PNWU-COM Discussion Thread 2011-2012

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Here are some match results we were emailed today. I just wanted to quell the anxiety a bit. I'm sure the school will post an official list somewhere, at some point.


I am actually quite surprised the school sent anything out. But, I want to let people know that this list is after some/most people scrambled. So, it is really hard to figure out how many, total, ended up having to scramble and there appears to be 5 that are still unmatched even after the scramble.

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Here are some match results we were emailed today. I just wanted to quell the anxiety a bit. I'm sure the school will post an official list somewhere, at some point.

I saw 26 FM matches, 13 IM matches, and 5 peds matches, out of 66 total. There was 1 AOA neurosurg and 1 AOA ortho and 4 traditional rotating internship (2 military). Almost all of them were community programs and no big name schools/cities, which is kind of scary.:scared:
 
I saw 26 FM matches, 13 IM matches, and 5 peds matches, out of 66 total. There was 1 AOA neurosurg and 1 AOA ortho and 4 traditional rotating internship (2 military). Almost all of them were community programs and no big name schools/cities, which is kind of scary.:scared:

Everyone seems to look from a half-empty perspective. There was an identical thread about RVU's match list and I'll make the same argument here. This was our first year. Were people honestly expecting to see a bunch of Ivy League programs on that list? Maybe some day, but certainly not in our first year. Frankly, I'm surprised they weren't ALL community based primary care matches.

Maybe I had such low expectations from the start that I'm somewhat impressed, or at least not "scared" about our match results.
 
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So if you don't match or scramble what do you do then? Is it time to apply at Ball-Mart or work on your seven layer burrito skillz? Honestly I have no idea what people do at this point. I can't imagine there is room in OPP for 5 "dignitaries".
 
So if you don't match or scramble what do you do then? Is it time to apply at Ball-Mart or work on your seven layer burrito skillz? Honestly I have no idea what people do at this point. I can't imagine there is room in OPP for 5 "dignitaries".

LOL at "Dignitaries"
 
So if you don't match or scramble what do you do then? Is it time to apply at Ball-Mart or work on your seven layer burrito skillz? Honestly I have no idea what people do at this point. I can't imagine there is room in OPP for 5 "dignitaries".

Research year or year off and apply again the next year id imagine.
 
Everyone seems to look from a half-empty perspective. There was an identical thread about RVU's match list and I'll make the same argument here. This was our first year. Were people honestly expecting to see a bunch of Ivy League programs on that list? Maybe some day, but certainly not in our first year. Frankly, I'm surprised they weren't ALL community based primary care matches.

Maybe I had such low expectations from the start that I'm somewhat impressed, or at least not "scared" about our match results.

You could be right, but I'm not sure that the age of the school really makes much of a difference except insofar as applicants getting advice about how to match from higher-ups/administration, which they can get on SDN.

That being said, it really isn't bad. Seems like a large percentage went primary care and the competitive specialty matches were AOA or military. Point noted about these being post-scramble results - hopefully not too many had to do that.
 
I second roberie with this view...I taught at UMDNj for many ears and this match list is good for the fact that it emphasizes the 66% who went primary care( but be aware that can be fudged by deans...whether our dean has enough knowledge on how to fudge that..is yet to be determined) there was a recent article on this point...
PNWU is NEW!!! Most big residency programs know nothing aboutt the quality of the program in a new school, that can take yearsvto develop. Students have to plug along and show thier own merits...they did too! Some of our more stellar candidates got exactly where they wanted to go and didn't have to scramble..some of the mD match people were offered spots outside the match but they chose it do the Mach because of where they wanted to go...one candidate was offered spots at johns Hopkins and U of Florida..no less...
I think alot of people here on this site fail to realize ...it is not the school when it comes to the final matches...but the student candidate that merits the final result...the school does what they can to teach the student and give them the background.....if you..the student are not producing or showing your stuff...I am gonna say....you get what you put out
 
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There is a forum called PNWU waitlist that someone made for those interested! Does anyone have any new waitlist info?
 
I second roberie with this view...I taught at UMDNj for many ears and this match list is good for the fact that it emphasizes the 66% who went primary care( but be aware that can be fudged by deans...whether our dean has enough knowledge on how to fudge that..is yet to be determined) there was a recent article on this point...
PNWU is NEW!!! Most big residency programs know nothing aboutt the quality of the program in a new school, that can take yearsvto develop. Students have to plug along and show thier own merits...they did too! Some of our more stellar candidates got exactly where they wanted to go and didn't have to scramble..some of the mD match people were offered spots outside the match but they chose it do the Mach because of where they wanted to go...one candidate was offered spots at johns Hopkins and U of Florida..no less...
I think alot of people here on this site fail to realize ...it is not the school when it comes to the final matches...but the student candidate that merits the final result...the school does what they can to teach the student and give them the background.....if you..the student are not producing or showing your stuff...I am gonna say....you get what you put out

Your points seem contradictory. On one hand, you argue that the school is new and needs time for residency programs to determine its quality and on the other hand you say that it is the individual that matters, not the school. I wholeheartedly agree with the latter, which is demonstrated by pre-match offers from major institutions despite the school being new.

