Any news from OHSU?

[robh]

Hi, I got the best new year present from OHSU - immediate acceptance!!! I am SO happy and relieved! Still can't believe it...the waiting game is over, I am going to OHSU!!

And to help clarify some of the previous posts about rumor that OHSU put in-staters on hold, I guess that's not quite true, because I am OR resident.

Good luck to all of you and hope to see you this fall!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

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[sun697]

Thanks. I took the April MCAT, file completed in late September, I think. Then I got an interview invite exactly 1 month after I received the card, and interviewed in mid-Nov. If you have any more questions, i would be happy to help as much as I can.

Congrats! How did you find out?

 

[ifkt355]

Congrats! How did you find out?

I was actually out of town and had a friend to check the mail for me. She called on Jan. 1st and it was a thin envelop. The acceptance packet will arrive within 1 month, as stated in the letter.

I also want to encourage those of you who are still waiting... don't lose hope. I don't have the best stats, and I am a non-trad. student, and yet, I got in. I can hardly believe it myself, I do consider myself very very lucky. Stats are only a very small part of your application, I think OHSU does value life experiences heavily along with other things and like students who are mature.

 

[kimmcauliffe]

Congrats to you! That's hopeful news to all OHSU applicants still waiting then...

 

[Jaydiggity21]

Just to let all you OHSU hopefulls know, I am OOS and interviewed on Dec. 6th and already received a "hold status" as of 12/29 (by the date on the letter)...So it only took like 3.5 weeks for them to make the decision...I am going to withdraw so to me it doesn't matter, but i just wanted to throw my particular timeline out there for you all...good luck to all those still waiting!

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Just to let all you OHSU hopefulls know, I am OOS and interviewed on Dec. 6th and already received a "hold status" as of 12/29 (by the date on the letter)...So it only took like 3.5 weeks for them to make the decision...I am going to withdraw so to me it doesn't matter, but i just wanted to throw my particular timeline out there for you all...good luck to all those still waiting!

my big question -- when were you complete and when did you get the interview invite? i was complete in late october and don't know if i should be worried or not about not hearing anything whatsoever from ohsu. sorry it didn't pan out better for you. i'm guessing other good things have come your way, though.

 

[Jaydiggity21]

my big question -- when were you complete and when did you get the interview invite? i was complete in late october and don't know if i should be worried or not about not hearing anything whatsoever from ohsu. sorry it didn't pan out better for you. i'm guessing other good things have come your way, though.

Yeah, I was accepted to my first choice, so its all good...Im not exactly sure what my exact dates are, but I believe that I was complete in like Sept and invited for interview in Early Nov and interviewed Dec 6...hope that helps, good luck!

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Yeah, I was accepted to my first choice, so its all good...Im not exactly sure what my exact dates are, but I believe that I was complete in like Sept and invited for interview in Early Nov and interviewed Dec 6...hope that helps, good luck!

Congrats! Thanks for the information -- I guess I won't give up hope yet because I know the holidays slowed them down a bit. Another question -- did you like OHSU at your interview? I've heard different things ranging from fabulous to stuck up.

 

[Pixelthecat]

I got an interview invite from OHSU on 1/7 - I'll be there 2/15. Time to go see if my suit still fits..

The date choices I got were 2/14, 2/15, 2/28 & 3/1. I'm applying for the MD/PhD, so your mileage may vary.

 

[nicholasblonde]

I got a thin envelope in the mail today also...says I can interview anytime between now and March 2nd. I'm an out-o-stater also...wish me luck in Portland!!!

 

[Jaydiggity21]

Congrats! Thanks for the information -- I guess I won't give up hope yet because I know the holidays slowed them down a bit. Another question -- did you like OHSU at your interview? I've heard different things ranging from fabulous to stuck up.

I did like the school, its just very expensive for OOS, and they also have a big emphasis on rural medicine (ie family practice, etc), which is not particularly what im looking for...the facilities were nice and they are building more, so it should get better in the next few years...downside, cold and dreary and no diversity at all (me being from sacramento area, the most diverse city in America)...hope that helps

 

[big_smiles]

they don't interview any OOS applicants with below a 3.6-3.7 GPA and 32 MCAT. they have strict cutoffs, but they don't tell you this on the secondary. i think they make exceptions for the MD/MPH program.

