Oregon Health & Science University Interview Questions
& Process

I got through to a screening interview for a position that had many applicants. The interviewer was really nice and answered a lot of my questions. I didn't get a second interview, but she let me know. I asked if she had any other leads or advice, and she was again very gracious and answered my questions.

I had quite a few interviews, so the whole process took a while, but I felt it was all fair. The questions asked were pretty straightforward, suitable, and what you'd expect. All the interviewers were nice and encouraged me to ask questions. It was very thorough.

I had an awful hiring experience that felt like a complete waste of my time. After a month of waiting, I interviewed with the Principal Investigator, toured the lab, and even got a verbal offer. I was really excited because I liked the lab and the research aligned with my background in biomedical engineering. Then, HR called to discuss the offer details. They briefly mentioned a very low hourly wage, less than $20, and then tried to quickly move on to other benefits. I was shocked because the OHSU website lists salaries yearly, making them seem like salaried positions. The HR person said the wage was actually too low to be legally considered salaried in Oregon. The salary wasn't posted in the job description, but this offer was way below what I found from external sources. When I asked if this was the typical offer for this role, they said it was 'less than what most researchers make' and even brought up current researcher unionization efforts, trying to convince me. Honestly, I wasn't focused on the money. I was prepared to accept less pay because I heard OHSU is a great place to work and I'm passionate about the research. However, with a Biomedical Engineering degree and significant student loan debt, I asked if we could negotiate the salary higher. $20/hr in Portland just wouldn't cover my living expenses or my student loans. I professionally explained my experience and education and tried to negotiate again, but was shut down with a single sentence: 'I'm sorry, but due to equity I cannot raise the salary.' This explanation made no sense, as qualifications, education, and experience typically influence salary. They followed up with a condescending, 'If I raise the salary for you, I'd have to raise it for everyone...' which honestly sounds better than paying engineers poverty wages. I'm heartbroken. The professors aren't to blame; they have no control over the offer and can't even petition for salary increases anymore, according to the PI. This organization seems to exploit students and recent grads who are desperate enough to accept lowball offers. After a month-long interview process for several positions, I'm back to square one. I would share this experience publicly, but I feel I can't due to potential repercussions from the university and the risk of losing future offers. Sorry for the long rant, I'm still incredibly angry. I strongly advise against applying here. It's not worth your time, and you deserve much better than their lowball offers.

I sent in my application for the Adult TTP (Med/Surg) online. Make sure to finish the questionnaire that usually comes with it and send it back with your application. About 3 days after applying, I got contacted to set up a virtual interview using WebEx – get familiar with it beforehand. They didn't ask any clinical questions, but I found the interview pretty challenging, mostly because the questions were long, which made them tough for me. I got offered the job a few days after. I had a hard time with the first question about being unsure of a patient's care. The interviewer was super patient and understanding though, which helped me relax.