The former is unlikely to ever be a major factor. Board scores, letters, clinical grades, and research will always trump school name. Only students at top 10 schools have the luxury of being carried by their school's reputation. Other schools may have a limited local reputation, but I'm dubious that means more than just the fact that they're nearby and are familiar with the school.
 
I would love to not be contradictory, but residency matches are contradictory by thier very nature. Be aware that when students rotate from new schools into established residency programs, they will ALWAYS be compared with students from other schools regardless of established blue ribbon schools or not. I can say from experience from working with several schools that preceptors call up the program chairs and say things like "your student can't take a coherent H & P" or "this student doesn't know how to do a differential diagnosis on the most simple case" AND this is for 4th years doing audition rotations. it happens for every school....there are good students and bad students...I can only say...emulate the good ones!
 
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Here are some match results we were emailed today. I just wanted to quell the anxiety a bit. I'm sure the school will post an official list somewhere, at some point.

I was just curious, what is the anesthesiology/clincal base year at UW affiliated hospitals. Is that just UW gas? That's pretty good.
 
Interesting website. Diagnostic Rads was rated highly competitive in 2009, intermediate in 2010, and low in 2011.
 
It sounds like they are interviewing more students this year. I was really hoping for a little wait list movement.
 
does anyone have an interview April 13th? I am hoping that a spot on April 6th opens up
 
Does anyone know the numbers for the waitlist in the past year. I.E. How many students were placed on it and how many were accepted?
 
does any one have any information on the waitlist movement i got waitlisted after interviewing last Friday
 
I just withdrew from my interview scheduled for THIS Friday April 13 because I received admission at another program.

Hope Ennis was not in the office at the time I called, but the lady who answered the phone indicated that they would likely invite someone in my place, even with such short notice. Good luck to anyone who is still interested. It may be worth a phone call to see if you can squeeze into my open interview spot!
 
Hey guys, called the school today and they told me that its going to be last week in April/first week of May when they rank the waitlisters. Numers 1-20 will be contacted, everyone else wont be contacted. Here's luck to everyone!

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I received a deferred offer for 2013. Is my understanding correct that I have been accepted for Fall 2013 and wait-listed for 2012. I had no idea that deferred offers were an option.
 
I received a deferred offer for 2013. Is my understanding correct that I have been accepted for Fall 2013 and wait-listed for 2012. I had no idea that deferred offers were an option.

How did you find out? I have a friend who is still waiting to hear back from last week and is wondering what he is waiting for...
Thanks
 
I read something about the deferred offer back in 2008, but I didn't know they were still doing it. It really sinks a waitlister's boat. :(
 
I am pretty sure this does mean that they want you for the Fall of 2013, probably because this year's class is full and if the wait list doesn't move enough they don't want to lose you entirely.
@renoadam60, don't let it get you down too much, the wait list hasn't moved yet and I don't think anybody knows how many deferments they might hand out.
Anyway, as much as it may suck to wait a year, I think the offer overall is positive because it means you DO have a medical school acceptance.
 
I have been told there are 6 Portland spots and I think one in Hermiston. It looks like this year all of Portland filled up, but I haven't talked to anyone who wanted Portland and didn't get it.
There are currently 6 spots in Portland. Everyone who put Portland as their top choice got it immediately. In fact, 1/2 (i.e. 3/6) spots were only taken after some students changed their minds about their 1st choice. To clarify: two of the students left their number 1 choices so that they could have the same site together, in Portland, because they're dating. The overwhelming majority of students got their number 1 choice for rotations immediately.
 
@renoadam60
I agree! I wonder if that puts them at the top of waitlist??
 
"How did you find out? I have a friend who is still waiting to hear back from last week and is wondering what he is waiting for...
Thanks."

I received an email congratulating me on acceptance to the entering class of 2013 and inviting me to attend the open house this upcoming weekend in the event that waitlist movement provides me an opening this fall.
 
Did your friend check the online portal?

I also spoke to someone in admissions and the said that those deferred receive priority over wait list applicants. :-(
 
Did your friend check the online portal?

I also spoke to someone in admissions and the said that those deferred receive priority over wait list applicants. :-(

He said he had, but it didn't make any sense. Not selected for interview, but he had just interviewed. He's calling today.
 
I don't know if some realize but the mission of PNWU is to produce primary care physicians. I know that my class in particular really followed that path and that's why they originally chose my class. I feel that it has changed since my class, even though they are still trying for that mission, truly the following classes are very different from mine. I would say that the next class will be more indicative of where people are choosing to go.
 
