2 Best Medical Schools in Oregon

Oregon is located in the Western United States’ Pacific Northwest region. In this US state are the best medical schools in Oregon.

These universities have some of the most prestigious programs in Medicine. This is a great option for anyone who is interested in pursuing a career as a doctor or a physician and wants to study in the U.S.

Keep reading to know the 2 best medical schools in Oregon, the quality of these schools, rankings, affiliations, notable alumni, and how to apply.

But first, here’s why you should choose to study medicine in Oregon.

the 2 best medical schools in oregon

Why Study in Oregon

Oregon is home to thousands of students from around the United States. The state is best known for its stunning landscapes, with its rolling hills and abundance of forests. Oregon has everything international students want: adventure, nature, and, of course.

Oregon is the 9th-largest state in the U.S. There are more than 50 colleges, universities, and seven public universities. These institutions offer an array of international undergraduate and graduate programs. Prospective students have the choice of choosing between a larger city such as Portland or smaller communities spread throughout the state. The “green”, city, is home to large universities such as Portland State University and many small, private universities, such as Reed College.

There has been a huge rise in international student interest in Oregon over the last couple of years. Oregon State University hosts more than 1,300 students from abroad every year. Popular undergraduate majors include political science, journalism, and business. Oregon’s fine art and environmental studies programs are popular choices for many students.

Oregon’s scenery ranges from rainforests and waterfalls on Oregon’s coast to volcanoes, highlands, and highlands centrally to barren deserts in Oregon’s east. The “Beaver State”, which also includes Mount Hood, the second-most climbed mountain in all of North America, has four of the most prominent mountain peaks. Crater Lake, located in Crater Lagoon National Park, is the deepest national lake. You can surround yourself with Oregon’s amazing scenery in many different ways. You can hike and fish, ski, cycle, kayak, camp, ski, or bike through Oregon’s beautiful scenery. Oregonians take pride and joy in their adventure state.

How to Get Accepted into Medical Schools in Oregon

Oregon has only two medical schools. The Oregon Health and Science University is located in Portland. There are also two other options for students who want to go to medical school in Oregon: the College of Osteopathic Medicine of Lebanon, and the College of Osteopathic Medicine of Oregon. The Oregon Health and Science University’s outstanding research and family medicine training are well-known. The College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Northwest is well-known for its comprehensive, patient-centered DO program. Both schools have a good reputation and are reasonably competitive.

Additional requirements include the MCAT, extracurricular activities, and demonstrated interest.

COMP Northwest and OHSU are extremely selective because they are the two state-exclusive medical schools. To be able to study medicine at any of these schools, you will need to do all you can to stand out.

At the minimum, you will need to take the Medical College Admission Test. The MCAT is a common exam in medical fields that measures all the qualities schools look for in their students. The MCAT measures students’ problem-solving skills and critical thinking abilities, as well as their ability and willingness to write analyses and demonstrate basic scientific knowledge.

There are four sections of the MCAT. All receive their own scores and cover everything, from human behavior to analytic writing to biological science. Future med students typically take the MCAT in the summer of their second year. But, it is possible to take it as late as your junior or senior year.

Because admissions committees are very weighty on MCAT scores, it is recommended that students spend three months studying. Students should score between 514 to 528 to get into the most competitive programs such as those listed.

While the MCAT is essential, it’s not enough to get into medical school. Your chances of getting into medical school can be improved by engaging in extracurricular activities.

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Students should spend at least one hour shadowing a doctor. Students can shadow a doctor to see what they do and learn the most important skills.

Medical care is the best kind of extracurricular work. You’ll be more likely to get a job if you are able to take care of patients. You might be interested in volunteering to help at a blood drive, or helping young athletes during an event.

While the experience does not have to be extensive, it should demonstrate your ability to interact and communicate with patients. It is especially valuable if you are able to assume a leadership role and develop the skills necessary to manage patient care.

You can also show interest in a program to give yourself an advantage. It is more than just applying to medical schools. This involves positive interactions with faculty and the institution.

Attending public seminars such as the Marquam Hill Lectures at OHSU is a great way to show interest. These lectures allow future medical students to meet with faculty and learn about the school’s concerns.

You can contact faculty directly to make a greater impact and request to meet them. Although this won’t give your application an edge, it will help you get to know the school’s preferences and design your materials accordingly.

It is no secret that it can be difficult to get into one of Oregon’s medical schools. It’s possible, however, as this article shows. You can be in the best position possible with some strategic thinking and study.

