Philadelphia COM - Philadelphia (PCOM) Discussion Thread 2013 - 2014

[Starry]

This may sound like a silly question but its weird to me that they specially mention receiving the MCAT scores.....we don't have to send any MCAT scores to them since they should get that through our primary application right?

And we can just send $100 if we applied to both right?

I think they mention it because some people might not have all their MCAT scores yet but hope that even though their primary is incomplete that they will be considered for an interview.

250 words....they sure want us to be concise 1650 would be so much easier.

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[Back 5]

Submitted my secondary, paid for and sent my LoR's through intefolio. Will mail my 2 $50 checks tomorrow (I'm going to distinguish PA and GA on the checks).

Let's hope I can interview here!

 

[HopefulReapp]

This is weird. I just submitted my application and expected to pay on the next screen. We have to send a check in to them? There's no way to submit it online?

 

[ToldYouSo]

This is weird. I just submitted my application and expected to pay on the next screen. We have to send a check in to them? There's no way to submit it online?

No you mail it in

 

[ToldYouSo]

I got the e-mail (subject: Acknowledgment of receipt) but I don't see the link for the secondary login. Where exactly do we fill in the secondary?

The blue secondary text should be a click-able link.

 

[bhandal]

The blue secondary text should be a click-able link.

People couldn't use that link unles they recieved it themselves anyway because they need their PCOM ID. Also, I only applied to philadelphia and I got georgia as well? Anyone else have this happen?

 

[Walter H White]

People couldn't use that link unles they recieved it themselves anyway because they need their PCOM ID. Also, I only applied to philadelphia and I got georgia as well? Anyone else have this happen?

Yeah I got Georgia too. Must have been some sort of error on their end.

 

[ToldYouSo]

People couldn't use that link unles they recieved it themselves anyway because they need their PCOM ID. Also, I only applied to philadelphia and I got georgia as well? Anyone else have this happen?

Right, it was just a screenshot to show what it should've looked like. Is the Georgia 2ndary the same? Hopefully this doesn't cause a significant delay.

 

[Anicetus]

They really don't take credit card?

Edit: nvm read the previous post... how odd.....

 

[withoutlyrics]

Did anyone get a confirmation e-mail after submitting the secondary? I saw the screen that said something about taking 15 days to process it, but now I am being paranoid that it didn't go through...

 

[Yehoshua24]

Did anyone get a confirmation e-mail after submitting the secondary? I saw the screen that said something about taking 15 days to process it, but now I am being paranoid that it didn't go through...

No confirmation email from PCOM. I imagine they will wait to get your payment and LORs and once those are complete they will send us emails.

 

[tap5133]

In the secondary invite it asks us to print out the email and mail it with any documents. Do you think that includes the check?

 

[Yehoshua24]

In the secondary invite it asks us to print out the email and mail it with any documents. Do you think that includes the check?

The email says:

Materials that you are required to send to PCOM directly, such as the application fee, can be mailed to:
PCOM Office of Admissions
4170 City Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19131-1694
Please print this email and attach it to any documents you will be mailing directly to PCOM

I would classify the check as a document so I included the email with my check.

 

[Alexandra]

No confirmation email from PCOM. I imagine they will wait to get your payment and LORs and once those are complete they will send us emails.

👍

 

[ToKingdomCome]

Anyone else having difficulty with this part of the secondary:

Noting the mission and objectives of the Osteopathic profession and PCOM, please describe your personal characteristics that demonstrate your interest in this field. Include an example of an event in which your actions directly influenced the life of another person and relate this to your goal of becoming a DO. (250 words)

I'm guessing shadowing won't cut it? I've had conversations with the patients and learned a lot about myself and showed that I generally cared about the patients, would that be enough to "directly influence the life of another person"?

