Oregon Medical Schools—2026-2027 Guide to Acceptance

Are you considering applying to medical school in Oregon? The Beaver State is known for its abundance of outdoor activities, mouth-watering seafood, diverse natural landscape, and a medical system dedicated to rural health and serving the underserved.

But what’s it like to attend medical school in Oregon, and how do you get accepted?

In this post, we’ll break down everything you need to know about going to medical school in Oregon, including where the medical schools are located, what it’s like to live in Oregon, how to apply, and tips for gaining acceptance to medical schools in Oregon.

Are you applying to other states? Utilize our State Guide series for an in-depth look at the application process in various states across the country.

How Many Medical Schools Are in Oregon?

There are two medical schools in Oregon: one is allopathic, and the other is osteopathic.

List of Medical Schools in Oregon

Allopathic Medical Schools in Oregon (MD)

1. Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine (OSHU-SOM)

Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine

Founded in 1887, the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine (OHSU-SOM) is located in Portland, Oregon. The MD program at OHSU seeks applicants who are interested in rural health, primary care, and practicing in underserved areas.

OSHU-SOM gives priority to the following applicants:

• Oregon residents
• Non-residents who can prove Oregon Heritage
• Applicants who have experienced inequalities within the healthcare system or have a demonstrated ability to overcome adversity
• Non-residents with outstanding achievements in academics and significant experiences in healthcare, leadership, extracurricular activities, and/or community service
• Applicants to OHSU’s dual degree programs.

The OHSU School of Medicine has developed a unique curriculum called YOUR M.D, which seeks to bridge the divide between how physicians are trained and the medical needs of society in the future.

The curriculum begins with the Foundations of Medicine phase, which includes a Transition to Medical School course, followed by seven required courses that cover clinical skills, health system science, and basic science content.

The next phase of the curriculum is the Clinical Experience Phase, where students complete their required clinical experiences along with their scholarly project coursework, testing, and clinical/non-clinical electives.

In the final year of the curriculum, students must complete the Transition to Residency course, which includes didactic and small group sessions, as well as active learning instruction and activities.

The curriculum for both the preclinical and clinical years is pass/fail.

The OHSU School of Medicine also incorporates Narrative Medicine into its curriculum, which is designed to encourage students to look beyond a specific disease and consider what it means to be human within the context of medicine. During selected elective experiences, students use visual art, non-medical texts, or film to consider the experience of illness from multiple perspectives.

There is a significant VA population in Oregon, and OHSU-SOM students complete many rotations at the VA hospital, providing you with a substantial amount of VA training.

Median Academic Scores of Matriculants:

• Median GPA: 3.74
• Median MCAT: 511

Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine Secondary Questions.

In-State vs. Out-of-State Preference:

OHSU-SOM shows a strong preference for in-state applicants.

List of Osteopathic Medical Schools in Oregon (DO)

1. Western University of Health Sciences/College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest (COMP-Northwest)

Western University of Health Sciences/College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest

The Western University of Health Sciences/College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest (COMP-Northwest) is located in Lebanon, Oregon.

The mission of the school is to help students become compassionate, culturally sensitive, technically competent, and professional osteopathic physicians committed to lifelong learning. COMP-Northwest seeks to create an educational experience that strikes a balance between the stresses of medical education and the importance of wellness and humanism in the development of each student.

COMP-Northwest has a curriculum divided into two phases: the Pre-Clinical phase and the Clinical phase. The Pre-Clinical phase of the curriculum (years one and two) focuses on building the foundational medical knowledge, hands-on skills, and professional development that students will need to succeed in years three and beyond.

The Clinical phase takes place over years three and four. In year three, students must complete three elective rotations in addition to the core required rotations. A lottery system determines the order of rotations and varies for each student.

In fourth year, students must complete 32 weeks of clinical rotations and receive 8 weeks of vacation that can be taken in one-week increments. The fourth-year curriculum allows students to rotate at residency sites in their chosen specialties.

Throughout the first three years, students participate in a process of longitudinal professional development called conference weeks. Students select topics of interest to personalize their growth as aspiring physicians.

Wellness and professional activities are intentionally and strategically embedded throughout these years. Student attendees choose from a variety of activities designed to broaden their skill sets and promote their overall wellbeing.

Although Lebanon itself is more rural and suburban, and an hour and a half away from Portland, students will still rotate in and around Portland, allowing you to gain excellent urban exposure as well.

