I am kinda in the same boat. They have had my primary for almost two weeks, but I still have not received an e-mail inviting me to fill out a secondary. I am sure part of the issue there is that a few days after they got my primary it was updated, but I am still getting antsy.
PNWU-COM Discussion Thread 2009-2010
- Thread starter quynhhuong
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You'll probably hear soon. I'm sure Thanksgiving didn't expedite the process any. Good luck to you.
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Chill people. 
I know it's hard, but think about it this way:
If it's slow for you, it's slow for everyone else, too.
Maybe lay off SDN for a few days. You're probably saying, "easy for you to say," but I know how it is. Chill.
I know it's hard, but think about it this way:
If it's slow for you, it's slow for everyone else, too.
Maybe lay off SDN for a few days. You're probably saying, "easy for you to say," but I know how it is. Chill.
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I also got an interview invite today! I'm interviewing on January 15th; very excited.
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Its just slightly entertaining to me to read these posts again.... it seems like soooo long ago I was in the same shoes as you guys all are! Keep rocking it, get those smiles on, and just relax and enjoy when you do come Trust me, we'll all see you there cause we have a class in the morning, and hopefully we can loosen you up a little bit and get you to relax. Please feel free to ask any of us anything when you come too, we are stoked to meet the people who will be going to be at the school with us next year!
note to the wise: if you drive here, careful when you drive in our parking lot on cold days!!!! the new pavement can get super slick and can get black ice pretty easily! dont want to mess up those interview outfits by taking a fall before hand!
Trust me, we'll all see you there cause we have a class in the morning, and hopefully we can loosen you up a little bit and get you to relax. Please feel free to ask any of us anything when you come too, we are stoked to meet the people who will be going to be at the school with us next year!note to the wise: if you drive here, careful when you drive in our parking lot on cold days!!!! the new pavement can get super slick and can get black ice pretty easily! dont want to mess up those interview outfits by taking a fall before hand!
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me too!
I was verfified on the 12th but a few days later I was updated. I also found out they sent me the secondary a while ago but sent it to the wrong e-mail address, but I know they have pretty quick turnarounds according to most.
11 days for me to get the secondary, and 5 days after I was complete to hear about my interview. They seem really good about getting back to you. Good luck!
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Preference for admission is given for any resident (or strong family ties) of any of the five western states (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA) not just Wasington. But no proof is required or atleast it hasn't been in the past.
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The day starts out with a general presentation by faculty or Deans followed by an opportunity for candidates to ask questions about the program, etc. Then you have lunch with some first and second year medical students. During this time, you will also get a tour of the building. You'll also be notified what time your actual interview is. Some people bring a book while others chat with fellow candidates. Do whatever you think you need to do to keep your brain going (especially since the interview is after lunch) as well as to keep you occupied so not to get so nervous for the actual interview.
PNWU uses a standard set of questions for all of their interviews. It can feel like a job interview more than a typical medical school interview that is a bit more free-form. The questions range from being able to tell them why do you want to become a doctor, why DO, what are you strengths/weaknessess, what makes a good doctor, and a couple of scenario questions to find out how you would react. I can't remember all of the questions, but honestly, none that were so difficult that I stumbled.
There are typically two interviewers, one who has seen your file while the other one has not. When they are going through the standard set of questions, they really can't deviate so you are tasked to respond to the question the best you can while trying to highlight qualities that you possess which would make you a great medical student/doctor. This can be a challenge to some, but it really isn't that bad. This standard format might actually help some who have less than perfect applications, like myself, since I wasn't completely grilled on things from my primary or secondary. I also appreciated that I wasn't necessarily asked the same questions that were already asked of me on the primary or secondary applications, which I have always found annoying.
One final thing to note about this standard format style of interview is that the interviewers really don't respond positively/negatively to your responses that you provide during to the standard questions. This can make it a bit difficult to get a feel for how your response is being taken. Don't take it personally!
After the standard set of questions, the interview moves to a more free-flowing format. Interviewers might ask you additional questions to follow up on some of your responses and you may also ask any remaining questions that you might have of them.
Also, I noticed that you are from out of state. Since you are not necessarily from the Northwest, highlighting your desire to work with the underserved would help your chances.
Good luck!
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I'm planning to apply here next year and have been looking at the school's website and I've noticed that compared to many other schools (in the Northwest and other DO schools nation wide) that the professors at this school seem to have rather modest backgrounds (to put it nicely).
Do the current students feel they are recieving a quality education for their 40k/yr? Are there decent opportunities for medical missions, research, and clubs? Are you being properly prepared for the COMLEX and USMLE?
I'm just a little nervous about such a new school when so many other schools have faculty that are so distinguished in comarison and much older as well (seems to be a lot of OMM specialists and Associate Professors).
