What is osteopathic medicine? Osteopathic medicine (OM) has a distinct philosophy, emphasizing a whole-person approach, partnering with patients, and wellness. The four tenets of the osteopathic approach are as follows, according to the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine: While allopathic schools have begun integrating these concepts into their curriculum, they are long-standing core…
It’s A Match 2023
Each year on Match Day, thousands of medical school students and graduates discover where they will receive their specialty training. The matching process, overseen by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), is determined by an algorithm that pairs eligible applicants with available residency training positions. With a record 42,952 applicants for 40,375 certificated positions, Match…
Casper, A Situational Judgment Test: All You Need to Know [Episode 513]
Shortcuts to Key Insights from this Episode Do you have to take the CASPer for at least some of the programs you are applying to? Are you concerned about? This interview with the co-founder of Acuity Insights, the folks who provide the Casper, is for you! [Show Summary] Dr. Dore discusses everything applicants need to…
MD/PA/NP/DO/DDS/MPH: What Do They Require? [Episode 499]
Discover the differences between and how to get accepted to common healthcare admissions tracks [Show Summary] Accepted consultant Dr. Valerie Wherley has an impressive and extensive background in pre-health, having advised thousands of students to acceptance at their dream schools and programs. In this highly informative podcast interview, she distinguishes the differences between common healthcare…
7 To-Dos for Canadians Applying to U.S. Med Schools
Each year, Canadian medical school hopefuls look across the border for their medical education. While there are obvious challenges (adapting to a different health care system, returning to a Canadian residency, and much higher education costs), the higher acceptance rates at U.S. programs (about 36.2% overall per AAMC, as compared to around 19.6% in Canada)…
5 Tips for Completing AACOMAS Secondary Applications
Looking for the best osteopathic med school admissions advice out there? Ace those AACOMAS apps by reading our osteopathic application tips series – each post, another set of 5 expert tips that will help you get accepted. Once you file the AACOMAS application and choose your schools, the process is not yet over. You will…
5 Tips for Perfecting Your AACOMAS Personal Statement
The AACOMAS requires one personal statement that is a maximum of 5,300 characters long. Below are five tips to help make your AACOMAS personal statement shine. Perfecting your personal statement Show, don’t tellThe first axiom of the personal statement is to “show, don’t tell.” Honest, compassionate, caring, dedicated – you want to show all of…
5 Ways to Stand Out in the AACOMAS Experience and Achievements Sections
The Experiences section in the AACOMAS application asks you to list your non-academic work, including healthcare-related work, non-healthcare work, volunteer work, and extracurricular activities. The Achievements section is the space for you to include academic honors, awards and scholarships. Below are five tips for completing this section of the AACOMAS. Categorize your activity by type.The…
5 Tips for Requesting an AACOMAS Letter of Recommendation (Evaluation)
If you are planning to apply to osteopathic medical schools, the AACOMAS allows you to upload up to six letters of recommendation. You can’t upload different letters for different schools, so make sure that your recommenders know that they should write general letters of recommendation. You should request your letters through AACOMAS, which sends an…
Why a Hands-on Approach to Patient Care Is Important to This Aspiring Physiatrist
Learn how real students navigate their way through the medical school admissions process and med school itself with our What Is Medical School Really Like? series. Meet Becca, a hiking enthusiast and OMS3 who hopes to dispel misconceptions about individuals with disabilities. Thank you, Becca, for sharing your story with us! Was there a particular…
The Road to Acceptance at a Dual DO/PhD Program [Student Interview]
Learn how real students navigate their way through the medical school admissions process and med school itself with our What is Medical School Really Like? series. Meet Vignesh, a DO/PhD student interested in both direct patient care and the science that leads to new treatments. Thank you Vignesh, for sharing your story with us! Why…
A Physician’s Nontraditional Path from Law Enforcement to Medical School [Episode 363]
Dr. Joe Bardinelli shares his journey from cop to doc [Show summary] Not everyone follows a traditional path to a career in medicine. Today’s guest, emergency physician Dr. Joe Bardinelli, was a police officer for six years before deciding to enter medical school. In this episode, he shares how and why he went from being…
Overcoming The Odds: A Story Of Med School Inspiration
Think a low MCAT score means medical school is out of the picture? Not for Student Dr. Diva. Listen to our conversation with the pink and glitter-loving tomboy with determination and resilience that is nothing short of awe-inspiring. If you are a pre-med, current student, graduate, or even none of the above, you won’t want…
Becoming a D.O. [Episode 177]
This is our first podcast dedicated to the osteopathic student experience. Today’s guest is Ashley Roxanne Peterson. She’s currently a 2nd year DO student. As an undergrad, she attended UNC Charlotte, where she majored in Anthropology and minored in Sociology. She’s now in her second year at the Georgia campus of the Philadelphia College of…
Why I Love My DO Medical School
I am often asked what school I attend when running errands or meeting new people. I am happy that I get to say I go to an Osteopathic medical school! There are many types of medical schools out there including MD, Caribbean, European, and DO medical schools. For me, my DO school does a great…
Accreditation at Osteopathic and Caribbean Medical Schools
Osteopathic medical schools are accredited by a different organization from the allopathic medical schools. The American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) conducts on-site visits, generates reports and evaluates how well the schools are meeting their expectations. COCA meets annually to update their standards. They met last June; you can read the updated…
Medical School Application Strategy: MD vs. DO Programs
Before you decide whether you want to apply to allopathic (MD) and/or osteopathic (DO) medical schools, I recommend that you shadow both types of doctors. They each represent dramatically different approaches to health and healing. Gaining exposure to both forms of medicine will help you make an informed decision about what types of treatment options you…
AACOMAS Changing Their Grade Forgiveness Policy
As of May 1, 2017, AACOMAS will be calculating all grades into their standard GPA calculation for all applicants. This means that if you received an F or D in a course and retook it for a higher grade, AACOMAS will include all attempts in your GPA. In the past, they would only calculate the…
Preparing for Your AACOMAS Application? Read On!
If you are applying to an osteopathic program, you should already know the type of student these schools are looking for: one who is concerned about other people and society in addition to being an excellent student and eager learner. But how can you ensure that your application presents these qualities? And what can you…
Western University of Health Sciences Secondary Application Essay Tips
Western University of the Health Sciences is an osteopathic school that emphasizes a desire for life-long learning and a commitment to serving a range of people with compassion. One of the school’s goals is to increase care to underprivileged communities and extend quality of life with patient-centered care. Western University also places a strong emphasis…