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Front of the Montana campus building
MCOM – Admissions Information

Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine

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Why become a DO at Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine

RVU’s newest DO program, located in Billings, Montana, thrives on three firmly held principles: early osteopathic clinical skills integration, a supportive and active learning environment emphasizing health and wellness, and integrated simulations and skills-based curriculum that supports life-long professional growth.

MCOM DO Program
Financial Aid Scholarships

4

Years

full time, in person

$69,736

2025-2026 Tuition

Steps to a Medical Career

  • 1

    RECEIVE BACHELOR’S DEGREE

  • 2

    APPLY TO AACOMAS

  • 3

    GRADUATE WITH 3.0+ GPA

  • 4

    ADMISSION TO DO PROGRAM

Get Started

Application Requirements

Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements prior to application. Any requirement below that is not completed prior to submitting the AACOMAS application will not be considered for review:

Bachelor’s Degree

A bachelor’s degree or higher from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university must be completed prior to matriculation (exceptions may be made and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis; including exceptions that pertain to faith-based and/or strong international universities).

Note: In the event of coursework completed at foreign institutions, official detailed course-by-course evaluations must be completed by an approved agency. Please see the list of approved agencies in the RVU Student Handbook and Catalog, under ‘Matriculation’ section

Coursework

Minimum prerequisite course work that must be completed prior to matriculation includes:

  • Biology/Zoology (8 semester hours including lab)
  • General Chemistry (8 semester hours including lab)
  • Organic Chemistry (8 semester hours including lab)
  • Physics (8 semester hours including lab)
  • English or Literature (6 semester hours)
  • Biochemistry (3 semester hours)

No grade below a “C” will be considered to fulfill requirements. C- is considered below a C and will not fulfill requirements. Additional upper-division coursework such as Human Anatomy, Physiology, Genetics, and Cellular Biology is highly recommended.

GPA

A minimum science and cumulative GPA of 3.0 as calculated on the AACOMAS application.

Note: The chances for admission for a candidate with minimal grades are limited. Admission would require outstanding achievement on the part of the candidate during their career or unique individual circumstances. Preference will be given to candidates with a science and cumulative GPA of 3.6 or higher. On average, candidates admitted to colleges of osteopathic medicine each of the past three years have GPAs greater than 3.6.

MCAT

MCOM requires candidates to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). The MCAT must have been taken within 3 years prior to application. There is no minimum required score.

Letters of Recommendations

Three required letters (submitted to AACOMAS) include:

  • A credentialed healthcare provider (DO, MD, PA, or NP) who supervised the candidate’s work (voluntary or paid) in a clinical setting.
  • An academic reference (order of preference to include Pre-Med Advisor or Committee, Basic Science Faculty, or anyone who can speak to the candidate’s ability to successfully complete a rigorous medical school curriculum).
  • A letter of the candidate’s choice

Note, only the maximum number of letters submitted through AACOMAS will be considered. The Office of Admissions is not able to accept letters of recommendation sent directly to RVUCOM or from any other letter service, such as Interfolio or VirtualEvals.

Transcripts

Students must provide official transcripts from all colleges attended where a degree was earned prior to matriculation. In the event of coursework completed at foreign institutions, the applicant must submit official detailed course-by-course evaluations completed by an approved agency. A list of these agencies is available in the University Handbook & Catalog.

International Students

MCOM will consider international applications. Demonstrated English language proficiency is required during the interview; preference will be given to applicants who have previously attended a regionally-accredited college or university in the U.S.

Contact Advisor

Admissions Process

MCOM participates in the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS) for the receipt and processing of applications. Applications are submitted electronically through AACOMAS (click here).  AACOMAS processes applications within approximately 3-6 weeks. This timeframe may vary depending on the time it takes to receive an applicant’s transcripts and the volume of applications being processed. MCOM’s deadline for submitting an AACOMAS application is the same as the AACOMAS application deadline. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis, therefore it is in an applicant’s best interest to apply early in the process. Once an applicant’s AACOMAS application is received, it is evaluated to determine if the minimum requirements have been met. 

These requirements include:

  • A minimum science and cumulative GPA of 3.0.  
  • MCOM is requiring candidates to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Candidates are required to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) within 3 years prior to matriculation. There is no minimum required score.
  • Three Letters of Recommendations (submitted to AACOMAS). Required letters include a letter an academic reference (order of preference to include Pre-Med Advisor or Committee, Basic Science Faculty, or anyone who can speak to the candidate’s ability to successfully complete a rigorous medical school curriculum), a letter from a credentialed healthcare provider (DO, MD, PA, or NP) who supervised the candidate’s work (voluntary or paid) in a clinical setting, and a final letter of the candidate’s choice.
    • Note, only the maximum number of letters submitted through AACOMAS will be considered. The Office of Admissions is not able to accept letters of recommendation sent directly to MCOM or from any other letter service, such as Interfolio or VirtualEvals.

