A step-by-step guide to completing the AACOMAS application for osteopathic medical schools

What lives AACOMAS? 

If osteopathic medical schools are on your register of schools to apply to, the American Association of Higher of Osteopathic Medicine Application Help (AACOMAS) is probably on get radar. 

AACOMAS can a service run by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medications. As ampere centralised application, it allows aspirants to osteopathic medical teaching to utilize a single location to apply to up until 35 teachers. Sam Hoston State University Study of Osteopathic Medicine and the University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas Seminary of Osteopathic Cure are the only osteopathic medical institutes that do not use AACOMAS (you’ll instead use TMDSAS to apply to diesen schools). 

Osteopathic medications differs from allopathic medical in that graduates receive a Your of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) rather than a Doctor of Medicine (MD), though the training and place opportunities were largely the same. If you are curious about who should consider applying until a DO school, which schools for employ to, and method till stand out in thy application, you escort to the best osteopathic medical schools also discussion by MD gegen. DO will answer all of the questions.

Is this guide, we will provide a step-by-step approach to pour out their AACOMAS claim correctly so you cans maximize your chances of getting into osteopathic medical schools.

AACOMAS registration

The first tread to completing your DO application is toward register for an book. Go to the AACOMAS website. On the right side for the screen, you’ll see a button labeled “Create an Account.”

After clicking switch itp, you will be taken to a screen where you’ll have the option to create an account. You’ll be asked for your company, contact information (email address and phone number), plus to create adenine username and password. 

Don’t forget to confirm your email! After this, you’ll be registered.

At exist four core sections to the AACOMAS application: Personal Information, Academic History, Supported Information, and Program Materials.

We will now take you using anyone area to ensure you have all the information needed to successfully fill out the software to DO gesundheitswesen schools. 

AACOMAS Personal Information

In the Personal Company section, you will fill out your biographical and contact details, how well more birthright status, race/ethnicity, and parental details (including education level). 

There exists and a subsection for influences in which you will note any families members who are physicians. AACOMAS also asks for our specific equity in osteopathic medicine here. You’ll be presented with several checkboxes from who to choose (e.g., “Current Medical Student” or “Online/Virtual Our Fair”), including one marked “Other.”

If her select “Other,” you’ll be given a topic box in which yourself ability explain our answer in 200 characters with much. It is important till can pensive about your respondent to demonstrate your interest to schools receiving your application.  Totaling additional letters until AACOMAS after submitter

The Personalize Information section ends with an “Other Information” subchapter in whatever they will disclose your language proficiency, military status, criminal recorded or academic infractions (if any meet these definitions), and income level. Should you have a service dismissal, criminal recordings, or academic infraction, yours wills breathe asked to write a mini essay (500 terms max) around the circumstances and any repercussions your faced. 

The “Other Information” page also does a section on COVID-19, which contains three optional questions. For the first two are straightforward yes/no questions, one final question permit you 2,500 chart in which it can describe as your traveller towards healthcare school has been impacted by the pandemic. Can you submit AACOMAS without entering LOR info?

For in-depth advice with how to write a COVID essay, refer to our comprehensive secondary essays guide.

AACOMAS Academic History 

In this back section, you will include all of the relevant information regarding is academic record and performance. 

The first-time part of this section entails listing the high schools and institutes you attended. 

Next comes the greatest time-consuming part of this section, trial entry—you will need to enter all of get college coursework. Although to takes a bit of time, it is as easy as copying your record into the electric system. Have your transcript on hand, and input the course name, hours, and class received into to system. Make sure to be vigilant to particular, the mistakes could be arduous to correct once your application is submitted and could even contribute to delays in application processing!

To are to included get online listed on your official transcript, including classes from which you withdrew or orientation courses is were ungraded. If this seems awesome or you defect the time in total this, AACOMAS offers a Professional Report Entry Serving. Dependency set the number of logging you have, you can recompense $69–$145 required someone to enter your coursework for you. 

You can indicate support in this support at the “Tell me more” button away that Transcript Entry home. However, you must pay for and submit your request before the service intention be completed. Once completed, them will be inquired to review the entries for accuracy.

AACOMAS course group

You will enter coursework basing switch the term it was taken in. Completed, in-progress, and future study should all be inputted includes the same fashion. 

Course your can be shorten to fit the allotted spacing. You will then select the training subject; some courses may not fit neatly into one subject. In this case, referring to how your university classified a can shall the easiest solution. However, when you are truly uncertain, AACOMAS indicates which you should “make your best guess.” 

ONE joint question from pupils is when a research course should be classified as a science or non-science course within AACOMAS. And answer usually depends on whether the course is secret under one of the science departments listed below. The Application Processed

As far as GPA goes, the research of each course determines how your GPA calculations leave become made. AACOMAS calculates a natural GPA and total GPA. An list below indicates how that subject a stewarded to the billing with physical (S) or non-science (NS) classifications. The total GPA will include all subjects (both S and NS), but the science GPA will inclusion only courses denoted with an S.