2 Best medical Schools in Oregon

  1. Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine (Portland, OR)
  2. College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Northwest (Lebanon, OR)

1. Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine (Portland, OR)

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is a public research university founded in 1887 with the main campus, including two hospitals, in Portland, Oregon. In 1974, the school of medicine became an independent, self-governed institution, and offers highly ranked programs. 

OHSU focuses primarily on health sciences, combining medicine, state dentistry, nursing, and public health programs in a single center. The university is in partnership with several programs including a joint PharmD Pharmacy program with Oregon State University located in Corvallis.

U.S. News & World Report ranks the School of Medicine #1 best school for family medicine, 7th best Primary Care school, and 28th best for research. It is also ranked among the top 10 schools for primary care in the U.S. The school has a great faculty, educational resources, and student achievements, hence the reason it is one of the best medical schools in Oregon. 

OHSU’s faculty includes 1750 professionals and an $829.7million endowment that strives to solve the most urgent medical problems. The Advanced Imaging Research Center and the OHSU Center for Spatial Systems Biomedicine are two centers at the heart of OHSU’s research agendas that allow students direct access to people who are improving the quality of modern medicine. 

Additionally, the Marquam Hill Lectures show that OHSU is committed to sharing its knowledge with the wider community. Marquam Hill Lectures has brought on campus world-renowned medical minds since 1981 to share their discoveries and interact with the public.

The most striking aspect of OHSU is its commitment to diversity. The school actively recruits and assists students from the underprivileged as part of its diversity and equity initiative. OHSU offers students scholarships, mentorships from faculty, peer support groups, and many other resources to help them bring their unique perspectives to the school. This perspective allows the school to better serve all Oregon’s residents.

This support allows for projects like MD student Daniel Tshala’s video about the relationship between racism, public health, and other issues. Tshala doesn’t try to separate health and social concerns.

This type of practical and innovative thinking is what makes OHSU one of the best medical schools in the U.S. It’s not the institution’s endowment or its learned professors that make a difference; it’s the students’ focus on the whole person who makes a difference. OHSU strives to treat every part of the patient, from the brain to the body.

How to Apply

Applications should be made through the American Medical College Application Service, which accepts applications between May and mid-October. This school uses the American Medical College Application Service for its primary application. After reviewing your application and receiving it, OHSU will send an email notification containing a secondary application notice.

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Applying for admission to the school is a competitive process. The school admits about 150 students each year from 6,700 applicants. This results in a 2.2 percent acceptance rate.

Requirements

Be sure to meet minimum academic requirements before you start your application. To be considered for admission, you must have a minimum GPA (2.8) and a minimum MCAT score (497). International students are not allowed to apply.

These are the requirements for matriculation:

A bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science or equivalent from an accredited college/university is required. As with many medical schools, there will not be any preference for any one major or area. Every applicant should pursue a broad range of coursework that includes the humanities, arts, and sciences as well as mathematics.

The following are recommended pre-medical competencies.

  • Professional competencies. The applicant should have some experience in the following areas: Ethical and responsible behavior, interpersonal skills, teamwork, adaptability to changing situations, and community service.
  • Thinking and reasoning competencies: Critical Thinking and Written Communication; Quantitative Reasoning; Scientific Inquiry
  • Science competencies: Living Systems (coursework chemistry, biology, organic chemistry, and biochemistry), and Human Behavior (coursework psychology and sociology).

Oregon Health and Science University encourages applicants to study in as many different disciplines as possible. They value broad and varied academic experience. You will be prepared for the real world and a strong candidate.

Academic and Selection factors

The profile of the average student is available to you. You can get a good idea of how your application will appeal to OHSU by familiarizing yourself with the profile.

  • GPA 3.65
  • Science average GPA is 3.58

Recommendations Letters

Oregon Health & Science University has joined the AMCAS Letters Service. This means that all letters must be submitted using the AMCAS Letters Service during the primary application.

These are the minimum requirements to be included in letters of recommendation

  • Letters from three university or college professors in any department. It is recommended that at minimum one of these letters comes from a scientific professor.
  • Non-traditional students who have been out for five years or longer can submit two letters – one from an employer and one from a professor.

All applicants are required to provide non-academic letters, in addition to the letters from the teaching faculty. Your family and friends should never write letters of recommendation.

