Graduate Professional Degree

The College of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan State University (MSUCOM) offers a professional graduate program leading to the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). The program is accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).

The D.O. program is organized to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors consistent with the competent practice of osteopathic medicine.  The four-year program is divided into preclerkship and clerkship phases.  In the preclerkship phase, the foundational biomedical sciences and clinical disciplines are presented through an integrated curriculum.  Students are introduced to clinical skills, including professional development, data gathering, physical examination, diagnostic reasoning, and osteopathic principles and their application to patient care.  Early clinical experiences and patient encounters are interwoven to promote connections.  The clerkship phase provides immersive training across core clinical disciplines in the network of affiliated hospitals and other clinical sites, as well as options for elective rotations throughout Michigan and elsewhere.  Throughout the program, there is longitudinal integration of the osteopathic core competencies, including development of professionalism and communication skills for interprofessional patient care; strategies for self-directed, lifelong learning; and application of principles of research and scholarly inquiry.

Admission

The science and practice of osteopathic medicine require an understanding of the relationships among the physical, biological, psychological, cultural, and environmental aspects of human behavior. Thus osteopathic education requires preparation in the natural, social, and behavioral sciences. Candidates are expected to demonstrate their ability to work and think independently and in a scholarly manner. The mean undergraduate grade-point average of students who are admitted to the program is 3.6 to 3.8.

Applicants for admission to the first–year class in the college must meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Completion of at least 90 semester credits in a college or university accredited by a regional accrediting commission of higher education.
2. Completion of 8 semester credits of biology with no grade below 2.0, including both course work and laboratory work in general biology or general zoology. AP biology course work does not count toward the eight semester credit requirement.
3. Completion of 16 semester credits of chemistry, including three semester credits of biochemistry, with no grade below 2.0.
4. Completion of 6 semester credits of English—including both oral and written English, with no grade below 2.0.
5. The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) must be taken by the end of September of the year application is being made. Scores cannot be more than 3 years old.
6. Suggested science course electives include anatomy, physiology, microbiology, histology, and statistics at the 300- and 400-level.
7. Suggested medical humanities and ethics electives include course work in philosophy, history of medicine and medical ethics. 

An application must be completed and all official transcripts submitted to the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS). It is highly recommended that the application be submitted no later than September 1 of the application year for students who wish to begin classes the following summer. The Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine invites all applicants to complete a secondary application. Early application is wise because the college admits its students on a rolling basis. Most Admissions Committee reviews are conducted between September and March. Selection of students for the class and for the waiting list is generally completed by early April. Effective in summer 2023, courses in the D.O. curriculum will begin in July, preceded by an orientation program.

Requirements for the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Degree

The standard duration of the D.O. degree program is four years; the maximum time for completion of all degree requirements is six years as defined in the MSUCOM Policy for Retention, Promotion, and Graduation.  Specific program requirements leading to conferral of the D.O. degree include:

1. Completion of each required course in the preclerkship and clerkship phase with a passing grade or successful remediation.
2. Passing score on the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) COMLEX-USA Level 1, COMLEX-USA Level 2 Cognitive Evaluation (CE) licensure examinations within defined time limits and with no more than three (3) attempts permitted on each examination.
3. Compliance with annual training requirements of the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) program.
4. Achievement of the academic requirements and professional conduct expectations of the D.O. program as outlined in the policies and procedures of MSUCOM and MSU.

