Admission / Apply

Osteopathic Medicine in Downers Grove

Click here to apply online at AACOMAS

Admission Requirements
Technical Standards for Admission
International Applicants
Application Deadline
Application Process
Interview / Selection Process
Reapplication Process
Matriculation Process
Dual Admission Program
Prior Commitment
Transfer Admission
Related Links

CCOM Admission

CCOM considers those students for admission who possess the academic, professional, and personal qualities necessary to become exemplary osteopathic physicians. To select these students, the College uses a rolling admissions process within a competitive admissions framework.

Competitive Admissions

Within its competitive admissions framework, CCOM uses multiple criteria to select the most qualified candidates from an applicant pool that exceeds the number of seats available. For the class matriculating in Fall 2012, CCOM received more than 6,000 applications for its 206 seats.

Rolling Admissions

CCOM uses a rolling admissions process in which applications are reviewed and interview decisions are made at regular intervals during the admissions cycle. Interviews are conducted and selection decisions for the College are made until the class is filled. Applicants are notified of their selection status within three to four weeks after their interview date. To be competitive within this process, candidates should apply early in the admissions cycle.

Admission Requirements

Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry are recommended courses that may contribute to success in medical school.

Students seeking admission to CCOM must submit the following documented evidence:

1. Completion of the prerequisite coursework.
   • Grades of C or better (grades of C- are not acceptable)
   • To be competitive, students should possess a cumulative GPA and science GPA over 3.00 on a 4.00 scale
   • To receive a supplemental application, students must have minimum science and cumulative GPAs of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale
2. Completion of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university prior to matriculation.
   • Applicants participating in special affiliated programs with the College and other exceptions to this policy will be considered on an individual basis.
3. Competitive test scores on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)
   • Average MCAT score for students entering CCOM in 2012 was 29
   • Only MCAT exam scores earned from tests taken no more than 3 years prior to the planned enrollment year are acceptable
   • Register for MCAT tests through the MCAT Program Office at 202/828-0690 or visit www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat for information
   • MCAT exams are offered multiple times per year
4. Two letters of recommendation
   • One letter from either a premedical advisory committee, prehealth advisor or basic science professor who has taught the applicant
   • Second letter from either a U.S. licensed D.O. or an M.D. Letters from osteopathic physicians are strongly recommended. Letters written by immediate family members are not acceptable
   • Letters of recommendation must be submitted by the evaluators. Letters submitted by students are not accepted by the Office of Admissions
5. Demonstration, sincere understanding and interest in osteopathic medicine
6. Demonstration of a people or service orientation through community service or extracurricular activities
7. Motivation for and commitment to health care as demonstrated by previous work, volunteer work, or other life experiences
8. Oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues
9. Passing the Midwestern University fingerprinting background check
10. Commitment to abide by Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy
11. Meet the Technical Standards of the College

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International Applicants

International Applicants must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States, or from a recognized post secondary Canadian institution that uses English as its primary language of instruction and documentation. Of the 30 semester hours, 15 hours must be in the sciences, six hours in non-remedial English composition, and three hours in speech/public speaking.

Applicants who wish to receive transfer credit for prerequisite coursework completed outside the US or at a Canadian institution that does not use English as its primary language of instruction and documentation must submit an official, detailed, course-by-course evaluation obtained from one of the following evaluation services:

International applicants who do not provide documentation of acceptable US or Canadian course/degree equivalency will not receive credit, and will be required to complete all prerequisite courses at an accredited college or university in the United States, or at a recognized post-secondary institution in Canada that uses English as its primary language of instruction and documentation.

For clarification about recognized post-secondary institutions in Canada that use English as a primary language of instruction and documentation, international applicants should contact the Midwestern University Office of Admissions.

International Applicant Packet

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Application Deadline

The official AACOMAS application deadline is January 1st; however, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early in the cycle. Due to the large number of applications and the limited number of seats available, applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis only until all seats are filled. Typically, 50% of all admissions offers are made by the end of December.

