Western University - Lebanon (COMP) Discussion Thread 2013 - 2014

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Just curious did they provide you any more information about how the process is going? How many people they have taken off of their waitlist or where you were on the waitlist?
I had called about a week or two before I was accepted to asked where I stood. All they could say was that I was in the top 15. Whether that meant 1st or 15th, I have no idea. Sorry not much help. Just keep your fingers crossed.

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Congrats! Excited to have you join the family!

Just out of curiosity, do you speak Portuguese? Just wondering because of your username.
I am fluent in Spanish (that was actually my major) and I have always wanted to learn Portuguese.

I am excited to join the fam, and also super nervous! I know only a little Portuguese, but would really like to learn to speak it fluently someday. Same goes for Spanish. I am jealous you can speak it fluently. Maybe after medical school I will learn.

What year are you?
 
I am excited to join the fam, and also super nervous! I know only a little Portuguese, but would really like to learn to speak it fluently someday. Same goes for Spanish. I am jealous you can speak it fluently. Maybe after medical school I will learn.

What year are you?
Currently a first year student. You should join our Spanish club when you get here in the fall!
 
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Does anyone know which address to send our official transcripts to? All the other forms have instructions for where to mail/email/fax the forms to but I can't find instructions for the official transcripts :(
 
Does anyone know which address to send our official transcripts to? All the other forms have instructions for where to mail/email/fax the forms to but I can't find instructions for the official transcripts :(

They go down to the Pomona address. Just address them to admissions and they'll get there.
 
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Can any current students give some advice on computer needs? I currently use a Mac but have decided to buy a PC for school. I am trying to figure out whether I will truly need a CD/DVD drive as the recommendations state on the admitted students web site.

Is the CD drive really necessary? Do any of you find that you bring your computer to and from school? I am trying to figure out whether I can go for small and easily portable rather than get a large computer with a CD drive. Thanks for your help!
 
I was accepted off the alternate list last week!
 
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Can any current students give some advice on computer needs? I currently use a Mac but have decided to buy a PC for school. I am trying to figure out whether I will truly need a CD/DVD drive as the recommendations state on the admitted students web site.

Is the CD drive really necessary? Do any of you find that you bring your computer to and from school? I am trying to figure out whether I can go for small and easily portable rather than get a large computer with a CD drive. Thanks for your help!

Honestly, I've never really used my cd drive this semester. Files can be transferred via external hard drive. The only thing I could have used a cd drive for was to view imaging from my cadaver during anatomy, but there are computers in the lab you can do that with if you really want.
 
For the single people out there are you taking out the full amount in loans for the first year? It seems like it might be overkill a bit.
 
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For the single people out there are you taking out the full amount in loans for the first year? It seems like it might be overkill a bit.
I would recommend taking the full amount for the first year until you get a feel of your spending habits around here. If you have a bunch left over going into 2nd year, then just take out that much less at that time. Keep in mind that your January disbursement will have to hold you over until Aug of 2nd year.
 
I would recommend taking the full amount for the first year until you get a feel of your spending habits around here. If you have a bunch left over going into 2nd year, then just take out that much less at that time. Keep in mind that your January disbursement will have to hold you over until Aug of 2nd year.

Understandable
 
Congrats!! Do you mind if I ask where you were on the waitlist as well as what your stats were?

Thank you! They didn't tell me where I was on the waitlist, I had sent an email about two weeks earlier asking if they ranked or put the list in tiers, but they simply told me they looked at all the applicants when a spot becomes available. I had a 28 MCAT 9/9/10 and 3.6 GPA/ scigpa OOS
 
Accepted off the waitlist today!! Got the call from Jeannie this morning ... now to rustle up 2K for the deposit, ugh. So happy to be a part of the COMP-NW class of 2018!
 
Congratulations! Would you be willing to share your stats and what your position was on the waitlist, if you know? Trying to gauge my chances...
 
I had to go look up my stats since it's been a while ... GPA was 3.43 sci, 3.54 total with retakes, MCAT was 28P, with 11 verbal, 7 PS and 10 BS. Also an Oregon resident. And like others in this thread have stated, I don't believe the waitlist is ranked. Hope that helps
 
Current first year student with four tips.

