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I've been away from SDN for a month and noticed that the other UW threads have kind of died. Wanted to revive the UW discussion! Any other news? Acceptances? Just had my interview, and I thought it went OK...not as bad as I was anticipating.

Look forward to hearing everyone elses news (hopefully good!).
 
I interview on the 21st and I'm crazylikeyouwouldn'tbelieve nervous! Its also my first interview. I've heard that they give one of the more difficult interviews with their ethics, health care issues, and person of the year questions. Can you provide more details about your interview? I'd really appreciate it. I think I read that once you get to the interview stage you chances are about 1 in 3. Any truth to that? Any informational tidbits you can provide will be greatly appreciated!!!
 
Don't be nervous! Thats the worst thing you could do to yourself.

I submitted my interview experience on the interview feedback section of SDN. So, hopefully that and the others submitted will give you a better idea of what to expect. I was surprised, because I got a lot of personal questions about me, which is always nice. It wasn't bad, at all. The panel interviewing me gave me a lot of positive feedback during the interview. I had 2 doctors and a med student.

Yeah, they said that for every 5 applicants, 3 get interviewed, and 1.3 get accepted (the 0.3 making up the alternate pool).

Be confident! Just be honest, there is no right/wrong answers...have an opinion and stick with it.

Good luck!! Let me know if you have any other questions.
 
I hope I get as positive an experience as you did! Are you a WA resident?

I've been reading a couple of books from the "opposing viewpoints" series. One on bioethics and another on healthcare issues. They have essays representing different viewpoints and it helps bring certain aspects of various issues to light... but each perspective does a pretty good job of defending themselves... and I can't seem to form my own opinion!😀

It sounds like you had a great interview! Good luck to you! Please post an update when you hear back from them (I think UW stated that they respond w/in one month of the interview).
 
WOOF WOOF. The best university, in the best section, of the best city, of the best region, of the best state, of the best country, of the best planet, of the best solar system, of the best galaxie, of the best universe, in all of infinity
 
I am also interested in UW. I will be applying for 2005 though.
If you got an interview or selected, could you pl PM me with your stats?

Thanks and best
 
Hey cocoNUT,

Never heard of the opposing viewpoints series you mentioned, but it sounds interesting and useful. What is it and where can I find it? My interview is on the 16th. Are all those interviewing now non-WA residents? I'm Alaskan and I heard that they attempt to lump the states into interview groups. Anyway, my main struggle is deciding about my Man of the Year decision. No ideas. By the way, has it always been a man (take pity on me, I'm naive).

Jo
 
johannesak,

I'm a WA resident who applied a lil' late in the cycle, so I'm not sure about whose interviewing from which state etc. As for the person of the year question... I have absolutely no idea either!!! I currently have a post out "person of the year" where I suggested Osama Bin Laden... I got quite a few flames, but also got some interesting discussion as well... check it out! It might be a lil' risky to state that in front of UW adcoms though...😀
 
I interviewed at UW back on October 3rd or so. I am a Washington resident. I originally got an email from them in mid-November saying "the Executive Committee of the Committee on Admissions considers you competitive for entrance into the class of 2003. A competitive status is not a rejection nor is it an acceptance, but it is an indication that you are part of a pool of applicants who will remain under consideration." They said I wouldn't know until about April whether I was accepted, rejected or waitlisted.

Well, surprisingly in early December I got an acceptance packet from them. Just so you know, I didn't think my interview went so well. Supposedly, there are two interview teams of three, one of which is very intimidating. I had that one. I posted about my experience on the interview feedback if you care to read more. So the moral is, if you had a bad experience interviewing there, it doesn't mean you'll be rejected. I'm sure most of the interviewees freak out when they get three straight ethical scenarios followed by a discussion on Canada's health care system.

For those of you who have yet to interview there, if they challenge your answers to any of the ethical/health care questions (which they will), I would advise you to stand your ground. I got the feeling they were just testing my resolve and so no matter how much they kept scowling at my answers, I stood firm and it apparently worked.

PM me with other questions, and best of luck.
 
I'm a WA resident too. Definitely agree with medilicious, stand your ground.

Good luck!
 
bump... keep those UW updates coming!

johannesak, good luck w/ your interview today! Let us all know how it turned out!!!
 
