Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include scenarios about personal successes and challenges, ethical dilemmas like witnessing cheating, motivations for pursuing medicine, experiences with diversity, and advocacy instances. Some respondents mentioned an MMI format, where questions were standardized, and there were references to nondisclosure agreements, indicating a structured interview process and confidentiality requirements.
Describe a time in your life when things were going very well for you and you were very happy and describe why. Name a time when things weren't going well, you were unhappy, and why.
How'd you end up here...your academic strenghths/weaknesses and how do u deal w the weakness.. I see both your parents have masters, is education valued in your family? You are an immigrant, and you wrote that u'd like to work with underserved populations.. do you feel like you can identify better with this population?
Asked us to read a scenario and pick which answer we thought was the correct response. Kind of weird because all the interviewers are just staring at you while you read.
Students said most interesting question asked at Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific - Northwest discussed a variety of topics including qualities desired by future patients, challenges in medical school, role-playing scenarios, opinions on healthcare policy, and the future of osteopathy. The interview format may have included an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) with role-playing scenarios, possibly subject to a nondisclosure agreement based on respondents' mentions of specific interview content.
What qualities would you hope your future patient would use to describe you?
An impromptu role-playing scenario that was specific to my work experience and that pretty much re-created my deepest, darkest fear. They didn't know this, and I managed to do well, but boy did I sweat!
There is a "role play" segment of the interview: The interviewer acts as a student who does not take responsibility for group project, how would I confront them. It was a little difficult for me to refer to the Doctor who interviewed me as a student.
Students said the most difficult question asked at Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific - Northwest discussed a variety of challenging topics including overcoming struggles, ethical dilemmas, advocating for others, and dealing with mistakes. Several responses mentioned an MMI format with nondisclosure requirements, indicating that the interview may have been structured as a Multiple Mini Interview where specifics cannot be disclosed.
When did you advocate for someone? I've advocated for several causes (ie. environmental, political issues) but I've never directly advocated for one person, that was difficult for me to answer.
Rodeway Inn in Albany, OR. Had everything I needed and was an easy 15 min drive from the school. The continental breakfast is toast and instant oatmeal.
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by reviewing their application materials, practicing common interview questions, researching the school, seeking advice from online resources like SDN, and discussing healthcare-related current events. Many emphasized the importance of practicing aloud, seeking feedback from others, and staying informed about medical news.
I reviewed my application and talked through some basic questions.
Read responses on SDN's interview feedback, watched youtube channels for MMI tips, read a book on interview tips, interviewed at other schools, wrote answers to common/expected questions and read them out loud the night before the interview.
Had an interview before this one which helped. Read and practiced questions online, read general MMI strategy, thoroughly reviewed by primary and secondary apps.
SDN for sure! read over my app, printed off a whole bunch of possible questions that I found on the internet and thought about each for a few minutes just in case I'd get asked the question, at least I'd thought about it once! Look over hc and medicine related news in the last couple of days
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the welcoming and supportive atmosphere of the school, highlighted by the dedication and friendliness of the faculty and staff. They appreciated the small class sizes, student-oriented approach, and the strong sense of community both within the school and in the surrounding area. The positive interactions during the interview process, the enthusiasm of the students, and the unique amenities and opportunities offered by the school were also major points of praise.
The quality of the interviewers and their questions and they all seemed very happy. Impressed with the location and small-town feel.
The staff is dedicated to the students. Since it is a smaller school, you are able to talk to the professors/staff/admin easily and things can change. They talked about a student that wanted a nutrition education and a professor created an extracurricular program/powerpoint to fulfill that need.
I was pleasantly surprised that I felt more at home here than I did at Western-Pomona. It shouldn't have been a surprise since I am from the NW. Still surprised by how I actually felt a difference in fit.
Before the interview part of the day was basically a big pep talk from a couple of the doctors which helped calm nerves. The students were candid and comfortable and seemed to really like where they were.
The dedication and support of the faculty and administration; how embedded the school is in the community of Lebanon and the surrounding area; I felt the school really cares about and supports its students.
The close knit atmosphere of the student and faculty, and the feeling that I could really fit in. One of the faculty made a Game of Thrones reference as part of his presentation whoch appealed strongly to my inner geek. The book store had a bin of microbial plushies which appealed strongly to my microbio background and inner child. On recommendation from one of the faculty, I visited MacDowell's creek, a nearby park in the mountain foothills, and I can attest to that the local area is great for those who apprciate the outdoors. I can really see myself living and studying here.
Very friendly interview process. Gave great non-verbal feedback during the interview. Interjected with their views every once in a while. Made it seem a bit more conversational.
The students we met were really happy/excited to be there, the staff were great and the professors amazing! The OMM presentation was top notch, I'm really excited to learn OMM! Nice lunch room, plenty of fridge space, pool table, foose ball table. Everything is super new!
The friendliness and commitment of the faculty and staff. Every person there, including community members were excited to be a part of this new campus. My interviewers were very kind and laid back and made sure I wasn't nervous. I very much enjoyed my interview.
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the length of the interview process, the small campus size, reliance on distance learning from another campus, lack of faculty presence, rural location, and limited diversity. Suggestions included reducing downtime, improving campus facilities, increasing interview time, and enhancing the food quality.
