If you are considering applying for the osteopathic medical program but you are now sure whether your academic achievements make you successful applicant here is the list for you – 10 easiest doctor of osteopathy schools to get into. There are 33 osteopathic medical schools accredited by American Osteopathic Association (AOA) in the USA. These educational institutions are present throughout the country and they offer around 7,000 seats for new students every year. Those who graduate from these schools are licensed to practice medicine in all states.
Like traditional medicine, osteopathic medicine uses modern technology in diagnosing diseases and prescription drugs in treating illnesses. However, one of the most important differences between doctor of medicine (MD) and doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) is a set of techniques called osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMT) deployed by the later. OMT is hands-on care which means that a doctor detects, treats and prevents a disease by moving patient muscles and joints. According to AOA, OMT is effective in treating muscle pain and it can also be helpful in healing other conditions such as asthma, sinus disorders, menstrual pains, migraines, carpal tunnel syndrome… Because of the significance which this method has in osteopathic medicine, osteopathic students spend approximately 200 hours in mastering the practice of OMT.
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Another difference between traditional and osteopathic medicine is holistic approach employed by DOs. When treating a patient, DOs do not only focus on a specific physical problem, but they approach a patient as a whole person. It means that they look at circumstances surrounding the patient, trying to discover how lifestyle and community affect his health. They also believe that a problem with one part of the body affects the whole system and they assume that our body has innate ability to heal itself. DOs’ task is to set into motion the self-healing body’s potential by using previously mentioned osteopathic manipulative medicine techniques.
Osteopathic medical schools are mainly focused on educating primary care physicians who will work in rural and underserved parts of America. According to AOA, “DOs constitute 7 percent of all U.S. physicians” but “they are responsible for 16 percent of patient visits in communities with populations of fewer than 2,500.” Graduates who focus on primary care specialties are not among top-earners among medical professionals as you can see from our previous list of Top-ten Best Paid Medical Specialties.
Every year the number of applicants for osteopathic medicine colleges increases and consequently it becomes a little bit harder to get into OM school. AACOM’s report about changes in applicant profile in the period between entering class 2012 and entering class 2015, shows how the number of students applying for OM programs increased along with their average GPA and MCAT. While in 2012 the mean grade point average was 3.44, four years later it was 3.47. At the same time MCAT score went from 25.73 to 26.38. For entering class 2016 there were 20,720 applicants who sent 185,602 applications for 6,592 available places at all osteopathic medicine colleges which means that there were 3.14 applicants for each seat.
In creating the list of easiest doctor of osteopathy schools to get into we used into account average GPA and MCAT score of latest class. Usually, this data are available on schools’ websites. However, in a few cases such information couldn’t be found on schools’ web pages, so we relied on other resources. Note that besides GPA and MCAT score, osteopathic schools also consider previous students’ course work. They require from applicants a standard set of courses that includes general chemistry, organic chemistry, English, physics, biological science and similar. Some schools recommend additional courses emphasizing that it gives applicants a competitive advantage.
10. Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences – College of Osteopathic Medicine (PNWU-COM)
Average GPA: 3.46
Average MCAT: 27.08
Tuition: $50,000
PNWU was established in 2005. The school received 4,261 completed applications and 2,031 supplemental applications for class 2016-2017. Among those who applied 875 were asked for an interview while 260 seats were offered. The majority of applicants came from underserved and rural areas, and on average they had GPA of 3.46 and MCAT score of 27.08.
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9. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM)
Average GPA: 3.6
Average MCAT: 25
Tuition: $43,250
VCOM offers osteopathic medicine program in Virginia, South Carolina, and Alabama. The school’s main aim is to educate students who will work in rural and underserved areas of Southern Appalachia. The majority of applicants come from previously mentioned three states where the program is offered. In 2016, 6,863 students applied to all three campuses, which was a decrease compared to the year before when there were 7,116 applicants. Average GPA of matriculated students was 3.6 and their MCAT score was 25. Besides standard set of courses, VCOM requires “6 additional biomedical science credit hours at the 300 level or above” for matriculation. Some of the recommended subjects are Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Immunology….
8. Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine – Nevada Campus (TUNCOM)
Average GPA: 3.4
Average MCAT: 27.3
Tuition: $51,450
TUNCOM ranks 8th in our list of easiest doctor of osteopathy schools to get into. It is the only school in Nevada which offers osteopathic medical program. Every year the school receives around 4,000 applications while it enrolls 135 students. The school’s website does not provide information about average GPA and MCAT score of a recent class. It only states that minimum requirements include grade point average which is not lower than 3.0 and MCAT result of 25. However, according to Student Doctor Network, average GPA is 3.4 and MCAT is 27.3. Unlike many other osteopathic schools, TUNCOM requires 3 semester credits of Math or Statistics among mandatory course list as well as three letters of recommendation.
