On the same boat! No news yet. Are we supposed to be checking our portal or would we get an email?
2019-2020 Pennsylvania State
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greatjoyousday
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I’m in the same boat as mushu22. They did not pick up but I left a voicemail and they returned it within 2 hours.
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From what I have seen on this forum they usually send an email first.
Here you go!
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fritofriend
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just got the R after being put on a pre-II hold! good luck everyone! 
punchameleon
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Complete late August, pre-II hold last month (lol), R just now!
Thank you Penn State, very cool!
Thank you Penn State, very cool!
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OOS, R just now after pre-II hold in January.
I love how the subject of the email is "interview denied".
I love how the subject of the email is "interview denied".
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Like damn, rubbing salt into the wound!
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same, on hold 12/4
Any of you interviewed in the first week of March? I called them just to double-check when we could expect to hear back and the guy said: "10-12 weeks, just gotta wait". A little overwhelmed because I don't have any acceptances yet and Penn is my top choice but if I have to reapply, AMCAS opens May 4th and it would be nice to know before the application reopens. Just stressed and wondering if anyone else on a similar boat?
dpatrick40
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For what its worth, I thought they had to let you know yes or no by the end of April. I could totally be wrong though. I interviewed February 26th and still haven't heard anything
I would hope to hear back by the end of April but whoever I talked to didn't seem too accommodating so I didn't ask more questions. Fingers crossed for the best
I’m in the exact same boat. Haven’t been accepted anywhere else and Penn State is my #1. I’ve been working on my primary app just as a back up so I have it ready to submit if I don’t get in.
mushu22
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Sorry, just saw this! So yeah I guess I’m a “hmm” Best of luck to you too!!!!
Explorer24
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A lot of us are in the same boat right now. Like the exact same situation. I am waitlisted from 2 other MD schools right now and haven't heard back from Penn State. there is alot of uncertainties right now.
Interviewed Penn State last week Feb
Interviewed Penn State last week Feb
Not to count your chickens early yada yada yada...But I'll ask. If accepted to Penn State, how many people would choose the on campus housing vs an apartment in Hersey or nearby? Did anyone stay on campus with a student host? Impressions?
I stayed with a student host and loved the on-campus housing. The apartments were really nice and super close to the med school. I remember the pricing being very reasonable too. I didn't get a chance to any other apartments besides the on-campus ones so I couldn't speak for those. All the med students I talked to loved the on-campus housing and I didn't hear any complaints!
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If I decide on Penn State, I'll definitely live off campus because... 1. I have dogs and 2. I like having some separation between school/work and home.
mushu22
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On campus housing. I live OOS and it is not feasible to look at apartments off campus. Also, the rent for on campus housing is so affordable - it even includes internet and utilities. That is too good a deal to pass up! I also have an M1 friend who lives on campus and has no complaints!
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Just an update if anyone is curious. I interviewed for the Accelerated 3+5 Orthopedics program this evening and they said I should hear within a week. Idk what the timeframe for the other accelerated programs are.
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I interviewed for the accelerated EM program last week... found out today I didn't get it. Womp womp. lol
I'll be withdrawing my acceptance tonight. Hopefully it'll turn into an A for one of y'all on the waitlist.
Thanks for all the shared neuroticism during apps/interviews everybody! Good luck with M1!
For those who interviewed for accelerated programs, how and when did you go about expressing interest/applying? Post II or post acceptance?I interviewed for the accelerated EM program last week... found out today I didn't get it. Womp womp. lol
I'll be withdrawing my acceptance tonight. Hopefully it'll turn into an A for one of y'all on the waitlist.
Thanks for all the shared neuroticism during apps/interviews everybody! Good luck with M1!
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I think I had indicated interest as apart of initially applying. And then post acceptance I got an email saying thank you for my interest in O-APPS and instructions on how to fill out another application.
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I actually emailed them before applying with a few questions, and then I talked about my interest in the secondary a bit. But once you're accepted you get to "officially" indicate your interest, submit the app, and from there they schedule interviews with various candidates.
Can anyone (or any current students) speak to how anatomy is taught here as compared to other schools (i.e. does it span one block, the whole year, etc)? Also, can anyone speak to the facilities? Did not see any classrooms, anatomy lab, etc. during the interview tour
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Just got accepted to the Orthopedics accelerated program. Need to decide if I'm going to accept it or go to Duke. Time for a help me decide x vs y post
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April 16th @ 5:45 pm
dpatrick40
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Did you have significant experience in the ortho field at all or just expressed a passion?
mushu22
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This is tough. Ortho is a hard specialty to match into - so it is very reassuring that if you did go into the accelerated path you would have a secured spot. On the other hand, Duke is a more prestigious medical school in my opinion, and therefore, could land you a more prestigious residency.
I would also consider your age - if you’re young - still in college - what is one more year of extra school? On the other hand, if you had a family etc accelerated might make more sense.
Ties to geographical region is also something to think about. Do you have a significant other you’re trying to be near?
Personally, I think you should do what would make you most happy. You got this far, you would thrive in either path. It’s more about what would make you most satisfied in the end.
