Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) Medical School - 2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), founded in 1899, is one of the largest and most established osteopathic medical schools in the United States. PCOM operates campuses in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Suwanee, Georgia; and Moultrie, Georgia. The school has a century-long tradition of training osteopathic physicians for primary care and specialty practice, with strong community health ties in the Philadelphia metro area.
Entry Requirements
What you need to apply to Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).
Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applications via AACOMAS. CASPer required. Competitive applicants show healthcare shadowing (ideally with a DO), community service, and understanding of osteopathic principles.
MCAT median
506 (range 500–512)
GPA median
3.58 overall / 3.52 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
8.5%
Class size
270
In-state preference
None
CASPer
Required
Holistic review emphasis
Osteopathic philosophy, DO shadowing, community service, and healthcare experience.
Notes
MCAT/GPA hedged estimates from publicly available PCOM and AACOMAS data.
Specialities offered
Primary Care, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry
Interview Format
How Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) interviews applicants.
Format
Traditional one-on-one interview with faculty
Interview window
September–February
Decision date
Rolling admissions
Post-interview chances
Approximately 25–35% post-interview (estimated).
What makes Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) different
Applications via AACOMAS. PCOM's multi-campus model offers urban (Philadelphia) and suburban Georgia clinical training environments. PCOM has a strong psychology doctoral programme alongside the DO programme, enabling interdisciplinary clinical exposure. The school actively recruits DO shadowing hours.
Tutor insight
PCOM interviewers look for a clear, personal rationale for osteopathic medicine — not just a generic "holistic approach" answer. Reference specific interactions with DO physicians and connect osteopathic philosophy to your long-term practice vision. Rolling admissions heavily reward early AACOMAS submission (May/June). Georgia campus applicants should note the distinct rural/suburban clinical environment.
PrometheusQuestion Bank
595 medicine questions inside
Interview questions matched to Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.
Hard·MMI · PanelQ1
AAMC Core Competency: Oral Communication — Delivering Difficult News
You are a third-year medical student on a general medicine team. Your patient — a 48-year-old woman admitted for workup of a new lung mass — has just received a biopsy result confirming non-small cell lung cancer. The attending is unavailable for the next two hours. The pathology report has been loaded into the chart, visible to the patient through the patient portal. You walk in to check on her and she immediately says, 'I saw my results — can you explain what it means?' How do you handle this conversation?
Likely follow-up · What is the protocol most hospitals follow for delivering serious diagnoses, and how does the patient portal's real-time result delivery complicate that protocol?
3 expert tips in Prometheus
Medium·PanelQ2
US Healthcare Ethics: ACA Marketplace and the Pre-Existing Condition Guarantee
Before the Affordable Care Act, a 28-year-old patient with Type 1 diabetes could be denied coverage or charged prohibitively high premiums in the individual market. The ACA's community rating and guaranteed issue provisions changed that. A patient tells you that he is considering dropping his ACA Marketplace plan because premiums have increased and he feels healthy. As his primary care physician, what do you advise, and what does his situation illustrate about the structure of US health insurance markets?
Likely follow-up · What is adverse selection, and why is it the central actuarial challenge of any insurance market that prohibits medical underwriting?
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Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) - Frequently asked questions
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applications via AACOMAS. CASPer required. Competitive applicants show healthcare shadowing (ideally with a DO), community service, and understanding of osteopathic principles.
Traditional one-on-one interview with faculty
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) typically interviews in September–February.
Decisions are released Rolling admissions.
Applications via AACOMAS. PCOM's multi-campus model offers urban (Philadelphia) and suburban Georgia clinical training environments. PCOM has a strong psychology doctoral programme alongside the DO programme, enabling interdisciplinary clinical exposure. The school actively recruits DO shadowing hours.
