2015-2016 Oregon Health & Sciences University Application Thread

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While luck may indeed have something to do with it, I think that one's MCAT score is generally viewed by adcoms as an objective measure of one's standardized test-taking ability -- at least, that is the goal of the MCAT; whether it succeeds in that goal is a conversation for another thread. I'm not trying to be harsh here, but trying to rationalize your MCAT score by saying that those who score better might be doing so on account of luck may come off as not being able to take responsibility for your performance. This is why I suggested writing about it in the "challenge in becoming a doctor" secondary, as this would allow you to demonstrate that you accept responsibility for your score, while at the same time using your stellar sGPA as evidence as to why you believe that your MCAT score does not accurately represent your true academic potential.

Taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture, considering your high GPA, I don't think your academic credentials are going to hold you back here, which is why I don't think you necessarily have to explain your MCAT score. However, if you feel that you absolutely must, make sure you are able to rationalize it in a logical manner! Again, I hope that this post doesn't come off as too harsh -- just an opinion from an impartial observer. Feel free to PM me if you want another pair of eyes to look over your essay. Best of luck!

Absolutely! Not harsh at all, I'm the type of person that likes to question things even when I agree just to see a perspective beyond my own. Furthermore, I prefer pessimism over optimism; it keeps everything much more realistic.

Also, thank you very much! I will keep this in mind, I very much appreciate the opinion and perspective ! :highfive:

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How does OHSU compare this year's application to last year's application? Any input?
 
Do guys think discussing the discrepancy between my GPA and MCAT (very high sGPA, 31 MCAT) would be too shallow of an answer to #4? (Describe situation where you didnt get what you feel like you deserved and your reaction)
It's the only underwhelming element of my application...
They aren't looking for you to address your app, they are looking into what type of person you are.
I wouldn't touch that subject, keep in mind with a 31 you are in the what, 83rd percentile, but nonetheless - thinking you "deserved" better doesn't fit with the question at all, it sounds like you felt entitled to a better score - you feel like you deserved better then the test score you got? No. You got the score you got, because it was a test. With correct and incorrect answers.

A better think to talk about would be something like work you did but no one recognized, or a project you put your heart and soul into that didn't turn out the way you wanted, etc
 
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They aren't looking for you to address your app, they are looking into what type of person you are.
I wouldn't touch that subject, keep in mind with a 31 you are in the what, 83rd percentile, but nonetheless - thinking you "deserved" better doesn't fit with the question at all, it sounds like you felt entitled to a better score - you feel like you deserved better then the test score you got? No. You got the score you got, because it was a test. With correct and incorrect answers.

A better think to talk about would be something like work you did but no one recognized, or a project you put your heart and soul into that didn't turn out the way you wanted, etc

Very true and valid point. :)
Time to put my thinking cap back on; the questions are very similar with very small differences between them :(
 
Does anyone know what the class size will be for Fall 2016?
 
Does anyone have any input regarding what factors will get you put in the diversity applicant bucket? I'm debating whether or not to submit this as an OOS person.
 
Does anyone have any input regarding what factors will get you put in the diversity applicant bucket? I'm debating whether or not to submit this as an OOS person.

Do you fit any of their mission groups? If so, OHSU will know it through your AMCAS and through the Oregon residency questions in previous parts of the secondary. And you might consider responding to this prompt as a straight "diversity" question seen in secondaries for other schools. That was my approach, at least. Although, I wrote mine while severely burnt out from applying to 15+ schools...so this might be the lazy approach.
 
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@nih15hopeful Ok, writing secondaries has fried my brain. The information I asked for is readily available. Whoops.

Thank you!
 
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Very true and valid point. :)
Time to put my thinking cap back on; the questions are very similar with very small differences between them :(

Yeah it's the hardest secondary I've had to do to this point (I'm about half way thru the process) but between the essays and rewriting all my activities.
 
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Don't have high hopes for this school as I'm OOS, don't have any connection, and am not considered as superior academics because my MCAT is below threshold. However, decided to throw out an application because I knew someone that got in last year that was pretty similar to all the things I just stated.

Just felt weird with all my secondary answers (although I used the most honest examples I could) and wondered if anyone had similar thoughts. I know some are already talking about what to put.

Q2: Acknowledging some weak aspect of yourself as it pertains to becoming a physician.
Q3: Potentially negative interaction you had with another person or group of people.
Q4: Probably a negative experience in which you were frustrated, jealous, and angry.
Q5: Some negative feedback you've received, as it probably pertains to some weakness in your life.

I mean...this is not the type of person I want to convey to the ADCOM yet this is what they might read. Granted, each answer is qualified with some way that you've learned from it and remedied yourself...but still.
 
I just got my application verified and received the secondary the next day. However I don't have my MCAT yet, so I don't know if I should summit now or wait until my score releases. Any suggestions?
 