Average Academic Scores of Matriculants:

• Average GPA: 3.62
• Average MCAT: 507

Western University of Health Sciences/College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest  Secondary Questions.

Oregon Medical School Locations

The OHSU School of Medicine is located in Portland, and COMP-Northwest is located in Lebanon.

Portland is Oregon’s most populous city, with a population of 630,309. It’s a big city known for its unique hipster culture, vegan food, and vibrant indie music and film scene. You may recognize it from the sketch comedy show Portlandia, which parodies the city and its offbeat culture.

It’s also very queer friendly, so if you identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, you will find a safe, inclusive, welcoming environment. Its growing tech scene—Portland is home to Nike, Adidas, and Intel—provides an extra incentive if your spouse or spouse-to-be is interested in tech.

Lebanon is a much smaller city located just south of Salem, with a population of around 19,726. It’s also much more rural than Portland. For example, the most significant event in the city is its 100-year-old annual Strawberry Festival, which is the home of the World’s Largest Strawberry Shortcake. It offers a very peaceful, small-town vibe.

Portland and Lebanon are about an hour and 20 minutes drive from each other, or an hour and 40 minutes by train or bus.

How Much Is Medical School Tuition in Oregon?

So, how much does medical school cost in Oregon?

Oregon Tuition Costs (2025 Data From MSAR)

View the most recent AAMC tuition data.

• Additional fees not included.

But the cost doesn’t stop at tuition. You also need to consider the fees associated with medical school applications, which can add up to primary fees, secondary fees, exam fees, study resources, and interview travel costs.

This Is How Much Med School Applications Actually Cost.

Additionally, there are numerous other financial factors to consider, including housing, transportation, food, exercise, and entertainment. Unfortunately, the cost of living in Oregon is higher than the national average.

What It’s Like to Go to Medical School in Oregon

Oregon is a state located in the Pacific Northwest region of the US, bordered by the State of Washington to the north, Idaho to the east, California and Nevada to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The state’s capital is Salem, and its most populous city is Portland. Oregon has a population of around 4.272 million.

Oregon has a diverse geography that includes forests, coastlines, mountains, valleys, and deserts. This diversity also means that the climate can vary depending on your location.

Most of western Oregon has a cool and humid oceanic climate, with temperatures that don’t vary significantly between seasons. Winters can be as mild as 43°F, and summers as cool as 61°F; it also rains most days of the year.

The southeastern part of Oregon is more arid, with dry summers and cold and snowy winters. To the southwest, the state has a drier and sunnier climate, similar to Northern California.

Oregon is the ninth-largest state in terms of land area but ranks 39th in terms of population density. This is due to some of the state’s geographical features, such as its vast forests, mountain ranges, and barren desert. Most of the state’s population is concentrated in the Willamette Valley, which contains the major population centers of Portland, Salem, and Eugene. Portland has a population of 630,309.

If you love the outdoors, Oregon is a dream, with plenty of opportunities to hike, camp, fish, beach comb, ski, and windsurf. Full of stunning scenery along the coast, the state is also home to impressive national landmarks. Mount Hood is an hour away for snowboarding and skiing year-round. Seattle is only three hours away. Mount Rainier is two to three hours away. The Columbia River Gorge, where you can hike and gaze at a waterfall, is only an hour away. The Willamette River runs through Portland, and if you love the sand, you’ll find beaches are only one to two hours away. It’s a genuine buffet for nature lovers.

Oregon is also well-known for its iconic seafood, ranging from mouth-watering oysters to Dungeness crab, clams, and Pacific salmon. Other culinary delights include hazelnuts (the official state nut of Oregon), marionberries (and marionberry pie), Hermiston watermelons (seasonal and incredibly juicy), local cheese, craft beer, and Pinot Noir. And in case you weren’t already salivating, the iconic Salt & Straw ice cream chain was born here.

The city of Portland is also considered to be one of the vegan capitals of the world. Plus, Rockaway Beach is the birthplace of the Pronto Pup, the illustrious forebear of the corn dog.

While the state has many public transit options, including light rail, long-haul passenger rail, streetcars, and buses, most people have their own car. Bicycle commuting is also very common.

For example, OHSU has a bike rental, bike share, bike locks, and storage—all for free for its students.

OHSU also incentivizes you to use public transportation, ride share, walk, or bike. They have a program where you can log your rides for money, which can add up dramatically over time if you take multiple trips a day.