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7. A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA)
Average GPA: 3.46
Average MCAT: 27
Tuition $54,540
SOMA ranks 7th in our list of easiest doctor of osteopathy schools to get into. It considers three things when reviewing application: academic success, whether an applicant possesses characteristics of a healer and whether she or he is committed to helping underserved population. Regarding academic accomplishment the last enrolled class had average GPA of 3.46 and MCAT of 27. In addition prospective students are encouraged to submit recommendations letters from physicians who they accompanied for a period of time as well as from a person who can confirm their commitment to serving underserved population. List of required courses includes standard subjects and it is also recommended that students have taken courses such as Genetics, Biochemistry, Immunology, Anatomy, Physiology, Cellular Biology (Molecular, Physiology, etc.), Microbiology.
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6. University of Pikeville-Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine (KYCOM)
Average GPA: 3.5
Average MCAT: 25
Tuition: $42,975
We are continuing our list of easiest doctor of osteopathy schools to get into with KYCOM that was founded in 1997 with the aim of educating students who would practice in rural and other underserved areas in Kentucky. The first class had 60 students, and over next twenty years, the number more than doubled. In addition, the school has established itself as a place which offers high-quality education. According to U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 edition of Best Graduate Schools, KYCOM has seventh best program in rural medicine, and 12th best program in family medicine in America. KYCOM is not only one of the most affordable private medical school, but it is also an institution where a great majority of students receive some form of financial aid. Requirements for admission include MCAT score of 25, and GPA of 3.5 (these were average results of recent class). Prospective students should also complete standard set of courses – English, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Biology.
5. Lincoln Memorial University – DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM)
Average GPA: 3.45
Average MCAT: 26
Tuition:$48,650.00
Average cumulative GPA of DO class of 2020 was 3.45 while MCAT score was 26. There were 5,129 applicants out of whom 604 were asked for an interview. Finally, 243 students were admitted. The majority of students came from Tennessee and neighboring Kentucky and Virginia. Lincoln Memorial University easily takes the fifth place on this list of easiest doctor of osteopathy schools to get into.
4. Campbell University – Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine (CUSOM)
Average GPA: 3.5
Average MCAT: 24
Tuition – $44,300
Above listed GPA of 3.5 and MCAT score equal or above 24 is actually required from students who want to apply for the early decision admissions track. For others, minimum requirements include GPA of 3.2 and MCAT result of 24. However, the school stresses out that higher GPA improves chances of acceptance, since grade point average, along with the interview, is the most important thing that Campbell University considers during the decision process. Additional requirements include a standard list of courses and six science hours in subjects such as Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Microbiology, Immunology. And now, let’s see the top three entries in our list of easiest doctor of osteopathy schools to get into.
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3. Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
Average GPA: 3.4
Average MCAT: 26
Tuition: $46,050
We are continuing our list of easiest doctor of osteopathy schools to get into with Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine that receives around 2,800 applications for 162 available seats. Details about average GPA and MCAT score of a recent class couldn’t be found on the school’s website, so we used information from Career Junky. Besides a standard prerequisite set of courses the schools recommends additional biology related subjects. During the selection process, admission commission focuses on academic achievement as well as applicants’ commitment to principles of osteopathic medicine, a record of human, health care and community service, personal integrity, letters of recommendation…
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2. West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM)
Average GPA: 3.39
Average MCAT: 25
Tuition: $52,710
Around 200 students enroll at WVSOM, the number two in our list of easiest doctor of osteopathy schools to get into, each year. One third of them come from Virginia while others join school from other parts of America. The average GPA of incoming students is 3.39, and MCAT score is 25. Beside standard courses, successful applicants should have taken classes such as Anatomy, Cell Biology, Embryology, Histology, Medical Microbiology, Modern Genetics, Physiology. These subjects are not mandatory, but students who have taken them have a competitive advantage. WVSOM praises itself for being the school with the greatest percentage of graduates who practice in rural communities in America. It also occupies fifth place nationwide by the share of graduates who enter primary care residencies. Finally, WVSOM has 12th best Family Medicine and 14th best Rural Medicine specialty program among all US medical schools.
1. Liberty University – College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM)
Average GPA: 3.4
Average MCAT: 24
Tuition: $43,500
College of Osteopathic Medicine at Liberty University occupies first place on our ranking 10 easiest doctor of osteopathy schools to get into. Minimum requirements for prospective students include GPA which is not less than 3.0 and MCAT score that is not below 22. However, LUCOM emphasizes that it gives advantage to applicants that have average GPA greater than 3.4 and MCAT result over 24, which is still much lower compared to many other osteopathic schools. Beside standard courses LUCOM also expects that applicants have completed four hours in Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Microbiology, or Genetics. There is one important thing to know about LUCOM. One of the school’s core values is “commitment to incarnational Christianity” and applicants are expected to comply with Christian beliefs. It seems that students of religions other than Christianity or atheists are not the sort of students Liberty University wants to attract.
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