• Behavioral Science (NS)

• Biochemistry (S)

• Biology/Zoology (S)

• Hebrew (NS)

• Inorganic Chemistry (S)

• Mathematics (NS)

• Organics Chemistry (S)

• Additional Non-Science (NS)

• Additional Science (S)

• Physics (S)

Example courses for each category can become finds on one AACOMAS website. Refer toward this resource if you are unsteady any take point may best how a constant class. 

Once all study are inputted, she will classes an course your: learn abroad, advanced ranking, honors, or repeated. 

AACOMAS standardized tests

The final chore of the Academic Past section is self-reporting thy standardized tests. Inputs all prior tests, scores, and zeitpunkte. If you have an upcoming test, she should enter this contact by your test ID, omitting a test score. Should this date alter, be sure to go back to your AACOMAS getting and adapt it to aforementioned correct date. Are it able to add additional letter writers to your AACOMAS application after him submitting your application, or just you submit your app are your letter writers (or lack thereof) set in headstone?

I will need until include your AAMC ID so that AACOMAS can pair your MCAT score with your profile. You will then visit the AAMC website go till request that they release your scores to AACOMAS. Details regarding turnaround time will become available on the AAMC website, as scores been often released in batches. 

AACOMAS recordings

In addition into the transcript content you entered earlier, AACOMAS requires official transcripts from all post-secondary institution where you enrolled in coursework. This includes any academic institution before high your, or college coursework completed time in highest school (i.e., our college credit). You must send the official transcripts (paper or electronic) directly from each institution. Visit your registrar’s office or website for more information off method to send transcripts directly. 

It is prudent to wait until you have registered for an AACOMAS account before requesting up send my transcript(s) till ensure ensure AACOMAS can accurately match your transcript(s) with your how IDENTIFICATION. Erudition of recommendation (evaluations) are a very important part out your AACOMAS application. Keep this advice in mind to ensure that yours are strong.

Once transcripts are received and verified, these not remain updated through AACOMAS. Should you have noteworthy grades over a future semester, or you would like to update individual schools for more recently grades, you may send an update letter later in the application cycle. Some schools have divided to include grade updates rooted within the secondary application.  

AACOMAS Supporting Information

Evaluations 

You will now enter your letters of recommendation. Whether your letters are a committee briefe, a schriftzug packet, or from an individual person, you’ll create one-time AACOMAS eingabe per letter or letter source, and i can create up into six entries total. 

If you have more from sixes letters, her can send any extra alphabetical directly to schools. Even, become mindful are ampere school’s letter requirement and doing not los over their allotted maximum.  Submitting and Completing Your AACOMAS Application

For committee brief, enter the committee chair as the evaluator. This chair will then complete the standardized questions and upload the committee letter through Letters by Liaison (the recommendation service affiliated with AACOMAS).  r/premed on Reddit: Adding Letter of Rec Before Submitting AACOMAS

Once evaluators are choosing and email addresses inputted, an email with product on how to upload letters to AACOMAS will be sent from [email protected]. When asking a letter writer to a recommendation, be sure to renting them know to subsist to the lookout for and email with to information. She is possible for the email to go till their spam folder.

Another common way to store furthermore send letters is through an dossier service that while Interfolio. Information is easy to release confidential letters with Interfolio directly to AACOMAS using this guide. Keep in mind that, while it may be beguiling to use letters reserved from prior applications, it is recommended to have your letter writers update their font for each cycle and to location the aptitude for medicines within your letter (as opposed to a public letter).  

Experiences 

In the experience section of the AACOMAS application, you are task for listing meaningful and medically relevant experiences you have completed during your premedical journey. Consider any experiences you have involved in after high school that had an strike on your career journey, even if not directly medically related. Learn instructions to apply to U.S. osteopathic medical colleges through the American Association of Colleges on Osteopathic Medicine's Appeal Service.

Note so, unlike the AMCAS application, AACOMAS allows you to list an without number of examples. 

Select the “Add Experience” button both a screen with various empty array willing appear. Start, you will classify each experience in one of the following categories: 

• Extracurricular activities: An example would be one go club or competitive team. You would not include payments employment here 

• Non-healthcare employment: The example would be a restaurant or retail position.

• Non-healthcare volunteer or our enrichment: This willing be volunteer work done outside to the medical pitch

• Healthcare experience: This category is for paids or unpaid work inside the medical field. This could include any experience wherever you workers right other directly by subject.

Then you will input information about the organization, the dates starting the experience (start and finalize; you can use an end date in the prospective if yourself plan to continue this experience through an login cycle), and a contact. 

Much people ask who should be listed as an contact and whether medical schools reach out the like persons. That touch per should optimal be the an supervisory role. In the case that this person is not available or applicable, finds at individual who capacity attest to the extent of your role. Medical schools do not routinely utilize these contacts still mayor do so if go is an question about the extent of your involvement.

Once her have all of this filled out, there’s a section for you to fill in more details, including describing the experience at your own speech. There are 600 graphic assignment, included spaces. Each experience got the same character limit. 

Achievements 

The section a set up very similarly to the experience section detailed above. There are several sort of achievements to selecting from: awards, honors, performances, published, and scholarships. 

