Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine is closely monitoring the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The safety and well-being of our community and visitors at each location (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) are our top priorities.
The following admissions-related information is applicable to all locations and will be reviewed and updated as needed. For additional new and matriculating student information, please view the Office of Student Affairs COVID-19 FAQs.
The Office of Admissions is open and processing applications as usual. Candidates can expect no delay in processing any application materials.
As a confirmed student, you may begin your coursework if the final official transcript has not been received. We ask you to please send an official transcript to the PCOM Office of Admissions via email to admissions@pcom.edu as soon as it does become available. Should you fail to submit final transcripts within a reasonable time frame, a hold could be placed on your student record.
Applicants are encouraged to continue preparing for the exam and take the MCAT when they are able and confident. For August 2023 admission, we will accept a January 2023 MCAT exam score to complete your applicant record. If January test dates are canceled and no other viable dates exist, we encourage you to register for the next available date. As a reminder, PCOM uses a rolling admissions process; therefore it is highly recommended that candidates complete the exam early in our rolling process. Interviews are generally conducted from September through March.
For information and updates on the MCAT exam schedule, please visit the AAMC COVID resource page.
No. MCAT scores will be required to complete an application to the DO programs at any of the PCOM locations. As a reminder, the deadline to complete an applicant record is March 1, 2023.
For the 2022-2023 application cycle, PCOM will accept official MCAT exam scores from an exam taken within three years of the desired date of matriculation. For 2023 enrollment, exams taken before August 2020 will not be accepted to complete an applicant record.
Admission standards for all DO programs at PCOM do not require minimum patient contact hours. However, patient contact and health care exposure prior to enrollment in preparation for a career as an osteopathic physician is an expectation. The Admissions Committee will evaluate all candidates holistically on the totality of their application taking into consideration any circumstances prohibiting deep experience in this area.
There are other ways to learn more about the osteopathic tradition including reading books on the topic, reviewing videos online, attending recruitment events at osteopathic medical schools, attending AACOM-hosted webinars and, of course, working/volunteering in clinical environments wherein you are witness to DOs providing patient care. All of these help candidates gain insight into why a career as an osteopathic physician fits with their own mission and values.
The Office of Admissions hosts many online and on-campus events throughout the year.
ChooseDO has additional resources for shadowing a DO.
No, 200 hours of patient care hours will continue to be required to be considered for an interview for the program.
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