Ohsu '07

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Hey does anyone know if it is true that OHSU expects applicants to submit recommendations from sources additonal to the required professors? I am new to this site and I was reading over old posts that mentioned that OHSU expects applicants to submit recommendations from every significant experience they have had post high school. I interview in a few weeks and I have only submitted the three required letters, but I could submit a few more from docs and research mentors before my interview if they are that important. Also, how important is research in the OHSU admissions process? I have decent clinical experience which I have heard is very important there (Im an ER tech part time), but the strong point of my app is my research. I have two publications and I was wondering if OHSU is going to care more about my research or my clinical stuff? Sorry for the long post but im really excited about my interview and I want to make sure I am as prepared as I can be. Thanks everyone!!!!!!!
 
pooley55 said:
Hey does anyone know if it is true that OHSU expects applicants to submit recommendations from sources additonal to the required professors? I am new to this site and I was reading over old posts that mentioned that OHSU expects applicants to submit recommendations from every significant experience they have had post high school. I interview in a few weeks and I have only submitted the three required letters, but I could submit a few more from docs and research mentors before my interview if they are that important. Also, how important is research in the OHSU admissions process? I have decent clinical experience which I have heard is very important there (Im an ER tech part time), but the strong point of my app is my research. I have two publications and I was wondering if OHSU is going to care more about my research or my clinical stuff? Sorry for the long post but im really excited about my interview and I want to make sure I am as prepared as I can be. Thanks everyone!!!!!!!
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It is true that OHSU cares a great deal about primary care. They are ranked 3rd for that if I remember. They also have a mandatory rural rotation. But it seems that they realize that research is what drives rankings and national reputation. OHSU wants to climb and I think it is. When I interviewed, I actually talked about research quite a bit. As long as you don't say something to the effect of, "I am not at all interested in primary care," I think you are safe. :luck:
 
pooley55 said:
Hey does anyone know if it is true that OHSU expects applicants to submit recommendations from sources additonal to the required professors? I am new to this site and I was reading over old posts that mentioned that OHSU expects applicants to submit recommendations from every significant experience they have had post high school. I interview in a few weeks and I have only submitted the three required letters, but I could submit a few more from docs and research mentors before my interview if they are that important. Also, how important is research in the OHSU admissions process? I have decent clinical experience which I have heard is very important there (Im an ER tech part time), but the strong point of my app is my research. I have two publications and I was wondering if OHSU is going to care more about my research or my clinical stuff? Sorry for the long post but im really excited about my interview and I want to make sure I am as prepared as I can be. Thanks everyone!!!!!!!
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The letter advice is something an applicant last year got specifically from OHSU. OHSU is really into soft factors, so anything that boosts the soft factors is a good thing. GPA/MCAT, eh, they don't care that much. LORs super important. Yes, and apparently it goes raise questions if you have a significant volunteer/work experience and don't submit an LOR for it. The explicitly tell you that they don't limit the number of letters you can submit and that non academic letters are usually quite helpful. So, if you can get more letters, I'd say do it.
 
pooley55 said:
Hey does anyone know if it is true that OHSU expects applicants to submit recommendations from sources additonal to the required professors? I am new to this site and I was reading over old posts that mentioned that OHSU expects applicants to submit recommendations from every significant experience they have had post high school. I interview in a few weeks and I have only submitted the three required letters, but I could submit a few more from docs and research mentors before my interview if they are that important. Also, how important is research in the OHSU admissions process? I have decent clinical experience which I have heard is very important there (Im an ER tech part time), but the strong point of my app is my research. I have two publications and I was wondering if OHSU is going to care more about my research or my clinical stuff? Sorry for the long post but im really excited about my interview and I want to make sure I am as prepared as I can be. Thanks everyone!!!!!!!
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Hmm.. well, I'm certainly not an expert when it comes to gauging what a school would/would not like. However, what immediately stood out to me as suspicious and odd was that you mention that you submitted the minimum (which, in general, is usually never a real 'booster') required number of letters of recommendation. Further, you say that your "strong point" is your research experience; yet, you don't have a letter of recommendation relating to your research? In such a competitive application process, I would imagine that one would want as many letters of recommendation as one could get, as opposed to the bare minimum. But, then again, maybe I'm just wacky and over/ultra cautious with that kind of stuff? In my particular situation, I submitted 9 letters of recommendation. That was actually the maximum. Although once I received the OHSU secondary, it told me there wasn't a maximum. Maybe my schools compilation service limits us to 9? Either way, more is always better (even with chocolate 🙂 ).

