Pacific Northwest (PNWU-COM) Discussion Thread 2012 - 2013

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Western US would be a huge shift from good old Jacksonville Florida. PNWU seems like a good school from what I have dug up so far from the website and previous threads.

Any current students care to promote this school?
 
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I would advise only going here if it is your last choice, or you absolutely must stay or move to the area due to family. Otherwise, the cost of attendance versus what you actually get from the school makes it not worth it. Think we have to be one of the most expensive schools now and it feels like tossing the money in the trash for what the school gives back to the students. Go someplace with actual resources, decent communication, and affiliated residency programs (besides FM).
 
Hmm I may be wrong about the 3k jump. Looking closer it seems like they just added the "fees" now into the tuition? Ehhh Ill have to look at the site closer to see what is going on. But, regardless, the tuition is damn expensive for the amount of assistance given to the students.

Good luck dude! Still apply to the school, hell apply to all of em and see what happens. Would suck if you would have gotten in here and then not gotten in anywhere else and end up sitting out a year. Better to go nuts with the applications and shotgun it.
 
I'm just starting my 4th year at PNWU. I see a complaint about cost, and too much money for any education always seems to be a valid complaint. I'm on an HPSP scholarship however, and I haven't had to worry too much about loans/cost. What I can say is that the education I've received has been really strong. I was nervous moving into third year- it's a new school, the University of Washington is right here in our backyard- one of the top notch schools around. I was worried how we (PNWU) were going to stack up. In hindsight, I can say we've been prepared well. Our didactics are strong. Our clinical skills education has prepared us for rotations, and most recently for our PE. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our contemporaries at the UW- and I gotta say, the students I've met from there have been very cool. We've helped each other out on rotations, and I'm impressed.
Our first year was spent in one big building, second year we added another, and the school is finally getting a legitimate auditorium built. We're growing, we're accredited (last month!), and we have a pretty awesome student body.
I can only speak for my class, and I would say that we worked really well together. People genuinely care about your welfare at this school- not that 1st and 2nd year isn't hell on wheels. We really looked out for one another during those first two years and that makes a big difference.
The faculty is tremendous- supportive, demanding, approachable and humorous- even droll in the way professors can be.
I'm preparing to go into general surgery- a bit different than being the family doc I envisioned. Anyways, I feel my school prepared me well, and continues to support me as I move into that phase. I'm proud of being a student here and feel lucky to be so.
 
Ehhh im just gonna say to anyone looking at going to this school to look into what resources the school provides. Especially during rotations. First and second year are generally the same everywhere,its the rotation years that really make the difference and premeds often ignore this for some reason. Ask about the didactics, ask if core sites even have audio for these didactics (yes this happened for 6 months at a major site) quality of rotations, what rotations are available at each core site, how far you have to drive, how much assistance the school gives the students during 3rd/4th year etc etc etc before deciding for yourself. I dont want to see anyone else go here feeling they got a raw deal, so look into it thoroughly before deciding.
 
Sylvanthus, when you applied and were accepted you knew that the school was new and there were still rocks in the path. There are other new schools out there with the same issues and others who had much more wherewithal. I am sorry you are so disenchanted with the experience you are having at PNWU.
I am going to note now that no matter which school one chooses there will always be a number of students that will absolutely hate the experience, those who love it and those who are just marking time. The medical school experience is what you make of it, especially in the clinical years. Look at it this way, it will be done before you know it. You can graduate and watch the school dwindle in your rear view mirror and say as you leave...." I will never ever return to that town again" .
 
