Marian University COM (DO) Medical School - 2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format
Marian University Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine (Marian COM), founded in 2013, is a Catholic Franciscan osteopathic medical school located on the Marian University campus in Indianapolis, Indiana. Marian COM integrates a Catholic Franciscan ethos of compassionate service and respect for human dignity into its medical education model. The school benefits from its Indianapolis location in the heart of the Midwest, with access to a large and diverse clinical training environment.
Entry Requirements
What you need to apply to Marian University COM (DO).
Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applications via AACOMAS. CASPer requirements vary — confirm current cycle. DO shadowing and community service expected. Applicants should demonstrate alignment with Marian's mission of compassionate, service-oriented healthcare.
MCAT median
501 (range 497–505)
GPA median
3.77 overall / 3.71 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
6.0%
Class size
162
In-state preference
None
CASPer
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Catholic Franciscan mission alignment, service orientation, osteopathic philosophy, and compassionate care.
Notes
Estimates from publicly available Marian COM and AACOMAS data; verify current cycle figures.
Specialities offered
Primary Care, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Mission-Driven Healthcare
Interview Format
How Marian University COM (DO) interviews applicants.
Format
Traditional faculty interview
Interview window
September–March
Decision date
Rolling admissions
Post-interview chances
Approximately 30–40% post-interview (estimated).
What to expect at a Marian University COM (DO) interview
Marian University COM conducts traditional faculty interviews at its Indianapolis, Indiana campus. The interview day includes a campus tour of the Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine facilities, programme overview, and one-on-one or small panel interview. Questions explore osteopathic philosophy, Marian's Catholic Franciscan mission, service orientation, and the applicant's commitment to compassionate patient care. Interviewers assess fit with the school's values of service, dignity, and whole-person care.
What makes Marian University COM (DO) different
Marian COM is one of a small number of Catholic mission-based osteopathic medical schools in the US. Indianapolis provides diverse clinical rotation opportunities across major health systems (IU Health, Ascension St. Vincent, Community Health Network). The school's Franciscan values and osteopathic philosophy create a distinctive framework for whole-person, compassionate care training.
Tutor insight
Marian COM interviewers probe alignment with the school's Catholic Franciscan mission — respect for human dignity, service to the vulnerable, and compassionate care. Applicants do not need to be Catholic, but should demonstrate genuine service orientation and comfort within a faith-informed academic community. Prepare stories that connect your personal service history to the DO philosophy. Indianapolis's major health systems provide strong clinical networking opportunities — know at least two or three affiliates by name.
PrometheusQuestion Bank
595 medicine questions inside
Interview questions matched to Marian University COM (DO)
Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for Marian University COM (DO)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.
Medium·PanelQ1
Service Orientation: Social Determinants and Community Health
You have been working on a community health education project focused on reducing childhood obesity in a low-income urban neighbourhood. Despite months of effort, families continue to face barriers including food deserts, unsafe outdoor spaces, and long work hours that limit time for cooking. You are beginning to feel that individual-level health education alone cannot solve a structural problem. How do you resolve this tension, and what role should physicians play in addressing the social determinants of health?
Likely follow-up · How do you maintain motivation in a community health role when the causal factors of poor health lie outside your direct influence?
3 expert tips in Prometheus
Hard·PanelQ2
US Healthcare Ethics: Pharmaceutical Marketing and Physician Independence
Research shows that physician prescribing behaviour is measurably influenced by pharmaceutical company interactions -- meals, speaker fees, and promotional samples -- even when physicians believe themselves to be unaffected. The Sunshine Act requires public disclosure of industry payments to physicians, yet the practice continues at scale. As a future physician, how do you think about the ethics of industry relationships, and what policies would you adopt for your own practice?
Likely follow-up · What specific cognitive biases explain why physicians underestimate the influence of industry gifts on their prescribing?
Marian University COM (DO) - Frequently asked questions
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applications via AACOMAS. CASPer requirements vary — confirm current cycle. DO shadowing and community service expected. Applicants should demonstrate alignment with Marian's mission of compassionate, service-oriented healthcare.
Traditional faculty interview. Marian University COM conducts traditional faculty interviews at its Indianapolis, Indiana campus. The interview day includes a campus tour of the Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine facilities, programme overview, and one-on-one or small panel interview. Questions explore osteopathic philosophy, Marian's Catholic Franciscan mission, service orientation, and the applicant's commitment to compassionate patient care. Interviewers assess fit with the school's values of service, dignity, and whole-person care.
Marian University COM (DO) typically interviews in September–March.
Decisions are released Rolling admissions.
Marian COM is one of a small number of Catholic mission-based osteopathic medical schools in the US. Indianapolis provides diverse clinical rotation opportunities across major health systems (IU Health, Ascension St. Vincent, Community Health Network). The school's Franciscan values and osteopathic philosophy create a distinctive framework for whole-person, compassionate care training.
