Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Ya know,
With all this talk of foreign schools, I've seemed to have neglected my Alma mater - OUCOM. I loved OU! I tried to post about other schools because I didn't want to be all about DO or all about OUCOM. But, I feel like I'm not doing my old stomping grounds justice.

OU is located in Athens, which is about 70 miles Southeast of Columbus. You attend classes your first two years on the main campus of Ohio University. The next two years are spent at one of 12 CORE hospitals around the state. During your fourth year you can do electives at select hospitals of your choice. I felt like OUCOM prepared me well for residency. Also, we had many graduates getting many excellent residencies at allopathic and osteopathic institutions alike. You have access to many of Ohio University's facilities - libraries, rec centers, ice skating rinks, etc.

Surprisingly, there is stuff to do there. If you love the outdoors, this is the place to be. There are many state and national parks nearby where you can hike or camp. Shopping is hard to come by if you are a die-hard shopper. The closest shopping mall is in Parkersburg, WV which is 45 minutes away. Columbus is a little over an hour away, which has excellent shopping!! Columbus is a nice getaway on a Saturday night when you need out of Athens!

I felt like living in Athens had its advantages for the first two years because you really need to focus on your studies during that time. Step 1 is a beast! No joking here. I needed to be in a place with little distractions, but that had enough stuff around that I wouldn't be bored. OU (main campus) is also known to be a big time party school - many bars up town to celebrate after exams and boards! Looking back, I'm glad I went to OUCOM for medical school. I feel prepared for residency and I enjoyed my time there as well as made many life-long friends in the process.

Academics:
Average GPA 3.5
Average MCAT 8-9
Entering class ~100
Please feel free to ask questions about OUCOM. It's a great medical school with many great faculty members. I'd highly recommend you check them out!

P.S. If you are looking at DO schools, make sure you shadow or work with a DO and get a letter of recommendation from them! It helps even more if the DO is a graduate of your top choice school!