Preclerkship Curriculum

The preclerkship curriculum consists of 91 required credit hours across six semesters, representing years one and two of the four-year program.  The courses are offered in a predefined sequence. Successful completion of each course in a semester is required to advance to the following semester. The following courses are required:

OMM	511	Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine I							1
OMM	512	Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine II							1
OMM	513	Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine III							1
OMM	514	Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine IV							1
OMM	515	Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine V							1
OST	510	Clinical Human Gross Anatomy							6
OST	520	Foundations of Biomedical Science for Osteopathic Medicine							8
OST	521	Musculoskeletal System							4
OST	522	Hematology, Oncology and Infectious Diseases							3
OST	523	Neurological System							10
OST	524	Psychopathology							2
OST	525	Genitourinary System							4
OST	526	Endocrine System							3
OST	531	Reproduction, Development, and Sexuality							3
OST	532	Integumentary System							2
OST	533	Gastrointestinal System							6
OST	534	Cardiovascular System							8
OST	535	Respiratory System							7
OST	550	Introduction to Osteopathic Medicine and Clinical Skills							2
OST	561	Ambulatory Care Capstone							3
OST	562	Hospital Care Capstone							3
OST	563	Health Systems Science Capstone							2
In addition, each student must complete a clinical experience requirement, which may be met by earning 1 credit in one of the following courses:
FCM	650	Principles of Family Medicine II							1
FCM	671	Pathway to Family Medicine I							1
FCM	660	Pre-Clerkship International Preceptor							1
OST	586	Community-Based Service Learning							1

Clerkship Curriculum

The clerkship curriculum consists of 80 rotation weeks in years three and four of the four-year program following OST 601 (Transitions II-Classroom to Bedside). Students may advance to clinical rotations after successful completion of the COMLEX-USA Level 1 examination. During the clerkship curriculum, students must successfully complete 40 weeks of required clinical clerkship core rotation courses and an additional 40 weeks of elective rotations to be selected from available required clinical clerkship elective rotation courses. Core rotation courses are scheduled by the COM Clerkship Office and Base Hospital training site and may occur in different sequences. Most core rotation courses are completed during year three. Three required longitudinal courses span the clerkship: OST 603-Core Clinical Concepts in year three,  OMM 602-Osteopathic Principles and Practice in year three, and OST 604-Essential Clinical Skills for Senior Medical Students in year four.
 