Hi everyone...
I heard from the UW today (it has been less than a week since my interview!) and I was given a competitive status. Its frustrating, but much better than receiving an immediate rejection! So, any advice from other UW applicants on what I should do from here, would be great.

Thanks and good luck!
 
October interview. Competitive list mid-November. Nothing since.

Bump.
 
It seems like everyone on SDN who got an interview to UW got placed on the "competitive list" except for medilicious who got accepted (congrats!wishIwasinyourshoes)... do all interviewees get placed on this "competitive list?" any interviewees out there get a straight rejection (and are brave enough to post)?
 
Hey CocoNut,

I too just got put on the competitive list. I do know people who have been rejected right away.

It's hard having to wait even more...

Good luck everyone!

CAC--what day did you interview? I was there on the 14th!
 
Originally posted by groundhog
WOOF WOOF. The best university, in the best section, of the best city, of the best region, of the best state, of the best country, of the best planet, of the best solar system, of the best galaxie, of the best universe, in all of infinity
Click to expand...

with the worst attitude, and the biggest ego whose docs steal money from medicare by overbilling. Remember R.Winn, Dr. Couser, and now a couple other dozen who are being scrutinized by the U.S. government.

No, no....UW Med didn't know a single thing about it. gimme a break. Why did Winn do it? For fun? Think about it.

Winn did Win = $3.7 million dollars and an early retirement due to stealing money from medicare. All he has to do is now do community service in Nepal (a vacation in disguise) and pay back $500,000, so he gets $3.2 million. Ouch!!

Not a bad deal, eh?

Last year UW billed $117 million dollars to medicare, and they only REALLY got $34 million.....a difference of over 70 million. Something smells fishy? And it ain't Pikes Place Market.



Scandal, Scandal.
 
Yeah, well...as interesting as that is I just want to go to medical school. If there's corruption at UW...well, you can find that anywhere. Hell, the basketball players at Georgetown probably get passing grades in classes where they don't even know the professor's name--does that mean you wouldn't accept an admit from Georgetown law?
 
I agree w/ coldchemist ... I want to be a doctor! Corruption is everywhere. UW graduates can't be judged on the acts of a few bad apples.

My interview is in less than 48h!!! Hey, for those of you who have already interviewed... did you guys stick around for the tour and lunch? I've read comments that they are pretty useless.

Let's keep those UW updates comin!!!
 
I got the impression that they were expecting you to go and that most people did attend the tour and lunch.
 
I suspect that Dr. Winn was chosen to be made an example of precisely BECAUSE he is so prominent in his field. The idea being that no one is above the law, no matter his or her stature and connections. I certainly DON'T have the impression that things are more corrupt at UW than they are elsewhere, or that Dr. Winn was doing anything that wasn't common practice across the nation.

Having said that, I think it was something that needed to be done. As a taxpayer, I'm offended by anything that wastes the good money I send to Washington DC. It's just a shame they had to pick someone from UW as their example.
 
Originally posted by cocoNUT
I agree w/ coldchemist ... I want to be a doctor! Corruption is everywhere. UW graduates can't be judged on the acts of a few bad apples.

My interview is in less than 48h!!! Hey, for those of you who have already interviewed... did you guys stick around for the tour and lunch? I've read comments that they are pretty useless.
Click to expand...

Yes, I stayed for the tour and lunch. If you are really interested in going to medical school and are really interested in UW, then ignore what others have said about the interview.

I will admit that during my interview we did have a lot of down time, but I used it to speak with various medical school staff and to look around the school.

Also, note that when the Dean comes in to speak with your group of interviewees during your lunch, have some questions to ask. I ended up asking about three questions. Only one other person asked questions out of a group of 12 interviewees.

I was accepted at UW early November of this year. I am not sure if I am going there or to the Uniformed Services University. Don't worry too much about the interview, they are going to ask at least two ethical questions though, so be firm with your stances on ethical issues.

Good luck.
 
Hi guys,
I've been away for a while and recently had my interview with UW. Just wanted to let everybody know that it is not as bad as one may think.