Also, someone previously posted a reply to yours saying that GPA and MCAT were not that important to OHSU. I think that they are important, but not in ways that others may think so. In particular, I think they are important in helping the admissions committee determine if you will be able to handle the rigorous school schedule, while also scoring well on the exams/boards. The MCAT and GPA do not provide them with enough data to determine if you would make a "good doctor".

I hope this helps you. Keep in mind that I think it is too late to send additional letters of recommendation. I would contact them and double-check this. But, I am certain that after your interviews are completed, your application is "sealed", so to speak, and nothing you submit/do will affect it.

Thrall
 
Thrall said:
Hmm.. well, I'm certainly not an expert when it comes to gauging what a school would/would not like. However, what immediately stood out to me as suspicious and odd was that you mention that you submitted the minimum (which, in general, is usually never a real 'booster') required number of letters of recommendation. Further, you say that your "strong point" is your research experience; yet, you don't have a letter of recommendation relating to your research? In such a competitive application process, I would imagine that one would want as many letters of recommendation as one could get, as opposed to the bare minimum. But, then again, maybe I'm just wacky and over/ultra cautious with that kind of stuff? In my particular situation, I submitted 9 letters of recommendation. That was actually the maximum. Although once I received the OHSU secondary, it told me there wasn't a maximum. Maybe my schools compilation service limits us to 9? Either way, more is always better (even with chocolate 🙂 ).

Also, someone previously posted a reply to yours saying that GPA and MCAT were not that important to OHSU. I think that they are important, but not in ways that others may think so. In particular, I think they are important in helping the admissions committee determine if you will be able to handle the rigorous school schedule, while also scoring well on the exams/boards. The MCAT and GPA do not provide them with enough data to determine if you would make a "good doctor".

I hope this helps you. Keep in mind that I think it is too late to send additional letters of recommendation. I would contact them and double-check this. But, I am certain that after your interviews are completed, your application is "sealed", so to speak, and nothing you submit/do will affect it.

Thrall
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Wow, you've bought the hype. Glad you got in.
 
One of the letters I submitted is from the person I work under for my main research project...he happens to also have taught several classes I have taken so I used his letter as one of the science faculty requirements. I also have several letters from smaller projects I have worked on that I can submit, as well as one from a doctor I work with. I would have done so already but it is kind of a pain to get them sent out so I figured I would only do it was really important to do so. Also, I have not interviewed yet and according to OHSUs admissions office I am still able to submit letters to be included in my application packet...which I am going to do! Hopefully this makes my last post seem less suspicious and odd.
 
I would have to echo thrall's statemtent, and reinforce it. Last year the director of admissions (OHSU) came to my school and told us that explicitely. If you have an activity significant enough to merit space on your AMCAS, then you should have a letter for it. If you don't, it implies that you're padding the ol' resume. The absence of a letter indicates taht you either weren't sufficiently involved that someone could in goood consciounse write one for you, or that your involvement was negative enough that they wouldn't write for you. I don't think that this is hype, since it was straight from the horse's mouth so to speak. More letters = better.
 
geogil said:
I would have to echo thrall's statemtent, and reinforce it. Last year the director of admissions (OHSU) came to my school and told us that explicitely. If you have an activity significant enough to merit space on your AMCAS, then you should have a letter for it. If you don't, it implies that you're padding the ol' resume. The absence of a letter indicates taht you either weren't sufficiently involved that someone could in goood consciounse write one for you, or that your involvement was negative enough that they wouldn't write for you. I don't think that this is hype, since it was straight from the horse's mouth so to speak. More letters = better.
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Unfortunately my school uses virtualeval and we cannot choose which letters are sent to which schools. They strongly recommend we keep our letters at 4-5. One of my significant ECs would be difficult to obtain a letter from anyway, because my supervisor never worked with me. The people I help need confidentiality, so they couldn't write one either. Oh well, we'll see how much it hurts me.
 
nontrad hopeful said:
How did you find out....did you get a big packet in the mail?
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nope -- thin envelope, regular mail -- says i'll get an acceptance packet in about a month. guess they're not in a hurry about anything -- which is kind of why i liked them...