Space reserved for prompt.

Please PM the essays or lack thereof to me when the secondary is available and I will update this.

Good luck to everyone applying! :luck:

Can anyone please help in clarifying this question from OHSU....

Q1. What will be your greatest challenge in becoming a physician?
Are they asking about challenges (1) I WILL face after becoming a physician or (2) challenges while I was developing from layperson to physician.
Will really appreciate your help on this one.
Thanks a million
 
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Can anyone please help in clarifying this question from OHSU....

Q1. What will be your greatest challenge in becoming a physician?
Are they asking about challenges (1) I WILL face after becoming a physician or (2) challenges while I was developing from layperson to physician.
Will really appreciate your help on this one.
Thanks a million

I wrote about overcoming death but also turned it into a positive. So challenges I will face.
 
Can anyone please help in clarifying this question from OHSU....

Q1. What will be your greatest challenge in becoming a physician?
Are they asking about challenges (1) I WILL face after becoming a physician or (2) challenges while I was developing from layperson to physician.
Will really appreciate your help on this one.
Thanks a million

Personally, I focused on the journey towards becoming a physician and how learning/maintaining x-quality would translate into a more altruistic and patient-oriented public servant rather than someone who just sees stats and symptoms. Stayed away from actual strife as a physician.
 
Personally, I focused on the journey towards becoming a physician and how learning/maintaining x-quality would translate into a more altruistic and patient-oriented public servant rather than someone who just sees stats and symptoms. Stayed away from actual strife as a physician.

Great idea!!! Thanks so much. Wish you all the best!!
 
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I have a question about the adversity part of the application. I haven't really experienced any of the adversity listed, I have had mild economic adversity at best, and I don't really have anything to write about except that money was a bit tight when I was a kid. Have any of you had issues with this? Do you think it would be wrong not to write something here?
 
I have a question about the adversity part of the application. I haven't really experienced any of the adversity listed, I have had mild economic adversity at best, and I don't really have anything to write about except that money was a bit tight when I was a kid. Have any of you had issues with this? Do you think it would be wrong not to write something here?

No two applications are the same but I left all the adversity essays blank and was accepted last cycle. In my opinion if you are reaching to try to come up with material then you should leave it blank.

Best of luck to everyone applying this cycle! OHSU rocks!
 
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Can anyone please help in clarifying this question from OHSU....

Q1. What will be your greatest challenge in becoming a physician?
Are they asking about challenges (1) I WILL face after becoming a physician or (2) challenges while I was developing from layperson to physician.
Will really appreciate your help on this one.
Thanks a million

IMO... The phrase "in becoming" implies your journey as a student. If they wanted you to respond with a difficulty you might face as a physician, I'd imagine they would word the question like "what will be your greatest challenge AS a physician?"

Think about it as if it were the CARS section on the MCAT lol. It might be a good way to weed those out who don't meet their standards of reading comprehension.
 
I have a question about the adversity part of the application. I haven't really experienced any of the adversity listed, I have had mild economic adversity at best, and I don't really have anything to write about except that money was a bit tight when I was a kid. Have any of you had issues with this? Do you think it would be wrong not to write something here?
Rule of thumb from adcoms here seems to be: if you have nothing important to say about an adversity or diversity prompt and it's not a required field, to leave it blank. Sometimes saying nothing comes off much better than trying to BS an answer that adcoms will detect and view as you wasting their time.
 
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Sheesh, this secondary wrung out my soul. Good job, OHSU.
I need a nice glass of a scotch and a teddy bear.
 
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High GPA, average 2015 MCAT, applying OOS MD/MPH.
Does application for dual degree program really help for "mission group?"
 
What a peculiar set of secondary questions! not digging it !
 
Hello, quick question here. I'm waiting for my MCAT score before I decide whether I'll submit to OHSU, so I haven't gotten a secondary yet and am a bit blind to some of this stuff. Hoping to prewrite all of this in case I do, so:
1) For entering the experiences section on the secondary, do we have to re-write everything from our AMCAS application, or can we just use the descriptions from the AMCAS section and paste it into the secondary? Do they want a different take on the activities or what, and if so, how do they want it written?
2) What is the character limit for the adversity question?
Thanks in advance, would be hugely appreciated!
 
Hello, quick question here. I'm waiting for my MCAT score before I decide whether I'll submit to OHSU, so I haven't gotten a secondary yet and am a bit blind to some of this stuff. Hoping to prewrite all of this in case I do, so:
1) For entering the experiences section on the secondary, do we have to re-write everything from our AMCAS application, or can we just use the descriptions from the AMCAS section and paste it into the secondary? Do they want a different take on the activities or what, and if so, how do they want it written?
2) What is the character limit for the adversity question?
Thanks in advance, would be hugely appreciated!
The experiences is way easier than AMCAS. You just need to name and give dates for your last five years of major extracurricular and employment experiences. You only get 100 characters per experience. Just a title.

