Admissions Process — D.O. | Des Moines University

Q: What Is an Osteopathic Physician?

Learn more about being an osteopathic physician .

Q: How Do I Begin the Application Process?

Visit our How to Apply page . Applications are initially processed through AACOMAS and application instructions are available online at aacom.org .

Q: Which Admission Test Is Required for Entrance Into the College of Osteopathic Medicine?

All applicants must supply results of the MCAT , taken within three years of the date of the desired matriculation year. Test scores should be released directly to AACOMAS, not Des Moines University.

Q: What Letters of Recommendation Are Required?

For information on letters of recommendation, see How To Apply .

Q: Where Do I Send My Transcripts and Letters of Recommendation?

Letters of recommendation and transcripts from all institutions attended must be submitted to AACOMAS. Transcripts must be from a regionally accredited college or university from within the United States. Please do not send transcripts directly to DMU.

Q: What Are the Minimum Academic Standards to Apply?

The minimum GPA recommended for admission consideration is 2.8, both cumulative and science. Our average GPA of recently admitted students is 3.65 cumulative and 3.58 science while the average MCAT is 508.

Q: What Is the Academic Profile of Current D.O. Students?

View our class profile for details about our students.

Q: How Much Does It Cost To Attend the College of Osteopathic Medicine?

See our cost of attendance budget for the D.O. program, which includes information regarding tuition, fees and payment schedules, educational costs and living expenses.

Your D.O. Admissions Process

We’re here to guide you through every step of the admission process for the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program at Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences is simple. Follow these steps to get started on your application.

If you are an international student, please see our international student information pages.

Step-by-Step Guide to DMU’s Admissions Process

1. Review the Requirements for Admission

Review the D.O. program’s admission requirements before proceeding.

2. Submit Your AACOMAS Application

Complete your application through the American Association of Colleges Osteopathic Medicine Application Service. The application deadline is the AACOMAS application closing date.

Designate that Des Moines University receives your application.
Applications open in early May every year for the class enrolling the following year in August.
It’s to your advantage to apply as early in the cycle as possible due to rolling admissions.

3. Send Official Transcripts

Submit your official transcripts to AACOMAS. Include all colleges and universities you’ve attended. Transcripts must be from regionally accredited colleges or universities from within the U.S.

4. Submit MCAT Scores

Send your official scores to AACOMAS. Only MCAT scores taken within three years of matriculation are accepted.

5. Provide Letters of Recommendation

Submit three recommendation letters via AACOMAS. It is best to have letters of recommendation submitted promptly to ensure committee review of your file. Once the admissions office receives three letters of recommendation, your application will be forwarded to DMU’s admissions committee. We will not delay the review for additional letters. Here are recommendations for the types of letters to meet this requirement:

Health Care Related Experiences Letters
A reference from a supervisor familiar with your shadowing, volunteer or work experience. The letter should not include situations that involved you as the patient being treated. Peer letters are not recommended.
Academic or Advisor Letters
A science professor or advisor recommendation evaluating your academic ability, performance in the sciences and overall preparation for medical school.
Committee Letter
A letter compiled by an established college or university pre-health professions committee will count as two of the required letters of recommendation.

6. Complete the AAMC PREview Exam™ (Optional But Encouraged)

To further enhance our holistic review process, we encourage applicants to complete the Association of American Medical Colleges Professional Readiness PREview Exam to assess the pre-professional competencies our admissions committee believes are essential for success at DMU and later in meeting patient needs. We consider these scores to be part of our admissions process to better understand and evaluate the whole applicant.

This professional readiness exam assesses key non-academic skills such as teamwork, empathy and ethical decision-making.
The exam is given online using remote proctoring.
The cost is $100, and AAMC will release your PREview scores to all the programs you apply to. Students who qualify for the Fee Assistance Program will receive a full fee waiver (no cost).
Free prep materials and additional information are available on the AAMC website.

Admissions Decisions

DMU seeks to enroll candidates with the greatest potential for success in providing culturally responsive care and compassion as a future physician. Candidates are selected through a holistic process.

Application files are considered eligible for committee review when the DMU admissions office has processed:

A verified AACOMAS application
Three letters of recommendation submitted through AACOMAS
Official MCAT scores submitted through AACOMAS

Qualified applicants will be invited to a required interview for admission to DMU. The competency-based, holistic interview includes an asynchronous assessment and a synchronous Zoom interview or in-person event. Because of the rolling admissions schedule, those who apply early in the admissions cycle are more likely to be interviewed than those who apply later. After the interview, the DMU admissions committee conducts a holistic review.

When final decisions are approved, admission decisions, including “admit,” “alternate” or “release from consideration,” are sent via email throughout the application cycle. The timeframe for receiving the final decision notification can vary throughout the cycle. The decision from DMU will include additional information about the status and next steps.

Admitted Candidate Procedures

Deposit

If you accept an offer of admission, you must submit a nonrefundable seat deposit of $750. A second nonrefundable deposit of $750 is due by May 1. DMU follows the seat deposit guidelines established by AACOMAS.

Outstanding Requirements

Complete any outstanding requirements you may have, including but not limited to matriculation agreement, success meeting, submission of official and final transcripts, completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university from within the U.S., completion of prerequisite coursework and submission of standardized test scores.

