Univ. of Washington(seattle) anyone?

[oscar505]

has anyone interviewed at U Wash lately? Going to interview there in two weeks.

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[Nanook]

I interviewed there on January 11th. It was pretty laid back. I was applying for the Alaska WWAMI program, and, in all honesty, I did not give a great interview. The questions and such weren't too hard, but I just wasn't enthusiastic about UW and I think they picked up on it.

I was put in the "hold pool" (called the "Competitive" pool by UW). This means that they wait until after they have interviewed all of the people in your classification (in my case, all folks from Alaska) to decide on your app. Although a few others who interviewed with me have heard something (wait lists), I have not yet heard.

You must be interviewing for the MSTP if you are from New Mexico. I wonder if they structure that differently. . .

 

[oscar505]

No I am only applying to the regular MD program. I am sure their MSTP program is fine but I think that the time commitment is too long. I know U Wash only accepts applicants from their 5-state region(WWAMI) but they also give interviews to a few out-of-region applicants and I got one. So I am cool with that. I see you received a "competitive for admission" letter but I understand they have rolling admissions. So does that mean that if you are accepted you get a letter of acceptance a week or two after your interview rather than being put in the "competitive for admission" pool?
Why are you not enthusiastic about U Wash? Did you apply to other schools you are more interested in?

 

[mpp]

I know of one Alaskan that has received their accceptance letter from the WWAMI program already...about one week after the interview.

 

[Nanook]

I am impressed that you got an interview, being out-of-state!

The reasons I was not real jazzed about UW were purely personal. They are, in no particular order:

1. If you go to UW and are an AK resident, the State slaps a 5-year service commitment on you to come back to AK. Therefore, you cannot take a military scholarship, NHSC, or anything else. A really screwy deal, if you ask me.

2. I would like to go to a school in a smaller community than Seattle. Also, I absolutely hate Anchorage (which is where the 1st year is if you are from AK). I made the mistake of telling them this in my interview!

3. I have two children, so the cost of attending school in Seattle would be ridiculous.

4. I wanted a smaller class size, and a more laid-back atmosphere.

Finally, I have been accepted at the University of Nevada, which meets all of these needs for me and more. I was much more excited about this than UW (it's where I am going). If anyone reading this is from AK, I would highly recommend applying there. You can even in-state tuition there (with NO asinine service commitment!)

UW is an excellent school. It just wasn't for me, overall.

To answer your other question, yes, if they really like you, they will let you know right away. However, I don't know if this applies to out-of-staters (at most places they wait to decide on them until later).

Good luck.

Hey mpp-- you must go to school with me! I don't think I have seen anyone else from fairbanks on this board before.

 

[oscar505]

Congratulations on your acceptance to UNR. I can see why you would not wanna go to UW. The time "penalty" they impose on you it's too constricting plus given the type of environment you are looking for, I say Reno you will suit you better(my family lives in Las Vegas. I really would not mind going to school there. I, honestly just wanna get it done. I like the idea of finding out quickly whether you get in or not. So hopefully, the outcome will be positive.

 

[hershey]

Hey Oscar! How did your interview go at UofW? What did you think of it? Also, at UNM, what is the secondary application like? How many recommendations are needed and from who? And finally, is biochemistry a requirement or just recommended, I've heard different answers to that. I'm planning to take it this Summer at UCSD (my undergraduate school). Curious to know how it went for you.

 

[mpp]

Nanook,

I got my degree from UAF in 1996. But I still take a couple of classes there and I am a T.A. in the physics department. We've probably seen each other many times at school (and probably even more than that at Fred Meyer...the Fairbanks meetin' place).
Congratulations on acceptance at UNR. Good luck!

 

[oscar505]

Hey: my interview went well. at least I'd like to think so. they were not harsh at all only inquisitive about my life experiences. As far as UNM you need 3 letters of rec from faculty that know you and anintroductory biochem course. the secondary has some questions you need to answer but nothing that you probably don't already know.
I'll ;et you know what happens with UW

 

[docuw]

Hi all...

This is the week that the committee is supposed to be doing their final review of all the "hold" list people as well as those who have interviewed in the last two or three weeks (I think??? anyone know if anyone has heard who interviewed in March at all yet)...

When someone gets a letter this week or next, Please post what is says and when you got it...

Thanks

-DocUW

 

[bjorn24]

How did you come by this info? I have been on the hold list for what seems like forever (it has been extremely depressing as UW is my number 1), and I am dying to hear from them.
I will certainly let you know if I receive anything.

 

[docuw]

I am quite familiar with their process by now (at least somewhat). I have been asking around to the Med Students here as well as previous Executive Committee members. They will spend all day Thursday and Friday doing their final stuff and preparing the wait list to give to Dr. Samson. He will be the one in charge of acceptances past this week I believe (less sure on this one).