Required Clinical Clerkship Core Rotation Courses:
FCM	620	Core Family Medicine Clerkship							6
FCM	622	Core Family Medicine Sub-Internship							6
Or
IM	658	Core Internal Medicine Outpatient Clerkship							6
IM	650	Core Internal Medicine In-Patient Clerkship							6
IM	657	Core Emergency Medicine Clerkship							6
IM	658	Core Internal Medicine Out-Patient							6
Or
FCM	622	Core Family Medicine Sub-Internship							6
IM	660	Core Internal Medicine Sub-Internship							6
NOP	656	Core Neurology Clerkship							6
OMM	602	Osteopathic Principles and Practice Clerkship							2
OSS	651	Core Obstetrics and Gynecology Clerkship							6
OSS	653	Core Surgery Clerkship							6
OST	601	Transitions II - Classroom to Bedside							5
OST	603	Core Clinical Concepts							9
OST	604	Essential Clinical Skills for the Senior Medical Student							2
PED	600	Core Pediatrics Clerkship							6
PSC	608	Psychiatry and Behavioral Science Clerkship							6
Required clinical elective clerkship rotation courses:  The student must successfully complete 40 weeks of clinical clerkship elective rotation courses. Twelve (12) clinical elective weeks must be chosen from the non-surgery category and eight (8) clinical elective weeks must be chosen from the surgery category. Most elective rotations will be available in two (2) or four (4) week blocks. Both clinical and non-clinical rotation requirements are listed below.
A complete list of required clinical clerkship elective rotation courses includes the following rotation courses which are credited toward the non-surgery requirement:
ANTR	685	Directed Study in Clinical Prosection							1 to 6
FCM	621	Family Medicine Specialty Rotation							1 to 24
HM	610	Pathology Clerkship							3 to 6
IM	621	Clinical Tropical Medicine Clerkship							1 to 20
IM	651	Cardiology Clerkship							1 to 20
IM	652	Gastroenterology Clerkship							1 to 20
IM	653	Oncology and Hematology Clerkship							1 to 20
IM	654	Pulmonary Disease Clerkship							1 to 20
IM	655	Nephrology Clerkship							1 to 20
IM	659	Medical Critical Care Clerkship							1 to 20
IM	661	Internal Medicine Specialty Clerkship							1 to 20
IM	662	Urgent Care Clerkship							1 to 20
IM	663	Emergency Medicine/Wilderness/Austere Medicine Clerkship							1 to 20
IM	664	Pediatric Emergency Medicine Clerkship							1 to 20
IM	665	Emergency Medicine Advanced Clerkship							1 to 20
IM	666	Emergency Medicine Toxicology							3 to 18
IM	667	Emergency Medicine Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Management							3 to 18
IM	668	Emergency Medicine EMS and Disaster Management							3 to 18
IM	669	Emergency Medicine Ultrasound							3 to 18
NOP	657	Neurology Specialty Clerkship							1 to 24
OMM	601	Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Clerkship							1 to 20
OST	685	International Clerkship Rotations							1 to 20
OST	686	Global Health: Mexico – Clinical Immersion							1 to 20
OST	687	Global Health: Peru – Clinical Immersion							1 to 20
OST	688	Global Health: Cuba – Clinical Immersion							1 to 20
PED	601	Pediatric Specialty Clerkship							3 to 24
PMR	601	Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clerkship							1 to 18
PSC	609	Adult Psychiatry Clerkship							3 to 6
PSC	610	Child Psychiatry Clerkship							3 to 6
PSC	611	Addiction Psychiatry Clerkship							3 to 6
PSC	612	Geriatric Psychiatry Clerkship							3 to 6
RAD	609	Radiology Clerkship							3 to 12
RAD	610	Advanced Imaging							1 to 3
The following rotation courses are credited toward the surgery requirement:
NOP	620	Ophthalmology Clerkship							1 to 24
ORT	644	Sports Medicine Clerkship							1 to 20
ORT	656	Orthopedic Clerkship							1 to 20
OSS	640	Cardio Thoracic/Vascular Surgery Clerkship							1 to 20
OSS	641	Facial and Plastic Reconstruction Surgery Clerkship							1 to 20
OSS	642	Neurosurgery Clerkship							1 to 20
OSS	643	Podiatry Clerkship							1 to 20
OSS	645	Urology Clerkship							1 to 20
OSS	646	Maternal Fetal Medicine Clerkship							1 to 20
OSS	647	Reproductive Endocrine Clerkship							1 to 20
OSS	648	Anesthesiology Advanced Clerkship							3 to 30
OSS	652	Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialty Clerkship							1 to 20
OSS	654	Core Anesthesiology Clerkship							1 to 20
OSS	655	Pain Management Clerkship							1 to 20
OSS	658	Otorhinolaryngology Clerkship							1 to 20
OSS	663	General Surgery							1 to 20
RAD	612	Interventional Radiology							var.
A maximum of eight (8) non-clinical rotation weeks may be selected to include rotations listed below or any elective clinical course completed in a virtual manner. The following rotation courses are credited toward the non-clinical requirement:
OST	605	Preparing for Practice							1.5
OST	615	Biomedical Research							3 to 18
OST	620	Patient Safety and Quality Improvement							1.5
OST	621	Leadership in Healthcare							3
OST	622	Addiction Medicine							3
OST	623	Board Preparation							1 to 6
OST	624	Essentials in Diabetes							1.5
OST	625	Introduction to Military Medicine							6 to 9
OST	626	Special Topics in Healthcare Ethics: Case Studies							3
OST	627	Fundamentals of Health Policy and Advocacy							3
NOTE: The number of rotation/course weeks determines the assigned credits.

Transfer Credits

For a student who is pursuing a full-time M.B.A. degree from MSU jointly with a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree from Michigan State University - College of Osteopathic Medicine, a maximum of 12 credits from the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine may be transferred to the full-time M.B.A. degree program.