Submit official final transcripts from all colleges and universities you attended and/or from where credit was earned two weeks (14 days) before orientation at DMU. Students admitted to DMU less than one month before the first day of classes will have 30 calendar days from their admittance to submit all official transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Any special circumstances or requests for exceptions to this policy must be sent to and approved by the college dean. Students who fail to submit all official final transcripts by the stated deadline may jeopardize their admittance or continued enrollment at DMU.

Background Check

Complete a criminal background check and drug screening through the DMU preferred vendor and process. Results must be released to DMU at your cost before matriculation. Students are required to disclose all past or present charges, convictions, dismissals, deferred judgments and expunged records related to a misdemeanor or felony. You are also obligated to disclose any additional charges and convictions that occur after completing the initial criminal background check. Admission to DMU may be revoked if misrepresentations or omissions from the application are found in the background check.

Note: DMU students must complete annual criminal background checks, including drug screening, while enrolled at DMU.

Medical Screening Questionnaire and Immunization Report

Students must complete a medical screening questionnaire and an immunization report before orientation. Students admitted shortly before classes begin will have four weeks to complete this requirement. A complete list of required immunizations will be supplied before orientation.

Proof of Health Insurance

Provide proof of health insurance coverage at orientation that meets DMU’s requirements as specified in the academic catalog. Students must verify coverage through a plan coordinated through DMU, a parent’s or spouse’s group plan, a national government plan or an individual plan that meets the hard waiver criteria.

Registration Checklist

Complete all components of the two-phase registration checklist on Pulse, which includes items from Information Technology, Student Affairs, Security and other campus departments. The first phase is released about 90 days before orientation, and the second is released about 60 days before.

Federal Military and Veterans Education Benefits

Please notify the DMU Office of Financial Aid if you anticipate receiving federal military and veteran education benefits. Additional resources are available on the DMU website.

Accommodations in Education Policy

DMU is committed to providing equal education opportunities for all students, including those with disabilities. Our Accommodations in Education Policy ensures compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Iowa Civil Rights Act and other relevant laws. To learn more about our policy and how we support students with disabilities, view the Accommodations in Education Policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is an Osteopathic Physician?

How Do I Contact AACOMAS?

How Do I Begin the Application Process?

When Should I Apply?

We have a “rolling” admission policy. We begin accepting applications through AACOMAS in May. We schedule interviews beginning in late August and continue until the class is full. We encourage students to apply early – ideally, during the summer one year before they anticipate entering medical school. The deadline for the application and supporting materials is the AACOMAS application closing date. It will take AACOMAS approximately four to six weeks to verify your application before it will be sent to DMU for consideration.

Which Admission Test Is Required for Entrance Into the College of Osteopathic Medicine?

When Should I Take the MCAT?

Applicants should plan to take the MCAT by the end of the year prior to planned matriculation (at the latest). Results from January MCAT exams will be considered. Please note that due to our process of rolling admission, applicants completing their file with later MCAT scores may not be as competitive as those completed earlier in the cycle. Our interview schedule tends to fill quickly; therefore, we cannot guarantee the availability of interview space for applicants completing their files into February.

What Letters of Recommendation Are Required?

Where Do I Send My Transcripts and Letters of Recommendation?

How Will I Know if My File Is Complete?

Will DMU Contact Me if I Am Missing Application Materials?

What Are the Minimum Academic Standards to Apply?

What Is the Academic Profile of Current D.O. Students?

How Much Does It Cost To Attend the College of Osteopathic Medicine?

What Kind of Scholarships Does DMU Offer?

DMU has a small number of merit-based scholarships for incoming students. Full- and half-tuition scholarships are available. Candidates are reviewed during the admission and interview process, and will be notified if they are awarded a scholarship. There is no additional application required for consideration for incoming merit-based awards.

See more information about scholarships for the D.O. program.

What Are the Board Pass Rates for D.O. Students at DMU?

How Long Does It Take To Complete the D.O. Program at Des Moines University? What Happens When I Graduate?

Students complete four years of basic medical education. The four years of study are divided into a pre-clinical and a clinical phase, resulting in a “two plus two” curriculum that combines lecture and laboratory studies with clinical experiences in teaching hospitals, University and private clinics, and community service agencies. After medical school, DO graduates will complete a residency in the field of specialty of choice, including family medicine, surgery or psychiatry. Residencies typically range from three to six years of additional training.

How Do Students at Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Get Residencies? What Are the Match Rates for DMU?

Students graduating from colleges of osteopathic medicine currently have the opportunity to apply to residency programs through the American Osteopathic Association, as well as the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Students in the College of Osteopathic Medicine at DMU are highly recruited into a wide variety of graduate medical programs throughout the country. Nearly 90 percent of each graduating class receive their first or second choice of residency programs.

See where our graduates are training on the Residency Match List.

How Can I Schedule a Campus Visit?

Does DMU Accept Transfer Students?

All students requesting a transfer from another medical school, whether allopathic or osteopathic, must apply through the dean. In general, transfers are not allowed after the clinical years have begun (third and fourth years). A letter of support from the dean of the institution currently being attended, along with all transcripts, must be included with the request.

Transfer requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Because of the unique system-based pre-clinical curriculum, it is difficult for the college to accept transfer students from other medical schools that have more traditional programs. Therefore, students are discouraged from transferring unless they are prepared to complete the entire 4-year program at DMU.

Learn more about our transfer student requirements.

Admissions Process — D.O.