I was quite nervous going in after having read the IF.com website etc. UW has a reputation to have extremely hard interviews. Mine was not easy by any means....it was difficult, but managable. If you have done your homework (reading about policies, know your stand on issues) and if you can basically THINK...the interview will go well. My interviewers were so nice to me, I couldn't believe it was UW that I was interviewing with. In the end they gave me the opportunity to say whatever I wanted, and everything I felt in my heart about why I want to be a physician came pouring out....I feel at peace with what happened at the interview. I had a few things to say, I said them from my heart. And before I knew it, the interview was over.

The faculty at the school is awesome. Sure, they don't have too many good labs but there are so many things about the curriculum and support that make up for it. The support staff is phenomenal. I would count myself damn lucky if I get in. I'm nervous now because this is the only interivew I have and with my husband being instate, I don't know where it will take me. But I am trying to keep faith in God that He knows what's best for me and I have worked hard here.....whatever will happen, will happen for the best.

IF you guys have further questions about WHAT I was asked at the interview, feel free to post it on here. I'll be happy to help. Just remember to be yourself--that is the ONLY solace I have that throughout the process, I was myself and didn't have to lie/make up or glorify something to make myself feel good. I guess that is why I feel at peace with whatever result may come.
 
Tweetie bird,
What that website? I typed in if.com and ended up at "The Intelligent Finance Company". LOL
Thanks
 
I meant interviewfeedback.com. That website doen't work anymore but it's database has been adopted by SDN and we have it on our website now. A lot of my personal friends and a few on IF database had mentioned that it's a tough interview. I don't want to say that mine wasn't tough, it was. But the interviewers were so friendly that I felt like I was treated very well. That really took away the anxiety. Good luck!
 
Welcome back Tweetie. Glad everthing went well at the interview. We are all keeping you in our thoughts! I have a good feeling about you and UW. Hang in there!:clap: :clap:
 
Hey Showeeee, I interviewed on the 13th.

It does seem like they put the majority of those interviewed on the competitive list.

Good luck on your interview tomorrow cocoNUT!!
 
Yay Tweetie! I'm glad it went well. I agree w/your assessment of the friendliness of everyone there. I've said more than once that I think my interview was an anomaly, because of my particular circumstances. And I do also agree that for better or worse, you should be honest and be yourself.

I hope you get good news next week. :clap: :clap: :clap:
 
Hi y'all,
Wish I could say I had a positive experience... but I didn't. I thought I was prepared for the intimidation factor, but I wasn't. I wish it wasn't my very first interview, but it was. I'm sorry to be so down with my "if onlys" but I'm positive that I'll be getting one of the "outright rejections" and not on the"competitive list." It was my very first interview to my number one choice... I spent a lifetime preparing for this and I blew it in a 45-minute time period. I'm going to sob my eyes out now... 🙁
 
Ohhh cocoNUT....
I'm sure you're being hard on yourself and your interview went well. People in our situations tend to be overly critical of ourselves. I know I am, questioning everything I said and didn't say. If you don't mind sharing your experience...maybe someone had a similar one with a good outcome?

Otherwise...don't beat yourself up! Getting an interview is an accomplishment, and you never know how the school will respond. The decision is part interview AND part MCATs/GPA. Keep your chin up!
 
Originally posted by cocoNUT
Hi y'all,
Wish I could say I had a positive experience... but I didn't. I thought I was prepared for the intimidation factor, but I wasn't. I wish it wasn't my very first interview, but it was. I'm sorry to be so down with my "if onlys" but I'm positive that I'll be getting one of the "outright rejections" and not on the"competitive list." It was my very first interview to my number one choice... I spent a lifetime preparing for this and I blew it in a 45-minute time period. I'm going to sob my eyes out now... 🙁
Click to expand...
<p>
I totally understand how you're feeling, because I felt the same way after mine. Don't sweat it though, maybe you'll get lucky. And if not, you just have to try and move on. There's other schools out there that are probably a lot better than the UW. And you'll be happy later that you go to school where it doesn't rain as much.
 
Thanks CAC and geronime for trying to lift my spirits... I guess I should just be grateful that I was given the opportunity to interview.

As for the actual UW interview... I'm a non-trad applicant w/ mediocre GPA and MCAT and was hoping that my interivew would be my trump card. I am originally from a small, medically underserved island. I did my undergrad in WA and have been living/working as a medical technologist in an underserved WA community for the last couple of years.

