How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
No responses
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
No responses
How did you prepare for the interview?
OHSU website, read up on literature (scientific), SDN
What impressed you positively?
I was impressed by the "up-and-coming" feel that I got from the research faculty at the school. (See my Summary and Comments for more details.) The facilities, seem very nice (the labs that I saw were decked out!).
Portland is an awesome city!! A previous interviewee's post said it was "cozy" and that's the perfect word for it. Nice people, beautiful blend of city and outdoors, and a lot of pubs (if you're interested)! Also, the public transportation in Portland is outstanding.
The students, who all seem happy, are mostly older (late 20s in year one). The benefit of this is that many have had awesome experiences -- working, travelling, etc. -- and are fun people to talk to and interact with.
What impressed you negatively?
There are only a few spots available (since they are a brand new MSTP), so they place most people on the waiting list and decide VERY late. This may be a problem if you want to know where you are going soon.
Depending on your area of research interest, opportunities could range from superb to non-existent.
The focus of the school is still certainly on primary care. It feels as though this is changing however.
The school is not diverse at all -- culturally, racially, etc. When asked about this matter, an administrator said that this was because Portland as a city is 80% white. However, ~40-60% of their students are from out of state. It doesn't seem like they are actively recruiting minorities.
The students are mostly older. Althought I also listed this as something that 'positively impressed' me, the downside of this is that they seem to stick more to their own. I didn't get that great a sense of community, or the class as a family. They seemed very granulated, with their own interests/goals(/families).
During my visit, there was a proposed budget cut from the state that, if it went through, would have a fairly severe impact on OHSU. This is definitely something to read/ask about when you are there. (Will programs be cut? Which? Rural medicine rotation seemed a likely target.)
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
If I had known how beautiful and cool Portland is, I would have extended my stay there beyond just the interview.
I also wished I had known about the proposed state budget cut.
They discourage summer rotations prior to your first year. While I like that they are promoting students to get out and enjoy freedom before entering the breach, I'm curious how this would lengthen the MSTP period (8 yrs.? 9 yrs? more??). Unfortunately, there are not yet any MSTP alumni from OHSU to ask about this.
What are your general comments?
I really enjoyed my interview day at OHSU. I found the interviewers to be among the most skillful I've come across. For the most part, they asked good questions that allowed me, in a non-stressful atmosphere, to elaborate on my research interests, motivations, and goals. I felt like I was able to get my personality across to them as well. Overall it was a very postive experience.
OHSU recently received accreditation from the NIH for an MSTP. This seemed to have potential pros and cons. On the one hand, OHSU's research has a very up-and-coming feeling to it. They are investing a lot of money into new facilities and the recruitment of basic science investigators. On the other hand, having a new MSTP means that it will likely take some time to have the Program up and running as efficiently as some other schools. Luckily Peter Rotwein, the Director, seems very well suited for this challenge. I got the impression that he was behind his MSTPs 100%, and was very competent.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
No responses