I can't remember the exact character limit but it was enormous. I didn't fill it. At least 4000 characters. I think they just want to give people a chance to explain their responses to the degree of severity with which they described their adversity in the four categories: economic, educational, cultural/racial, and familial. You can say you had no adversity, mild, moderate, or severe in each category.
 
The experiences is way easier than AMCAS. You just need to name and give dates for your last five years of major extracurricular and employment experiences. You only get 100 characters per experience. Just a title.

I can't remember the exact character limit but it was enormous. I didn't fill it. At least 4000 characters. I think they just want to give people a chance to explain their responses to the degree of severity with which they described their adversity in the four categories: economic, educational, cultural/racial, and familial. You can say you had no adversity, mild, moderate, or severe in each category.

Awesome, thanks so much. Definitely gives me relief, because I'm going to be very busy when I get the secondary, so if I have everything pre-written, it will be a snap. Plus, I didn't want to have to enter all of my activities again, that would have been a pain, so that's helpful to know it's easier.
Thanks again, cheers!
 
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Does OHSU send an email confirming that they received your secondary and payment? I submitted my secondary last week but I didn't get an email confirmation. On the portal it does say that they received my secondary but they never confirmed if they received the secondary fee.
 
I am about to submit mine. So annoying that they ask you to input your activities again, so redundant.
 
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If I recall correctly from last year, it took my application about seven weeks to reach processed status after submitting my secondary.
 


This video had me feeling some type of way when I was trying to write my "why OHSU?" essay for the MD/MPH secondary.

Edit: words
 
This video had me feeling some type of way when I was trying to write my "why OHSU?" essay for the MD/MPH secondary.

Whoever was filming the Asian guy with glasses was having an awful lot of trouble zooming and panning properly.
 
I am not sure what to do with this adversity portion. It says to describe the nature of the adversity but it gives 4000 characters. I could probably describe the nature of the adversity in 100 characters. Do they want an essay explaining what I learned from the adversity? If so, I already have an essay written that I could use. Thoughts?
 
I gotta rant a little bit...Beside the already monstrous secondary questions, why is that they have to make you write essentially another AMCAS activities section with their 20 major activities bull crap (yes, it is absolutely the only way I would describe this stupid requirement). It's like they think it's funny to make people spend time repeating something that they already have in their hands. Honestly, it just rub me the wrong way when schools do this. Rant over and sorry people.
 
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Just submitted as an OOS MD/MPH applicant. Really excited about this school despite my OOS status.

Anyone have insight on how long it took for your app to be processed?
 
Hey guys, not sure if this has already been asked and I'm sorry if it's repetitive, but for Question #1 What experience have you had that has given you insight into the patients you hope to eventually serve?

Instead of choosing one particular experience can it be a compilation of experiences?

I would be talking about my experiences volunteering and shadowing doctors in rural and underserved communities (the area of medicine I wish to pursue) as well as my interactions with patients as a PT aide. Or is the question asking for one specific example where I gained the most insight?

Any advice would be helpful! Thanks!
 
Hey guys, not sure if this has already been asked and I'm sorry if it's repetitive, but for Question #1 What experience have you had that has given you insight into the patients you hope to eventually serve?

Instead of choosing one particular experience can it be a compilation of experiences?

I would be talking about my experiences volunteering and shadowing doctors in rural and underserved communities (the area of medicine I wish to pursue) as well as my interactions with patients as a PT aide. Or is the question asking for one specific example where I gained the most insight?

Any advice would be helpful! Thanks!

I interpreted it to mean "experience" in an abstract sense, not necessarily a single discrete activity. I am sure that they would not toss your application for writing about more than one thing.
 
I interpreted it to mean "experience" in an abstract sense, not necessarily a single discrete activity. I am sure that they would not toss your application for writing about more than one thing.

Thank you!
 
No two applications are the same but I left all the adversity essays blank and was accepted last cycle. In my opinion if you are reaching to try to come up with material then you should leave it blank.

Were they not required last year? This part of the application is titled "REQUIRED SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS."
 
Trying to finish this beast today!!!! 3 secondaries left. Oof.

I'm OOS, so this feels like I'm just throwing my thoughts and money into the ether. However, better to apply and get rejected that regretting not applying.
 
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Trying to finish this beast today!!!! 3 secondaries left. Oof.

I'm OOS, so this feels like I'm just throwing my thoughts and money into the ether. However, better to apply and get rejected that regretting not applying.
Haha I'm out of state and I felt the same way. Especially because I barely make the cut for their oos requirements. Good luck!
 
Were they not required last year? This part of the application is titled "REQUIRED SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS."
The adversity essay is in the next section. It isn't one of the 6 required essays.
 
Oh boy, my score is up tomorrow. Hopefully, I will get above 510 :(
 
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