1. Be yourself (Hopefully you are a good person)
2. Have a good answer for why osteopathic medicine.
3. Look up MMI interview tips.
4. Be yourself

I am currently applying to COMP-NW and am waiting for a secondary. I grew up in nearby Corvallis, and have watched this school grow in conjunction with Samaritan Health. COMP-NW is one of my top choices, and I wanted to get some insight from a current student on the application process/your med school experiences if you are willing to answer some questions.

Do you have any advice regarding the secondary application?
Many of the DO and MD philosophies seem to overlap these days, and the DO's I have shadowed have difficulty pinpointing a really significant difference aside from OMT. I really don't want to re-hash some cliche line about the philosophical differences, holistic care, etc in my interview. In your experience at COMP-NW, how have you really seen the DO philosophy at work and how do you think it will influence the way you practice as a future physician?
What do you think made you a good fit at COMP-NW and what kind of student "fits in" here?
What are some pros and cons from your experience at COMP-NW?
What level of involvement do med students have in clinical rotations? Are first or second year students provided with opportunities to work with patients or do healthcare-related community service?

Thanks so much for your help!
 
Hello! Any current students at COMP can tell me where the 3rd and 4th year rotation sites are? Any of those sites in Portland? or Washington?


THanks!
 
Hello! Any current students at COMP can tell me where the 3rd and 4th year rotation sites are? Any of those sites in Portland? or Washington?


THanks!
The biggest share of students are in corvallis. The rest, at least that I'm aware of, are scattered between Tacoma-ish, Portland-ish, Salem-ish areas as well as some in Roseburg and Medford. Sorry but I don't have any more specifics about the sites; i'm only a second year. It seems like the clinical sites are always evolving. We lose some here, and gain some there. Used to have some students in Humboldt, CA but not anymore.
 
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I am currently applying to COMP-NW and am waiting for a secondary. I grew up in nearby Corvallis, and have watched this school grow in conjunction with Samaritan Health. COMP-NW is one of my top choices, and I wanted to get some insight from a current student on the application process/your med school experiences if you are willing to answer some questions.

Do you have any advice regarding the secondary application?
Many of the DO and MD philosophies seem to overlap these days, and the DO's I have shadowed have difficulty pinpointing a really significant difference aside from OMT. I really don't want to re-hash some cliche line about the philosophical differences, holistic care, etc in my interview. In your experience at COMP-NW, how have you really seen the DO philosophy at work and how do you think it will influence the way you practice as a future physician?
What do you think made you a good fit at COMP-NW and what kind of student "fits in" here?
What are some pros and cons from your experience at COMP-NW?
What level of involvement do med students have in clinical rotations? Are first or second year students provided with opportunities to work with patients or do healthcare-related community service?

Thanks so much for your help!

Do you have any advice regarding the secondary application?
No, sorry. This is your app. I can't tell you why you want to go here and why you want to be in the PNW.

Many of the DO and MD philosophies seem to overlap these days, and the DO's I have shadowed have difficulty pinpointing a really significant difference aside from OMT. I really don't want to re-hash some cliche line about the philosophical differences, holistic care, etc in my interview. In your experience at COMP-NW, how have you really seen the DO philosophy at work and how do you think it will influence the way you practice as a future physician?
Hopefully you have some sort of shadowing experience to draw from here. I can't say I've seen the philosophy "at work" as you ask, but I do believe that our school really professes the fundamentals of DOism.

What do you think made you a good fit at COMP-NW and what kind of student "fits in" here?

This is a closer-knit campus than most places, so not being an a-hole is a good start. I heard a staff member say it best, "Don't come here if you don't want to be known by everyone [including staff and faculty]." Very true and it's a good group to be in if that's your thing.

What are some pros and cons from your experience at COMP-NW?

Pros: It's not in a big city and close to home. Super-supportive atmosphere. Don't take the brevity of this list into consideration. I'm just tired of typing...
Cons: It's not in a big city, depends on your cup of tea there. Some people don't like our directed, case-based learning that we do in systems courses and the fact that it's an integrated curriculum where the phys/path/pharm aren't stand-alone classes. They are integrated into their respective systems. However, I do really like it. People that don't, it makes me wonder if they were asleep during that portion of the interview day that talked about the curriculum.