Oregon has six commercial airports, the largest of which is Portland International Airport, which accounts for 90% of the state’s passenger air travel.

How to Apply to Oregon Medical Schools (MD)

To apply to Oregon’s only allopathic school, you’ll use the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS), which is the AAMC’s centralized medical school application processing service.

AMCAS is the primary application method for first-year entering classes for the vast majority of US medical schools. Regardless of how many schools you want to apply to, you only need to submit one set of application materials to AMCAS, and the system will distribute them for you.

Here’s what you need to know about applying to the only allopathic med school in Oregon.

1 | Application Requirements

Multiple components come together to form your primary application, and each is crucial to your acceptance.

Your primary application consists of

• Your college transcripts (GPA)
• MCAT score
• A narrative-driven personal statement
• Strong letters of recommendation
• Work and Activities section

At the time of this article, the Oregon Health & Sciences University School of Medicine does not require the Casper test or the AAMC’s PREview exam. If, however, you’re applying to schools in other states that do require either one of these situation judgment tests or OHSU-SOM eventually adopts one, utilize our comprehensive Casper Test Guide and AAMC PREview Guide.

After you submit your primary application, you can expect to receive a secondary application up to six weeks later. Secondary application email notifications are sent out on a rolling basis, starting in mid-July. Unlike the primary application, you will submit your secondary directly to OHSU-SOM, and it comes with a non-refundable fee of $120.

If the admissions committee is interested, you could receive an invitation to interview at any point between the end of August and February or March of the following year.

OHSU-SOM runs virtual Multiple-Mini Interviews (MMIs) and interviews 20 to 40 applicants a week. The interview process includes multiple 8-minute interviews and a longer one-on-one interview with a member of the admissions committee. Before the 8-minute interviews, you’ll be given time to read over the prompt, take notes, and prepare.

The one-on-one interview will be scheduled separately.

You’ll also have an orientation session in which you can meet current students, as well as an information session to learn more about the program.

2 | Application Deadlines

The AMCAS application opens during the first week of May, and submissions occur at the end of May or early June. This means that if you plan to start medical school in the fall of 2026, you need to begin the application process in the spring of 2027.

It is critically important to understand that the technical deadlines for your application do not reflect reality. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, meaning they are assessed as they are received. The first people who submit are the first to receive secondaries and then the first to receive interview invites. Schools can only accept so many students, so the longer you delay submitting your application, the worse your chances of acceptance.

However, OHSU-SOM is unique in that it operates on a modified rolling admissions basis. A spot in the class will remain open until the school has finished interviewing for the year. This means if you are offered an interview, regardless of when you are invited, you will be considered for a spot in the class.

Despite this, applying as soon as submissions open is essential to your success. For the vast majority of medical schools throughout the country, interviews begin in September and can run through March of the following year.

Here’s what you should be working on month-by-month: Medical School Application Timeline and Monthly Schedule. (Updated every application cycle.)

How to Apply to Osteopathic Medical Schools in Oregon

Applying to the only osteopathic (DO) medical school in Oregon is much the same as applying to the state’s only MD school. The DO primary application, just like the one for AMCAS, requires your transcripts, MCAT score, personal statement, letters of recommendation (also known as evaluation), and an experiences and achievements section.

But instead of applying through AMCAS, you’ll use the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS).

The other primary difference is that applying to a DO program requires familiarity and experience with osteopathic medicine. Your DO personal statement asks you directly why you want to study osteopathic medicine, and you need to include at least one letter of recommendation from a DO.

Utilize our AACOMAS Application Guide for DO Schools.

Tips for Acceptance at Oregon Medical Schools (MD and DO)

1 | Understand the Patient Population

Since there are only two medical schools in the state, your patient population will run the gamut from urban to suburban to rural. You will serve a diverse range of patients, including those with private insurance, as well as a significant number of Medicare/Medicaid patients. This role places a strong emphasis on community and rural health, with a focus on serving the underserved.

It’s important to note that while Portland has the reputation of being a hipster and liberal haven, most of Oregon is extremely rural and conservative, resembling states located in the southern US.

OHSU is the primary academic hospital in the state and, therefore, operates several state initiatives, including OPAL (the Oregon Psychiatric Access Line), a state-funded program that allows providers to call for a psychiatric consultation. This is an example of how OHSU is at the forefront of many state-driven medical initiatives.

