it should be fine?

 

[deleted600623]

SAMEEE I'm at like 300-400 max... I feel like being direct is better than rambling just to hit the max words since again it is a maximum not a minimum but maybe that's just my opinion. I think if you are 80% of the max then it should be fine?

I think concise and clear answers are more important than hitting the word limit. I've been elaborating just a little bit on each of my specific answers to provide context and such. The last thing I think they want is just long responses that say very similar things over and over.

 

[abtazz12]

Submitted secondary and on "Status" page both my letters of recommendation and test scores are pending. Do I have to send these directly to the school despite being already on my AACOMAS application? If so how do I do this? I don't want this to delay the review of my application.

 

[lilsebastian18]

Submitted secondary and on "Status" page both my letters of recommendation and test scores are pending. Do I have to send these directly to the school despite being already on my AACOMAS application? If so how do I do this? I don't want this to delay the review of my application.

I’m pretty sure they get that info from AACOMAS. Some schools i applied to have that already uploaded as soon as I submitted the secondary, others it took a few days after submission for it to update. I’d probably wait a few days after the weekend. From what I’ve seen youre still plenty early, so enjoy the fact you submitted already. Congrats and good luck!

 

[abtazz12]

I’m pretty sure they get that info from AACOMAS. Some schools i applied to have that already uploaded as soon as I submitted the secondary, others it took a few days after submission for it to update. I’d probably wait a few days after the weekend. From what I’ve seen youre still plenty early, so enjoy the fact you submitted already. Congrats and good luck!

Thank you! Good luck to you too

 

[885100]

Received my secondary at 2 am today haha

 

[deleted600623]

Do the KCOM and SOMA campuses communicate about applicants or are they different entities? The reason I ask is my secondary answers are similar but I don't want them to think I just copied one app and applied it to the other.

 

[cubswin]

Do the KCOM and SOMA campuses communicate about applicants or are they different entities? The reason I ask is my secondary answers are similar but I don't want them to think I just copied one app and applied it to the other.

They don’t communicate. Consider them two separate schools.

 

[Scrublife17]

Received my secondary at 2 am today haha

Same here! I just realized I had it, missed it because it was at 2 am

 

[I'm_a_dogtor]

Do we have to submit our MCATs to them as well? Their portal says it takes up to 2 weeks to verify LORs and MCAT but isnt that in our AACOMAS?

 

[cubswin]

Do we have to submit our MCATs to them as well? Their portal says it takes up to 2 weeks to verify LORs and MCAT but isnt that in our AACOMAS?

I believe you enter the ID given to you by aamc when you signed up for the mcat within your aacomas app. Once aacomas has this info they will automatically receive your official mcat score when it’s released. Or you log into the aamc and release your scores to aacomas. I can’t remember, it’s one of these two ways though. Hope this helps!

 

[I'm_a_dogtor]

Within aacomas there is a page for you to enter your info for the mcat. I believe you enter the ID given to you by aamc when you signed up for the mcat. Once aacomas has this info they will automatically receive your official mcat score when it’s released.

So all of that is already done on AACOMAS. I am just wondering if we have to release it on ATSU as well? Just because it still shows that they have no test scores for me.

 

[cubswin]

So all of that is already done on AACOMAS. I am just wondering if we have to release it on ATSU as well? Just because it still shows that they have no test scores for me.

You don’t have to send anything to ATSU. Everything is done through aacomas. So if everything is uploaded into your app you are good.

You can send update letters and things of this nature to ATSU later in the application. I believe grade updates are done through aacomas though.

 

[Les93]

Just got an email from someone in admissions processing reminding me to have my remaining LOR sent. It won't be done until the end of June (committee letter) but hoping its a good sign

 

[Scrublife17]

For the clinical experience, the prompt asks for a list of verifiable volunteer clinic/health experience. Do you guys really think this has to be limited to unpaid work? I've worked over 2,000 hours as an ER scribe and I was really hoping to highlight this in my application.

Also wondering the same thing. Does it all have to be volunteer clinic experience or just healthcare experience in general?

 

[arc5005]

"Describe your activities during any gaps longer than 3 months in your college or postgraduate record."

is this in regards to only academic pursuits? or do you think they are also curious about any gaps in occupations, etc...?

 

[Garurumon]

"Describe your activities during any gaps longer than 3 months in your college or postgraduate record."

is this in regards to only academic pursuits? or do you think they are also curious about any gaps in occupations, etc...?

I think it opens the floor for you to discuss both academic and non-academic pursuits. I talked about employment and volunteer experience after finishing post-bacc.

 

[cubswin]

I think it opens the floor for you to discuss both academic and non-academic pursuits. I talked about employment and volunteer experience after finishing post-bacc.

Edit: meant to quote arc5005

Remember not to offer any information that can be used against you. If you graduated and didn’t go to school for 3 months state what you have been doing. Ex: you started to work.

You don’t need to go into detail that you then also had a hiatus in your employment at some point for 3 months or greater. Why did you have this gap? Were you fired? Did you quit? You can see how it may bring up additional questions.

I know you will probably explain why you had the hiatus but you don’t need to! Simply state you started working at x y and z after graduating.

Stating you had a hiatus between x and y isn’t going to make you look any better or worse. So no need to really put it in there. Unless this gap was somehow instrumental in your med school journey.

 

[blastokine]

Gotta love when schools ask about your experiences in the secondary that are directly stated on your primary app.

EDIT: That being said, does anyone know if that section is only for new experiences that weren't on your primary app?

 

[885100]

Any Interview invites yet?

 

[PopeKnope23]

Gotta love when schools ask about your experiences in the secondary that are directly stated on your primary app.

EDIT: That being said, does anyone know if that section is only for new experiences that weren't on your primary app?

It looks like its an area for experiences in general, so I literally just copy and pasted from AACOMAS, lol.

 

[blastokine]

Does anyone know how strict they are with having 20+ shadowing hours with one physician? The most I have is 8 hours with one physician, but I have more than 20 total shadowing hours.

 

[yogidoc19]

II just now!

 

[PopeKnope23]

II just now!

Omg! Congrats! When did you submit/did you ever get a complete email?

 

[Txpre_med]

II! First one this cycle and honestly I feel like it’s a mistake and I’m crying. Haha

 

[PopeKnope23]

I submitted 7/13 and still have red marks next to my letters, mcat, and app complete. It says to allow 2 weeks but I'm so impatient!! lmao

 

[medstudent1215]

II just now!

+1

 

[3rdTimesTheCharmer]

Does anyone know the percent accepted post-interview and how many people they do give interviews to?

 

[medstudent1215]

Does anyone know the percent accepted post-interview and how many people they do give interviews to?

I was looking for this answer on their website for about 30 minutes before giving up. I am curious as well

 

[Liv13]

+1

+2

 

[hiragana]

after scheduling the II there is a link to the parking permit but its broken, anyone else has this?

edit: i found a working link maybe?