Any thoughts from current students would really help me out as I get closer to sending in my app.
Do the current students feel they are recieving a quality education for their 40k/yr? Are there decent opportunities for medical missions, research, and clubs? Are you being properly prepared for the COMLEX and USMLE?
I'm just a little nervous about such a new school when so many other schools have faculty that are so distinguished in comarison and much older as well (seems to be a lot of OMM specialists and Associate Professors).
Any thoughts from current students would really help me out as I get closer to sending in my app.
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Im not sure where you are looking to see how well "distinguished" professors are, but for an example Dr. Towns has been teaching anatomy for decades and is one of the most well respected anatomy professors in the country.
As for COMLEX and USMLE, our exams are geared towards preparation for these exams. We are using clinical vignettes on basically everything to help us prepare. The schools reputation will be based upon how well the first few classes do, so they are trying extremely hard to make sure we perform well. After all, their future relies on our performance. So, ya I think we are being adequately prepared. Well, save for micro, but I believe we get a ton of that in systems next year also.
As for COMLEX and USMLE, our exams are geared towards preparation for these exams. We are using clinical vignettes on basically everything to help us prepare. The schools reputation will be based upon how well the first few classes do, so they are trying extremely hard to make sure we perform well. After all, their future relies on our performance. So, ya I think we are being adequately prepared. Well, save for micro, but I believe we get a ton of that in systems next year also.
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I didnt totally answer your question, so in regards to research, there is basically nil. A person would essentially have to make their own project or do a project over the summer between 1st and 2nd year. As for medical missions, a group goes someplace for spring break, but I am busy spring break so did not look into it more. Also, there is an abundance of clubs on campus and plenty of opportunities to start your own. For instance, no real surgery club exists and if someone wanted to start it up and there was an interest im sure itd look good on applications to be the founder of the club.
Think I got em all this time.
Think I got em all this time.
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Thanks...I guess time will tell once the first set of scores comes out for the class of 2012 and they post averages.
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whats the best way to get to yakima by plan? which airport (portland, tacoma, or seattle)?
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You either will fly to SeaTac airport and then drive about 2.5 hours to Yakima or you can fly into Yakima and then drive for 15 minutes to the school.
For those who have interviewed, what time did you finish your interviews at? i am trying to plan my return flight and am wondering when you guys finished. would a 3pm flight out of Yakima be cutting it to close?
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you won't know the time of your interview until lunch. if i remember right, interviews seemed to begin at 1pm, right after lunch, and went for a few hours after that. if you draw a later interview time, 2, 230, 3, or even beyond you might now make that flight at all. contact admissions and see if they can "pre-assign" you the early interview or something like that. good luck.
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Dr Townes is a well qualified anatomy professor..I myself have taught at UMDNJ for a number of years in pathology and actually was course director in Pathology there for a number of years and am, I hope a well respected educator in pathology and dermatopathology...
Not to toot my own horn...but those people teaching in yakima..WANT to teach there and care about the students.
Not to toot my own horn...but those people teaching in yakima..WANT to teach there and care about the students.
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Rangerboy! From duluth, minnesota! sweet, i was born in bemidji... big time twins/vikings fan! there are actually a few people that originated from minnesota or went to undergrad there, kinda fun!
hope everyone is having a great break.... i know us first years are enjoying the crap out of it, though its only a matter of time before we get back at it!
hope everyone is having a great break.... i know us first years are enjoying the crap out of it, though its only a matter of time before we get back at it!
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I have to echo sylvanthus & dermpathdoc...as an student with a little bit of medical experience and who is married to a physician (I saw what she went though secondhand.) What we are getting here at PNWU is spot on target. The experience level of the core instructors is fantastic and far exceeds my expectations...and for all the instructors the level of commitment and enthusiasm they bring to teaching is outstanding and really adds value to the instruction.
So coming from someone who came into this with pretty high standards of what to expect...I think we are getting what we need, more importantly we are getting the guidance, direction and support for our studies...
and of course, time will tell...
Happy Holidays, All
So coming from someone who came into this with pretty high standards of what to expect...I think we are getting what we need, more importantly we are getting the guidance, direction and support for our studies...
and of course, time will tell...
Happy Holidays, All
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PNWU-COM has access to federal loans and their financial aid people are very helpful!
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Everyone will find out pretty soon whether or not we are all prepared properly for comlex and uslme. 6 months till my class has to take it. Fingers crossed.
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Now you begin to panic! Cramming comes a bit later.ROTFL
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does the school pay for or provide a board review course, or have anything else along those lines?
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My online status changed from "Committee" to "Interview" today. Does this mean I've been granted an interview? I haven't received an email or any other communication.
*fingers crossed*.
*fingers crossed*.
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Yes, this means that you have been granted an interview. Good luck!
