2020-2021 Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-HCOM)

[PapaGuava]

Please feel free to tag a pre-medical moderator when the secondary prompt is posted.

Good luck to everyone applying!

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Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

Review of Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine . Get the latest information, opinions of fellow students, and LizzyM and SDN Rankings.

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[stormking]

Hi~
Any current students from OU-HCOM that can provide some prospective? I want to know which location is better Athens, Cleveland, Dublin. I prefer urban settings. Is Cleveland site better in terms of living condition??

 

[adidas229]

How many OOS applicants do they accept/make up the class? Any preference for surrounding states, like KY?

I chose Cleveland as my top campus choice and have to write the following essay: "Tell us about an experience or experiences that has/have prepared you to enter family medicine and how you feel you will impact your community in or around Cleveland, Akron or Northeast Ohio. "

(Dublin has the same essay)

Do Cleveland and Dublin only focus on family medicine? Why such a specific question?

 

[Mdcsmitty]

Im out of state and just got the secondary but i went to ohio u for undergrad

 

[Mdcsmitty]

@PapaGuava
Secondary Questions

Required Essay 500 Words Max

Describe a situation where you chose to advocate for someone who is different from yourself. What does advocacy mean to you and how has your advocacy developed? How do you see it linked to your role as a physician/leader? What risks, if any, might be associated with your choice to be an advocate?

All applicants are required to answer one of the following three questions in the form of a short essay, 250 words maximum. Make sure to include the question itself at the top of your essay; this will not count toward the 250 words. Please name the file using the following format: "last name, first name, selected essay".

1. Describe the community in which you were nurtured or spent the majority of your early development with respect to its demographics. What core values did you receive and how will these translate into the contributions you hope to make to your community as a medical student and later as a physician?

2. There are multiple paths that lead to medical school and many obstacles along the way. Please describe the unique path that has led you to medicine as well as any obstacle or adversity that you had to overcome in achieving this goal. How will this experience affect your career as a physician?

3. Part of OU-HCOM's mission is to embrace diversity and public service and improve the health and wellbeing of underserved populations. Describe what that means to you and how you would contribute to that mission as a student and as a future physician.

 

[stormking]

How many OOS applicants do they accept/make up the class? Any preference for surrounding states, like KY?

I chose Cleveland as my top campus choice and have to write the following essay: "Tell us about an experience or experiences that has/have prepared you to enter family medicine and how you feel you will impact your community in or around Cleveland, Akron or Northeast Ohio. "

(Dublin has the same essay)

Do Cleveland and Dublin only focus on family medicine? Why such a specific question?

This is some kind of joke...? What if I like the location and not so much family medicine..

 

[medgal98]

Turned in my secondary application last night and got a confirmation this morning that my application is complete and ready for review. Anyone have any idea when adcoms meet to extend interview invites? I’m in state btw. I’ve been told they interview in state applicants first.

 

[medgal98]

How many OOS applicants do they accept/make up the class? Any preference for surrounding states, like KY?

I chose Cleveland as my top campus choice and have to write the following essay: "Tell us about an experience or experiences that has/have prepared you to enter family medicine and how you feel you will impact your community in or around Cleveland, Akron or Northeast Ohio. "

(Dublin has the same essay)

Do Cleveland and Dublin only focus on family medicine? Why such a specific question?

5-10% of the class is made up of out of state students. I’m not sure if there’s a regional preference for bordering states but I would assume there is.

OU-HCOM as a whole says they want to produce primary care physicians, and specifically family medicine physicians. This makes sense because they’re a state funded institution so they’re trying to train physicians who will likely practice in underserved areas of the state. If you take a look at their match list, about 60ish percent of the students match into primary care (family med, internal med, peds) buy plenty choose to specialize instead. No one campus has a more primary care focus than another. The school is just more likely to admit applicants who claim they are open to practicing primary care. You are always free to specialize

 

[medgal98]

This is some kind of joke...? What if I like the location and not so much family medicine..