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I have zero ortho research experience and zero shadowing experience in ortho. But I have talked about ortho in like every essay and interview I have ever had. I know for sure it is what I will do one day.
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I am 22 and still a senior in undergrad.
I don't have a significant other. But I would like to be looking. And as far as future work life balance, I think I would like a partner outside of medicine. And so Duke and the triangle area may be a significantly better area to be looking to date young people who are not in medicine compared to Hershey, PA.
Do any PA people have any comments have any thoughts on the dating scene? I'm mostly hypothesizing and going off my interview day where I asked all the med students if they hung out with any young people besides people associated with the hospital and they all said they didn't have any friends outside of med school/nurses/etc. Very small sample size I'm going off of and I don't actually pretend to know anything lol.
Thank you so much for your thoughts.
Hershey is definitely a smaller, more rural environment than typical college towns. If nightlife and social circles are relevant to 8 years of your happiness, I’d do some quick research. Sounds like you’ll find success no matter where you go!
mushu22
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Based on what you said, I personally think you should not go the accelerated route. 22 is so young! It would be nice to keep your options open - both dating/young life options (I feel like the Duke Triangle Area would be a lot more enjoyable for you) and medicine options. When I say medicine options I mean orthopedic residency programs.
Also I applaud you for wanting to date someone outside of medicine. I am dating someone in medicine and this person is my person, but it has also made life so much harder to be geographically together haha.
Congrats on all your options!!! Curious to know what you end up deciding. If you feel comfortable, let us know! Would love to celebrate your decision either way.
mushu22
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The only thing that could potentially sway me if I was you would be cost of Duke vs. Penn State accelerated program.
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social Life will suffer but ultimately you get your goal and no stress of haveing to apply for residency, also done a year earlier, what is more important to you, social life or guaranteed success, more than likely your hard work will get you your residency if you attend duke, if you applied for the accelerated program you more than likely know what you want to do and what is a priority for you, plenty of time later to have that social life ,duke will give you more diversity for sure and the surrounding communities
mushu22
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That’s a good point. To a certain degree - how much of a social life can you really have in medical school anyway?
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I ended up deciding on Duke. That was the unanimous opinion of the six surgeons I've talked to today.
Hi there, and good luck. Did your email say “Hold List?” Do you know, is there a difference between “Hold List”/hold category and wait list? I’ve seen previous posts from others that they had been accepted off of the hold list. Is this different from wait list?
From my knowledge, people are put on the “hold list” prior to April 30th and if you aren’t accepted before then, you are automatically placed on the “waitlist”. I’m not sure if there’s much difference at this point. We are basically not rejected nor accepted but there’s still a possible chance for us. Hope this helps and good luck to you!
So if this is true, is it better to be put on this hold list or not hear from them at all? Or it doesn’t make a difference at this point? I understand this is just speculating....
To be honest, I have no idea haha
When did you interview?
Early February
I'm sorry if this isn't the right place to to post this but I have a question about letters of rec.
They require 2 from science profs, 1 non-science. I reached out to them to see if I could have a health research prof write the non-science one (they said ok.) This is the response I receieved:
"If the course was not given by the core sciences or the departments of Chemistry, Biology, Math, and/or Physics, then it would be considered a non-science discipline. In regards to the science letter of recommendation letter it will need to fall under chemistry, physics, math, or astronomy. We require a minimum of 4 letters of recommendation which is stated on our website."
I asked them to clarify how a biology letter wouldn't count as non-science, but also wouldn't as a science letter and all they said was "correct" lol.
Has anyone applied with biology letters? I majored in bio and then did my masters of health science. I'm not able to get a letter from a chemistry, physics, math, or astronomy prof. They did say "If you are not able to obtain that letter, we recommend to send in the letters that you are able to obtain and if we require additional letters we will let you know. Please let us know what else we can do to help and thank you for your interest in Penn State College of Medicine." but if I'm going to be penalized for not sending in a chem, phys, math, or astrom letter...I don't think there's a point in applying.
Thanks in advance!
They require 2 from science profs, 1 non-science. I reached out to them to see if I could have a health research prof write the non-science one (they said ok.) This is the response I receieved:
"If the course was not given by the core sciences or the departments of Chemistry, Biology, Math, and/or Physics, then it would be considered a non-science discipline. In regards to the science letter of recommendation letter it will need to fall under chemistry, physics, math, or astronomy. We require a minimum of 4 letters of recommendation which is stated on our website."
I asked them to clarify how a biology letter wouldn't count as non-science, but also wouldn't as a science letter and all they said was "correct" lol.
Has anyone applied with biology letters? I majored in bio and then did my masters of health science. I'm not able to get a letter from a chemistry, physics, math, or astronomy prof. They did say "If you are not able to obtain that letter, we recommend to send in the letters that you are able to obtain and if we require additional letters we will let you know. Please let us know what else we can do to help and thank you for your interest in Penn State College of Medicine." but if I'm going to be penalized for not sending in a chem, phys, math, or astrom letter...I don't think there's a point in applying.
Thanks in advance!
