Admissions

The deadline for a complete and verified AACOMAS application (including official MCAT scores) is March 15. The deadline for receipt of secondary application materials is April 15. It is understood that once the class is filled with a reasonable number of alternates selected, applications are closed, and the remaining candidates are administratively rendered ineligible for admission.

Only candidates with a completed application file will be considered for an interview. Following review of all application materials, selected applicants will be invited for an interview. The interview is important to both the applicant and the Admissions Committee. It allows the applicant to see WCUCOM and talk with students and faculty. The interview also allows the Admissions Committee to evaluate the applicant on important personal qualities for a potential osteopathic physician that cannot be measured by standardized tests.

The minimum academic requirements for admission are detailed below.

Students must take the Medical College of Admissions Test (MCAT) exam and have the official scores sent to AACOMAS. MCAT test scores are valid for three years from the original date.

Applicant must show satisfactory completion with a final passing grade in each of the following college courses, including laboratory work where applicable as determined by WCUCOM:

• English Composition and Literature  -  6 Semester Hours
• General Chemistry  -  8 Semester Hours
• Organic Chemistry  -  8 Semester Hours
• Physics  -  8 Semester Hours
• Biological Sciences  -  12 Semester Hours

These basic requirements must be passed and taken for credit at an accredited college or university. Courses which are designated as “writing intensive” are generally not acceptable to meet the English requirement.

Transcripts must be received from all colleges and universities attended. They should be submitted with the AACOMAS application. Courses completed after submission of the AACOMAS application must be documented by an official transcript sent directly to WCUCOM.

The minimum requirement for admission to a COM must be no less than 75 percent of the credits (90 semester hours) needed for a baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. The above minimum requirements may not necessarily be completed prior to application for admission.  Approval of admission is tentative, pending satisfactory completion of minimum requirements and maintenance of a satisfactory academic record before the date of registration.

Credit by examination is not available at WCUCOM.  “Online” or “distance learning” courses are not acceptable for credit at WCUCOM.

The ability to use a computer is an essential skill that is required to complete WCUCOM course work.  Therefore, it is strongly recommended that each entering student have a good working knowledge of computer use and applications.  WCUCOM utilizes the latest in Microsoft and Windows applications.  Computer specifications and PC Requirements are listed in the Technology Requirements of this document.

WCUCOM will attempt to develop creative ways of opening medical school admissions to individuals with disabilities. In doing so, however, the college must maintain curriculum requirements deemed essential to the education of an osteopathic physician. Unless stated to the contrary, the following policies apply to both prospective students who are candidates for admission and current students who are candidates for the DO degree, hereafter referred to as “candidates.” 

It is the policy of WCUCOM that no student shall be excluded from participating in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in any program sponsored by WCUCOM. (See Nondiscrimination Policy and Diversity Statement.) 

Regarding individuals with disabilities, WCUCOM does not discriminate against such individuals who are otherwise qualified. The COM does require candidates to meet minimal technical standards. These standards identify reasonable expectations of osteopathic medical students, and physicians, in performing common functions. With or without reasonable accommodation, candidates must meet these minimal technical standards. 

A candidate for the DO degree must have multiple abilities and skills including general health, observation, communication, conceptual, integrative, quantitative, behavioral and social attributes, and transportability. Accommodations can be made for various disabilities, but a candidate must be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner. Those individuals who need accommodations and are otherwise qualified may request accommodation in writing to the Associate Dean, Student Affairs. He/she will talk with the individual, may request documentation, and may refer the student for individual assessment by qualified experts. Selfidentified students will be referred to the Office of Disabilities at WCU for evaluation, assessment, and recommendation for accommodation. (See Reasonable Accommodations and Documentation.) 

The following are minimal technical requirement areas in which individuals with significant limitations would be unlikely to successfully complete the requirements for a DO degree: 

• Participation – The candidate must be able to attend and meaningfully participate in all classroom and laboratory assignments, examinations, clinical experiences and perform other duties in accordance with the WCUCOM policies and provisions of individual course syllabi. Candidates must possess the ability, competence, and character of a member of a highly trained profession. Therefore, candidates must be able to promptly and effectively compete all required responsibilities, such as attend to the diagnosis and care of patients, tolerate physically and mentally taxing workloads, display flexibility, and function in the face of uncertainty;
• Observation - The candidate must be able to acquire a level of required information as represented through demonstrations and experiences in the basic sciences. This includes, but is not limited to, information conveyed through physiologic and pharmacological demonstrations in animals, as well as microbiologic cultures and microscopic images of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic states. Furthermore, a candidate must be able to observe a patient accurately, at a distance and close at hand; acquire information from written documents; and see information presented in images on paper, film, slide, or video. Observing and acquiring information from these sources requires functional visual, auditory, somatic sensation, and sensory modalities with or without enhancement by instrumentation;
• Communication - The candidate must be able to communicate effectively, efficiently, and sensitively with patients and their families and with all members of the health care team. A candidate must be able to interpret X-ray and other graphic images and digital or analog representations of physiologic phenomenon (such as EKGs). Assistive devices may be used if necessary. Candidates should possess the motor skills necessary to directly perform palpation, percussion, auscultation and other diagnostic maneuvers, basic laboratory tests, and diagnostic procedures;
• Motor, Strength, and Mobility - Candidates must have sufficient motor functions to execute movements that are required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients. Examples include cardiopulmonary resuscitation, administering intravenous medication, applying pressure to stop bleeding, opening of obstructed airways, suturing of simple wounds, performing simple obstetrical maneuvers, and providing osteopathic manipulative treatment. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, functional use of the senses of touch and vision, and lower extremity and body strength;
• Sensory - Osteopathic candidates need exceptional sensory skills, and it is therefore necessary to thoroughly evaluate individuals who are otherwise qualified but who have significant tactile sensory or proprioceptive disabilities. This would include individuals with significant pervious burns, sensory motor deficits, cicatrix formation, and many malformations of the upper extremities;
• Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities - The candidate must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, and synthesize in a timely fashion. In addition, the candidate should be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structure;
• Behavioral and Social Attributes - Candidates must possess the emotional health required to fully utilize their intellectual abilities, to responsibly attend to the diagnosis and care of a patient, and to develop mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients. Candidates must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities that will be assessed during the admission and educational processes;
• Transportability – Candidates are required to complete clinical rotations in a variety of offcampus sites during their education. It is therefore necessary that they have the means and ability to drive or otherwise transport themselves to these facilities without assistance from WCU or WCUCOM; and
• Immunization - The candidate must be able to comply with requirements for immunizations of all hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare (JCAHO)/Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP).

