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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
Articulation Agreement
Deferred Admission
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 that matriculating in Fall 2008, CCOM received more than 4,900 applications for its 160 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 two to four weeks after their interview date. To be competitive within this process, candidates should apply early in the admissions cycle.
Admission Requirements
| Prerequisite Courses | Sem Hrs | Qtr Hrs |
| Biology with lab | 8 | 12 |
| General Chemistry with lab |
8 | 12 |
| Organic Chemistry with lab | 8 | 12 |
| Physics with lab | 8 | 12 |
| English Composition | 6 | 9 |
- Completion of the above prerequisite coursework.
- Grades of C or better (grades of C- are not acceptable)
- To be competitive, students should have minimum cumulative GPAs and science GPAs 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
- Completion of a bachelor's degree at regionally accredited colleges or universities 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.
- Competitive test scores on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)
- Average MCAT score for students entering CCOM in 2008 was 28
- 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 319/337-1357 or visit www.aamc.org/students/mcat for information
- MCAT exams are offered multiple times per year
- Two letters of recommendation
- One letter from either a premedical advisory committee or science professor who has taught the applicant
- Second letter from either a D.O. or an M.D. Letters from osteopathic physicians are strongly recommended, and letters written by immediate family members are not acceptable
- Letters of recommendation must be submitted by the evaluators, and letters submitted by students are not accepted by the Office of Admissions
- Demonstration of sincere understanding of and interest in osteopathic medicine
- Demonstration of a people or service orientation through community service or extracurricular activities
- Motivation for and commitment to health care as demonstrated by previous work, volunteer work, or other life experiences
- Oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues
- Passing the Midwestern University fingerprinting background check
- Commitment to abide by Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy
Technical Standards for Admission
The educational mission of CCOM is to produce competent osteopathic physicians, emphasizing primary care but including traditional specialties and subspecialties. Because the D.O. degree signifies that the holder is a physician prepared for entry into the practice of medicine within postgraduate training programs, graduates must have the knowledge and skills to function in a broad variety of clinical situations and to render a wide spectrum of patient care, including direct hands-on analysis and treatment.
Accordingly, the following abilities and expectations must be met by all students admitted to CCOM with reasonable accommodation. Candidates must have abilities and skills in five areas: I) observation; II) communication; III) motor; IV) conceptual, integrative, and quantitative; and V) behavioral and social. Technological compensation can be made for some limitation in certain of these areas, but candidates should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner.
I. Observation: The candidate must be able to accurately make observations at a distance and close at hand. Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and somatic sensation and is enhanced by the functional use of all of the other senses.
II. Communication: The candidate must be able to communicate effectively, efficiently and sensitively in both oral and written form and be able to perceive nonverbal communication.
III. Motor: Candidates must be able to coordinate both gross and fine muscular movements, maintain equilibrium and have functional use of the senses of touch and vision. The candidate must possess sufficient postural control, neuromuscular control and eye-to-hand coordination to perform profession-specific skills and tasks.
IV. Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities: The candidate must be able to problem solve, measure, calculate, reason, analyze, record and synthesize large amounts of information in a timely manner. The candidate must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand spatial relationships. .
V. Behavioral and Social Attributes: The candidate must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his/her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment and the consistent, prompt completion of all responsibilities and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships. Candidates must be able to tolerate physically, mentally and emotionally taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. The candidate must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, effective interpersonal skills, willingness and ability to function as an effective team player, interest and motivation to learn are all personal qualities required during the educational process.
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International Applicants
An international student must satisfy all of the requirements for admission to the College that apply to a student who has completed all of his/her prerequisite coursework in the U.S. at a regionally accredited college or university. In addition, an international student must demonstrate proficiency in the English language. This may be accomplished by satisfying both of the following requirements:
1. The international student has completed a minimum of two full-time semesters or three full-time quarters of instruction at a postsecondary institution in the U.S. Completed coursework must include a minimum of 50% of the prerequisite science coursework for the College, 6 semester hours of non-remedial English composition, and 3 semester hours of public speaking/speech.
2. The international student must submit official TOEFL scores. A minimum passing score is 550 (paper version, maximum score 677) or 100 (internet version, maximum score 120). The TOEFL scores must be from an exam taken within two years of the anticipated date of matriculation into the College .
If the international student wishes to receive credit for prerequisite coursework completed at a college or university outside the U.S., he/she must submit an official, detailed, course-by-course evaluation of this coursework. The student must obtain this evaluation from one of the following services:
1. Education Credential Evaluators (ECE): 414/289-3400; fax 414/289-3411; www.ece.org; or e-mail info@ece.org
2. Josef Silny & Associates International Education Consultants: 305/273-1616; fax 305/273-1338; www.jsilny.com; or e-mail info@jsilny.com
3. World Education Service (WES): 212/966-6311; fax 212/739-6100; www.wes.org; or e-mail info@wes.org
Based on the official foreign transcript evaluation and the grade earned in the courses(s) the College will decide if it will apply any of these credits toward fulfillment of its prerequisites.