If you’re not interested in primary care at all, they may not accept you for this reason

 

[stormking]

If you’re not interested in primary care at all, they may not accept you for this reason

So I just gotta say, I'm opened to that option.... Pretty BS...

 

[Buckeyeforever]

Has anyone had an issue with submitting the secondary. I went through paid and submitted. Got the email receipt for payment and then I logged on to the portal today and it says It’s not submitted. I don’t want to pay again, but I didn’t know if anyone else had run into this issue.

 

[antibody dance now]

Has anyone had an issue with submitting the secondary. I went through paid and submitted. Got the email receipt for payment and then I logged on to the portal today and it says It’s not submitted. I don’t want to pay again, but I didn’t know if anyone else had run into this issue.

I also ran into this situation. I ended up having to e-mail the admissions committee with a copy of my receipt. They were very quick to respond. They will let you know when they fix it on their end and then you'll be able to submit the application. All the best!

 

[premed1996]

Secondary received today! OOS, complete 5/29

 

[phrenicnerve]

If I selected Cleveland and Dublin as my #1 & #2 campus rankings should I submit the same essay for both, or do they both require a different essay? I am interested in primary care

EDIT: I am also an OOS applicant from a bordering state

 

[premed1996]

If I selected Cleveland and Dublin as my #1 & #2 campus rankings should I submit the same essay for both, or do they both require a different essay? I am interested in primary care

same question here, ha! Also did anybody notice there is no word/character limit for the campus essays? Or did I just miss something

 

[phrenicnerve]

same question here, ha! Also did anybody notice there is no word/character limit for the campus essays? Or did I just miss something

I noticed that as well!

 

[phrenicnerve]

same question here, ha! Also did anybody notice there is no word/character limit for the campus essays? Or did I just miss something

update: I emailed admissions and they said there doesn't necessarily need to be a difference in the essays, they just want candidates to explain why they want to attend that campus or some type of connection they have to attend that campus.

 

[medgal98]

If I selected Cleveland and Dublin as my #1 & #2 campus rankings should I submit the same essay for both, or do they both require a different essay? I am interested in primary care

EDIT: I am also an OOS applicant from a bordering state

I made the "why I am interested in primary care" part of both essays exactly the same then made the second-half of each essay an explanation of why I wanted to attend that specific campus (ties to the area, proximity to family, etc.)

 

[let-me-take-my-mcat]

Is anyone else reconsidering, after reading about the 5 year contract?

 

[stormking]

I made the "why I am interested in primary care" part of both essays exactly the same then made the second-half of each essay an explanation of why I wanted to attend that specific campus (ties to the area, proximity to family, etc.)

I didn't really made that distinction and should have. But the question prompt didn't really ask for why you want to practice in that area so I didn't explain.... Crap

 

[let-me-take-my-mcat]

Does anyone know if all students have to participate in the TOUCH program, or just the Cleveland campus?

 

[rachillthefout]

Is anyone else reconsidering, after reading about the 5 year contract?

the WHAT now lol OOS here

 

[let-me-take-my-mcat]

the WHAT now lol OOS here

You have to sign a contract saying you'll practice in OH for 5 years (if you do residency in OH it can count towards the 5 years). If you break the contract you have to pay them the tuition they waived or something. But there are some "scholarships" available in which they waive the contract for OOS people. Yeah, I was surprised too.

 

[Severedbox53]

You have to sign a contract saying you'll practice in OH for 5 years (if you do residency in OH it can count towards the 5 years). If you break the contract you have to pay them the tuition they waived or something. But there are some "scholarships" available in which they waive the contract for OOS people. Yeah, I was surprised too.

I was under the impression that a residency in OH does NOT count towards the 5 years....
I might have read it wrong
Hopefully you're right.

 

[let-me-take-my-mcat]

I was under the impression that a residency in OH does NOT count towards the 5 years....
I might have read it wrong
Hopefully you're right.

