<p>All the med schools in our region (Southwest/Rocky Mts–excluding CA) are intensely regionally oriented. (To the point that OOS shouldn’t bother applying unless they can demonstrate a strong genuine connection to the region.) In part this is because all the schools are public and therefore are supported by state funding and residents want to see a return on their investment. (e.g. doctors who stay in the state) Even the two of the few nearby publics (in TX) that is very open to OSS applicants are what I call zip code aware. They will accept students from the south and eastern portion of my state (adjacent to rural western TX–which is those schools primary service areas), but not from the north, north central, central or western areas of our state.</p>
<p>And both D1 and her BF both experienced an instant rejection after submitting a screened secondaries to a private SE school which was match for her and safety for him–presumably because the in-state med school is approx equivalent in rank, but about 1/2 to 1/3 the cost and they assumed they wouldn’t come if accepted in-state. Also because neither had any major ties to the SE state in question, though they would have happily moved there and enjoyed the availability of nearby outdoor sports opportunities, and perhaps even stayed permanently in the area.</p>
<p>As for how they ‘see’ where an applicant is interviewing–there’s central clearinghouse that tracks reports from schools. While AAMC has never said other than this is used to make sure that each applicant retains only 1 acceptance after May 15, it’s been suspected that schools can peek at the interim reporting (who’s been accepted, who’s being interviewed) way ahead of the May 15th deadline. Although our state school supposedly used blind interviews (interviewers don’t have the applicant’s full file, including their GPA or MCAT score), D1 reported at least one of her interviewers knew all her info–including where else she applied.</p>
<p>I go to med school at a state school in the midwest. >85% of my class is from my state (although not all of them went to UG in my state–some went out of state). Of the remaining 15%, they all had to prove through extra essays that they had a significant tie to the state (typically family in the area and/or a significant other who is moving/living here). I know every person in my class of 104, and I can think of…fewer than 10 who are not from my state–and they’re all from contiguous states.</p>
<p>^^ Following on kristin’s observation. Kristin’s school auto-rejected D1 even though she has numerous relatives (aunts, uncles, dozen of cousins) who live in rural Missouri and D1 wrote explanations about visiting the family farms while growing up and how she was willing to considering practicing the medically underserved areas where they live. </p>
<p>State schools are acutely aware of serving the needs of the state.</p>
<p>DD has had one completed - in state, Temple. She had applied to multiple in Phily but didn’t get any other invites so she could synch her trip. One scheduled for a NY school after 10/15 and a DO school later this year also.</p>
<p>True - they’re also aware that they get a lot more money from OOS students haha. The two schools that immediately jump to mind that essentially take no out of state students at all (i.e. maybe a few a year) are ECU (East Carolina) and University of Hawaii. Then there is a wide continuum of other schools that take a range of OOS students. The one amusing constant seems to be that (for both public and private schools), after the state in which a given school is located, the next highest number of students are from California, simply because there are so many of us spreading around the country to various med schools :)</p>
<p>The interesting thing is that AFAIK the data seems to support the idea that most doctors end up practicing within 70-100 miles of their residency location (not their med school). So they should try to stack their residencies with in state residents :D</p>
<p>Icarus, could you give your opinion on how much schools know about who is interviewing where, and what you think that means for acceptances and rejections?</p>
At one time, I found online the match list of the graduate class of a medical school which is located several thousands miles from my home state. Out of about 150 students who matched into their residency programs, a grand total of one student matched to a program in my home state – and this is not a small state.</p>
<p>Reading this list, I can not but believe that this particular medical school likely takes very few students from my home state each year, even though I do not have any proof on my speculation.</p>
<p>DS learned from somebody that, in the medicine career, the earlier you start to “stay put” in or near the area where you will end up with eventually, the better. The reason is that the doctors need to establish their “connections” with the peers in their local medicine related circle. This may mean that you had better go to a medical school as well as a residency program not far from where you will be eventually. An exception may be the academic medicine.</p>
<p>I wonder whether this “somebody” has his point or not.</p>
<p>The two schools that immediately jump to mind that essentially take no out of state students at all (i.e. maybe a few a year) are ECU (East Carolina) and University of Hawaii.</p>
<p>I don’t think Ole Miss nor LSU take any OOS students either.</p>
<p>Don’t bother applying to U of WA OOS, it’s a waste of your fees, they take very few OOS kids. I have heard the same for UCI & UCD in CA, same with NV & UT. </p>
<p>As a matter of fact, in the west & midwest about the only state schools worth a try are: OR, AZ, UCLA/UCSF (but their averages are so high, you need to be a stellar applicant) and TX. TX does not take that many, but they are open to it, DD got two interviews there. She applied to most of the schools west of the Mississippi as she really did not want to move east and though she got a lot of secondaries, even screen ones, it is as difficult as they say to get interviews, let alone acceptances when you are OOS</p>