geogil said:
I would have to echo thrall's statemtent, and reinforce it. Last year the director of admissions (OHSU) came to my school and told us that explicitely. If you have an activity significant enough to merit space on your AMCAS, then you should have a letter for it. If you don't, it implies that you're padding the ol' resume. The absence of a letter indicates taht you either weren't sufficiently involved that someone could in goood consciounse write one for you, or that your involvement was negative enough that they wouldn't write for you. I don't think that this is hype, since it was straight from the horse's mouth so to speak. More letters = better.
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I don't know if this helps, but i just got in, so i'll tell you about what i had:
-references: our pre-med advisement committee sends a single recommendation based on interviews, grades, recommendations from professors to the committee. i don't know if this letter also includes the individual recommendations that we submit to the committee. if so, i had the committee evaluation + recommendations from 3 professors, 1 of which was my research prof. i had NO references from volunteer coordinators, USDA research advisors, etc. -- just professor evaluations. so, if you just sent in the minimum # of references, it won't kill your application. don't freak out about this.
-MCAT 35/S; GPA 3.99. OOS. most other interviewess from my date were in-state and/or from big-name schools. i was neither.
-not too much clinical experience -- some ER volunteering (1 semester) + training for hospice volunteering, which i start next week. my application was actually pretty weak on the clinical experience part. i guess i made up for it in other volunteer experience. maybe.
-research: 1 publication (2nd author) on research at school + 2 summers with USDA. i don't remember if we talked about this much, but i think it was important to my application -- even though i plan to go into primary care, having research helped, if only because it showed i had considered and tried something else.

i guess my point is, don't lose hope. i was really, really surprised by this acceptance. good luck!
 
etsu-congrats on your acceptance! What kind of volunteer experiences do you have? How did your interviews go? My numbers are nowhere near yours 31R 3.65 overall/3.75 science so I would assume that this would make smaller things like LORs more important for someone like me as opposed to someone like you.
 
To those who have to use virtual evals, is it impossible to use interfolio? that way you can pick and choose who gets what. Congrats etsu, when did you interview? I don' think my interview went that well, but we'll see. Waitlist time....
 
Anyone know when they stop issuing interview invites?
 
Accepted 2/27 Interviewed 2/1

It was the most convoluted acceptance letter ever. From the first reading I thought I had been put on hold. I had to read it carefully before I realized it was an acceptance. Phewww! 😀

Anyone else apply MD/MPH?
 
geogil said:
To those who have to use virtual evals, is it impossible to use interfolio? that way you can pick and choose who gets what. Congrats etsu, when did you interview? I don' think my interview went that well, but we'll see. Waitlist time....
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We had no choice at my school- virtualeval only. My premed office sucked. The secretary was really rude and keeps trying to limit the number of schools we apply to! She wants to cap us at 15!

Edit: Also, she took 3 weeks to upload my letters. Since one of my letter writers took her letter with her to France, that really delayed my apps. I was complete late Oct for most places.
 
Tatowedges said:
Accepted 2/27 Interviewed 2/1

It was the most convoluted acceptance letter ever. From the first reading I thought I had been put on hold. I had to read it carefully before I realized it was an acceptance. Phewww! 😀

Anyone else apply MD/MPH?
Click to expand...

Congrats! Also, delayed congrats to etsuprinthead! Unfortunately your letters have caused me to begin stalking the mailman again...
 
WOw that sucks. I'm glad that the pre-med advisor is pretty much hands-off at my school. I just don't get it. YOu can't approach your profs and have them send a copy of a letter to interfolio? what a pain. Sorry about that.
 
Going there? I'll just be MD, but unless I get that much-awaited letter from Berkeley, I'll be there, too.
Tatowedges said:
Accepted 2/27 Interviewed 2/1

It was the most convoluted acceptance letter ever. From the first reading I thought I had been put on hold. I had to read it carefully before I realized it was an acceptance. Phewww! 😀

Anyone else apply MD/MPH?
Click to expand...
 
does anyone knoe the phone # for the admissions office?? I've been complete since end of august and STILL haven't heard anything back. Last time I called they had a stupid voice msg system.
 
I heard a rumor that OHSU has started sending out pre-interview rejections.. I hadn't seen anything about that yet. Can anyone confirm?
 
melissainsd said:
Congrats! Also, delayed congrats to etsuprinthead! Unfortunately your letters have caused me to begin stalking the mailman again...
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Thanks! I was surprised. I really thought I was going to be on hold. Let us know when you find out!
 
etsuprinthead said:
Going there? I'll just be MD, but unless I get that much-awaited letter from Berkeley, I'll be there, too.
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I am having a terrible time deciding. There are three schools I would love to attend (OHSU being one). All of them are extremely expensive. I think I will just let the school pick me. I'll attend the one which offers me the best financial aid package 😍

What program does Berkeley offer? Unless I am mistaken...they don't have a MD program.
 