What level of involvement do med students have in clinical rotations? Are first or second year students provided with opportunities to work with patients or do healthcare-related community service?
There's a free clinic that our Global Health Club is involved with as 1st and 2nd years. I don't do it so I can't say how often or how much they do. I'm sure there are other things too. There's always some kind of public BP screening or DM foot exams for some group somewhere that's looking for half-competent students.

Hope this helps. In summary, I came here simply for the location and I lucked out because I really like the way things are done here.
 
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My background: 4th year Lebanon student.

What are some pros and cons from your experience at COMP-NW?

Pros: I like the curriculum structure (for the most part). Our testing schedule is far more relaxed than other schools like PNWU or ATSU. One "big" 100-125q test (anywhere between 1-3 of these exams per major systems based course) every 2 weeks or so. Yes it incorporates everything from physiology, pharmacology, histology, pathology and so forth in a multiple choice format. Some subjects are emphasized less (example: pharmacology may get 6q's out of 125, histology 4q's out of 125, and the bulk dedicated to pathology). You could strategically punt all of pharmacology and still get honors in the course (memorizing pharm is NO FUN). Will this setup impact your board prep? I doubt it. Most students from any school will forget the minutiae anyways by the time you reach the end of 2nd year. Our curriculum is identical to Pomona's and their students have been matching into great fields for years, so they are getting the scores they need and the curriculum more-or-less does its job. My friends at PNWU and ATSU tell me that their tests occur less frequently, but when it does, its like an entire week blocked off for back to back to back exams over multiple days, similar to what you'd see in undergrad with midterms/finals weeks. I'd rather study for one big test (that is often on a Monday, you lose your weekend but at least it gives you time to play catch-up with no new material introduced) and get my sleep Monday night than to pull multiple all nighters....

I also like the relatively lax attendance policy. With exceptions to the courses for OMM and a few others, you don't need to show up to class. Wake up at 12, hit the gym, then sit at home in your PJ's and watch the entire day's worth of recorded lecture at 2x speed. Pause the lecture as needed for breaks if you start spacing and facebooking. Can't do that in real life.... I wasn't the kind of student that needed a live person in front of me to absorb the material or ask clarification questions.

The atmosphere is fantastic. I liked getting to know my classmates, the staff, and faculty. As described by Razor, it is definitely close-knit, family atmosphere. There are certainly those who keep to themselves, we aren't all socialites after all. People will usually organize events to do together like fantasy sport leagues, Thursday basketball at the local high school, tennis, river floating, gun range, climbing, running, the list goes on. Probably half the class had families (wife, husband, kids, ect), and the other half single in my year. Crowd is generally older with many non-trads. For DO2015, the average age was 28. I don't know if that's been trending down or not. Don't know my underclassmen.

There were plenty enough opportunities to get involved if you're the type who likes to run with new ideas. I was never one to take the baton and carry on something established but work hard to create something new in whatever peaked my interests. The school is very supportive in helping students do projects in the community. If you have no interest in reinventing the wheel and just want do some annual event that's been established already, there's those opportunities too since the school's been around long enough now.

Cons: Small town. Limited gym options. Limited dining options (the town does love its fast foods). Your major shopping center is Walmart. Allergy season is horrendous. It is the self-proclaimed grass capital. Tuition is expensive (expect it to increase 2k/year like clockwork). Study space/free space is limited on campus, it is starting to get a bit cramped there if you're the type who likes to hang out at school to study. Generally this hasn't been so much of an issue because people have adapted and stay at home or find local places to study, leaving a lot of empty study rooms when its not test time. Clinical rotations sites (at basically at any DO school, not just Western) can be hit or miss and trend more towards private practices or smaller hospitals. The school works hard, but not much can be done if hospitals set up exclusivity contracts with OHSU or too many medical schools utilize the same hospital (e.g. Legacy Emanuel takes OHSU, Western, ATSU, PNWU, IMG's).

If I think of more, I'll edit the post and add. It's late now and can't think of stuff on the top of my head.
 
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Hello
Got an interview invitation from comp northwest in Oregon. Does anyone go here that Could answer a couple questions about the school that I have??
Thanks!
 
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