quicksilver DO said:
I'm just starting my 4th year at PNWU. I see a complaint about cost, and too much money for any education always seems to be a valid complaint. I'm on an HPSP scholarship however, and I haven't had to worry too much about loans/cost. What I can say is that the education I've received has been really strong. I was nervous moving into third year- it's a new school, the University of Washington is right here in our backyard- one of the top notch schools around. I was worried how we (PNWU) were going to stack up. In hindsight, I can say we've been prepared well. Our didactics are strong. Our clinical skills education has prepared us for rotations, and most recently for our PE. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our contemporaries at the UW- and I gotta say, the students I've met from there have been very cool. We've helped each other out on rotations, and I'm impressed.
Our first year was spent in one big building, second year we added another, and the school is finally getting a legitimate auditorium built. We're growing, we're accredited (last month!), and we have a pretty awesome student body.
I can only speak for my class, and I would say that we worked really well together. People genuinely care about your welfare at this school- not that 1st and 2nd year isn't hell on wheels. We really looked out for one another during those first two years and that makes a big difference.
The faculty is tremendous- supportive, demanding, approachable and humorous- even droll in the way professors can be.
I'm preparing to go into general surgery- a bit different than being the family doc I envisioned. Anyways, I feel my school prepared me well, and continues to support me as I move into that phase. I'm proud of being a student here and feel lucky to be so.
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Well said, I'm about to enter my 4th year as well and have really enjoyed my experience with PNWU. Great community, everyone is invested into its success. Yeah our resources and rotations/residencies are not as established as many medical schools but the opportunity to train as a competent, confident physician is there. What do they say.. it's 10% what happens to you and 90% what you make of it?

Yeah, if you think you want to go into a specialty prior to medical school (and to be honest, things can change pretty quickly so I would advise an open-mind), you should probably think twice about going to a school that was established with the intent to train primary care physicians. But even with that, there are ample opportunities 4th year to rotate through different specialties or even 3rd year if you really want to be a busy bee (ie: finishing up with your FM preceptor at 5pm and heading up to the surgical floor to scrub in on a case, or head to the ER, etc. -- you just have to make the opportunity happen).
 
Hootenanny said:
Well said, I'm about to enter my 4th year as well and have really enjoyed my experience with PNWU. Great community, everyone is invested into its success. Yeah our resources and rotations/residencies are not as established as many medical schools but the opportunity to train as a competent, confident physician is there. What do they say.. it's 10% what happens to you and 90% what you make of it?

Yeah, if you think you want to go into a specialty prior to medical school (and to be honest, things can change pretty quickly so I would advise an open-mind), you should probably think twice about going to a school that was established with the intent to train primary care physicians. But even with that, there are ample opportunities 4th year to rotate through different specialties or even 3rd year if you really want to be a busy bee (ie: finishing up with your FM preceptor at 5pm and heading up to the surgical floor to scrub in on a case, or head to the ER, etc. -- you just have to make the opportunity happen).
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You can get training as a "competent" physician at any medical school in the country. Why spend a ton more money to train specifically at PNWU? What does PNWU do for the students that is not done somewhere else? Why spend the extra money? The only answer to this, realistically, is a need to stay in the area or a student didn't get in somewhere else.

What does PNWU bring to the students above and beyond what any other school in the country could do? Communication? God no. Communication is by far our weak point. Take student input into consideration? Umm no. Our SGA wasn't allowed to speak when bringing up legitimate complaints during 2nd year. Keep tuition low when we were promised one year it would not go up by more than x%? They doubled the percentage. Quality rotations? Totally varies on where you are placed for your cores. If you're in Mt vernon/Puyallup you are probably golden. Stuck in Hermiston, Aberdeen, Centralia? Welcome to being ignored by the school. I want future students to have an idea of what they are getting into so they don't regret their decision. Saying the politically correct thing does not accomplish this and just further misleads students.

Seriously, anyone considering this school, ask some hard questions. Don't go off generic advice that this school will train you to be competent. Every school does that. Hell don't listen to me, find out for yourself. But dig into it and ask some real questions. Not how many students per cadavar. Ask what makes PNWU unique and good and look for concrete answers not generic platitudes. You will find some interesting and telling answers if you do this. Above all, don't go on what people say, but what they do, that is far far far more important.
 
dermpathdoc said:
Sylvanthus, when you applied and were accepted you knew that the school was new and there were still rocks in the path. There are other new schools out there with the same issues and others who had much more wherewithal. I am sorry you are so disenchanted with the experience you are having at PNWU.
I am going to note now that no matter which school one chooses there will always be a number of students that will absolutely hate the experience, those who love it and those who are just marking time. The medical school experience is what you make of it, especially in the clinical years. Look at it this way, it will be done before you know it. You can graduate and watch the school dwindle in your rear view mirror and say as you leave...." I will never ever return to that town again" .
Click to expand...