AHHHHH!!!! I got in! 😀

Crap, I better make sure I meet the genetics course requirement...
 
Congrats melissa! 👍 Now you don't even need to think about not being worried about the hold letter!
 
melissainsd said:
AHHHHH!!!! I got in! 😀

Crap, I better make sure I meet the genetics course requirement...
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Yay!!! Congratulations. How likely will you attend?
 
Tatowedges said:
I am having a terrible time deciding. There are three schools I would love to attend (OHSU being one). All of them are extremely expensive. I think I will just let the school pick me. I'll attend the one which offers me the best financial aid package 😍

What program does Berkeley offer? Unless I am mistaken...they don't have a MD program.
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berkeley has an md/ms program. i'm thinking i'll do an mph somewhere, and berkeley just wraps it all into 1 program.
 
melissainsd said:
AHHHHH!!!! I got in! 😀

Crap, I better make sure I meet the genetics course requirement...
Click to expand...

yay! congrats!

let me make sure i'm not misunderstanding... we don't send in a deposit or anything until we get our acceptance packet? which will come whenever the heck they feel like it, from what I can tell. just don't want to lose my seat...
 
melast said:
I heard a rumor that OHSU has started sending out pre-interview rejections.. I hadn't seen anything about that yet. Can anyone confirm?
Click to expand...

I don't think that is true based on what has been posted on the Wall of Shame.
 
etsuprinthead said:
yay! congrats!

let me make sure i'm not misunderstanding... we don't send in a deposit or anything until we get our acceptance packet? which will come whenever the heck they feel like it, from what I can tell. just don't want to lose my seat...
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That would suck. Nope, from what I can tell we have nothing to send in yet.

Thanks for the congrats chevaliermalfet, Tatowedges, and etsuprinthead! I am fairly sure I will attend. I am waiting on a few more schools but OHSU is definitely one of my top choices. My husband is really excited since most of the other schools I am considering are in extreme cold. He really loves Portland. My dad is happy because it isn't across the country from him (he is in CA). My baby has no opinion, he is growling at a water bottle right now.

Do you guys know where you are going to live? I need to buy a house but I have no idea where. I was stuck in traffic on interview day so I would like to live somewhere close.

I am still so excited! Drinks on me!😀

Edit: Does OHSU have a class thread yet (I couldn't find one but I am too excited to do anything but skim)?
 
"let me make sure i'm not misunderstanding... we don't send in a deposit or anything until we get our acceptance packet? which will come whenever the heck they feel like it, from what I can tell. just don't want to lose my seat..."

I just got the packet on Saturday (3/3), but got my acceptance letter on 1/5 so just FYI it may be a little while before the packet comes. (Although maybe they finally have them done so they'll roll out quicker.) There's no deposit you just check a box that tells them you want to hold your spot and another box if you want to be put on their listserve for incoming students. Congrats to everyone!

P.S. I'm not sure about living yet- my husband and I are going to Portland for a few days of spring break to try to figure it all out- I haven't seen a OHSU class thread either yet.
 
Wow congrats everyone who has been accepted! How much of OHSU's class is usually filled by the time they get to their hold list? It seems like most people on this thread who have been accepted post interview plan on attending OHSU so I would assume that a good portion of their class will be filled before May. Also...do any of you lucky accepted people have MDApplicant profiles? Im waiting to find out which day in April I will be interviewing. I guess that most days have filled up so I cannot interview in March like I planned so I guess I have additonal time to prepare! Thanks Everyone!
 
