Portland, here I come!!

Right before the whirlwind of holiday break, I received an acceptance letter from OHSU - that's Oregon Health Science University. The most exciting part about getting this letter is that the school told us that the earliest we applicants would hear from them is MAY. They said that possibly (read: highly unlikely) one person out of the group of interviewees (there were 8 of us that day) would hear back sooner.

That person was me!!!

Wooohooooo!!!

Out of the places that I have interviewed for medical school, including Temple, Drexel, UC San Diego, and OHSU, OHSU is by far my first choice. I was accepted at Temple and Drexel, waitlisted at UCSD. UCSD was sort of lackluster: the students seemed busy, the curriculum needs to be restructured, La Jolla is beautiful but it doesn't seem quite real to me.

But Portland excites me. Granted, Philadelphia would have been an adventure - I have a handful of friends from High School that I still keep in touch with....great public transportation....good weather.....close to NYC.....diverse patient population....delicious cheesesteaks!! - but Portland is right up my alley and it's close to California, close to Seattle, close to most of the people I love and care about.

A view from the top of Marquam Hill, the campus of OHSU - just south of downtown Portland.

I was offered an interview at University of Colorado, and though I already purchased a flight and planned to see my cousin and her blossoming family, I think I am going to skip out on the trip. I think if I was accepted at UCo, I would still choose OHSU. So there's the first big decision I've had to make.

I also have an interview for the Berkeley/UCSF Joint Medical Program this month. It's a Masters/M.D. 5 year program with a class size of 16. 16 people!!! You spend your first 3 years at Cal doing the required coursework for both the M.S. and the M.D., writing your thesis, etc, and then you do the rotations at UCSF in the final 2 years. This program really excites me but I am also slightly intimidated - I think it will be extremely challenging but perhaps also the most beneficial for my future career path. So I need to get prepared for that interview.

I'd like to give a few shoutouts to my friends and family for supporting me throughout this whole application process. Eric has been extremely patient and supportive. My Mom has helped me financially with the cost of apps and interviews. My aunt Tosh and uncle David probably had a hand in scoring me the Cal/UCSF interview and I am glad that they live so close to us here in the Bay Area. My coworker/mentor Peter wrote me a really kickass letter of recommendation and I think he has really helped me get my foot in the door of these competitive medical schools. And to my friends and family, in general, thanks for your love and support - it means a lot.

I am so happy that I have been given this opportunity. I am so excited about going to medical school and becoming a physician. It has truly been a dream come true and I am sorry my dad isn't around to experience my achievement. May he rest in peace.

Lots of love,

Jade