During the interrogation, I felt as if I was being a traitor to island I was originally from b/c I would rather stay in WA than go back. I love WA and consider it my home now! Instead of being proud I had TONS of clinical experience under my belt, I felt as if I was being a traitor to my profession...
I was so frustrated that I just fumbled my way through the ethics/healthcare issue questions. AND THEN!!! at the end of the interview, I forget my purse and could not go back and get it b/c the next interviewee had already started interviewing... I'm sure they think I'm such a ditz...("she'll be the one who'll leave the scalpel in the patient!")😱

Wouldn't you guys sob too?🙁
 
This is in response to everyone who got a "still competitive letter" - DON'T WORRY!

I am a Seattle resident and I interviewed in October and in November got the letter that said I was still considered competitive, and I had no idea what to think about that. I was glad not to be rejected but couldn't help but feel disappointed that I hadn't been accepted on the first round, so I asked a doctor I know who teaches at UWSOM and knows people on the committee and this is what he told me: after the first committee meeting 70% of applicants are given "still competitive status" and very, very few are actually accepted. The reason is that the committee wants to wait until they have interviewed more applicants before making their decisions (you have to realize that if you interviewed in October or November they really don't have much to compare you to). And, out of all of the applicants who get competitive status, 30% are eventually accepted (thats about the same as the percent of interviewees who are accepted, so really your chances haven't gone down at all).

So basically don't worry if you got one of those letters. What I don't know is when to expect a final decision, which would be nice to know, but it is probably different for everyone.

Hope that helped.
 
Good point pj...they actually told us this during the interview, but I didn't really connect the numbers. In the post-interview email about the competitive status, they say that 32% of the competitive pool is eventually accepted or put on an alternate list. And during the lunch with a Dean, he said that about 1 of 3 interviewees were accepted, so you're right, chances are pretty much the same.

Definitely makes me feel better...don't know how I missed that math!
 
Originally posted by cocoNUT
Thanks CAC and geronime for trying to lift my spirits... I guess I should just be grateful that I was given the opportunity to interview.

As for the actual UW interview... I'm a non-trad applicant w/ mediocre GPA and MCAT and was hoping that my interivew would be my trump card. I am originally from a small, medically underserved island. I did my undergrad in WA and have been living/working as a medical technologist in an underserved WA community for the last couple of years.

During the interrogation, I felt as if I was being a traitor to island I was originally from b/c I would rather stay in WA than go back. I love WA and consider it my home now! Instead of being proud I had TONS of clinical experience under my belt, I felt as if I was being a traitor to my profession...
I was so frustrated that I just fumbled my way through the ethics/healthcare issue questions. AND THEN!!! at the end of the interview, I forget my purse and could not go back and get it b/c the next interviewee had already started interviewing... I'm sure they think I'm such a ditz...("she'll be the one who'll leave the scalpel in the patient!")😱

Wouldn't you guys sob too?🙁
Click to expand...

🙁 I am so sorry to hear about your interview. I know this is a tough situation, but you have to look for the small glimmer of hope.....I did silly things at my interview too that embarassed me. For example, I was speaking with one particular interviewee and I made a joke about something, and the gulp of water I had in my mouth suddenly came out of my nose in a trickle. And the joke wasn't even that funny!! And then when I tried to cover my mouth to stop it from opening, the little cork on the bottle fell DOWN MY BLOUSE! I was so shocked at what happened that before thinking, I put my hands down my blouse to look for it....I am not kidding. I turned around and tried to tip-toe out of the scence as fast I could, but I shudder to think what would have happened if the interviewers saw me. LOL. I look back now and laugh at myself for being so nervous, I couldn't control my own actions. I felt like i was in a charlie chaplin movie where everything was happening super fast and I couldn't control the jitters.....eek...

Anyway, my point is that we both handled the situation well. It does not matter HOW they made you feel, what matters is how you handled the situation. They want to see you under pressure. They want to see you NOT CRACK and be natural at the interview. I hope that you are just underestimating your own capabilities and will be pleasantly surprized when the email/letter comes. A friend of mine mentioned that his interviewers also threw him off a bit, and in the end when they gave him the opportunity to say something, he said, "ummmm....no I think we covered it all." One would think that he would have taken the opportunity to thank them, or to reemphasize other things previously talked about, but he felt too nervous. Oh and ya, he's already admitted to the UW now. And I'm very happy for him b/c I know he deserves it. So hopefully things will turn out well for you too. Keep that chin up and update us now and then.

