Oregon Medical Schools 2025 Guide: OHSU vs COMP-Northwest Admissions and Requirements

Thinking about becoming a doctor in Oregon? You’ve got two solid paths:

• Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) — Portland — MD
• College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific–Northwest (COMP-Northwest) — Lebanon — DO

Both are respected and selective, with distinct missions, curricula, and admissions expectations. Here’s a clean, applicant-friendly breakdown.

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#1. OHSU School of Medicine (MD)

Snapshot & mission

Oregon’s public academic health center with major hospitals in Portland. Nationally recognized for family medicine, research, and community health. The MD curriculum blends foundational science, early clinical exposure, team-based care, and flexible scholarly paths (MD/MPH, MD/PhD, PA, and more).

Admissions at a glance

• Apply: AMCAS (opens May; OHSU sends secondaries by email)
• Selectivity: ~150 matriculants from 6,700 applicants (2.3% acceptance)
• Minimums for consideration: GPA 2.8, MCAT 497
• Citizenship: U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or DACA (no international admissions)
  
  

Recommended preparation (competencies & coursework)

• Professional: ethics, teamwork, adaptability, community service
• Thinking & reasoning: critical thinking, written communication, quantitative reasoning, scientific inquiry
• Science: biology/chemistry/organic chemistry/physics/biochemistry; human behavior (psychology, sociology)

OHSU encourages breadth across humanities, arts, social sciences, and math to build well-rounded physicians.

Who gets a closer look (stated preferences)

• Oregon residents
• Nonresidents with Oregon heritage (parent residency, OR high school ≥2 years + graduation, or OR college ≥2 years with recent graduation)
• WICHE allopathic applicants
• Combined-degree (MD/PhD, MD/MPH) applicants
• Nonresidents with outstanding academic/experiential achievement
• Applicants who’ve overcome adversity
  
  

Letters of recommendation

Submit via AMCAS Letters:

• Standard: 3 faculty letters (any department; at least one science recommended)
• Non-traditional (≥5 years out): 2 employer letters + 1 professor
• Add non-academic letters when possible (no family/friends)
  
  

CASPer (situational judgment)

Required for MD applicants; evaluates non-cognitive and interpersonal attributes.

Cost (latest figures provided in the source text)

• Tuition: In-state $46,148 | Out-of-state $70,936
• Tuition + fees/insurance (annual): In-state $55,508 | Out-of-state $80,296
• Fees/insurance detail (annual): University $583, Student Council $16, Dental $117.79, Medical $1,574.79 (total $2,291.58)

#2. COMP-Northwest (WesternU) (DO)

Snapshot & mission

Private, non-profit osteopathic medical school (Western University of Health Sciences’ Oregon campus) in Lebanon, ~80 miles south of Portland. Trains culturally sensitive, patient-centered physicians with a whole-person (DO) approach and strong primary-care orientation.

Admissions at a glance

• Apply: AACOMAS (opens early May; generally open to early Feb)
• Secondary: by invitation; due within two weeks
• Selectivity: ~100 matriculants from 4,000 applicants (2.5%)
• Degree before matriculation: BA/BS (or equivalent)
  
  

Prerequisite coursework (semester units)

• English 6
• Behavioral sciences 6
• Biological sciences with lab 8
• Organic chemistry with lab 8
• Inorganic chemistry with lab 8
• Physics with lab 8
  Recommended: biochemistry, genetics, physiology
  
  

Testing & letters

• MCAT: required (send to AACOMAS)
• Letters: 2 total — one physician (MD or DO) and one science professor/faculty
• CASPer: required; test from May–Feb of the application cycle (retake each cycle)
  
  

Class profile (recent entering averages)

• Overall GPA 3.65 | Science GPA 3.58 | MCAT 507
  
  

Tuition & cost of attendance

The school publishes an annual tuition and COA table and offers scholarships; check the current year’s figures before applying.

Oregon application strategy (what works here)

1. Lead with mission fit.
   Oregon programs value service, community engagement, and teamwork. Tie your experiences (free clinics, rural health, EMS, scribing, outreach) to each school’s goals.
   
   
2. Show breadth + depth.
   Pair strong science with writing, ethics, social sciences, and reflective practice.
   
   
3. Get real patient exposure.
   Direct interaction (ED volunteering, hospice, community clinics) yields concrete stories for secondaries and interviews.
   
   
4. Master the logistics.
   Know AMCAS/AACOMAS cold. Apply early, prewrite secondaries, line up letters well in advance, and track deadlines
   
   
5. CASPer matters.
   Practice ethical reasoning and communication under time pressure; reflect on past teamwork and challenging scenarios.

FAQs

i. Do OHSU or COMP-Northwest accept MD/DO transfers?

• OHSU: not currently accepting MD transfers.
• COMP-Northwest: does not accept transfers to the Lebanon campus (WesternU Pomona, CA may accept transfers when circumstances allow).

ii. Do they take international students?

• OHSU: no (U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or DACA only).
• COMP-Northwest: Oregon campus does not enroll international students (WesternU Pomona has separate guidance).

iii. How do letters get submitted?

• OHSU: through AMCAS Letters (primary application stage).
• COMP-Northwest: with the secondary (within the stated deadline).

iv. Is there a letter limit?

• OHSU: no fixed cap (quality > quantity).
• COMP-Northwest: limit 5 letters; prioritize supervisors who know you well.

V. Can I edit a submitted secondary?

No—neither primary nor secondary applications can be edited after submission. Proofread carefully.

vi. What’s the difference between MD and DO?

Both are fully licensed physicians. DO training adds ~200 hours in the musculoskeletal system and emphasizes whole-person care and OMM (osteopathic manipulative medicine).

Bottom line

Oregon gives you two excellent, but different, routes to a medical degree. If you want a public, research-heavy MD experience with strong primary-care leadership and statewide impact, explore OHSU. If you’re drawn to osteopathic, patient-centered training with a primary-care mission, take a close look at COMP-Northwest. Match your story to each school’s mission, prepare early, and submit a thoughtful, well-rounded application. You’ve got this.

Article Details

Categories

Recent Articles , Pre-health, Med Schools,

Author: Go-Elective Abroad

Date Published: Sep 13, 2025