pooley55 said:
Wow congrats everyone who has been accepted! How much of OHSU's class is usually filled by the time they get to their hold list? It seems like most people on this thread who have been accepted post interview plan on attending OHSU so I would assume that a good portion of their class will be filled before May. Also...do any of you lucky accepted people have MDApplicant profiles? Im waiting to find out which day in April I will be interviewing. I guess that most days have filled up so I cannot interview in March like I planned so I guess I have additonal time to prepare! Thanks Everyone!
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I am not sure how many people come off the hold list. I do know that last year 40+ people came off the waitlist, which is probably the rest of the hold list that didn't get automatic acceptances. Last year there was also an online site where you can check your place on the waitlist on a day-to-day basis as people in front of you are pulled off. I love the way OHSU does things! I can pm you my mdapp profile if you want. I'd like to maintain some anonymity =)
 
pooley55 said:
etsu-congrats on your acceptance! What kind of volunteer experiences do you have? How did your interviews go? My numbers are nowhere near yours 31R 3.65 overall/3.75 science so I would assume that this would make smaller things like LORs more important for someone like me as opposed to someone like you.
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ah, sorry, i'm slow. most of my ec's are leadership -- i have some volunteering in soup kitchens and the like freshman year, but since then i've been mostly coordinating service activities for other groups. i also had a couple of research projects, including 1 publication. my interviews went OK, but not stellar -- the 1st was with a doc who was 30 min. late, and the best way i can describe it is "bland" -- he asked ethical questions from a sheet and spent more time talking than i did. the 2nd was somewhat better, but still not my best.
 
Does anyone have the e-mail address for the Admissions Office?

Yes, I realize that they specifically hide it. No, I don't care. I'm going to e-mail them anyway.
😛
 
I just wanted to let everyone know that I started an OHSU c/o 2011 thread in the allopathic class threads. Come so post so I can get to know my fellow classmates 😀
 
melissainsd said:
I just wanted to let everyone know that I started an OHSU c/o 2011 thread in the allopathic class threads. Come so post so I can get to know my fellow classmates 😀
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nice work! but... um... how do you get to the class thread section? apparently i'm not the SDN whiz that i thought.
 
SDN Forums-->Medical Student Forums--->Allopathic--->subforum Allopathic Class Forums

(From memory so I hope it is right)
 
hello my old friend - i am so happy to hear about OHSU! I really wanted to apply but i thought they were really hard on out of state ppls... guess I should have given it a shot... anyhow it sounds like a great school! glad you have an acceptance you are really happy about!
 
mikeinsd said:
hello my old friend - i am so happy to hear about OHSU! I really wanted to apply but i thought they were really hard on out of state ppls... guess I should have given it a shot... anyhow it sounds like a great school! glad you have an acceptance you are really happy about!
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Thanks Mike! I guess we will both end up on the west coast after all.

Edit: I also wanted to add the link to the OHSU class thread http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=377268
 
Just wondering if anyone knew about OHSU's student's board scores. I read on a posting that their classes only score the National Average on the USMLE. Does this have something to do with the students motivation to pursue general practice/primary care specialties or is it because of their curriculum? Does anyone know?

Also has anyone been accepted off the hold list?

I was wondering, is the hold list like a quasi wait-list where as the few top candidates that are accepted directly turn down their offers, more people are accepted off the hold list?
 
Anybody know the details of he grading system at OHSU? Thanks!!
 
I asked at the student lunch on interview day, I was told it is: Honors, Pass, No Pass
 
melissainsd said:
Crap, I better make sure I meet the genetics course requirement...
Click to expand...

Can you expand on this? Do they really have a genetics requirement, or is it suggested?

If it's required, then I'm screwed. Although, why would they offer me an interview if I didn't meet one of their minimum requirements?
 
CEEJAY000 said:
Can you expand on this? Do they really have a genetics requirement, or is it suggested?

If it's required, then I'm screwed. Although, why would they offer me an interview if I didn't meet one of their minimum requirements?
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it's absolutely required. you'll have to take it before you matriculate, if you plan on attending.
 
So I interviewed there today and I was kind of unimpressed. I guess I'd probably withdraw if I get accepted, but I'll wait to see if I do indeed get accepted just for the heck of it. As a OOSer, it stinks how I can't get in-state tuition after living there for a year.
 
Jr applicant said:
does anyone knoe the phone # for the admissions office?? I've been complete since end of august and STILL haven't heard anything back. Last time I called they had a stupid voice msg system.
Click to expand...

question seconded. are they done offering interviews, and are rejection letters going out anytime soon? i'm not expecting an interview offer at this stage of the game...
 
sheepunite said:
it's absolutely required. you'll have to take it before you matriculate, if you plan on attending.
Click to expand...

You don't have to take a course with "genetics" in the name, just one which incorporates a lot of genetics. I am still waiting to hear if my previous courses will be sufficient. You can email the admissions office to ask.
 
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