Tweets
 
Originally posted by CAC
Good point pj...they actually told us this during the interview, but I didn't really connect the numbers. In the post-interview email about the competitive status, they say that 32% of the competitive pool is eventually accepted or put on an alternate list. And during the lunch with a Dean, he said that about 1 of 3 interviewees were accepted, so you're right, chances are pretty much the same.

Definitely makes me feel better...don't know how I missed that math!
Click to expand...
yeah but pay attention to the "alternate list" part. I hear that they hardly have to take anybody off that list. I'm sure they don't put anyone straight on the alternate list without first going through the comp list. So: odds of GETTING IN is lower.
 
Thanks tweetie! I see now why everyone missed you so much!

From the info presented during the interview lunch, people can either be 1)rejected 2)accepted or 3) put on the competitive list w/ the majority being #3. At every exec adcom mtg. each of the 12 members "fight" for who they feel should be accepted to the # of spots allocated to that particular mtg. Most of the spots are reserved for the final 3-day marathon mtg when they review the entire competitive pool and compile the final list of acceptees and waitlistees.

A list of 25 ranked waitlistees is maintained and I was told that the movement on this ranked list is swift and you can expect to eventually get accepted. The others are left unranked on a different waitlist. The chances of getting accepted from here are slimmer, but not impossible. I think one year UW went thru the entire unranked waitlist and two days before school started, they had to accept someone they had previously rejected!

I hope this helps!
 
Originally posted by pj_seattle_007
This is in response to everyone who got a "still competitive letter" - DON'T WORRY!

I am a Seattle resident and I interviewed in October and in November got the letter that said I was still considered competitive, and I had no idea what to think about that. I was glad not to be rejected but couldn't help but feel disappointed that I hadn't been accepted on the first round, so I asked a doctor I know who teaches at UWSOM and knows people on the committee and this is what he told me: after the first committee meeting 70% of applicants are given "still competitive status" and very, very few are actually accepted. The reason is that the committee wants to wait until they have interviewed more applicants before making their decisions (you have to realize that if you interviewed in October or November they really don't have much to compare you to). And, out of all of the applicants who get competitive status, 30% are eventually accepted (thats about the same as the percent of interviewees who are accepted, so really your chances haven't gone down at all).

So basically don't worry if you got one of those letters. What I don't know is when to expect a final decision, which would be nice to know, but it is probably different for everyone.

Hope that helped.
Click to expand...

pj_seattle_007 is right. Even at the UWSOM about twice as many people are accepted when compared to how many actually matriculate. And there are several people who withdraw after being accepted (as I am probably going to do so that I can go to USUHS).

Good luck.
 
Originally posted by republicandr
pj_seattle_007 is right. Even at the UWSOM about twice as many people are accepted when compared to how many actually matriculate. And there are several people who withdraw after being accepted (as I am probably going to do so that I can go to USUHS).

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Just out of curiosity, why would you rather go to USUHS than UW?
 
Originally posted by cocoNUT
Thanks tweetie! I see now why everyone missed you so much!

From the info presented during the interview lunch, people can either be 1)rejected 2)accepted or 3) put on the competitive list w/ the majority being #3. At every exec adcom mtg. each of the 12 members "fight" for who they feel should be accepted to the # of spots allocated to that particular mtg. Most of the spots are reserved for the final 3-day marathon mtg when they review the entire competitive pool and compile the final list of acceptees and waitlistees.

A list of 25 ranked waitlistees is maintained and I was told that the movement on this ranked list is swift and you can expect to eventually get accepted. The others are left unranked on a different waitlist. The chances of getting accepted from here are slimmer, but not impossible. I think one year UW went thru the entire unranked waitlist and two days before school started, they had to accept someone they had previously rejected!

I hope this helps!
Click to expand...

Just to clarify for the people who aren't Washington residents:

Waitlists for the other four states are smaller than the one for Seattle. I don't know about Wyoming, Montana, or Idaho, but I have heard that the Alaska waitlist is approx. ten places long, and it is not very often that more than one or two people actually get off the waitlist.
 
Just got put in the "competitive pool!"
Guess I still have a glimmer of hope!
 
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