How to Apply 
Graduate Medical Education

Prospective residents and fellows must complete the specified application process in order to be considered for our programs.

Eligibility Requirements for Appointment of Designated Osteopathic Residents

PCOM requires all of its residents to be Designated Osteopathic Residents (DORs), with rare exceptions. DORs must have sufficient background and/or instruction in osteopathic philosophy and techniques in manipulative medicine, to prepare them to engage in the curriculum of the Osteopathic Recognition program.

Pending the rare exception of the applicant not entering into the Osteopathic Recognition curriculum, the following requirements, as part of the foundational knowledge in Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP), must be met before an applicant is eligible to receive an invitation to interview.

• A minimum of 140 hours of OPP education, inclusive of the following:
  • osteopathic philosophy, history, terminology, code of ethics, anatomy and physiology related to osteopathic medicine;
  • indications, contraindications, and safety issues associated with the use of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT); and
  • palpatory diagnosis, osteopathic structural exam, and OMT.
• An applicant who is a graduate of a Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA)-accredited college of osteopathic medicine (COM), who holds a DO degree, will have met this requirement through their medical school education.
• An applicant who is a graduate of a medical school in the United States or Canada, accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), or one who is a graduate from a medical school outside the United States or Canada, must meet this requirement by taking coursework in OPP, at the applicant's expense, including hands-on didactics and assessment in OMT.  The applicant must provide proof of all training in OPP and must provide a letter from an osteopathic physician, endorsing the applicant's proficiency in OPP.
• An applicant who has not graduated from a COCA-accredited COM must take and obtain at least a 70% on a multiple choice assessment of foundational OPP knowledge, as constructed by the PCOM Director of Osteopathic Education.
  • To register for this assessment, contact Melanie LaPenta at melanieke@pcom.edu.

Notice to Applicants

All applicants for PCOM residency and fellowship programs must be legally authorized to work in the United States.