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Application Process

1. AACOMAS Application – January 1, 2014 Deadline

To initiate the application process, all applicants must apply online via the centralized application service administered by AACOM at http://aacomas.aacom.org/. The AACOMAS application is typically available in early June. As part of this process, students must submit official MCAT scores (for tests taken no earlier than 2011) and official transcripts directly to AACOMAS. The Office of Admissions will not accept MCAT scores or transcripts submitted directly to Midwestern University. The deadline for submission of the AACOMAS application is January 1.

2. CCOM Supplemental Application – March 1, 2014 Deadline

Upon receipt of the AACOMAS application from the application service, the Office of Admissions will e-mail supplemental applications to all applicants who have earned minimum overall GPAs and science GPAs of 2.75. Applicants must complete and submit their supplemental application forms with all required materials, including a nonrefundable/nonwaivable $50 processing fee, to the Office of Admissions. All supplemental application materials must be received in the Office of Admissions on or before the deadline of March 1, 2014.

3. Letters of Recommendation – March 1, 2014 Deadline

Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation. One letter must be written by a prehealth advisory committee, prehealth advisor or basic science professor who has taught the applicant. The second letter must be written by a physician, either a U.S. licensed D.O. or M.D. Letters from osteopathic physicians are strongly recommended. The required letters of recommendation must be received in the Office of Admissions on or before the deadline of March 1, 2014. Letters must adhere to the following guidelines:

1. The full legal name and AACOMAS ID number of applicants must be on the front page of the recommendation. Please provide this information to the evaluators.
2. Letters must be sent directly from evaluators and must be printed on letterhead stationery, which includes the complete contact information for evaluators.
3. The academic degrees of evaluators must be listed (e.g., Ph.D., D.O., M.D.).
4.  Students who have previously applied to CCOM must submit new letters of recommendation.
5. Letters from immediate family members will NOT be accepted.

The Office of Admissions will accept letters of recommendation via mail, Interfolio, or VirtualEvals. Letters of recommendation should be sent to the following address:

Office of Admissions

555 31st Street

Downers Grove, IL 60515

4. Completed Applications – March 1, 2014 Deadline

All application materials, including the AACOMAS application, MCAT scores (as reported to AACOMAS), two required letters of recommendation, and all supplemental application materials with the application fee must be received in the Office of Admissions on or before March 1, 2014. Only completed applications received by the Office of Admissions on or before the deadline date will be reviewed for potential Fall 2014 enrollment.

5. Application Review and Interview Decisions

CCOM uses a rolling admissions process to review completed applications and to make interview decisions. Applications will not be reviewed until all required application materials have been received by the Office of Admissions, including the AACOMAS application, official MCAT scores (as reported to AACOMAS), supplemental application materials, processing fee, and both required letters of recommendation. Students must complete their file as soon as possible to remain competitive in this process and to ensure full consideration of their applications.

Please Note: Applicants are responsible for tracking the receipt of their application materials and verifying the status of their required application materials on the University website. Instructions for accessing application information on the University's website will be sent by the Office of Admissions. Applicants should keep the Office of Admissions informed of any changes to the mailing address and e-mail address. All requests for application withdrawals must be in writing. Applicants are expected to act professionally in their interactions with AACOMAS and with CCOM. Candidates are expected to follow AACOM's applicant protocol at all times.

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Interview and Selection Process

Applicants must meet all of the admissions requirements listed previously to be considered for on-campus interviews. After the Office of Admissions receives all of the required application materials, applicant files are reviewed to determine whether applicants merit interview invitations based on established criteria of the Admissions Committee. Applicants who are invited to interview will be contacted by the Office of Admissions and receive instructions for scheduling their interviews via the University's web-based scheduling system. Additional applicants may be placed on an interview "Waiting List" pending possible interview openings toward the end of the interview cycle. The on-campus interview process typically begins in September and ends in April.

When applicants come to campus for interview appointments, they join several other interviewees to meet with members of a three-person interview panel, which is selected from a volunteer group of basic scientists, current students, administrators, and clinicians. Team members question applicants about their academic, personal, and health care preparedness for medical school, and they rate applicants on a standardized evaluation form relative to each variable. At the conclusion of the interviews, the team members forward their applicant evaluations to the Admissions Committee. The Committee may recommend to accept, to deny, or to place the applicant on either the hold or alternate list. This recommendation is then forwarded to the Dean for final approval. The Dean-via the Office of Admissions-notifies students of their status within three to four weeks of the interview.