I don't know how I got an interview there, then. I got a 31 OOS. I don't know about the strict cutoffs, they must consider other things, ECs, etc.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I did like the school, its just very expensive for OOS, and they also have a big emphasis on rural medicine (ie family practice, etc), which is not particularly what im looking for...the facilities were nice and they are building more, so it should get better in the next few years...downside, cold and dreary and no diversity at all (me being from sacramento area, the most diverse city in America)...hope that helps

I wonder if the fp/rural med thing will change in the future since they want to become a big research institution. You're right, Portland in general is not diverse -- I think we were ranked as the most white city in the US or something like that. Certain parts are more so, but I guess not OHSU. It has been cold and dreary here, too. We've had an unusually wet winter (of course, it's still normal for it to rain most of the time in the winter). It pretty much never drops below freezing, though.

Good luck to everyone else with interviews!

 

[nicholasblonde]

I wonder if the fp/rural med thing will change in the future since they want to become a big research institution. You're right, Portland in general is not diverse -- I think we were ranked as the most white city in the US or something like that. Certain parts are more so, but I guess not OHSU. It has been cold and dreary here, too. We've had an unusually wet winter (of course, it's still normal for it to rain most of the time in the winter). It pretty much never drops below freezing, though.

Good luck to everyone else with interviews!

I am a bigtime ragweed sufferer, though, and the Pac Northwest area has the lowest pollen counts for almost all types of weeds and grasses. There are still tree pollens and mold, but most of the allergy triggers of the Midwest (where I'm from) are insignificant in Oregon....anytime I've been out there I've felt much healthier....the Midwest has the extremes--harsh harsh winters and horribly hot & humid summers---I'll take cool & damp year-round any day!!!

 

[kathyt009]

I just got my interview invite for OHSU today...woo-hoo! It was a thin envelope I was sure would be a rejection. I applied MD/MPH but will be interviewing for MD only. Still happy for the interview though!

As an Oregon resident with a mediocre MCAT, I was getting worried. The earliest date for me to interview is January 19th, latest one is March 2nd.

 

[kimmcauliffe]

I just got my interview invite for OHSU today...woo-hoo! It was a thin envelope I was sure would be a rejection. I applied MD/MPH but will be interviewing for MD only. Still happy for the interview though!

As an Oregon resident with a mediocre MCAT, I was getting worried. The earliest date for me to interview is January 19th, latest one is March 2nd.

First of all, congrats to you on your interview. Secondly, thank you for being cool enough to post your avatar as Deathcab for Cutie. YOU are my new hero.

 

[Cinnameg]

I just got my interview invite for OHSU today...woo-hoo! It was a thin envelope I was sure would be a rejection. I applied MD/MPH but will be interviewing for MD only. Still happy for the interview though!

As an Oregon resident with a mediocre MCAT, I was getting worried. The earliest date for me to interview is January 19th, latest one is March 2nd.

I'm also an Oregon resident with average stats (35 MCAT but with a low PS, 3.5 GPA) and I took the August MCAT. I was very, very worried about OHSU when they took so long to even invite me to complete a secondary. But my secondary was complete on November 7th, according to the yellow card, and I got a letter yesterday inviting me to interview. I have NO IDEA if this interview will lead to anything, considering that it's going to be 2/14 which is kind of late, isn't it? But I'm going. Get to have dinner with my parents at the very least.

Do any of you know if OHSU fills up it's class early, or what? Did anyone interview in February or later and get in? Thanks.

 

[ifkt355]

I'm also an Oregon resident with average stats (35 MCAT but with a low PS, 3.5 GPA) and I took the August MCAT. I was very, very worried about OHSU when they took so long to even invite me to complete a secondary. But my secondary was complete on November 7th, according to the yellow card, and I got a letter yesterday inviting me to interview. I have NO IDEA if this interview will lead to anything, considering that it's going to be 2/14 which is kind of late, isn't it? But I'm going. Get to have dinner with my parents at the very least.

Do any of you know if OHSU fills up it's class early, or what? Did anyone interview in February or later and get in? Thanks.