For example, our Insider contributor for this article is currently in psychiatric residency at OHSU-SOM, which has just received a multimillion-dollar grant from the state to expand mental health services. This includes increasing the residency from eight residents to 12 this year. There will be more psych rotation sites for residents, which also means more psych rotation sites for medical students, as these initiatives will impact not just graduate-level medical training but also undergraduate medical training.

It is also worth noting that Oregon has historically been at the forefront of efforts to decriminalize drugs. (Although, as of late, it is regressing and going back to criminalized possession.)

However, this does influence the culture and practice because comorbid substance use is a HUGE presenting concern in the medical spaces.

This may be a negative or positive depending on your interest in substance use disorders.

That said, one potential positive, depending on your beliefs surrounding drug use, is that because of the cultural attitude, which is more open to seeing substances in a way that is not always pejorative, traditionally understood recreational and hallucinogenic substances are being explored for their therapeutic uses.

For example, VA Portland has a research lab that is investigating the therapeutic uses of psilocybin, for instance, psilocybin assisted PTSD treatment. This presents an opportunity for extremely cutting-edge research that would be a draw for any students interested in this type of work. There is also talk about MDMA assisted psychotherapy treatments for PTSD, and more.

2 | Develop an Application Narrative Tied to Oregon

While your application is made up of multiple different pieces, they must all complement one another and work together to tell the cohesive story of why you’re passionate about medicine and want to become a doctor. And in the case of Oregon, that story should also touch on why you want your future career to focus on rural health and serving the underserved.

Both medical schools, but particularly OHSU-SOM, place a strong emphasis on accepting and educating in-state students who are passionate about primary care, serving the underserved, and who plan to stay and practice medicine in Oregon.

If you are from Oregon, this places you at a significant advantage over out-of-state students. Not only are you more likely to be accepted, but your tuition will be over $25,000 cheaper.

If you are out of state, you face an uphill battle, at least when it comes to OHSU-SOM. Your narrative must express your desire to practice in Oregon and serve the patient population. This includes rural populations and a large veteran population. Do you come from a military family? Do you have experience working with veterans? Have you volunteered with underserved or rural communities over an extended period?

If so, and whether or not you’re an in-state or out-of-state applicant, weave this experience throughout your application to get noticed by admissions committees in Oregon.

This Is How to Develop a Cohesive Narrative for Medical School Applications.

Bottom Line: Is Going to Medical School in Oregon Right for You?

Medical schools in Oregon prioritize primary care, rural and community health, and serving the underserved.

But beyond the medical program and school resources, what matters most is whether or not you enjoy the environment and community you’ll call home for the next four or more years.

Pros of Medical School in Oregon

• Beautiful natural scenery
• Plenty of outdoor activities (hiking, canoeing, camping)
• Mild summers with little humidity
• Portland is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country
• No sales tax
• Easy-going, accepting culture
• Excellent food scene (especially seafood, vegan options, and doughnuts)
• Nike and Adidas are headquartered in Portland and Beaverton, so you may run into professional athletes and celebrities
• Portland is very LGBTQ+ friendly

Cons of Medical School in Oregon

• High income tax
• High cost of living
• Very high housing market
• High risk of natural disasters, including “The Big One”
• Lots of rain and clouds
• Few sports teams (except for college football)

Oregon offers some of the most spectacular foliage and best outdoor recreation in the country, from hiking and camping to beachcombing, cycling, golfing, kayaking, skiing, and more.

Packed with natural wonders like Mount Hood, Crater Lake, and Multnomah Falls, Oregon will inspire you with its diverse and beautiful landscape. If you adore spending time outdoors, don’t mind the rain, and are passionate about serving the underserved, you’ll find plenty to love about the Beaver State.

What Adcoms Are Looking For

Regardless of the state where you apply, admission committees are seeking resilient, well-rounded, and community-minded students who will enrich their school’s student body. Simply checking off boxes is not enough. You must demonstrate passion and dedication.

Med School Insiders can help you develop a stand-out application that will get you noticed by Oregon medical schools, as well as any schools at the top of your list. We offer a range of services tailored to your specific needs, including one-on-one guidance, application editing, and mock interviews.

Whether you need a comprehensive application strategy, detailed essay feedback, or interview preparation, our services are tailored to meet your individual circumstances and goals. Don’t leave your medical school dreams to chance—contact us today to find out how you can transform your application from good to truly memorable.