Osteopathic medical schools provide the same basic medical training as allopathic schools. In addition, osteopaths train in osteopathic manipulative treatment, or OTM, which is the use of the hands to diagnose and treat a patient through the manipulation of his joints and muscles. Osteopaths are taught a holistic approach to illness and injury, viewing the patient as a complete entity rather than focusing on individual organs or systems. The precise course depends on the college, but is typically two years of classroom instruction and labs, followed by two years of clinical experience before beginning a four-year residency.
Admission to an osteopathic medical college is competitive. For the 2009 cycle, 12,600 applicants submitted 92,500 applications to fill 5,100 openings. Osteopathic colleges look for students who have a solid background in undergraduate science, high grade-point averages and excellent scores on the Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT. Good communication skills also are preferred. Osteopathic colleges, however, also may accept non-traditional students, such as those making a career change. The majority of the medical colleges require students to pass a criminal background check either upon acceptance or before they begin clinical work.
Prospective students apply through the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, or AACOM. Students should have their MCAT scores sent to this centralized application service, along with their transcripts. Applications are completed online at the AACOM website. The service charges a fee for applications, but a limited number of waivers are available for low-income applicants. AACOM recommends that students apply approximately one year before their desired enrollment date.
Students at osteopathic medical colleges can apply for traditional forms of financial aid, such as student loans and federal grants. Individual schools offer scholarships, and AACOM provides two scholarships annually for minority students. The National Health Service Corps is a federal program that offers scholarships and loans for those with an interest in primary care in underserved areas. Individual osteopathic organizations on both the national and local level offer loans or scholarships from time to time.