I don't know if some realize but the mission of PNWU is to produce primary care physicians. I know that my class in particular really followed that path and that's why they originally chose my class. I feel that it has changed since my class, even though they are still trying for that mission, truly the following classes are very different from mine. I would say that the next class will be more indicative of where people are choosing to go.


Did your class really follow that path or were they forced into it with many more failures on the boards (both step 1 and 2 with a pass rate in the low 80s) and it seems a high scramble rate? Trying to get uppity about how your class followed the mission of the school closer than other classes really irks me and is not telling the whole truth.
 
Truth be told, not adequately preparing their students for the boards may be the most effective thing the school can do to "encourage" primary care.
 
I received a deferred offer for 2013. Is my understanding correct that I have been accepted for Fall 2013 and wait-listed for 2012. I had no idea that deferred offers were an option.

I was at their open house (pnwu) and they are going to try and increase the class size from 75 to 135 for incoming class 2013. Thats prob why they deferred you. Making sure they have enough students with good stats.
 
Hey, anyone know how they rank waitlisters? I am more under the impression that they rank more than just MCAT and GPA scores.
 
Hey, anyone know how they rank waitlisters? I am more under the impression that they rank more than just MCAT and GPA scores.

I'm not sure how they rank the wait list, but I do know that they give a fair bit of consideration to things outside of GPA and MCAT, so make sure you have included any outside things!
 
I attended the open house on Saturday and in the words of one of the faculty members, "One may think that 100 waitlisted people is a lot, but there are a lot of people who drop out of the list. The waitlist is also ranked based upon MCAT, GPA, and how the overall interview went....". I am one of the waitlisters and I am hoping to get in, but with the expansion of the class next year and the deferred acceptance handouts, I think I need to face reality and apply again earlier next year. I am going to have a couple of more individuals write letters for me before the ranking, but I don't know how much weight it will hold. Good luck to everyone on the normal "waitlist". I hope that we are able to make it in.
 
Are there any other waitlisters getting excited for the next couple of weeks? Keep your fingers crossed :).
 
Truth be told, not adequately preparing their students for the boards may be the most effective thing the school can do to "encourage" primary care.

From the looks of it this may not be far from the truth. The current second year students seem to have an incredibly large amount of added busy work that has shown up. I hear a lot of groans about all these extra papers, tests, extra forced attendance lectures, and needlessly long lectures that take up a ton of potential board prep time without teaching anything that will ever be on a board exam. After talking to a few students it seems that the current third year class experienced the same problem and got little board prep time until the very end. Indeed, the best way to make you a primary care doc is to cripple your ability to do well. I bought my first aid already. I need to make time to work on micro, biochem, and immunology now because it looks like later is really not a good way to go.


I primarily intend to provide care. I guess it all depends on what your definition of "is" is. :D
 
From the looks of it this may not be far from the truth. The current second year students seem to have an incredibly large amount of added busy work that has shown up. I hear a lot of groans about all these extra papers, tests, extra forced attendance lectures, and needlessly long lectures that take up a ton of potential board prep time without teaching anything that will ever be on a board exam. After talking to a few students it seems that the current third year class experienced the same problem and got little board prep time until the very end. Indeed, the best way to make you a primary care doc is to cripple your ability to do well. I bought my first aid already. I need to make time to work on micro, biochem, and immunology now because it looks like later is really not a good way to go.


I primarily intend to provide care. I guess it all depends on what your definition of "is" is. :D

It's like I keep telling people. We're trying to run a marathon with weights strapped to our ankles. By and large second year is much better than first year. Hell, you guys don't even have to suffer through medical Spanish. Now that was a pure waste of my time.
 
Are the lectures mandatory? Do you have a scribe service? Does someone record the lectures?

Yes. They are "mandatory." That doesn't mean everyone goes to every lecture. Though if you miss something (like a quiz) while unexcused you're SOL. It seems like the school is taking steps toward video recording lectures for next year, but class will apparently still be mandatory.
 
It's like I keep telling people. We're trying to run a marathon with weights strapped to our ankles. By and large second year is much better than first year. Hell, you guys don't even have to suffer through medical Spanish. Now that was a pure waste of my time.

Agreed, though it does seem as though the amount of "fluff" assignments we have been receiving lately and the amount of wasted class time with lectures that are completely worthless has increased significantly this past month. It's all hoops right? Just like undergrad... jump when you're told and you'll be fine.
 
Agreed, though it does seem as though the amount of "fluff" assignments we have been receiving lately and the amount of wasted class time with lectures that are completely worthless has increased significantly this past month. It's all hoops right? Just like undergrad... jump when you're told and you'll be fine.

You could make the argument that there's a difference between "teaching to the test" and teaching material that may be useful in practice. I suspect they think they're doing the latter. It does seem like nobody stops to question the practicality or tangible usefulness of these projects/lectures/assignments.
 
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