-DocUW

 

[oscar505]

What if you interviewed with Dr. Samson, is then the one who decides about your fate? Given that he is the dean of admissions, I would wonder if he has a final word on your application.

 

[docuw]

I may be off by one week on this timeline. I was thinking that this was the last week of March.

If you interviewed with Samson, he can be your best advocate or worst enemy. If you impressed him, he has the most say in the executive meetings and will likely push to get you in. This is more likely to be the case once they have made the waitlist and his is his sole discresion (still not sure that this is how it works). If you didnt impress him, I would bet one would be hard pressed to have impressed the other two folks in the panel enough to outweigh his say in the meetings.

 

[oscar505]

My interview schedule had Dr. Samson's name on it. When I went in I realized he wasn't there. Another doc had taken his place. I dunno if that was good or bad for me. Well they were nice to me and warned me in advance that the interview was not going to be a high-stress one but more of a "getting to know you" one. You are right about the notification dates. Letters do go out next week around friday. I found this out after I emailed the folks in the admissions office.

 

[docuw]

Well, the high stress thing was in your favor by NOT having Werner in there with you. Even if they had decided to just "get to know" you, having him in there would have changed the atmosphere. He is GOD down there.

I have talked to people before that were on the waiting list (the summer wait list). They went in to talk to Werner... Next day, there was a letter in the mail box!

[This message has been edited by docuw (edited March 22, 2001).]

 

[docuw]

Well... got my letter today - REJECTED. Wow, I have never felt that good in my life (sarcasm intended). Actually, it kinda felt like a hard kick with a boot to the gut.

Off to Omaha, NE I guess. Talk about a change in scenery.

Later all...

-DocUW

 

[jenniferl77]

UW gave me the boot last year. So, I'm in houston now paying out of state tuition. I would have like UW, but I can always go back to Wa for residency and to practice.

 

[bjorn24]

Sorry to hear about the rejection Doc...well you can at least be content with the fact that you went down swinging (ie, it sounds as if you gave it your best).
I too got a letter today, and mine really isn't much better...I am now a second alternate. The optimistic side of me says John Daly won the 1992 PGA championship as a ninth alternate, but the realistic side reminds me that when has the second runner up of the Ms. America pageant ever worn the crown.
It is VERY interesting how you mentioned that the waitlist students who went in to see Dr. Samson got a acceptance...I am going in no matter what, but your words are encouraging. Should I be?

If you are pissed about the entire process, and the school in general, then feel no need to reply, but it would be nice to know your sources.......I just don't know whether to give up hope and move to philli or hold on longer to that silver lining.

 

[docuw]

Supposedly things work out they way they do for some "reason." I dont know what that is right now, but maybe I will find it at Creighton. We shall see...

Bjorn:

My sources are a family friend who is now a doctor. She graduated UWSOM in 97 of 98, cant remember which. She was placed on the alternate list, and so were 4 of her friends. Out of the five them, she and two friends actually had the "balls" (for lack of a better term) to go in and talk to Werner Samson. In the end... of the 5, the 3 that spoke with him got accepted... the two that didnt... well they didnt get accepted.

So, anyone headed to Nebraska with me?

Later all,

-Doc (formerly UW, now CU I guess)
-DocCU

 

[docuw]

Jennifer...

Those were my thoughts exactly. Come back for residency and regain my life in the State of Washington. Did you ever look into the possibility of transfering with advanced standing as MS2 or even MS3?

Thanks

-Doc

 

[jenniferl77]

I think I read somewhere that in the last 5 or so years they had only taken one transfer. You apply for MS-3. While I would love to be up there, down here is growing on me. It would have been nice to be just a couple hours away form our families in the tri-cities.

One problem i have is that I think I may want to go into med-peds and there are no med-ped programs in Wa or Or. I may be in Tx for another 4 years after med school. But then I am definately moving back!!!

 

[4thHorseman]

Originally posted by Nanook:

1. If you go to UW and are an AK resident, the State slaps a 5-year service commitment on you to come back to AK. Therefore, you cannot take a military scholarship, NHSC, or anything else. A really screwy deal, if you ask me.

For future reference, UW does not have a mandatory service commitment for its WWAMI students. If one chooses not to return to his/her home state, UW simply charges that person out-of-state tuition. Furthermore, you can still accept an HPS, in which case it really doesn't matter whether you are charged in- or out-of-state tuition. The military may not let you return to a WWAMI practice right away, but they'll be the ones covering additional tuition fees...

 

[oscar505]

I got accepted to U Wash. I am going there for sure. It was tough being an out-of state applicant but I made the cut. Good luck to those of you still waiting to hear.

oscar

 

[4thHorseman]

Congratulations! I'll probably see you there when I return to civilization with the other WWAMI students second year.