<p>I don’t know enough about it to give a good opinion. Whenever I interview applicants, I only get a copy of their AMCAS. I’ll have to ask one of the adcom members one of these days if they can see more.</p>
<p>Son did manage to get a secondary and interview from Univ of Washington as an OOS but by that time (took a while, on their part he was complete early) he had been interviewed/accepted by schools that were higher on his list, so he opted to not fly to the other side of the country. I think their fee wasn’t too bad, $35?</p>
<p>^ Just curious: was he an MD/PhD applicant or at least one of his strong points was his research experience? The reason why I ask is that I happen to know an applicant who applied to U. of Wash. from California (so he was OOS) several years ago and got in but he was an MD/PhD applicant.</p>
<p>I always suspect that the “tie to the local community” requirement is more lenient for these kinds of applicants but I have no proof for that. </p>
<p>On a second look at some medical school, DS even noticed an admitted student is very likely an international (at least he had not been in this country very long.). A “typical” state school that has more responsibilities to produce the first-line primary doctors has less incentive in recruiting this kind of students whose strong “selling point” is mostly his/her research capabilities, but a top research medical school may more likely make use of the talent/experiences of such a student.</p>
<p>Kat, that is the first time I have ever heard of a non-Wwami that was not going MD/Phd ever getting to first base with UW. But, as I well know, the boy presented a unique and compelling resume so…maybe something in there was an “exception”.</p>
<p>Thanks Curm. No, he was not a MD/PHd applicant rather he was/is looking for his MD/MBA/MPH. The combined programs are still being considered but the school he matriculated to does not offer an MD/MBA but an MD/MPH. There is still an opportunity between one of the years to attend one of the MBA programs which will allow a combined program even if you do not attend their respective MD programs.</p>
<p>Michigan, Dartmouth, Penn’s Wharton, Cornell and HBS will allow the MD/MBA without having to attend their MD schools. He was accepted to some of these but the med school he is currently attending made him a great offer, good enough to not take the other MD/MBA options and try his chances again later. And maybe with a better outcome, at least financially. Some of the B school’s tuition is much more than the MD programs so he wanted to be as careful as possible about the loan money, since he knew he was on his own money-wise.</p>
<p>Again, only 1 of his safeties and 2 matches ever contacted him after a certain date. He had been contacted early by several schools requesting an app and assigning him a special “admissions” contact, ie Vandy, Emory, Northwestern, Miami…and after he scheduled his H interview he had no other contact from them and many others.</p>
<p>I agree, Kat. What is he either did not get in or did not like H? They might have missed out on him just because of fear of yield just because he interviewed there.</p>
<p>Just an update to bump this thread. My daughter just got back from an interview today and in telling me the details said that “guy X” would also be at another of her invites later this week, and “girl Y” would be at another next week. I find it interesting that the same students run into each other on the interview trail. </p>
<p>On the downside, the tour guide laughed and said that 3 girls (including my daughter) looked like they had all shopped together. I think she needs some color in her interview suit to distinguish her from all the other funeral director looking kids.</p>
<p>How is the interview cycle going for everybody? It’s too early for winter travel horror stories like Mudgette had last year, but unfortunately I’m sure they are to come.</p>
<p>I’m jealous of all of you who have easy access to an airport. To go to interviews, D’s school requires either a $60 shuttle van to the closest airport which usually has more expensive filghts, or a $30 3 1/2 hour bus ride to the other cheaper airport. BTW, those prices are one way.:eek:</p>
<p>Anybody with tales of woe or humor from the interview trail, please share. :)</p>
<p>Interview cycle is going well here so far. I have interviewed at 2 schools. One of them was at the school I currently attend. I had to walk across the quad to get to that interview. Talk about an easy commute! The other interview, I had to fly half way across the country, but it was direct so it wasn’t too bad. No humorous travel anecdotes, but I will say that learning to use the subway for the first time ever was an experience. I did find it funny that during both of my interview tours, there has been at least one person take off their shoes at some point because they are so uncomfortable. </p>
<p>I have four more interviews lined up. Three of them are coming up within the next three weeks. Three of my interview invites have been from Jesuit med schools, which is an interesting trend. They must like my community service. Two of them have been from state med schools, one of which is IS for me. Hopefully I get a few more before the season ends. I am not looking forward to traveling in the winter though, given all of the med schools I applied to are in the Midwest/Northeast. Overall, I am very excited about the list of schools that have invited me for interview. Hopefully, they like me enough to accept me.</p>
I think she needs some color in her interview suit to distinguish her from all the other funeral director looking kids.</p>