Admissions

Your Success is our Top Priority.

At Noorda-COM, everything we do is centered on your academic success.  From our tech-forward curriculum to our state-of-the-art simulation experiences; and from our highly credentialed faculty to our engagement with the community, you will find a medical school experience unlike any other here at Noorda-COM.

500 Composite score (preferred) on Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)

Baccalaureate degree earned from a regionally accredited college or university.

Minimum cumulative and science GPA of 3.0

Completion grade of a C or higher in the following:

• 8 semester credits of:
  • Biology/Zoology with lab
  • Inorganic Chemistry with lab
  • Organic Chemistry with lab (4 semester credits of Biochemistry may be substituted for the 2nd semester of Organic Chemistry)
  • Physics with lab
  • Anatomy with lab* (4 semester credit hours)
  • Physiology with lab* (4 semester credit hours)
• 6 semester credits of:
  • English Composition and/or LIterature
  • Behavioral Sciences
  • Math/Statistics

*Anatomy and physiology are integral parts of medical education training. Completion of courses in anatomy and physiology is highly preferred and will give applicants a competitive advantage. We will accept and consider applications from those who have not completed anatomy and/or physiology courses; however, accepted students who have not completed these courses at matriculation may need to complete additional content as part of enrollment.  Note: Matching courses to a prerequisite is not required and you can select “I Am Not Matching Any Courses to this Prerequisite” for any prerequisites for which you do not have classes to assign.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, applications will be accepted with or without MCAT scores. Any request for substitutions or waiver of any admission requirements must be submit in writing to the Director of Admissions stating the request, rationale for request, and supporting documentation. For more details on substitutions or waiver of admission requirements please see page 3 of our full policy here.

We encourage qualified students interested in osteopathic medicine to apply, regardless of their current/permanent state of residence.

Completed Noorda-COM Secondary Application ($100 non-refundable, fee waived if applicant has received fee waiver for AACOMAS fees).
Letters of Recommendation from two of the three following sources:

• A Physician (preferably osteopathic)
• A science faculty member who is familiar with the applicant’s academic work
• A premedical source; could be an advisor letter, composite evaluation or evaluations from a committee. If premed source is not available, another science faculty addition to items above, or an employer’s letter may be substituted.

Note: Evaluations must be written within two years prior to making applications
Those using military scholarships or are not U.S. citizens please see page 6 of the Admissions policy for full application details.

Evaluation of applicants includes academic excellence and non-academic achievements. Academic excellence is measured by MCAT results, grades, and GPAs. Non-academic achievements are also considered when evaluating applicants. This can include:

• Leadership roles in organizations
• Involvement in community/projects
• Involvement in research activities
• Commitment to an organization for more than 2 years
• Participation in a domestic/international mission trip
• Work experience in the medical field (e.g. EMT, Nurse, etc.)
• Medical field volunteer experiences
• Minimum of 80 hours of shadowing a physician, osteopathic or allopathic

All incoming students must submit official transcripts from all universities or colleges attended directly to the Office of Admissions. Transcripts submitted to AACOMAS within the application process are not forwarded to our office. Acceptance is conditional until all official transcripts are received from schools attended. Transcripts must be on file prior to matriculation. Noorda-COM expects that all required coursework by AACOMAS will be completed with a C or higher and degrees completed by August 1 of the matriculation year.

Prior to matriculation, all students must have a background check performed at their own expense. The check must be performed by a certifying organization retained by Noorda-COM. This background check satisfies all federal and state requirements for clinical activities. Prior to graduation, students may be required to undergo a subsequent background check at the student’s expense and in accordance with federal and state laws. Please refer to page 8 of the Admissions Policy for all the details concerning the background check.

All matriculating students must be vaccinated in accordance with Noorda-COM’s guidelines in order to pursue clinicals. We determine our immunization requirements based on the CDC guidelines for healthcare workers in combination with the current requirements for the Office of Clinical Education. These guidelines and requirements change periodically. Applicants and students are expected to be knowledgeable on the current guidelines.

All students are required to maintain personal health insurance and currently, updated immunizations. Students must submit proof of insurance and immunizations to the Office of Admissions before matriculating and to the Office of Clinical Education before beginning first year clinicals and again before beginning clerkships. Any break or change in coverage must be reported to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs during the first two years. COM students must report any break or change in coverage to the Office of Clinical Education during the third and fourth years.

Students who fail to meet these guidelines will not be allowed to matriculate, may jeopardize their eligibility for participation in clinical education and/or continued enrollment.

Students are held to technical standards for admission and matriculation. These standards fall under the categories of: Communication, motor function/strength/mobility, observation and sensory skills, intellectual, conceptual, integrative ad quantitative abilities, behavioral and social attributes, participation in osteopathic clinical skills laboratory, and proper dress attire. Please see our policy on standards in full here.

• May – Contact all colleges and universities attended and have official transcripts forwarded directly to AACOMAS and begin the AACOMAS application
• June – Submit AACOMAS application beginning June 1
• August – Invitations for completion of the Secondary Application are sent to qualified applicants upon receipt of the AACOMAS application in the Office of Admissions
• September – Personal interviews begin
• February – AACOMAS and Noorda-COM applications due by the 1st, transcripts by the 15th

Step 1 – AACOMAS Application:

This online application will have you create an account and complete their application over several sessions. Applicants will be able to edit personal information and submit application fees online. Applicants will be notified via e-mail when their materials have been received by AACOMAS. The application becomes available to the entering class 15 months in advance (May) of matriculation, through February of the matriculation year. All information, including detailed instructions, can be found on the AACOMAS website.