Applicants meeting these minimum requirements will receive an email containing login information to pay the supplemental fee. Candidates who initially do not meet the minimum academic requirements are welcome to resubmit updated information through AACOMAS. Candidates resubmitting qualifying information will then be invited to proceed through the process upon verification that the minimum requirements have been met. Applicants awarded an AACOMAS fee waiver will be granted a fee waiver for MCOM’s supplemental fee. Fee waivers will also be granted for active duty military, veterans, as well as immediate family members. For submission instructions on the fee waiver, click here.

An applicant’s file is considered complete upon the receipt of the AACOMAS application, processing fee, supplemental materials, and letters of recommendation (letters submitted with applications from previous years will not be transferred). Be aware that we will only consider the maximum number of letters submitted through AACOMAS. We are not able to accept letters of recommendation sent directly to RVU-MCOM, or from any other letter service such as Interfolio, or VirtualEvals.

The deadline for submitting a supplemental application and fee for the class matriculating is July 1, 2025.  Please note that due to the rolling admission process, it is feasible that all interviews will be awarded prior to this date.

The Office of Admissions reviews all completed files and notifies applicants of their interview status. All applicants invited for an interview are given the choice of several interview dates.

Deferral Process

Request to Deferment

Eligibility for Deferral: Only students who have been admitted, received an official acceptance letter from RVU, and have fully deposited may request a deferral.  Deferral requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis, reviewed by the appropriate dean or program director. Some cases may necessitate additional documentation require students to provide supporting documentation.

Deferral Request Procedure: Students who wish to request a deferral must submit a written request, via email, to the Program Admissions Leadership. The request must include the following:

  • Student’s full name and contact information, including current phone number, address, and email.
  • The reason for the deferral request, along with relevant supporting documentation (e.g., medical documentation, official military orders, etc.).
  • Written commitment to the start date for the next enrolled class start date.
  • All deferral requests will be reviewed by the Program Admissions Leadership; if eligibility is determined, requests may be presented to the appropriate Dean or Program Director for a final decision. A decision will be communicated to the student in writing within 30 days of the request submission.
  • Requests may not be considered if received less than 30 days prior to the program’s start.
  • Exceptions to requests may be approved by Program Deans or Directors.

Deferral Duration: Deferral may be granted for a maximum of one academic year, per program. If approved, the student’s enrollment will be automatically deferred to the approved start date. If deferral is granted for medical reasons, students may need to provide proof of medical clearance by a medical professional before the deferred start date.  Proof of medical clearance shall be determined by the Dean or Program Director.

Requirements to Confirm Deferral: 

  • Already submitted the full deposit amount. The deposit, as specified on the student’s matriculation agreement, will be applied to tuition.
  • Submit a $500 nonrefundable administrative fee.
  • Complete all requirements as specified in the student’s matriculation agreement. Date sensitive materials should be completed in the spring prior to matriculation. (Students may be required to do another background check or drug screen prior to matriculating.  Additionally, students must finish all required health records and immunizations to comply.)
  • Students will not have to submit another application or re-interview.

Interview Process

Applicants’ academic qualifications will be pre-screened by the RVU-MCOM Office of Admissions and interviews will be offered to competitive applicants. Applicant interviews will be conducted virtually, and an official campus visit day will be offered to accepted students. The virtual interviews will be approximately 30 minutes in length and conducted by a two-person panel of the RVU-MCOM team. Interviewers will have access to the applicant’s personal statement, supplemental application, and letters of recommendation. However, the interviewers will be blinded to the applicants’ grades and MCAT scores. All interviewers’ recommendations will be evaluated post-interview by the RVU-MCOM Admissions Committee with the final decision made by the Dean.

The Admissions Committee meets at least once a month to make a recommendation to the Dean relative to each applicant’s status.  The recommendation can be to offer an acceptance, to place the applicant on the alternate list, or to deny admission. The final decision will be made by the Dean.