I was told at the interview orientation that OHSU does not have rolling admission, meaning you are in no disadvantage by interviewing late. In 4-6 weeks post-interview, they will notify you to let you know if you are immediately accepted (only 5-10% interviewees get accepted before the interview cycle ends), on hold, or rejected. Most of the people interviewed are put on the "hold" category until they finish interviewing everyone around April. Then they rank you according to your score, when May 15 comes around, they will notify you again - you will either be accepted, on alternate list, or rejected.

I wouldn't worry about interviewing late. Good luck!

 

[eb007]

question: for all of you OOS applicants, are we talking west coast states, or places like florida? i'm an east-coaster and i applied to OHSU because i LOVE the pacific NW and washington doesn't love OOS applicants. i was just wondering if they weigh heavily on location, regardless of state status.....

 

[Jaydiggity21]

question: for all of you OOS applicants, are we talking west coast states, or places like florida? i'm an east-coaster and i applied to OHSU because i LOVE the pacific NW and washington doesn't love OOS applicants. i was just wondering if they weigh heavily on location, regardless of state status.....

Im from CA, but Im not sure if it matters...I interviewed on 12/6 and was placed on hold 12/29...hope that helps

 

[mdung]

question: for all of you OOS applicants, are we talking west coast states, or places like florida? i'm an east-coaster and i applied to OHSU because i LOVE the pacific NW and washington doesn't love OOS applicants. i was just wondering if they weigh heavily on location, regardless of state status.....

im from CA and i got an immediate acceptance.

 

[robh]

question: for all of you OOS applicants, are we talking west coast states, or places like florida? i'm an east-coaster and i applied to OHSU because i LOVE the pacific NW and washington doesn't love OOS applicants. i was just wondering if they weigh heavily on location, regardless of state status.....

As far as I can tell from history, once you have the interview, you are on even footing with everyone else. In-state and OOS acceptance percentages are about the same with OOS having a small edge.

 

[sun697]

Does anybody know how if OHSU gives out merit-based scholarships to members of their incoming class? If accepted, I would absolutely love to go to OHSU, but the $40k OOS tuition is a bit steep.

Thanks, and good luck to everybody!

 

[robh]

Wow, I just got an email from OSU saying a status change. I login, and it says that I am complete. I'm complete now? I sent in my secondary in the middle of August. I felt like I already got a completion email a while back.

Login!? I was excited there for a minute. Thought OHSU might have put up some fancy pants web-based admission system. Unfortunately, wrong school.

This waiting is killing me! Another month of this and I will be reduced to groveling and pleading. Please, please, please OHSU, take me, take me! I'll do anything. I'll clean the fountain in front of the admin building with a toothbrush...monthly. Maybe I should chain myself to it and refuse to leave until they admit me?

I swear, I'm turning into a freak. All I do is read SDN, and walk back and forth to my mailbox.

 

[tacrum43]

Wow, I just got an email from OSU saying a status change. I login, and it says that I am complete. I'm complete now? I sent in my secondary in the middle of August. I felt like I already got a completion email a while back.

Sorry Nas, but this thread is about OHSU (Oregon). We're gonna have to kick you off for getting it confused with Ohio.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Sorry Nas, but this thread is about OHSU (Oregon). We're gonna have to kick you off for getting it confused with Ohio.

Yeah, OHSU isn't sophisticated enough to use newfangled things like email and online status screens.

 

[Little Rascal]

Yeah, OHSU isn't sophisticated enough to use newfangled things like email and online status screens.

haha, an answering machine is as high-tech as they get...

 

[oldprospector]

to give you guys a timeline -- and a little hope -- i'm in-state, interviewed 12/8, and just got accepted. i don't want to jinx it, but this could the start of a revolutionary trend at OHSU toward accepting oregon applicants.

 

[kathyt009]

to give you guys a timeline -- and a little hope -- i'm in-state, interviewed 12/8, and just got accepted. i don't want to jinx it, but this could the start of a revolutionary trend at OHSU toward accepting oregon applicants.

wow! congrats oldprospector!!!

 

[Doctor Bagel]

congrats everyone on the interviews/acceptances! still nothing for me, so i officially don't know what's up.

 

[argonana]

me neither. i was also complete 10/24. i wonder if it's safe to assume i've been rejected?

 

[tacrum43]

congrats everyone on the interviews/acceptances! still nothing for me, so i officially don't know what's up.

