Pikeville College - School of Osteopathic Medicine

Review & Notification

The major criteria for rating applicants are academic excellence, commitment to osteopathic primary care, commitment to practice medicine in an underserved area and personal characteristics. Academic excellence is measured by assessing results of the Medical College Admissions Test, grades and grade-point averages. The degree of difficulty of the program which the applicant studied is also considered. No interview is involved in this assessment.

After the initial assessment, selected applicants are invited to visit the campus for a formal personal interview. After the interview, the Admissions Committee reviews the applicants’ files and applicants are notified as soon as a final admissions decision has been made.

An acceptance fee and a matriculation deposit are required from successful applicants (see Tuition & Fees). Acceptance is conditional until all required documentation is received from schools attended. Transcripts must be on file prior to matriculation.

PCSOM is a private institution and encourages applications from qualified students who are interested in pursuing a career in osteopathic medicine. Qualified applicants from Eastern Kentucky will be given preference for admission to PCSOM.

Note: Intentional misrepresentation or omission of information relative to scholastic records or test records will subject the student to dismissal. The College reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant for any reason it deems sufficient. Matriculation will be denied to applicants who have failed to maintain a good record of scholastic performance and personal conduct between the time of their acceptance and their matriculation at the College.

Student Transfer

PCSOM does not encourage transfers, however in special circumstances transfers will be considered in accordance with the following policies:

1. Credits may be transferred only from medical schools and colleges accredited either by the AOA’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) or by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME);
2. When a student transfers from one College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) to PCSOM, the last two years of instruction must be completed within PCSOM as the COM granting the D.O. degree;
3. When students transfer from an LCME-accredited medical school or college to PCSOM at least two years of instruction must be completed within the COM;
4. In the case of LCME transfers, PCSOM’s requirements for osteopathic manipulative medicine must be completed prior to graduation.

Student Complaints Regarding Non-Compliance with AOA Accreditation Standards

PCSOM is committed to complying with and exceeding the accreditation standards set by the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. According to the AOA, “Accreditation signifies that a COM has met or exceeded the AOA standards for educational quality with respect to mission, goals and objectives; governance, administration and finance; facilities, equipment and resources; faculty; student admissions, performance and evaluation; preclinical and clinical curriculum; and research and scholarly activity.” The COM accreditation standards and procedures can be found on the DO-online.org Web page under pre-doctoral accreditation or through the PCSOM Student Affairs Office.

Students who believe that the School may not be in compliance with a standard of accreditation have the right to file a complaint through the following procedure:

1. Submitting a signed and dated complaint with the Office of Student Affairs. The complaint will be kept on file in a confidential manner in the Student Affairs Office.
2. The Director of Student Affairs will consult with the Dean and follow up by contacting the appropriate Assistant/Associate Deans associated with the complaint to fact find and discuss.
3. The results of the fact finding will include an objective description of the standard and how it is being met by PCSOM, a recommendation to the Dean on whether there is standard compliance and suggestions for corrective action. This will be submitted in the form of a written report to the Dean and Assistant/Associate Dean involved with the complaint.
4. The Dean will consider the report and will seek further clarification if necessary. The Dean will make the final decision about standard compliance and consult with the appropriate Assistant/Associate Dean about any additional action.
5. The Dean will meet with the student who filed the complaint and provide written follow-up concerning the decision and any corrective action. This should occur within 30 days of the Dean receiving the initial report on the complaint.
6. As part of continuous quality improvement within the institution, the initial complaint, resulting report and dean’s action will be forwarded to the appropriate College committee charged with addressing this standard as part of the strategic plan.