Matriculation Process

All acceptance offers are provisional pending the successful completion of all conditions set forth in the matriculation agreement including:

  • Completion of all prerequisite coursework and documentation that a minimum of a bachelor’s degree has been earned from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university.
  • Payment of two non-refundable deposits totaling $2,000 on or prior to the date designated in the matriculation agreement. RVU follows the guidelines set forth by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) relative to deposit due dates. Deposits will be applied to tuition.
  • Successful passage of a drug screen and background check. Both services are to be scheduled and managed through PreCheck and are to be completed by the dates specified on the matriculation agreement. An applicant who has a deficiency or abnormality discovered on either screening will be referred to a sub-committee for further investigation.
  • Completion of required medical and immunization documents are to be scheduled and managed through SentryMD (the medical record division of PreCheck)  and to be completed by the dates specified on the matriculation agreement.
  • Submission of a waiver demonstrating proof of medical insurance coverage or enrollment in the plan provided by the University.
  • Submission of transcripts from all colleges and universities attended where a degree was earned. MCOM will accept transcripts submitted as part of the AACOMAS application. In the event of an earned degree isn’t posted prior to matriculation, a letter will be required from the university registrar confirming that the requirements for graduation have been met and indicating when the degree will be posted on the transcript. Official transcripts must be sent to RVU-MCOM as soon as the degree is posted.
  • In the event of course work completed at foreign institutions, official detailed course by course evaluations completed by an approved agency must be submitted. Official evaluations must be included with the AACOMAS application and, in the case of a degree earned, the evaluation must reflect that the degree is equivalent to a degree earned at a regionally accredited US college or university.Please see website or AACOMAS site for a list of acceptable agencies. These agencies include:
    • World Education Services, Inc. 
      (212) 966-6311
    • AACRAO
      (202) 296-3359
    • Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. 
      (414) 289-3400
    • Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. 
      (305) 273-1616
  • Official evaluations must be included with the AACOMAS application and, in the case of a degree earned, the evaluation must reflect that the degree is equivalent to a degree earned at a regionally accredited US college or university.
  • Any other requirements set forth in the matriculation agreement.

RVU-MCOM plans to matriculate a class of 120 students in 2024, and 160 every year after that.

Transfer of Credits

Each medical school’s curriculum is unique and based upon that school’s longitudinal timetable; leveraging course work that builds upon previously learned precepts.  In alignment with established practice in graduate medical education, Rocky Vista University does not recruit transfer students or accept transfer credit from other institutions except as specifically outlined below. The Transfer of Credit policy outlined applies to all RVU campus locations. 

Limited circumstances may warrant a student enrolled in a college of osteopathic medicine to seek transfer to another institution. Only credits from medical schools and colleges accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) will be considered. RVU will not consider transfer requests from students enrolled in a foreign medical school or LCME accredited program. 

  • Transfers from one college of osteopathic medicine to another shall require that at a minimum the last two years of instruction be completed within RVU.
  • Transfer may be considered, and transfer credits may be given only if the student is in good standing and eligible for readmission to the college of osteopathic medicine attended.
  • Credit is only given for completed courses with grades of 70 percent (C) or greater.
  • RVU transcripts will reflect the cumulative credit hours transferred in from the previous medical school. Information regarding grades or class rank from the previous school will not be reflected on the RVU transcript. 
  • Students who transfer into RVU will not receive a class rank.  

Anyone wishing to request a transfer to RVU must: 

  • Provide a written statement outlining reasons for the request for transfer, to be sent to the Vice President of Enrollment Management. 
  • Provide a letter from the Dean of the transferring institution verifying that the student is in good standing and is eligible to continue.
  • Submit a copy of their AACOMAS application.
  • Meet all admission requirements to Rocky Vista University’s Doctor of Osteopathic program.
    • Submit official transcripts of all college work, including transcripts from the medical school showing the successful completion of the first two years.
    • Submit MCAT scores and letters of recommendation.
  • Submit national board scores, USMLE Step 1 scores, and pass COMLEX-USA Level 1 prior to starting rotations.
  • Pass a background check and drug screen.
  • Submit required medical forms. 

Decisions regarding transfer are made by the Dean of the appropriate program and will be based on factors including academic record, circumstances leading to the transfer request, available space, and admission standards. 

Need more info?

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Montana Campus

Montana Campus

Montana Campus

Billings, sitting along the Yellowstone River and the famous Rimrocks, is known as Montana’s Trailhead because it serves as the border between western Montana’s mountains and Eastern Montana’s plains and badlands. Billings is an urban city offering modern amenities, exceptional views, outdoor recreation, and award-winning cuisine. Billings is the medical hub for two thirds of Montana and portions of bordering states. Although Billings is the largest city in Montana, it boasts small-town hospitality! Where you can explore recreation, dining, shopping, and events happening in Billings.

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*Based on internal data as of 08/13/2024.