Admissions

• May – AACOMAS opens. Contact all colleges and universities attended and have official transcripts sent directly to AACOMAS. Noorda-COM receives applications from AACOMAS as they are verified.
• June – Invitations for completion of the secondary application are sent to qualified applicants on a rolling basis throughout the cycle, beginning in June.
• September – Interviews begin.
• February – Primary Application Deadline: Applications must be verified by AACOMAS and received by Noorda-COM by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on February 1.
• March – Secondary Application Deadline: All required supplemental materials (i.e., letters of recommendation) must be submitted to Noorda-COM by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the March 1.
• May – Accepted applicants may hold only one seat at one COM after May 15, per the AACOMAS Traffic Guidelines.

Applicant Responsibilities

Applicants are responsible for the following:

• Becoming familiar with admission requirements, following application procedures, and meeting all deadlines at the school to which they apply.
• The collection and timely submission of supplemental applications, letters of evaluation, transcripts, and all applicable fees.
• Reporting and updating any changes in the initially submitted application (e.g., address, phone number, academic status, and state of residence).
• 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 15.

Your success is our top priority.

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

Academic Prerequisites

The Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine is seeking applicants from across the country with diverse academic, experiential, and demographic backgrounds. Our admissions team completes holistic reviews of all applicant materials.

To be considered, applications must be verified by AACOMAS and received by Noorda-COM by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the primary application deadline. For best consideration, applicants should submit their AACOMAS application at least four weeks prior to the deadline.

A baccalaureate degree earned from a regionally accredited college or university is required.

The academic requirements for admission to Noorda-COM are the following:

Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)

Minimum total score of 500 with subsection scores of 125 is preferred.

MCAT scores are required and will not be waived. Applications will not be reviewed without official MCAT scores. Applications submitted without MCAT scores will be placed on hold until official MCAT scores are received.

• For the 2022-23 application cycle, MCAT scores from exams taken prior to January 2019 will not be accepted. We will accept MCAT scores for exams taken through September 2022.
• For the 2023-24 application cycle, MCAT scores from exams taken prior to January 2020 will not be accepted. We will accept MCAT scores for exams taken through September 2023.

GPA

Minimum cumulative and science GPAs of 3.0 are preferred.

We appreciate that a student’s last 60 credit hours are a meaningful representation of their current ability and as such evaluate that as a separate metric.

 Prerequisite Coursework

The following courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher:

• 8 semester credits of:
  • Biology/Zoology with lab¹
  • Inorganic Chemistry with lab
  • Organic Chemistry with lab
    • 4 semester credits of Biochemistry may be substituted for the second semester of Organic Chemistry
  • Physics with lab
• 6 semester credits of:
  • English Composition and/or Literature¹
  • Behavioral Sciences²
    • Psychology and sociology highly recommended
  • Math/Statistics

The following courses are not required but are recommended as additional preparation:

• Anatomy³
• Physiology³
• Immunology
• Histology
• Embryology
• Philosophy
• Medical Terminology

¹ AP Credit acceptable
² Please see AACOMAS Course Subjects for courses classified as behavioral sciences
³ Completion of courses in anatomy and physiology is highly preferred and will give applicants a competitive advantage. Accepted students who have not completed these courses at enrollment will need to complete additional content prior to matriculation.

While online prerequisite coursework is accepted, in-person coursework and labs are highly preferred. Independent study coursework is not accepted for required prerequisite courses. Prerequisite coursework completed at a community college is acceptable.

Completion of a minimum of 60 semester credits of science coursework is highly preferred and will give applicants a competitive advantage.

Any request for substitutions or waiver of any admission requirements must be submitted in writing to the Director of Admissions. To be considered, requests must include a completed Admissions Requirement Substitution/Waiver Request Form and supporting documentation. For more details on substitutions or waiver of admission requirements please see page 3 of our full policy here.

Non-academic Achievements

Non-academic achievements also are considered, as well as a candidate’s ability and desire to fulfill the mission of the College. The Admissions Committee looks for the following non-academic achievements:

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

Residency

We encourage qualified students interested in osteopathic medicine to apply, regardless of their current/permanent state of residence. We are looking to recruit individuals from across the country to build a diverse class to help us meet our mission of serving those living in the Intermountain West.

 At this time, we are not accepting applications from international or DACA students. You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to apply.

Applicants who meet minimum standards and who align with the mission, vision, and values of Noorda-COM will be invited to complete a secondary application. This application will include submission of a video and professional headshot, an attestation of minimum technical standards, letters of recommendation, and a $100 fee (non-refundable, waived for applicants who qualify for AACOMAS Fee Waiver or AAMC Fee Assistance Program).

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation/evaluation are required from three (3) following sources:

• A healthcare source who is familiar with the applicant’s work in healthcare/with patients (preferably an osteopathic physician)
• A science faculty member who is familiar with the applicant’s academic work
• A premedical source. This could be an advisor’s letter, a composite evaluation, or evaluations from a committee. If a premed source is not available, a second science faculty letter or a letter from an employer may be substituted.

We understand that it may be difficult to acquire certain types of letters of recommendation. As such, applicants will only be required to submit two of the three required letters of recommendation for the 2023-24 cycle.  

Note: Letters must be signed and on letterhead and dated within two (2) years prior to application submission. Letters from family members are not accepted.

Applicants who anticipate using military scholarships please see page 6 of the Admissions Policy for full application details.

Minimum Technical Standards

Students are held to technical standards for admission and matriculation. These standards fall under the following categories: communication, motor function/strength/mobility, observation and sensory skills, intellectual, conceptual, integrative and 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.

Following the above assessment, selected applicants are invited to participate in a formal personal interview. Applicants will be evaluated on the following:

• 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 will review the applicant file and make a recommendation to the COM Dean. Applicants will be notified via e-mail as soon as a final decision has been made.

Official Transcripts

Prior to matriculation, 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 will not satisfy this requirement. Acceptance is conditional until all official transcripts are received from schools attended. All transcripts must be received by Noorda-COM by May 15 of the matriculation year. If there are courses/degrees either in-progress or pending at the time of the transcript deadline, the transcript(s) for such courses/degrees must be on file prior to matriculation. Noorda-COM expects that all required coursework will be completed with a C or higher and degrees completed by July 15 of the matriculation year. Transcripts should be submitted by email to transcripts@noordacom.org. In the event that an institution does not send transcripts electronically, transcripts may be mailed to:
Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine
Attn: Transcripts
198 East 1600 South
Provo, UT 84606

Criminal Background Check

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 details concerning the background check.

Immunization and Health Requirements

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 current, updated immunizations. Students must submit proof of insurance and immunizations to the Office of Admissions before matriculating, to the Office of Clinical Education before beginning first year clinicals, and again to the Office of Clinical Education before beginning clerkships. Any break or change in coverage must be reported to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs during the first two years. 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 and/or may jeopardize their eligibility for participation in clinical education and/or continued enrollment.

Special Accommodations

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.

Any party who writes a letter as part of an individual’s application to Noorda-COM should briefly indicate in what capacity and for how long they have known the applicant. Areas of particular interest include the following:

• 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 must be in good academic standing at an accredited medical school where they are currently enrolled, be eligible for continued 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 of 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.