CASPer test

All applicants who are applying for the MD program should complete the online assessment, Casper. This is a Computer-Based Assessment to Sampling Personal Characteristics. The online test evaluates interpersonal and noncognitive skills, which are important for medical schools to consider essential in order to admit students. It is required to be admitted into most American medical schools today.

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2. College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Northwest (Lebanon, OR)

The College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Northwest (COMP Northwest) is a non-profit, private medical school for osteopathic medicine founded in 2011 and located in Lebanon. The school operates in partnership with Samaritan Health Services and is a branch campus of Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific. the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree is awarded to successful Graduates of the college. It is one of the best medical schools in Oregon.

COMP Northwest began with two buildings to house the school. It now has 76,000 square feet of learning space. Students can learn in a state-of-the-art anatomy lab, which has projection capabilities. There are also two simulation labs. The clinical skills area has eight exam rooms and a debriefing zone.

As part of Samaritan Health Services, COMP, Northwest has also formed partnerships with local hospitals. Lebanon Community Hospital is the mainstay of the system. The Lebanon Community Hospital is the flagship of the system. Students who are doing their residencies here have access to both the most up-to-date medical technologies and a wide range of patients. Students are able to treat a wide range of conditions when they work under the guidance and supervision of mentors.

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COMP, Northwest has assembled an impressive faculty. Dr. Crystal Martin is a researcher and clinician in osteopathic manipulative medical, public health, and sports medicine.

Before joining COMP Northwest’s faculty, Dr. Valerie Romanski worked as a practitioner and owner of osteopathic medicine at Lemon Drop Day Spa and Mira Lindy Farms.

The school is proud to have such a great faculty and so many resources. It’s no surprise that it has received top rankings from observers. U.S. News & World Report ranked COMP Northwest at the top of its 2022 list. Particularly, the school was recognized as one of the top grad schools for primary medicine, medical schools in disadvantaged regions, and rural medical schools.

COMP Northwest is certain to achieve even more success with its rapid growth. COMP Northwest’s expanding program is an excellent choice for students who want to be part of a unique and exciting program.

How to Apply

Check that you have completed all required requirements by the deadline to submit your application for your chosen year of entry. All applicants will submit their primary application via the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service. The AACOMAS will open in May and remain open until February.

If you meet the requirements, an email will be sent to you with instructions for filling out the secondary application. The second application is due within two weeks.

COMP’s admissions process is very competitive. Comp’s acceptance rate is 2.5 percent, with only 100 applicants out of 4000.

Requirements

An accredited college or university will require you to have completed a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or the equivalent before you can be accepted. Before enrolling, you will need to complete the following courses:

  • College English (6-semester units)
  • Behavioral Sciences (6-semester units)
  • 8-semester units in Biology Sciences with Lab
  • Organic Chemistry with Lab (8-semester units
  • 8-semester units in Inorganic Chemistry with la
  • Physics with lab (8-semester courses)

Apart from the prerequisite coursework, you will need to submit official scores on MCAT to AACOMAS.

There is no minimum GPA requirement or MCAT score, but the following statistics are relevant to students applying for the DO program.

  • GPA of 3.65
  • GPA in science: 3.58
  • The average MCAT score is 507

Similar to OHSU’s medical school, this medical school recommends all students take courses across as many disciplines as possible. This will make them well-rounded, educated, and ready to face the various challenges that come with being a physician.

CASPer test

The College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Northwest also requires applicants to complete the CASPer Test. These must be submitted with the secondary form. Accepted exams are those that were taken between May and February in the year of the anticipated entry. Take the CASPer test with every application.

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Conclusion

In the U.S, you find 2 of the best medical schools in Oregon, and that’s everything we’ve covered in this article. 

From the degree and programs offered by these schools, rankings, affiliations, notable alumni, and how to apply, you’ll find everything you need to make the right decision on a choice of institution to enroll in. 

FAQs on Best Medical Schools in Oregon

What is the Best Medical School in Oregon?

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is a public research university founded in 1887 with the main campus, including two hospitals, in Portland, Oregon. 
OHSU focuses primarily on health sciences, combining medicine, state dentistry, nursing, and public health programs in a single center. The university is in partnership with several programs including a joint PharmD Pharmacy program with Oregon State University located in Corvallis.

How long does it take to graduate from a medical school in Oregon?

The Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) program in Oregon requires 4 years to complete.

Is Oregon medical school hard to get into?

Medical schools in Oregon are quite competitive.  There’s a competitive overall medical school acceptance rate of 2.28% or less.

How many medical schools are in Oregon?

There are two medical schools in Oregon.

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