Pre-Professional Health & Law Support Services
3 Routes: Become a PhysicianNo matter what route you decide, remember that everyone's pathway to become a physician is different. Common routes for OSU students towards a doctoral-level Allopathic Medicine (M.D.) or Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) professional school include:
OSU Bachelor's + Medical School
Complete OSU bachelor's degree then attend OSU-College of Osteopathic Medicine or another M.D. or D.O. program.
Steps:
- Earn a bachelor's degree (of your choice) from OSU and complete all of your prerequisite courses* for an accredited Allopathic Medicine (M.D.) or Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) program (of your choice).
- Apply to an accredited medical school program (of your choice) and if accepted, begin your M.D. or D.O. professional school program.
- Applying to OSU-COM? Determine if you are eligible for the OSU-COM Guaranteed Interview Program opportunity.
*You may opt to complete OSU's certificate in pre-medical sciences, designed to assist in your completion of prerequisite coursework. This a stand alone certificate, not a bachelor's degree or minor. Completion of the certificate, alone, will not automatically make you a more competitive for your particular program of choice.
OSU-COM 3+1 Program
Complete 3 years at OSU + 4 years at OSU-College of Osteopathic Medicine (OSU-COM) to complete your bachelor's and D.O. in 7 years, as opposed to 8.
Steps:
- Complete 3 years of study at OSU-Stillwater in an approved OSU-COM 3+1 bachelor’s program.
- If accepted, you will leave OSU one year early to begin medical school at OSU-College of Osteopathic Medicine.
After Your First Year of OSU-COM Program
- Submit your official OSU-COM transcripts and apply for undergraduate graduation to OSU-Stillwater.
- After your 4th year of medical school, you will earn your D.O. degree.
OSU Bachelor's + Gap Year + Medical SchoolTaking additional time can be to your advantage as a medical school applicant.
If you feel you need more holistic development (academic or non-academic) to be ready to professionally apply to medical school, consider taking a “gap/enhancement year” to help you further develop.
Why Consider a Gap Year?