Most individuals applying to an osteopathic medical school typically have a bachelor's degree, with the exception of students completing special programs that have previous arrangements with osteopathic schools. Some applicants have earned a master's degree or completed other advanced education programs. Candidates do not have to have a degree in any prespecified major; according to Osteopathic.org, applicants often decide to become an osteopathic doctor after spending years building another career. Whatever the applicant's education and professional history, osteopathic medical school admissions review boards need to be sure she can handle the rigors of a medical school curriculum.
Regardless of an applicant's major or degree program, he must complete certain prerequisite courses before beginning osteopathic medical school. According to the American Osteopathic Association, general requirements include eight credit hours of biology or zoology, eight credit hours of inorganic chemistry, eight credit hours of organic chemistry, eight credit hours of physics and six credit hours of English. Although all osteopathic medical schools require applicants to fulfill these minimum requirements, individual schools have varying additional course requirements; applicants should check with the institution to which they are applying for details.
Students applying to an osteopathic medical school must provide official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended, whether or not a degree was granted during their tenure. Admissions review boards divide applicant's grade point averages into three categories: science, non-science and all courses. According to the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, in the 2007 application cycle, the average cumulative grade point average was 3.35, and the average science GPA was 3.20.
Applicants to osteopathic medical schools also are required to provide their MCAT scores. The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine reports that 2007 applicants' MCAT exam sections averaged the following scores: 7.60 for verbal reasoning, 7.46 for physical sciences and 8.30 for biological sciences.
Most osteopathic medical schools require applicants to submit letters of recommendation; these should be from professional or academic sources, such as former professors, mentors, advisers, employers or colleagues.
Osteopathic medical schools look for certain personal qualities in applicants before granting admission. According to the American Osteopathic Association, candidates should be well-rounded, have good communication and interpersonal skills, have a record of community service, have a record of leadership and experience in various extracurricular activities, have some clinical experience and come from a diverse background. Applicants also should be motivated to pursue a career in osteopathic medicine, have knowledge of osteopathic medicine and have experience shadowing an osteopathic doctor.