Me too!! I called and they said e-mails would go out later this afternoon. They were working on it when I called. Congrats!
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Congrats to you too! I'm very excited. I still haven't received an email.... but I'm glad to hear they are on it.
Me either. I imagine they're playing catchup with the holiday, but if I don't have one tomorrow I may try calling again.Congrats to you too! I'm very excited. I still haven't received an email.... but I'm glad to hear they are on it.
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I'm on the 22nd!
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Board review course planned. (awful early for you to be worrying about it!!)
i agree that it is way to early to be thinking about it, i am much more concerned about when more snow is coming so i can get some powder turns in. with some of the previous posts that question just came to mind. very excited to start here.
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Just to address this part of the concern.. we have a TON of OMM specialists and associate professors and it's definitely an added benefit. These are mostly all practicing physicians from Yakima and the Tri-Cities that come and teach Clinical Skills, OMM & Gross Anatomy Dissection. This means that we have current physicians teaching us these skills and are available for smaller groupings of students, rather than some schools that have other students helping teach/assist.
Also, for the next question or so down.. look into flying into Pasco Washington too.. slightly larger/busier airport than Yakima and closer than Seattle and Portland (1 hr away).
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As far as the $40+k/yr tuition and fees. It seems that number is up over $12,000 since the first class matriculated. Is there a reason for the 40% increase in cost? Is the money being used to finish building a second classroom or something? The other schools in the area charge far less (but have state funding), but DO schools in other states with fully built campuses are charging a lot less for tuition (VCOM $34k, LMU $36k, LECOM $29k) and seem to have a lot more to offer their students in the way of facilities, research opportunities, and established residencies. So why the need to increase the tuition and is the tuition going to continue to climb at such a rate? Seems like there may be some strange things brewing and I know that the first 4 classes are guaranteed to graduate, but what about classes 5, 6, 7,... seems odd that they can't even finish the build, but are charging as much as Western.
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Considering all of this I can't see a real up side to attend PNWU unless it's a backup to the Western campuses because you just had to stay on the West Coast for some reason. WesternU has a similar tuition and fees and on top of that has a great reputation and established Cali and NW rotation and residency spots with the NW Track program. Their match list is very nice and so are their board pass rates. PNWU just makes less and less sense every time I look at it. I know people have been reasuring each other about the qualifications of the teaching staff, but where are their credentials? I don't see any listed publications or public/political involvement for most of them. That and the fact that they are so young... many of them just out of their respective graduate programs. I can't imagine someone just out of thier graduate program is going to have much to offer that the book can't tell me better. The whole 40% hike in fees and tuition after their first year and no class room for second year students ( yay... do the online thing ... it's better how?) is starting to give me that RVU vibe... sad to say but this is a last resort only school for me unless they shape up their attitude toward their students, but we all know tuition and fees only go up.
Edit:
Considering all of this I can't see a real up side to attend PNWU unless it's a backup to the Western campuses because you just had to stay on the West Coast for some reason. WesternU has a similar tuition and fees and on top of that has a great reputation and established Cali and NW rotation and residency spots with the NW Track program. Their match list is very nice and so are their board pass rates. PNWU just makes less and less sense every time I look at it. I know people have been reasuring each other about the qualifications of the teaching staff, but where are their credentials? I don't see any listed publications or public/political involvement for most of them. That and the fact that they are so young... many of them just out of their respective graduate programs. I can't imagine someone just out of thier graduate program is going to have much to offer that the book can't tell me better. The whole 40% hike in fees and tuition after their first year and no class room for second year students ( yay... do the online thing ... it's better how?) is starting to give me that RVU vibe... sad to say but this is a last resort only school for me unless they shape up their attitude toward their students, but we all know tuition and fees only go up.
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Don't forget about the fee, in addition to tuition:
Tuition
They included textbooks, a laptop and software, but still, it is kind of pricey.
That being said, I was impressed with the lab space and classrooms on my visit.
Tuition
$40,000
Fees 2,650
They included textbooks, a laptop and software, but still, it is kind of pricey.
That being said, I was impressed with the lab space and classrooms on my visit.
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waitlisted...
did you find out via the status page?
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sorry to say the passes are kind of soggy right now...maybe canada is getting better snow but ours stinks for skiing..they even closed the snoparks sledding hills this weekend...UGHH at least we can still snomobile...
actually crystal and stevens are doing better for the skiing than white pass and snoqualmie
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I wonder how much of that is the laptop and if that can be waved. I just bought a brand new Dell Precission M4400 and I would guess that it's just a tad more beefy then what they're going to hand out even a year from now. I wonder if they wave the laptop fee if you have your own. For that price it had also be a nice latitude, precision, or something else professional. I would hate to be forced to use a flimsy laptop at a premium price.
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