Assignment of credits and calculation of grade point averages will be made based on all courses attempted. Non-academic courses (e.g. physical education, military science, etc.), courses taken “on line,” and courses taken in a professional program (e.g. nursing, medical technology, dentistry, etc.) will not be used for credit in meeting admissions requirements or in the calculation of the grade point average.

Advanced courses in biological sciences, such as cell and molecular biology, histology, comparative anatomy, biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, and physiology are strongly recommended. Courses in advanced mathematics, psychology, social studies, economics, speech, and philosophy are also desirable.

It is strongly recommended that those who wish to prepare themselves for the study of medicine should enroll in a degree curriculum in college. While most applicants follow a program in biology or chemistry, it is quite possible for those from other major disciplines to receive favorable consideration for admission to osteopathic medical school. Care should be exercised in planning the course of study to be certain that the required subjects in chemistry, biology, physics, and English can be completed satisfactorily before the date of registration.

If a student does not enroll in a degree curriculum, it is considered important to follow a program which will allow time to take several of the strongly recommended subjects and to complete more than the specified minimum number of required courses and credit hours. Elective courses should be chosen in relation to the student's special interests and aptitude. An understanding of social and community problems will be very helpful in meeting the responsibilities of the profession of osteopathic medicine. In addition to a good technical education, it is desirable for the student to have a broad cultural background.

The following admission guidelines apply to international students:

1. International students must meet all general requirements for admission as stated in this catalog and admissions publications;
2. Proficiency in the English language, both written and spoken, is required.  TOEFL scores may be required.  For registration information for TOEFL, contact

TOEFL Services
Educational Testing Service
P.O. Box 615
Princeton, NJ 08541-6151, U.S.A.
1.817.863.3546 or 609.771.7100

toet1@ets.org

http://www.ets.org/toefl

3. All academic course requirements and minimum GPA requirements must be met.  All course work taken at the foreign institution must be evaluated for American institution equivalence by one of the following services:

American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
One Dupont Circle, N.W., Suite 520
Washington, DC 20036-1135
202.296.3359
http://www.aacrao.org/home

Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
P.O. Box 514070
Milwaukee WI 53203-3470
414.289.3400  
https://www.ece.org/

International Education Research Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 3665
Culver City, CA 90231-3665
310.258.9451
http://www.ierf.org/

World Education Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 745
Old Chelsea Station
New York, NY 10113-0745
212.966.6:311
http://www.wes.org/

4. A minimum of one year undergraduate or graduate training should have been completed in the United States prior to consideration for admission to WCUCOM;
5. Credit for advanced standing will not be given for any work completed in foreign graduate or medical schools.  All students must apply for first-year status (OMS 1);
6. International students must have permanent residency status (green card) to be eligible to receive any type of federal financial assistance;
7. International students not having permanent residency status must provide written proof of ability to finance their medical education prior to matriculation;
8. International students seeking to enter a program of study at WCUCOM must obtain an appropriate visa issued by the U.S. government.  WCUCOM is approved to issue a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Form I-20.  Upon receiving the completed Form I-20 from WCUCOM, the prospective student will be able to apply for an F-1 (student) visa; and
9. Specific consideration will be given to whether the international student’s country of residence fully recognizes osteopathic physicians and, therefore, authorizes practice rights comparable to those of allopathic physicians.

The major criteria for rating applicants are academic excellence, commitment to osteopathic primary care, commitment to practice medicine in an underserved area, and personal characteristics.  Academic excellence is measured by assessing results of the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), grades, grade point averages, and recommendations.  The degree of difficulty of the program which the applicant studied is also considered.  No interview is involved in this assessment.

After the initial assessment, selected applicants are invited to visit the campus for a formal personal interview.  After the interview, the Admissions Committee reviews the applicants' files, and applicants are notified as soon as a final admissions decision has been made.

A matriculation deposit is required from successful applicants.  Acceptance is conditional until all required documentation is received from schools attended.  Transcripts must be on file prior to matriculation.

WCUCOM is a private institution and encourages applications from all qualified students who are interested in pursuing a career in osteopathic medicine.  However, qualified applicants from Mississippi and the targeted regions of the Gulf South will be given preference for admission to WCUCOM.

Note:  Intentional misrepresentation or omission of information relative to scholastic records or test records will subject the student to dismissal.  The college reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant for any reason it deems sufficient.  Matriculation will be denied to applicants who have failed to maintain a good record of scholastic performance and personal conduct.