OOS Help

[MsBerry]

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I've received secondaries from many regionally biased schools. My problem is that I have little to no association with those regions. I never know what to say in the secondaries that ask those regionally biased questions. I'm almost tempted to say: "I want to be a physician so badly that I would do it anywhere, and I'm fortunate enough to not be tied down to my current location."

I know that a select few OOS applicants get in, but do they all have ties to those regions or are their stats just so stellar that they don't have to have ties? My stats are not super high (cGPA ~3.5, sGPA ~3.2, 29Q [10, 9, 10] with hundreds and hundreds of hours volunteering, shadowing, researching, and trying to be awesome to make up for my sad science GPA), so I'd hate to waste $50+. Should I not even bother submitting secondaries to regionally biased schools? Your advice is much appreciated, my SDN compadres.

 

[DrMeows]

I've received secondaries from many regionally biased schools. My problem is that I have little to no association with those regions. I never know what to say in the secondaries that ask those regionally biased questions. I'm almost tempted to say: "I want to be a physician so badly that I would do it anywhere, and I'm fortunate enough to not be tied down to my current location."

I know that a select few OOS applicants get in, but do they all have ties to those regions or are their stats just so stellar that they don't have to have ties? My stats are not super high (cGPA ~3.5, sGPA ~3.2, 29Q [10, 9, 10] with hundreds and hundreds of hours volunteering, shadowing, researching, and trying to be awesome to make up for my sad science GPA), so I'd hate to waste $50+. Should I not even bother submitting secondaries to regionally biased schools? Your advice is much appreciated, my SDN compadres.

Probably the best thing to do is to ask the schools themselves. Your stats definitely aren't bad so I'd say you have a chance at schools like that. But maybe if you post which schools you are worried about current students can comment on those 🙂

 

[DrWily]

I've received secondaries from many regionally biased schools. My problem is that I have little to no association with those regions. I never know what to say in the secondaries that ask those regionally biased questions. I'm almost tempted to say: "I want to be a physician so badly that I would do it anywhere, and I'm fortunate enough to not be tied down to my current location."

I know that a select few OOS applicants get in, but do they all have ties to those regions or are their stats just so stellar that they don't have to have ties? My stats are not super high (cGPA ~3.5, sGPA ~3.2, 29Q [10, 9, 10] with hundreds and hundreds of hours volunteering, shadowing, researching, and trying to be awesome to make up for my sad science GPA), so I'd hate to waste $50+. Should I not even bother submitting secondaries to regionally biased schools? Your advice is much appreciated, my SDN compadres.

I wouldn't. I did last year since I applied to 19 DO schools, but it was a waste of money in my case. I said something about how I wanted to stay on the [West][East Coast] or loved the idea of moving to and experiencing a new area. Pretty weak. Usually OOS applicants have strong ties to the area (family, Sig. other, etc).

 

[MsBerry]

Probably the best thing to do is to ask the schools themselves. Your stats definitely aren't bad so I'd say you have a chance at schools like that. But maybe if you post which schools you are worried about current students can comment on those 🙂

I'm worried about Pacific Northwest, Western in Oregon, Pikeville, Marian University, OU and OSU. They're not really my top choices, but I feel like I should apply to as many places as I can as a safety net. I'm just starting to wonder if these schools are less safety and more long shot now.

 

[MsBerry]

I wouldn't. I did last year since I applied to 19 DO schools, but it was a waste of money in my case. I said something about how I wanted to stay on the [West][East Coast] or loved the idea of moving to and experiencing a new area. Pretty weak. Usually OOS applicants have strong ties to the area (family, Sig. other, etc).

Did you get any interviews at those schools? Your stats must have been legit if you got into AZCOM. Were they strong enough to get through the OOS screen? I'm just feeling the need to apply incredibly broadly because I have red, yellow, pink, orange, white, and blue flags all over my application.

 

[DrWily]

Did you get any interviews at those schools? Your stats must have been legit if you got into AZCOM. Were they strong enough to get through the OOS screen? I'm just feeling the need to apply incredibly broadly because I have red, yellow, pink, orange, white, and blue flags all over my application.

No interviews for me at those anti-OOS schools.

 

[Ost3oclast]

No interviews for me at those anti-OOS schools.

Same here.

 

[GraceEuphoria]

I'm worried about Pacific Northwest, Western in Oregon, Pikeville, Marian University, OU and OSU. They're not really my top choices, but I feel like I should apply to as many places as I can as a safety net. I'm just starting to wonder if these schools are less safety and more long shot now.

I can't speak for all of these, but Pikeville has such a small class that it might be a slim chance. I have ZERO idea where you're from though, so if you're from anywhere near there, it might be worth it. OU...ehhh...I don't keep up anymore, but if they still have their contract about staying in OH after residency (apologies for my ignorance and laziness about checking it, lol), I wouldn't bother. Then again, if you don't care about location and contract, as long as you get to go somewhere, then why not?

Being a native Hoosier, I say go for it on Marian. This is first class and honestly, all is far in that first class. Lots of students won't be willing to chance it on being in the very first class...that's not to say they couldn't fill it all with students from Indiana area, but still. It's worth a shot I think.

And with your hesitation about schools from such variable regions, I am dying to know where you are from! Enlighten us, please....people can probably help more in that case, anyway!

 

[GraceEuphoria]

Oh yeah, and your stats, even your science GPA, will not keep you from being considered at a large chunk of DO schools. Don't lose heart so early in the game! 🙂

 

[MsBerry]

Oh yeah, and your stats, even your science GPA, will not keep you from being considered at a large chunk of DO schools. Don't lose heart so early in the game! 🙂

Thanks for the encouragement! I'm from CA. Your school, LMU-DCOM, is one of the schools I'm applying to as well. 🙂

 

[MedPR]

What exactly do you mean by strongly regional biased questions? I've seen the secondary from tons of schools and none of them asked anything regionally biased. Are you talking about questions like "Why school X?"

 

[DrWily]

What exactly do you mean by strongly regional biased questions? I've seen the secondary from tons of schools and none of them asked anything regionally biased. Are you talking about questions like "Why school X?"

PNWU asks something about staying and being a physician in the Pacific Northwest or to that affect.

 

[MsBerry]

What exactly do you mean by strongly regional biased questions? I've seen the secondary from tons of schools and none of them asked anything regionally biased. Are you talking about questions like "Why school X?"

Marian: "Are you interested in practicing medicine in Indiana? If so, please describe your interest and reasons why."

Western Lebanon: "Explain why the opportunity to study and participate in clinical experiences in the Pacific Northwest appeals to you."

I wished they only asked: "Why school X?"

 

[MedPR]

PNWU asks something about staying and being a physician in the Pacific Northwest or to that affect.

Marian: "Are you interested in practicing medicine in Indiana? If so, please describe your interest and reasons why."

Western Lebanon: "Explain why the opportunity to study and participate in clinical experiences in the Pacific Northwest appeals to you."

I wished they only asked: "Why school X?"

Ah that's rough. Western Pomona didn't ask anything like that.

 

[MsBerry]

Ah that's rough. Western Pomona didn't ask anything like that.

Yea...I guess I'll wait a little while longer to hear back from other schools before I BS my way through essays about why I think Indiana and the Pac Northwest are awesome. Hopefully, it won't have to come to that.