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Reapplication Process

After receiving either denial or end-of-cycle letters, applicants may reapply for the next enrollment cycle. Before reapplying, however, applicants should seek the advice of an admissions counselor.

To initiate the reapplication process, applicants must submit their applications to AACOMAS. Applications are then processed according to standard application procedures.

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Matriculation Process

The matriculation process begins after students receive notification of their acceptance. To complete the matriculation process, students must:

1. Submit the matriculation agreement and required deposit monies by the date designated in the matriculation agreement. Deposits are applied towards the first quarter's tuition.
2. Submit official final transcripts from all colleges attended post-high school by the deadline of two weeks (14 days) prior to the first day of classes. Students who are accepted to MWU less than one month prior to the first day of classes will have 30 calendar days from the date of their acceptance to submit all official transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Any special circumstances or requests for exceptions to this policy must be sent to and approved by the Office of the Dean of the college. Students who fail to submit all official final transcripts by the stated deadline may jeopardize their acceptance or continued enrollment in the College.
3. Submit completed medical files documenting completion of a physical exam, immunizations, tuberculosis and titer blood testing as instructed by the Office of Student Services and detailed in the Student Handbook.
4. Meet the Technical Standards for CCOM. 
5. Submit proof of medical and disability insurance coverage. Students may select either a plan offered by an MWU-approved carrier or a comparable plan offered by an outside carrier of their choice, as determined by the Office of Student Services. Insurance must be maintained throughout the entire period of enrollment. 
6. Submit additional documents as requested by the Office of Admissions or CCOM.
7. Provide documentation verifying that sufficient funds have been deposited in a U.S. bank, or one of six major Canadian banks, to cover all expenses while attending the college (applies only to non-U.S. citizens or temporary residents who hold student visas). Additional details and application forms are available in the Office of Student Financial Services. 
8. Submit a signed Credit Policy Statement.
9. Authorize and pass the MWU criminal background check and fingerprinting background check as required by CCOM.
10. Submit a signed MWU Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy Statement.

A student who fails to satisfy these matriculation requirements or who omit or falsify information required on official admission documents automatically forfeit his/her admission to CCOM. Any individual accepted for admission to CCOM who does not comply with stated timelines for submission of all required materials receives no further notification from CCOM regarding the forfeiture of his/her admission.

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Related Information

Dual Admission Program

Dual admission programs are currently in effect with the Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of St. Francis, Fort Wayne, IN. Details of these programs are available through the Office of Admissions.

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Commitments Made Prior to Matriculation at CCOM

Students who have made commitments prior to their matriculation at CCOM must be aware there may be curricular priorities that are not compatible with their tentative schedules. Students who wish to fulfill prior commitments must request time off from each course director and department chair during the first week of the academic year. Every effort will be made to accommodate these commitments, but MWU does not guarantee that time off for prior commitments will be approved.

Transfer Admission

CCOM may elect to accept transfer students from other U.S. osteopathic medical schools as long as these students remain in good academic standing and provide acceptable reasons for seeking their transfers. The American Osteopathic Association / Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (AOA/COCA) standards require that the last two years of instruction must be completed within the college of osteopathic medicine granting the D.O. degree.

Students requesting transfers must meet the College’s general requirements for admission and follow transfer procedures:

1. All inquires for transfer to CCOM must be submitted to the Office of Admissions.
2. The Office of Admissions will confirm the availability of rotation sites through the Office of the Dean.
3. Applications will be sent if the Dean designates that there are available transfer positions.
4. Students must return their completed applications to the Office of Admissions and must include: transcripts from the COM, class rank (must be in top 50%), statement of reason for transfer, Dean’s letter verifying “Good Academic Standing,” a letter of reference from the Dean of Students, and COMLEX Level 1 scores, if available. All required application materials must be received by the Office of Admissions on or before January 1.
5. Completed applications are forwarded to the Office of the Dean.
6. The Dean reviews applications and the Dean's Advisory Council conducts interviews with applicants.
7. Recommendations are forwarded to the Dean of CCOM for final approvals.
8. Applicants are notified by the Dean thru the Office of Admissions of the final transfer decision.

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Related Links

American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS)

Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) Program Office 

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