 

[Yehoshua24]

Anyone else having difficulty with this part of the secondary:

Noting the mission and objectives of the Osteopathic profession and PCOM, please describe your personal characteristics that demonstrate your interest in this field. Include an example of an event in which your actions directly influenced the life of another person and relate this to your goal of becoming a DO. (250 words)

I'm guessing shadowing won't cut it? I've had conversations with the patients and learned a lot about myself and showed that I generally cared about the patients, would that be enough to "directly influence the life of another person"?

I think your missing the what is being asked. You are being asked to describe when you influenced other people not when others influenced you.

 

[Student915]

I cant find where it says we need a letter from the dean. Can you verify this??

 

[futurexray]

If you check their website you will see that they changed the letter requirements this year. The removed the chair/dean option:

Fulfillment of the Letter of Recommendation requirement which is as follows:
- A letter of recommendation from your pre-health or academic advisor/committee (undergraduate, post-baccalaureate or graduate programs).

NOTE: This is the preferred letter of recommendation by the DO Faculty Committee on Admissions.

OR

- Three faculty letters of recommendation: Two of those three letters must be from SCIENCE professors (undergraduate, post-baccalaureate or graduate programs

 

[Samuel3]

Noting the mission and objectives of the Osteopathic profession and PCOM, please describe your personal characteristics that demonstrate your interest in this field.

Any advice on how you go about answering this? I can't recall a specific way of answering it.

 

[Hemorrage]

I've been thinking for a good 4 days about what to write for this secondary... definitely a challenging prompt

 

[bhandal]

I've been thinking for a good 4 days about what to write for this secondary... definitely a challenging prompt

Just get something down and keep editing. For example: I work in a diagnostic laboratory for a big name and wrote about the tests I developed have effected the lives of thousands of patients. Then talked about people I've influenced in my pursuit.

 

[Elevencents]

The 250 word prompt was brutal. Took a lot of trimming but actually ended up with something that was succinct and answered all facets of the question.

Hoping for some love. Grew up a half hour from Philly.

 

[fluorescing]

The 250 word prompt was brutal. Took a lot of trimming but actually ended up with something that was succinct and answered all facets of the question.

Hoping for some love. Grew up a half hour from Philly.

The prompt really wasn't difficult... What's difficult was addressing one's unique characteristics with an example and answering the why osteopathic question in 250 words. My essay was exactly 250 words. Hah!

 

[Elevencents]

The prompt really wasn't difficult... What's difficult was addressing one's unique characteristics with an example and answering the why osteopathic question in 250 words. My essay was exactly 250 words. Hah!

Aye that's what I meant 😉 Mine was 250 too haha

 

[ChineseKid]

aye the 250 words was the hard part.

Almost done mine - 248 at the moment xD

 

[Nesmall2]

aye the 250 words was the hard part.

Almost done mine - 248 at the moment xD

Lucky! Mine is close, 262, but I am trying to cut without becoming choppy.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Is the only way to pay the 50 dollar fee by check or money order? Ultra lame.

 

[MedGrl@2022]

This prompt almost seems impossible to cram into 250 words.

I am down to around 245 words and I don't want to cut anymore out without it losing its "magic".

I got mine down to 400 words and I still don't feel like I am adequately explaining my thoughts... :-/ I really want to go to this school too... I feel like 500 words would be better... 250 words is like one paragraph...

 

[Jumpstartmy5HT]

I got mine down to 400 words and I still don't feel like I am adequately explaining my thoughts... :-/ I really want to go to this school too... I feel like 500 words would be better... 250 words is like one paragraph...

I had 3 paragraphs for my 250 words. With these types of short essays, your paragraphs should really not exceed 5 sentences per paragraph. A 5-sentence paragraph is about 80 words.

I used 2/3 of the paragraphs to tell my example, and the why osteopathic medicine question was answered with 1 complex sentence.

 

[Back 5]

I had a liberal use of contractions and I might have even squeezed in a portmanteau as well 🙂

Have to get creative with your grammar and punctuation to condense 400 words into 250.

 

[Jumpstartmy5HT]

I had a liberal use of contractions and I might have even squeezed in a portmanteau as well 🙂

Have to get creative with your grammar and punctuation to condense 400 words into 250.