Yes, I knew it was a new school and was accepting of the challenges, but I also didn't know how much I would be lied to and misled along the way. That I have a huge problem with. We value student input? Then not fixing legitimate problems? We wont raise tuition more than x and then going far beyond that? We can't have more than x number of students under any circumstances in y rotation site, and then adding a person who got lotteried but leaving the other lotteried person out of the loop so they find out later? Im fine with things being tough, but I am not ok with being misled and lied to.

Some parts of the above are very true, but to be dismissive with my complaints as if I am just one of the ones that is just going to hate it is insulting to say the least. I am well aware that my education is what I make of it and I have excelled every step of the way. That does not make my experience less legitimate. Also, keep in mind students in medical school generally do not want to make waves and just go along with things in order to graduate and move on. So, for every complaint you hear, there are likely 2-3 more you never hear about.
 
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Anyone know exactly how biased Pacific is towards the northwest? I ask because I'm interested in the school, but I live in IN. I have family in Seattle, though.
 
WhiteCoatSyndrome said:
Anyone know exactly how biased Pacific is towards the northwest? I ask because I'm interested in the school, but I live in IN. I have family in Seattle, though.
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I visited them a few months ago and it appears they are very biased towards the northwest but if you can show how connected to the NW you are (your fam) then it helps.
 
I was kinda impressed with their first match list, but then it could be my own naïveté as a pre-med. Any perspective?
 
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If that impresses you, you are perfect for the school. The key to going to this school is to have very very low expectations and just accept what is given to you.
 
Well. It was better than I expected. Being their first graduating class and all. I'm also from the area so I maybe biased.
 
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sylvanthus said:
If that impresses you, you are perfect for the school. The key to going to this school is to have very very low expectations and just accept what is given to you.
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Are you a student there?
 
sylvanthus said:
If that impresses you, you are perfect for the school. The key to going to this school is to have very very low expectations and just accept what is given to you.
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So much disapproval for this school, sylvanthus.
 
sylvanthus said:
If that impresses you, you are perfect for the school. The key to going to this school is to have very very low expectations and just accept what is given to you.
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psychkub said:
So much disapproval for this school, sylvanthus.
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If I remember right, sylv had a pretty horrible experience during surgical clinical's...had to shadow an SA or a nurse or something somewhat bogus.
 
I've been told by various PNWU reps that if you can demonstrate a connection to the Pacific Northwest, they'll count you as an "in-state" or "in-region" applicant. For example, if you went to undergrad in the Pacific Northwest, the regional bias will work to you advantage, even if you're from, say, connecticut.
 
NurWollen said:
I've been told by various PNWU reps that if you can demonstrate a connection to the Pacific Northwest, they'll count you as an "in-state" or "in-region" applicant. For example, if you went to undergrad in the Pacific Northwest, the regional bias will work to you advantage, even if you're from, say, connecticut.
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Cool, so maybe if your parents live there?

PS, no secondary here yet right? I can't remember filling one out at least...
 
WhiteCoatSyndrome said:
Anyone know exactly how biased Pacific is towards the northwest? I ask because I'm interested in the school, but I live in IN. I have family in Seattle, though.
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if you have family in Seattle, then do apply.and be sure to state the family connection..the school is biased to Northwest, but is not totally rigid
 
still early for secondaries..the school is getting ready for next class to matriculate.
 
Quite true sylvanthus...students don't like being lied to..I understand that. I cannot address that being an underling who tries to solve the issues that I can solve. I am not involved in rotations thus cannot address those issues.
 
HalfListic said:
Cool, so maybe if your parents live there?

PS, no secondary here yet right? I can't remember filling one out at least...
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I think that would be an excellent connection to the pacific northwest, especially if you can emphasize that when you send them your secondary.
 
I'm really glad PNWU does their "regional bias" the way they do. I don't have in-state residency for tuition in any state, according to the way state-run schools figure in-state residency. I lived in the pacific northwest for undergrad, got married there, my son was born there, etc., but because I was a full-time student nearly the whole time I lived there, I don't have in-state residency in the state I was up there. Yet, I can see myself possibly practicing there someday, so I'm glad PNWU gives me credit for that.
 