I could've read it wrong too

 

[theres100schooldays]

Is anyone else reconsidering, after reading about the 5 year contract?

Literally yes!!!!!!! I contemplated and said to just go ahead and apply just in case, but I'm getting strong feelings of not wanting to go there plus I've heard they mostly prefer IS and so i figured i didn't have great chances as OOS with mediocre stats

 

[deleted1060249]

I would recommend applying anyways if you've submitted a primary already but not for that reason in particular. There's a good chance you can have your OOS contract waived. See here and there's more examples if you dig deeper.

 

[let-me-take-my-mcat]

Does anyone know if the ADCOMS read responses to all the campuses you choose? I'm writing different responses for each one, but there's a paragraph or two that I'd like to keep the same because they're well-written (so I'm hesitant to tweak at all) and are applicable to both campuses. I don't want to be redundant, though, but I wasn't sure if Cleveland ADCOMS only look at the Cleveland response, and vice versa for Dublin.

 

[SeaBisquit]

Does anyone know if the ADCOMS read responses to all the campuses you choose? I'm writing different responses for each one, but there's a paragraph or two that I'd like to keep the same because they're well-written (so I'm hesitant to tweak at all) and are applicable to both campuses. I don't want to be redundant, though, but I wasn't sure if Cleveland ADCOMS only look at the Cleveland response, and vice versa for Dublin.

I think they mainly use it if you are invited to interview which they will keep your first choice campus in mind. So that’s likely the essay they will have out in the interview. In short yes they do look at it but it’s mainly to gauge fit.

 

[let-me-take-my-mcat]

I think they mainly use it if you are invited to interview which they will keep your first choice campus in mind. So that’s likely the essay they will have out in the interview. In short yes they do look at it but it’s mainly to gauge fit.

Now I'm a little worried. I didn't want to literally say the same thing and sound lazy, so I wrote different essays for each of the campuses, but talked about different EC's/experiences in each one to try to cover the most ground, thinking maybe they'd read the essays and then pick a campus to offer an interview at. So there are things I'd have liked to have mentioned in both, but I thought the same person would read both essays

 

[SeaBisquit]

Now I'm a little worried. I didn't want to literally say the same thing and sound lazy, so I wrote different essays for each of the campuses, but talked about different EC's/experiences in each one to try to cover the most ground, thinking maybe they'd read the essays and then pick a campus to offer an interview at. So there are things I'd have liked to have mentioned in both, but I thought the same person would read both essays

Don’t worry about that! You’ll have a chance to talk about it at the interview and they have your entire app printed out. I only ranked Dublin and Athens so I only had the one campus essay. You also have the opportunity to change your preference the day of the interview. Deep breaths it’s early still!

 

[let-me-take-my-mcat]

Don’t worry about that! You’ll have a chance to talk about it at the interview and they have your entire app printed out. I only ranked Dublin and Athens so I only had the one campus essay. You also have the opportunity to change your preference the day of the interview. Deep breaths it’s early still!

Thanks!

 

[stormking]

anyone's app status for hte Lors changed or still as marked as not received??

 

[Surgical Spoon]

Is secondary for OUHCOM invite only? OOS here and haven't heard anything from OUHCOM yet.

 

[stormking]

Just got the email that the secondary is verified. OOS here...

 

[let-me-take-my-mcat]

Is secondary for OUHCOM invite only? OOS here and haven't heard anything from OUHCOM yet.

Got my secondary invite last week and I'm very OOS. I wouldn't worry yet, I'm sure they're just doing things in batches.

 

[heyitsme18]

OOS but in neighboring state and just received secondary. LM64. AACOMAS Verified on 6/24

 

[heyitsme18]

How many OOS applicants do they accept/make up the class? Any preference for surrounding states, like KY?