I didn't use a single contraction. I feel that in formal essays it's best to not use contractions.

 

[hockey40]

I had a liberal use of contractions and I might have even squeezed in a portmanteau as well 🙂

Have to get creative with your grammar and punctuation to condense 400 words into 250.

I've been told by numerous people to not use contractions in these essays due to the formality of them. Just my two cents.

 

[Back 5]

I've been told by numerous people to not use contractions in these essays due to the formality of them. Just my two cents.

I condensed "I am" to "I'm" in 3 places in order to save the 10 or so characters. If I'm not offered an interview because of that....so be it. Cannot change it now.

 

[hockey40]

I condensed "I am" to "I'm" in 3 places in order to save the 10 or so characters. If I'm not offered an interview because of that....so be it. Cannot change it now.

Haha I figured "liberal use of contractions" meant more than 3.. but yes, I assume the ADCOM won't skewer you because of three.

 

[MedGrl@2022]

I had 3 paragraphs for my 250 words. With these types of short essays, your paragraphs should really not exceed 5 sentences per paragraph. A 5-sentence paragraph is about 80 words.

I used 2/3 of the paragraphs to tell my example, and the why osteopathic medicine question was answered with 1 complex sentence.

That is a good format to follow thanks... I tried to start with how I have values that align with the osteopathic philosophy.. then I talked about my experience which I influenced someone... which took up a lot of words... then I talked about why a career as an osteopathic physician is right for me... but my essay is too long

 

[Back 5]

Haha I figured "liberal use of contractions" meant more than 3.. but yes, I assume the ADCOM won't skewer you because of three.

My previous statement was more tongue in cheek...I figured people would have sniffed that out with my statement of using "portmanteau" words

 

[pepes1lv1a]

I had a liberal use of contractions and I might have even squeezed in a portmanteau as well 🙂

Have to get creative with your grammar and punctuation to condense 400 words into 250.

Dude why were you talking about sporks in your essay?

 

[pepes1lv1a]

I didn't use a single contraction. I feel that in formal essays it's best to not use contractions.

I agree, but when your space is so severely limited, I have a feeling adcoms are probably more inclined to forgive the occasional I'm/can't/won't. As long as you're not using "should've". I read that in a Times article the other day--not a direct quote--and it made me cringe.

 

[drunicorn]

Same as last years prompt, but last years word limit was 1650. Sounds like a typo to me.

Nope, word limit for us last year was also 250 words. It can be done! 👍

 

[Wipeout416]

submitted/check in mail! gogo PCOM!

 

[circulus vitios]

Does PCOM send e-mails once they receive your payment or LORs?

 

[binderring]

does pcom send e-mails once they receive your payment or lors?

+1

 

[Mdwehope]

Also wondering if they send confirmation of receipt. Thanks!

 

[Back 5]

PCOM cashed my checks, so I know they got them 🙂

 

[Yehoshua24]

pcom cashed my checks, so i know they got them 🙂

+1

 

[futurexray]

Once they have your supplemental you get an email. Then you can check what has been received because they give you access to their online information.

 

[Jayb82388]

Once they have your supplemental you get an email. Then you can check what has been received because they give you access to their online information.

So I submitted my secondary, i saw thay they cashed my check...now they will give me access to the portal? becuase when i log on to my secondary app again, its blank. But now that they have my money, will they send access to the portal? thanks

 

[swinsh01]

I submitted on July 31st and they cashed my check a few days ago. I haven't received any confirmations - has anyone else heard anything?

 

[Elevencents]

I submitted on July 31st and they cashed my check a few days ago. I haven't received any confirmations - has anyone else heard anything?

Same here. Give it some time.

 

[WaterIsGood]

Finally decided to turn in a secondary here..

cGPA: 3.5, sGPA: 3.2, 28 MCAT URM. #1 choice for DO schools. Hoping I've done enough to get an ii.