If it's been more than 12 weeks, then you can call them and they'll tell you something. They told me I was in the non-interview pool = rejection will be coming soon.

 

[IDforMe]

Yeah, it's been 3 months for me too. I called on Friday and was told that I was on hold pending review of the rest of the applicants for 2010, and that they are definitely still offereing interviews and places in the class. (I'm applying for the MD/MPH program.) Although I am grateful that they don't dislike me enough to flat-out reject me at this point, I wish they liked me just a little bit more. Still, I will be keeping my fingers crossed for an interview, hopefully soon.

to all in this infernal process.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

If it's been more than 12 weeks, then you can call them and they'll tell you something. They told me I was in the non-interview pool = rejection will be coming soon.

That stinks. For me, they've got until early February. Since they've offered interviews to people who were complete right around the same time as me, I'm just assuming I'm not a candidate they're super-interested in.

 

[Blankyblank]

I brought my application packet up to Mac Hall's mail office and handed it in 2 or 3 days before the app. deadline. Got the little yellow notecard in the mail a week or two later and then heard back Dec. 20-somethingth about an interview invite.
I interviewed earlier this month and got the same spiel from the Dean that everyone gets: "most people go into the hold pool, only 10-20% are admitted immediately..." Also talked with the adcom member interviewer about in-state (that would be me) applicants and rates of application vs. acceptance over the years. She told me that there has been a pretty steady ~350 IS applicants for the past decade or so that hasn't increased with increasing state population and a pretty steady 30-40% admission-rate from that applicant pool. She voiced some concerns over the steady applicant number and is currently trying to figure out why. I'm guessing lower educational standards in the state lead to less-prepared students and fewer potentials who think they're "up to snuff" as far as applications go.
I was also privy to the minutes from one of the internal meetings about the school of medicine where they discussed raising GPA and MCAT score requirements for OOS applicants and a goal of raising IS admissions to 70-80% of total. I don't know if that is something they're looking to implement this year or not (or if it was only hypothetical...I hope not), but it would make me happy!
In another bit of possible good news: a couple of years ago the number of wait-listed applicants they went through was in the neighborhood of 40-50, but last year was apparently a good deal higher(nearly 90, if I remember correctly). I don't know if this is the new trend or not, but it makes me a bit more hopeful.
Also, class size increased from 108 in '04 to 112 in '05...maybe 116 in '06?!

I'll post an update whenever I find out about my status! I'm hopeful, but not resting all of my dreams on getting in immediately!

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

So I never heard anything from OHSU after my application was submitted (mid-October), not even a postcard, so I called them last week. They said that the MD portion has granted me an interview, but they are waiting to hear back from the MPH people before they send out a package. Does anyone have an idea as to how long the MPH admissions process takes? BTW, I am an OOS MD/MPH applicant.

 

[noonday]

so i just talked to OHSU. they said that i was in an intermediate pool. that they had a "mission-based" pool and then a "non-interview pool" and then this other pool. she said basically that i'm on hold. yay. another one. and if there aren't enough people from the mission based pool i get an interview.

yet another hold. blah.

 

[ahumdinger]

so i just talked to OHSU. they said that i was in an intermediate pool. that they had a "mission-based" pool and then a "non-interview pool" and then this other pool. she said basically that i'm on hold. yay. another one. and if there aren't enough people from the mission based pool i get an interview.

yet another hold. blah.

what's a "mission-based" pool?

 

[IDforMe]

so i just talked to OHSU. they said that i was in an intermediate pool. that they had a "mission-based" pool and then a "non-interview pool" and then this other pool. she said basically that i'm on hold. yay. another one. and if there aren't enough people from the mission based pool i get an interview.

yet another hold. blah.

They didn't tell me anything about these pools when I called. Care to explain what they really mean for the benefit of all?

 

[noonday]

They didn't tell me anything about these pools when I called. Care to explain what they really mean for the benefit of all?

hell if i know. she only explained to me what my pool was. i didn't ask anything beyond that.

sorry.

 

[jabam]

They didn't tell me anything about these pools when I called. Care to explain what they really mean for the benefit of all?

Just called as well. The "mission-based" pool consists of qualified applicants from Oregon and surrounding states that are don't have strong medical school representation. So they look to those applicants first, and then they branch out to the "true" out-of-staters, or those that don't live in that special group of states. I'm not exactly sure what that group of states consists of though.