International Applicant Packet
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.Return to TOP
Application Process
1. AACOMAS Application – January 1, 2010 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 2007) 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, 2010 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, 2010.
3. Letters of Recommendation – March 1, 2010 Deadline
Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation. One letter must be written by a prehealth advisory committee or science professor who has taught the applicant. The second letter must be written by a physician, either a D.O. or an 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, 2010. Letters must adhere to the following guidelines: Your full legal name and AACOMAS ID number must be on the front page of the recommendation. Give this information to your evaluator.
- 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.
- Letters must be sent directly from evaluators and must be printed on letterhead stationery, which includes the complete contact information for evaluators.
- The academic degrees of evaluators must be listed (e.g., Ph.D., D.O., M.D.).
- Students who have previously applied to CCOM must submit new letters of recommendation.
- Letters from immediate family members will NOT be accepted.
4. Completed Applications – March 1, 2010 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, 2010. Only completed applications received by the Office of Admissions on or before the deadline date will be reviewed for potential Fall 2010 enrollment.
5. Application Review/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 web site. Instructions for accessing application information on the University's web site will be sent by the Office of Admissions. Please keep the Office of Admissions informed of any changes to your 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. Please follow AACOM's applicant protocol at all times.
Interview / 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 accept 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.The interview process typically begins in September and ends in April.
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.
Matriculation Process
To initiate the matriculation process, newly accepted students must submit both their signed matriculation agreement and their deposit by the date designated in their matriculation agreement. To conclude the matriculation process, students must also:
- Submit deposit monies and administrative fees by the date designated in their matriculation documents. Deposits are applied toward the first quarter's tuition.
- Submit official final transcripts from all colleges attended post-high school by the deadline of two weeks (14 calendar 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. (Note: The information provided on the AACOMAS application is verified against the information provided on student transcripts. Offers of admission are revoked when course and degree information on student applications cannot be verified.)
- Submit completed medical files as instructed in the information sent by the Office of Student Services.
- Submit proof of medical and disability insurance coverage. Students may select either a plan offered by CCOM or a CCOM-approved outside carrier of their choice.
- Provide documentation verifying that sufficient funds have been deposited in a U.S. bank to cover all expenses while attending CCOM (for non-U.S. citizens or nonpermanent residents only).
- Submit additional documents as required by the Office of Admissions.
- Authorize and pass the Midwestern University fingerprinting background check.
- Sign and submit a Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy Statement.
- Complete a physical exam and submit form.
- Sign and submit a Credit Policy Statement.
- Illinois residents must submit proof of Illinois residency if requested by MWU.
Students who either fail to satisfy these matriculation requirements or omit or falsify information required on official admissions documents automatically forfeit their seat at the College. Students will not receive further notification from CCOM relative to forfeitures.
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.
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 must request time off to fulfill prior commitments 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 prior commitments will be approved.
Articulation Agreement Between Midwestern University Programs
Students enrolled in a Midwestern University program are guaranteed an admission interview with another Midwestern University program if the student:
1. is currently in good standing in the academic program in which the student is enrolled and does not have any pending misconduct charges against him/her;
2. meets all admission requirements for the professional program of interest;
3. after a minimum of two full time quarters of study, achieves a minimum Midwestern University grade point average, derived from all courses completed at Midwestern, that is equal to or greater than 3.0; AND
4. achieves a score on the professional entrance exam (if required) that is not less than one standard deviation below the mean score for students that matriculated into the professional degree program in the previous year.
A guaranteed interview does not guarantee admission into the professional program.
Deferred Admission
Deferments are only considered under extreme circumstances in which students are physically unable to begin classes due to a medical condition. If granted, students may defer their admission for one year only.
To initiate the deferred admission process, students must request deferment in writing to the Director of Admissions by the date designated in their matriculation agreements. These requests must be accompanied by a letter(s) from the students' physicians documenting the conditions that prevent students from beginning their medical education. The Director will respond to written requests with a letter detailing the specific conditions associated with deferral. You must submit your remaining deposit monies by the first week of December during the year preceding your matriculation at the time of request of deferral.
- At the time of their deferral requests, students must submit their remaining deposit monies by the first week of December during the year preceding their matriculation.
- At the end of their deferral, students must provide letters from their physicians stating that the students can begin their medical education.
Students are NOT required to interview again or submit another supplemental application or letters of evaluation.
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 Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (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:Submit all inquires for transfer to CCOM to the Admissions Office.
- All inquires for transfer to CCOM must be submitted to the Office of Admissions.
- The Office of Admissions will confirm the availability of rotation sites through the Division of Clinical Education.
- If sites are available, applications will be sent.
- 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.
- Completed applications are forwarded to the Associate Dean for Clinical Sciences.
- The Associate Dean for Clinical Sciences reviews applications and the Dean's Advisory Council conducts interviews with applicants.
- Recommendations are forwarded to the Dean of CCOM for final approvals.
- Applicants are notified by the Dean of the final transfer decision.
Related Links
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS)
Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) Program Office