NurWollen said:
I'm really glad PNWU does their "regional bias" the way they do. I don't have in-state residency for tuition in any state, according to the way state-run schools figure in-state residency. I lived in the pacific northwest for undergrad, got married there, my son was born there, etc., but because I was a full-time student nearly the whole time I lived there, I don't have in-state residency in the state I was up there. Yet, I can see myself possibly practicing there someday, so I'm glad PNWU gives me credit for that.
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So what's your opinion of this school NurWollen? Top choice? Last choice? Somewhere in between? Why do you give it that ranking? Just looking for people's opinions. Thanks.
 
Just got my secondary.

Here are the essay prompts:

1. Write a one page, total, essay addressing the following questions:
a. What personal qualities do you possess that will make you a successful osteopathic physician?
b. Which experiences and people have inspired you to become an osteopathic physician?
c. What inspired you to apply specifically to PNWU?
 
psychkub said:
Just got my secondary.

Here are the essay prompts:

1. Write a one page, total, essay addressing the following questions:
a. What personal qualities do you possess that will make you a successful osteopathic physician?
b. Which experiences and people have inspired you to become an osteopathic physician?
c. What inspired you to apply specifically to PNWU?
Click to expand...

So when you mean "total," all the answers combined need to be in one page? Or it's a page per essay?
 
jccalalafc said:
So when you mean "total," all the answers combined need to be in one page? Or it's a page per essay?
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That's all it says. I copied and pasted directly from the site. I'm guessing it's one page total for all three prompts.
 
I just got my secondary today. On their website they say they have a regional bias. I am from rochester, MN. but NY resident. should I bother applying? my mcat is 24O and 3.66 cgpa and 3.66sgpa.
 
OPH4Life said:
I just got my secondary today. On their website they say they have a regional bias. I am from rochester, MN. but NY resident. should I bother applying? my mcat is 24O and 3.66 cgpa and 3.66sgpa.
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Dude, apply! Did you see the stats for their applicant profiles? If you got a secondary, it means something. Some odd 2400 received and only 600 administered.
Secondly,
did anyone else have TECHNICAL EFFING ISSUES with submitting their secondary online? My payment process went through, but I was never redirected to the original application to upload my essay. wtf?! Sorry, having a menial neurotic meltdown; I'm sure it can be rectified but I don't want to be marked incomplete. Ah!!!! Ideas?
 
I can't believe it is asking us to use internet explorer 8.0. Is anyone else having trouble with this? I can't seem to find a IE 8.0 download to run on windows 7. PNWU is living in yestermonths
 
just kidding.. found one that will work
 
aprilgita said:
Dude, apply! Did you see the stats for their applicant profiles? If you got a secondary, it means something. Some odd 2400 received and only 600 administered.
Secondly,
did anyone else have TECHNICAL EFFING ISSUES with submitting their secondary online? My payment process went through, but I was never redirected to the original application to upload my essay. wtf?! Sorry, having a menial neurotic meltdown; I'm sure it can be rectified but I don't want to be marked incomplete. Ah!!!! Ideas?
Click to expand...

I didn't have any issues. I think the only problem I had was that I uploaded a .docx word document and it wanted it in a .doc format, so I had to re-upload my essay. But that's about it.

The way it asked to submit your activities was weird though. I hope I estimated my hours correctly.
 
I thought the 600 was secondaries received not administered? Either way I am excited to apply here! Just got the secondary as well and after moving outside the NW for college I would love to come back for med school!!
 
Okay, this might be a stupid question, but where do i enter the essay? I already asked the school, but have yet to receive a reply. The application website has no area to enter the essay and I do not want to hit submit until I have completed everything.

Thanks in advance!
 
Ha ha! I just re-read that! Thank you! Felt a little iffy about submitting without everything uploaded, but it allows you to once payment is processed.
 
Hi everyone! I am a reapplicant this year and really loved getting to know PNWU last year and am hoping this year will go better. Is anyone willing to read my personal statement? Please send me a message if so and I'll send it! Thanks!
 
Anyone else get the email yesterday about the self-service account set up for them?

What does your decision say? mine reads "committee"...which Im guessing means they are sending it to the Adcoms to look over...
 
It states committee, as well. I assume it is up for review and we now playing the waiting game.
 
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