 

[IDforMe]

Thanks to both of you. I'll keep hoping against hope I hear from them soon...

 

[coco]

Ok so I just called. I got the yellow card on 9/30.
She said that I was in the non-mission based pool, I THINK that's what i heard (didnt bother asking what that was) but she said that just yesterday or 2 days ago, the committee decided that they didn't need to interview anyone from that pool (whatever that pool was, either mission or non mission lol). She said it was good timing that I called cuz they JUST decided on that. She also said that they're going to be sending out letters in the next couple of days to let everyone know of their decisions so that letter of rejection will be heading my way soon. I'll make sure to look for it in the mail. lol

 

[noonday]

Ok so I just called. I got the yellow card on 9/30.
She said that I was in the non-mission based pool, I THINK that's what i heard (didnt bother asking what that was) but she said that just yesterday or 2 days ago, the committee decided that they didn't need to interview anyone from that pool (whatever that pool was, either mission or non mission lol). She said it was good timing that I called cuz they JUST decided on that. She also said that they're going to be sending out letters in the next couple of days to let everyone know of their decisions so that letter of rejection will be heading my way soon. I'll make sure to look for it in the mail. lol

aw sh$t. this sucks. i'm going to die fat, alone, and without an MD.

bah.

but congrats to the in-staters...you deserve the love from your state school.

 

[uwalum]

Ok so I just called. I got the yellow card on 9/30.
She said that I was in the non-mission based pool, I THINK that's what i heard (didnt bother asking what that was) but she said that just yesterday or 2 days ago, the committee decided that they didn't need to interview anyone from that pool (whatever that pool was, either mission or non mission lol). She said it was good timing that I called cuz they JUST decided on that. She also said that they're going to be sending out letters in the next couple of days to let everyone know of their decisions so that letter of rejection will be heading my way soon. I'll make sure to look for it in the mail. lol

COCO,

Sorry about your news. What state are you a resident of?

 

[coco]

COCO,

Sorry about your news. What state are you a resident of?

i'm a california resident and i just saw that post about what the mission based pool was, so im assuming i was in the non-mission based pool since cali does have strong medical school representation (just to clarify my earlier post).good luck to everyone who's still waiting!

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Ok so I just called. I got the yellow card on 9/30.
She said that I was in the non-mission based pool, I THINK that's what i heard (didnt bother asking what that was) but she said that just yesterday or 2 days ago, the committee decided that they didn't need to interview anyone from that pool (whatever that pool was, either mission or non mission lol). She said it was good timing that I called cuz they JUST decided on that. She also said that they're going to be sending out letters in the next couple of days to let everyone know of their decisions so that letter of rejection will be heading my way soon. I'll make sure to look for it in the mail. lol

I'm really sorry about the bad news, but that makes the person you spoke with sound oh so tactful. Yeah, it's so lucky you called that day so they could give you bad news. Good luck with other schools.

So I guess I'm probably in the mission-based pool. It sort of p&sses me off that I would be on hold for an interview. My numbers are solid (yeah, not great, but good enough for my state school), and I'm a non-trad with decent life experiences, which they're supposedly into.

 

[tacrum43]

Ok so I just called. I got the yellow card on 9/30.
She said that I was in the non-mission based pool, I THINK that's what i heard (didnt bother asking what that was) but she said that just yesterday or 2 days ago, the committee decided that they didn't need to interview anyone from that pool (whatever that pool was, either mission or non mission lol). She said it was good timing that I called cuz they JUST decided on that. She also said that they're going to be sending out letters in the next couple of days to let everyone know of their decisions so that letter of rejection will be heading my way soon. I'll make sure to look for it in the mail. lol

Sorry to hear that coco. The West Coast definitely needs more medical schools. Stupid hard to get-into West Coast schools.

 

[IDforMe]

For those of you who might be wondering, the mission-based pool also includes MD/MPH applicants. Additionally, Carolyn in the admissions office reassured me that if you are invited for an interview, it is for a spot in the class. They never interview just for a waitlist, so don't give up all hope just yet.

 

[medworm]

I also called, and the lady said that they haven't had to interview people placed on pre-interview hold. In other words, if your 12 week deadline passed lightyears ago, expect .