Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine at The Chicago School (DO)
Chicago, IL, US
Chicago, IL, US•Est. 2026
Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine at The Chicago School (DO) Medical School - 2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format
The Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine at The Chicago School (IllinoisCOM) is a new osteopathic medical school in Chicago, Illinois — a college of The Chicago School. It holds COCA Pre-Accreditation status and enrols its inaugural class in Fall 2026; no students have matriculated yet. Positioned as an urban DO programme in one of America's largest and most medically complex cities, it draws on Chicago's stark health disparities — particularly between its affluent North Side and underserved South and West Side communities — for a training context emphasising equity, community health, and whole-person care within a large urban health system.
Entry Requirements
What you need to apply to Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine at The Chicago School (DO).
Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applications via AACOMAS. DO physician shadowing strongly recommended. Interest in urban health equity and community medicine is a plus. CASPer requirements — check current admissions page.
MCAT median
504 (range 498–509)
GPA median
3.52 overall / 3.45 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
7.5%
Class size
170
In-state preference
None
CASPer
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Urban health equity commitment, DO shadowing, osteopathic philosophy, and community health interest.
Notes
Pre-launch school: COCA Pre-Accreditation, inaugural class begins Fall 2026; no matriculant data published yet. The MCAT/GPA/classSize/acceptanceRate fields are pre-launch projections only. Planned full-operation target ~170 students/year.
Specialities offered
Primary Care, Urban Medicine, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Family Medicine, Community Health
Interview Format
How Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine at The Chicago School (DO) interviews applicants.
Format
Traditional interview with faculty and students
Interview window
September–February
Decision date
Rolling admissions
Post-interview chances
Approximately 25–38% post-interview (estimated).
What to expect at a Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine at The Chicago School (DO) interview
ILCOM conducts interview days at its Chicago campus, with sessions structured around one-on-one or small-panel conversations with faculty physicians and current students. As a newer school in a major urban centre, ILCOM interviewers probe candidates' ability to connect osteopathic philosophy with urban health equity themes — Chicago's health disparities between North and South Side communities are frequently contextualised. Expect questions about community health, health systems navigation in a large city, and why osteopathic medicine specifically in an urban environment.
What makes Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine at The Chicago School (DO) different
Applications via AACOMAS. IllinoisCOM — a college of The Chicago School — is one of very few DO programmes in a major US metropolis (most DO schools are in suburban or rural settings) and is Chicago's first new medical school in nearly a century. With COCA Pre-Accreditation and an inaugural class beginning Fall 2026, its Chicago location is intended to provide clinical rotation access to major teaching hospitals, FQHCs, and diverse patient populations across one of the country's most health-disparate urban environments.
Tutor insight
ILCOM applicants should clearly articulate a vision for urban medicine and health equity — this is not a rural-focused programme. Demonstrate awareness of Chicago's specific health disparities landscape and how osteopathic whole-person care applies in a busy urban primary care setting. As a newer programme, ILCOM is still establishing its Match and clinical affiliate networks — research the current state of its hospital affiliations before your interview.
PrometheusQuestion Bank
595 medicine questions inside
Interview questions matched to Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine at The Chicago School (DO)
Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine at The Chicago School (DO)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.
Medium·PanelQ1
MCAT: Genetics and the Ethics of Predictive Testing
A 28-year-old patient whose parent died of Huntington's disease asks whether she should undergo predictive genetic testing. Huntington's is autosomal dominant with complete penetrance -- a positive test means she will develop the disease. There is no cure or proven disease-modifying treatment. How do you counsel her, and what ethical principles govern predictive genetic testing for untreatable conditions?
Likely follow-up · What is the MCAT's genetics content relevant to understanding Huntington's inheritance pattern, and how does it apply here?
3 expert tips in Prometheus
Hard·MMI · PanelQ2
Patient Advocacy: Gun Violence as a Public Health Issue
The CDC identifies firearms as a leading cause of death in the United States — the number one cause of death for children and adolescents as of 2020 data. You are an intern (medical student on sub-internship) in a paediatric clinic. A parent asks: 'Should I ask my paediatrician about gun safety at home?' A colleague argues that asking about firearms is political and should not be a clinical topic. How do you respond to both the parent and your colleague?
Likely follow-up · What is the evidence base for brief, anticipatory guidance on safe firearm storage during well-child visits?
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Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine at The Chicago School (DO) - Frequently asked questions
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applications via AACOMAS. DO physician shadowing strongly recommended. Interest in urban health equity and community medicine is a plus. CASPer requirements — check current admissions page.
Traditional interview with faculty and students. ILCOM conducts interview days at its Chicago campus, with sessions structured around one-on-one or small-panel conversations with faculty physicians and current students. As a newer school in a major urban centre, ILCOM interviewers probe candidates' ability to connect osteopathic philosophy with urban health equity themes — Chicago's health disparities between North and South Side communities are frequently contextualised. Expect questions about community health, health systems navigation in a large city, and why osteopathic medicine specifically in an urban environment.
Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine at The Chicago School (DO) typically interviews in September–February.
Decisions are released Rolling admissions.
Applications via AACOMAS. IllinoisCOM — a college of The Chicago School — is one of very few DO programmes in a major US metropolis (most DO schools are in suburban or rural settings) and is Chicago's first new medical school in nearly a century. With COCA Pre-Accreditation and an inaugural class beginning Fall 2026, its Chicago location is intended to provide clinical rotation access to major teaching hospitals, FQHCs, and diverse patient populations across one of the country's most health-disparate urban environments.