It was extremely long - which is fine, but there was a section of coming up with a group name that didn't make sense to me at all.
They kept asking if this was what I wanted to do (be a physician). It was an odd question because to me if I didn't want to be a doctor, I wouldn't have spent the time going through the stress of applications.
This isn't really a negative, but football's kind of a big deal here. Also, the student body is diverse in some ways (many Asians and a few other ethnicities present) but with how family-centric and rural the area is, I wonder about how comfortable an LGBT student would be here.
Lunch was the Mexican which I would normally applaud, however, it was the messiest Mexican I have ever seen. There was much joking amongst the applicants that this was a test of our manual dexterity, and that if we showed up without a stained suit for our afternoon interviews we were in. Other than that there was nothing negative.
A large portion of the classes are streamed from the Pomona campus. They dont have faculty for all the subjects at the school so the only way to contact them is discussion forums and telecommunications from Pomona. All this and still paying the same tuition as the Pomona students.
A VERY long day! 8:45-4. Most of the morning is info sessions and panels, so no interviews, but it builds the stress for the afternoon. Though you do come out of there with all of your questions answered and much more info!
No prep for the COMLEX, study on your own..there are still some kinks to be worked out as it is a new campus. Might be a little tight when the second class joins since its just one building..no changing rooms (everyone changes in the bathroom all at once)
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time that the MMI format is unique and not easily prepared for, to think carefully before answering questions, to dress slightly more formal for certain events, and to expect nerves during the interview process. Additionally, they recommended being aware of transportation challenges, bringing warm clothing, and being prepared for a more relaxed atmosphere during the MMI.
That the MMI is not traditional. They basically make their own mini version and the prompts are essentially impossible to 'prepare' for. Act natural.
That there was a football game at OSU on the same day and the freeways were clogged with people traveling down from Portland. Almost late to the interview.
It was my first interview, but I still didn't expect to be as nervous as I was. Made it hard for me to say all the things I was thinking....So I suppose I wish I knew how nervous I would be!
Applicants generally expressed positive impressions of the school, emphasizing its supportive and friendly atmosphere, strong community relationships, and opportunities for success in both academics and personal growth. The interview experience was described as relaxed and welcoming, with interviewers showing genuine interest in getting to know the candidates.
Felt like I was my best self on interview day, felt like I nailed both the traditional interview and MMI, was excited to receive a swift acceptance. Top choice school.
Western is a mix of traditional panel interview and MMI. Split into 2 sections. Details are made available by school website. Pretty standard interview. I felt like they took fewer notes than my interviewers in Pomona. Hopefully a good sign?
I was accepted to this school. After I looked at the pros and cons of the schools I interviewed with this was my number 1 choice DO school. This school is small but has great research opportunities and access to some really cool technology. The interview day was slightly intimidating because the overall feel of the day was very business like, but that showed me the rigor and prestige of the academics at this school and gave me the confidence to know if I decide to go the DO route I will be at a school that will ensure my success.
The interview day is long, and the interview/MMI's are at the end of it. But by that time, you're pretty comfortable, so overall it was the most relaxed interview experience I've had. The interviewers went out of their way to be friendly and supportive during my interview.
Love the school. Small town, but plenty to do if you love the outdoors. Great community atmosphere. Local beer is up to snuff. Curriculum seems right on the target. All in all, I could really see myself at this school.
Great experience. COMP-NW seems like a great school: very friendly and supportive students and faculty, great location, pretty good rotation locations, and overall a good feel.
Relax! It really is a great interviewing experience, no weird/extremely difficult questions.. the interviewers were great! The school is good, I really liked the area and the school. yes it is small but if that's what you like, you'll love it here. You will def get a lot of personal attention and rest assured everyone is here because they really want to be and they really want to help you/see you succeed! I felt reaallly welcome, from the staff and the people of Lebanon. Feel free to pm me if you have any questions I can try and answer :) (I have been accepted)
I am now OMS 1 here and love it. The people are amazing and that's why I chose this school. Come interview here, you will love the faculty, staff, building- everything! My classmates are also great. They did a wonderful job selecting real people to become real doctors.
It seems to be a great place to go to. It is in a small town but Portland is not to far a way and Corvallis is close by. If you are into the outdoor life style it would be a great place to be.
prepare for a role playing session as well as a scenario question. I dont want to spoil all of the fun, but they ask you to read a scenario and then pick the best response to a "patient's" question from a list of 4 or 5 options
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants suggest that the admissions office should improve communication before interview day, schedule campus tours after interviews, consider holding interviews earlier in the day, and provide more information upfront about additional events like the pizza dinner. They also recommend notifying acceptances through email or phone instead of snail mail and ensuring clarity on communication channels between different offices.
Please schedule the campus tour after both the traditional interview and MMI. It was hard to act not anxious and engage with the tour guides when all you care about is getting the MMI over with. I really appreciated the effort the adcom made to help us relax, though, and I enjoyed the morning presentation, coffee and the lunch provided.
Communicate more positively and clearly before the interview day, especially about the pizza social and extra events available to interview candidates. Also make it more clear that some communication has to go through Pomona and others through Lebanon, it gets confusing about who handles what.
Give students info on the pizza dinner for the Friday before the interview right when you invite them. This would make it much easier to make travel arrangements.