I chose Cleveland as my top campus choice and have to write the following essay: "Tell us about an experience or experiences that has/have prepared you to enter family medicine and how you feel you will impact your community in or around Cleveland, Akron or Northeast Ohio. "

(Dublin has the same essay)

Do Cleveland and Dublin only focus on family medicine? Why such a specific question?

they must have changed this question because it now has dropped family medicine and just says "Tell us about an experience or experiences that has/have prepared you to enter medicine and how you feel you will impact your community in and around..."

 

[Mdcsmitty]

they must have changed this question because it now has dropped family medicine and just says "Tell us about an experience or experiences that has/have prepared you to enter medicine and how you feel you will impact your community in and around..."

That sucks I already submitted but didn't put Cleveland first because I didn't want to commit to Family Medicine.

 

[Laxeras]

Hi guys , hopefully I’m not too late to help , but I am an incoming first year that is matriculating this august, let me know if I can be of any help.

 

[deleted889667]

Hi guys , hopefully I’m not too late to help , but I am an incoming first year that is matriculating this august, let me know if I can be of any help.

What campus?

 

[Laxeras]

What campus?

Athens!

 

[deleted889667]

Athens!

What drew you to Athens over Cleveland or Dublin? I am having a tough time deciding whether to put Athens or Cleveland as my #1 choice

 

[rachillthefout]

Athens!

are you in state or out of state?

 

[lava_grl]

Also received my secondary this morning

 

[_Trauma_Queen_]

OOS from Florida!
Secondary received this morning!

 

[lenitsa]

Hi guys , hopefully I’m not too late to help , but I am an incoming first year that is matriculating this august, let me know if I can be of any help.

Hi Laxeras!
I am currently in another professional program and considering submitting an app for this cycle to OUHCOM. It was my original dream and I’m finding myself unfulfilled academically. I have strong ties to Dublin and three kids, one in the school system and two under two years old. I’m wondering, how late are they taking MCATs? Do you happen to know if I’m able to take a Jan MCAT? That’s what it seems to be saying on the admissions site. I’m also curious, do you know anything regarding how their 3rd and 4th year rotations are decided? Do M3 and M4 students with families tend to stay in the area in Dublin? I know you are just matriculating, but perhaps you have some insight!

Thank you!

 

[Kingslayer3395]

Do you know when they first start sending interviews? I really want to attend OU-HCOM but my averages are a little low

 

[SeaBisquit]

Hi Laxeras!
I am currently in another professional program and considering submitting an app for this cycle to OUHCOM. It was my original dream and I’m finding myself unfulfilled academically. I have strong ties to Dublin and three kids, one in the school system and two under two years old. I’m wondering, how late are they taking MCATs? Do you happen to know if I’m able to take a Jan MCAT? That’s what it seems to be saying on the admissions site. I’m also curious, do you know anything regarding how their 3rd and 4th year rotations are decided? Do M3 and M4 students with families tend to stay in the area in Dublin? I know you are just matriculating, but perhaps you have some insight!

Thank you!

Double check the MCAT requirement. I think that was how I initially read it as well but I think they only accept a Jan MCAT if you have another test score on file. As for your Dublin specific questions, I have been in Columbus since 2014 and will be matriculating this fall and they try to keep people where they are from. Rotations vary in campus. Dublin rotations are through Ohio Health in central Ohio so you may have to do a bit of driving but you won’t be doing rotations at the Clinic sites or southern Ohio hospitals more than likely.

 

[deleted988803]

I'm almost considering not finishing my secondary due to the OOS agreement. Reading the fine print it looks like if you find an amazing opportunity elsewhere in the country, you're forced to pay back the annual enrollment in 30 days, which I can't even find the actual number for. Additionally in the contract, it states that "this amount will be used to help provide medical education for one medical student" which I cannot even figure out what that means and it's nowhere to be found on their website. I tried calling but got a voicemail and no callback. Just sent an email. Previous communications with this school, while I was in UG for research, were shoddy at best.