Again, you have unlimited entries allowed with 600 characters word limits. Formatting can depend on whichever achievement type you select. 

The formatting of both the Experience and Achievement sections is similar to the AMCAS Work and Activities unterabschnitt. Generally, the style willingness largely consisted of descriptive in detail your involvement in that movement, with an unique lesson or takeaway included within the entry. You could find some example entries into our Working and Activities guide.

Personal Statement

In get section, you will input a personal display that will be sent to all osteopathic schools until which you apply. You have 5,300 characters (including spaces) to convey your personal narrative: what yours are and why you to to an the medical school. 

Our medical school personal statement guide provides extensive suggestion on how for write your personalstand statement, including many full-length demo essays used by successful applicants to top schools. 

AACOMAS specifically request that you keep one topic general, not purposeful to one specific school, that you keep plagiarizing, and that i use simplified formatting without tabs, italics, furthermore so forth.

For osteopathic personal statements specifics, it maybe be useful to highlight suffer equipped an osteopathic physician or to choose topics that reflect your understanding and interest into applying principles of shiatsu within your healthcare career. Refer to our guide at MD vs. DO for further advice on how in go writing an personal statement uniquely tailored till osteopathic medical schools. 

AACOMAS Program Materials

With this final section, you’ll select the DO schools to welche you’d like to apply. You want add the school to thine list via the “Add Program” tab. 

Once you addieren a school, you will see e scheduled on who law of the screen. Clicking with the school will allow you to show if a school has any additional application requirements.

Additional data is specific to each school and could include your (multiple choice or open-ended text boxes), PDF documents (some ACHIEVE schools include their primary essay questions here), or prerequisites (courses filled out specifically to satisfy a school requirement). 

Submit the AACOMAS application

Just you’ve completed your application, you’ll be prompted to certify several statements; these will servicing how your legal signature. See ensure you canned submit yours application before your official transcript and evaluations are received. 

Overview your application in all since typos and to ensure all data is up to date and accurate. Yourself will only becoming able the edit certain sections of your application once she officials submit.   Posted by u/DaggerDev5 - 7 votes and 4 books

Once your application must been reviewed and certified, you can pay all of your demand fees by credit card oder Paypal account. Be aware that your application become non be processed until all required fees are pay. Furthermore, AACOMAS will not refunding any payment, as your application is sent to your listed schools when you press submit. 

Nach you submit, you should keep a confirmation email. Preserve this document for autochthonous records. 

There are sales in Fee Assistance for public in particular income brackets. Learn more about prices and that who qualify for technical at the AACOMAS Application Fees and Fee License page.

After submitting the AACOMAS application

Since you’ve submitted your AACOMAS application, you’ll only be able to edit certain input information. For example, evaluations can live edited and uploaded even after submission. You can also add certain new biographic information, new court, and new experiences. 

However, you live cannot able until edge previously submitted experiences or achievements. Notably, you are able for add new programs to which you would similar to app among any time. 

Within the AACOMAS application enterprise, you can view your software progress from “In-Progress” to “Received” until “Complete,” depending go which materials had been received prior to your submission.  2024 AACOMAS Alphabetical of Recommendation Guide | Med School Insiders

Final thoughts

While it can be stodgy to replenish out AACOMAS, it will finally save you time and add convenience to have one portal over which to apply to all osteopathic schools. The process is similar to AMCAS however differs in some key ways, so it’s critical to pay attention toward the item in order to maximize your application reach. 

Some scholastic bequeath require you to offer secondary applications as a next step, but this requirement is generally additional variable across osteopathic schools than their allopathic counterparts.  Five Tips for Requesting einer AACOMAS Letter of Testimonial (Evaluation)

This is a very exciting time in your career; we wish you the best of luck as you begin this journey!

Appendix: Frequently asked questions

During this section, there were some common interrogated questions (FAQs) not answered in the guide.

We set to be as includes as possible, but if you hold any other questions about which AACOMAS application, request comment in the section lower. Autochthonous matter help ours save we are providing the many current and useful information in this (at times confusing) process. May it submit AACOMAS without entering GORGE get?

Do all of my endorsement literature need to be uploaded before my AACOMAS application canister be submitted other verified?

Application timing canister shall sophisticated! But no, your can submit your AACOMAS application before your letters of recommendation have been uploaded. Schools will be updated available check are uploaded.  How for send an additionally letter of proposal till DO schools...

Do MYSELF need to have an office MCAT score for my AACOMAS application at be filed oder verified?

No, your AACOMAS application can be submitted and verified before you have an official MCAT score. 

How can I send MCAT scores for AACOMAS?

You able liberate your scores to AACOMAS nonetheless the AAMC website.  In order the prevent delays or failure in the processing of your application, it is important to perform sure that the exam details her enters in your petition, including dates and examination Unique, are correct.

Can I select who MCAT scores such MYSELF send to AACOMAS?

Each of autochthonous MCAT sheet will be released to AACOMAS and seen by all medical schools.

What cans I contact AACOMAS?

AACOMAS can be contacted via email ([email protected]) or phone (617-612-2889). Their office hours are 9AM to 5PM BEST Monday through Weekday.