AACOMAS accepts transcripts electronically from a limited number of electronic transcript services. A list of these services can be found in the AACOMAS application instructions. If your school does not use these services, you must provide transcripts to AACOMAS via paper mailing. Transcripts should be sent (via U.S. Mail or expedited delivery service) to:

AACOMAS Transcript Processing Center
P.O. Box 9137
Watertown, MA 02471

Step 2 – Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine Secondary Application

Applicants meeting the minimum initial review criteria will be invited to complete Noorda COM’s secondary application. Please see Academic Requirements for details. Applicants are encouraged to include the scheduled MCAT test dates on the AACOMAS application to indicate the intent of taking or retaking the exam.

• Applicants are responsible for becoming familiar with admission requirements, following application procedures, and meeting all deadlines at the school which they apply.
• Applicants are responsible for the collection and timely submission of supplemental applications, letters of evaluations, transcripts, and all applicable fees.
• Applicants are responsible for reporting and updating any changes in the initially submitted application (i.e. address, phone number, academic status, and state of residence).
• Applicants are responsible for responding promptly, either to accept or to decline all interview invitations and offers of admission.
• Applicants who have made a final decision on the medical school they plan to attend have the obligation to promptly withdraw their application from all other schools.
• Applicants may hold only one acceptance after May 1.

Following the above assessment, selected applicants are invited to participate in a formal personal interview (2020-2021 cycle will be conducted virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions). Applicants will be evaluated on:

• Communication style
• Professional demeanor
• Ethics, cultural, and/or human sensitivity issues
• Interest in Noorda-COM and the osteopathic profession

After the interview, the Admissions Committee reviews the applicant file and makes a recommendation to the COM Dean. Applicants will be notified via e-mail as soon as a final decision has been made.

Persons interested in recommending a premedical student for admissions should write a letter to the Office of Admissions on behalf of the applicant. Recommenders should briefly indicate in what capacity and for how long they have known the applicant. Areas of particular interest include:

• Applicant’s motivation for osteopathic medicine
• Native intellectual ability (keenness, originality, capacity)
• Industry (promptness, application, perseverance, reliability)
• Initiative (imagination, independence, resourcefulness)
• Competence in classroom
• Competence in laboratory
• Character (integrity, honesty, responsibility, habits, ethics)
• Maturity
• Personality (strength, leadership, sense of humor)
• Attitude toward associates
• Expression (oral and written)
• Personal appearance (neatness, cleanliness, grooming)
• Patient Contact
• Community Service

Students enrolled at an AOA-COCA accredited osteopathic medical school or the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) may be considered for transfer admission into the second or beginning third year of medical studies at Noorda-COM upon completion of the equivalent level of medical education as currently structured at Noorda-COM, and provided that a vacancy exists. Transfer applicants enrollment/readmission, and present a valid and compelling reason for transfer. LCME enrolled transfer students must successfully complete all OMM/OPP competency prior to graduation from the COM. Transfer admissions with advanced standing is at the discretion of the Dean and provided that a vacancy exists. Please read our Transfer Admission Policy in full here.

Eligibility Guidelines:

• Applicants previously denied admission from Noorda-COM are not eligible for transfer
• Must be in good academic standing at the current COM school and be eligible for continued enrollment or readmission
• Premedical science, overall grade point average, MCAT scores must be equal to or greater than the averages of the class into which they wish to transfer
• Applicants interested in transferring as third-year medical students must have passed COMLEX Level 1
• Applicants dismissed by another osteopathic medicine school are not eligible for transfer

Requirements

• Noorda-COM Secondary Application and fee
• Personal statement presenting valid and compelling reasons for admission by transfer
• Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges
• Letter of evaluation and support from the Dean at the current/previous osteopathic medical school
• Official MCAT scores
• Official COMLEX scores (if applicable)
• Copy of the catalog from the osteopathic school you are transferring from
• Any documentation in addition to the catalog to demonstrate satisfactory completion of equivalent curricular content
• Two letters of recommendation

Procedures and Deadlines

• Complete the Noorda-COM Secondary Application indicating interest as a transfer student and pay application fee
• Deadline for receipt of application and fee is February 1
• Deadline for receipt of all supporting documentation is March 1
• Office of Admissions reviews application, if minimum qualifiers are met the Associate Dean of Clinical Education is contacted to confirm availability
• Once availability is confirmed, the student’s previous curricular activity is reviewed by the Dean and faculty with expertise to ensure content fulfills minimum curriculum requirements
• If curriculum content is deemed approved, the applicant is invited for a personal interview
• Interview observations and applicant file is forwarded to Admissions Committee for consideration
• If the committee recommends transfer admission, the file is forwarded to the Dean for final approval and confirmation of credit equivalencies. Accepted transfer credit is posted to the Noorda-COM transcript as a semester credit value summary with a transfer GPA. This credit is not utilized for determination of graduation honors
• Only applications completed and received by the advertised deadline will be considered. No exceptions or extensions will be approved. Incomplete applications will be withdrawn
• Applicants who submit a complete application for transfer admission will receive written notification of the decision.

Potential transfer students should request application information from our Office of Admissions.

Occasionally, a student may present a physical problem that contraindicates a manipulation. Such students are required to contact the administrative assistant for the OMM Department before the beginning of the section and present documentation of the problem. The student will be examined by a faculty member to confirm that special arrangements are in need of authorizing. Noorda-COM provides reasonable and appropriate accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Please read our policy on accommodations in full here.