2025-2026 Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM)

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2025-2026 ARCOM Secondary Essay Prompts:
Primary Application Updates:
Please use this section to submit any updates that may be missing from your primary application.

• List any significant volunteer, community service and/or mission experiences you have had since submitting your AACOMAS application. Provide the organization name, hours/week, duration of experience, as well as a brief description of your experience.
• Please tell us about any healthcare experiences you have had that are not listed on your AACOMAS application. Provide organization name, hours/week, duration of experience, and a brief description of your duties.

Long Response Questions
Please answer all questions in this section honestly and to the best of your ability. There are no length requirements or minimums.
1. How do you plan to fulfill the ARCOM Mission in your practice as a physician?

2. What challenges do you expect to personally face most in the next 10 years as a healthcare professional?

3. How do you expect to overcome these challenges?

4. Describe an experience where you interacted with a person or people from a different background than you (ability, religion, gender, race, age, socioeconomic status, citizenship/ nationality, sexual orientation).

5. How did that interaction impact your mindset of the role of a physician?

6. If you are in a difficult basic science class and feel you are not fully grasping the information given in lecture, how would you alter your study habits or techniques to better understand the material and complete the course successfully?

7. What is a recent book or movie you've read or watched that impacted the way you think about today's world?
Please explain how this book impacted the way you think about today's world.

Good luck to everyone applying!

Interview feedback:

Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine Interview Feedback​

Review of Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine Interview Feedback. Get the latest information, opinions of fellow students, and LizzyM and SDN Rankings.

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[drypay98]

Anyone receive II’s yet?

 

[futureshedoc]

probably won't until they finish seating this years class

 

[drypay98]

Got an email yesterday saying primary received.

 

[sydwig00]

OMSII here! feel free to message me with any questions!

 

[FutureEMDoc28]

Has anyone received a supplemental application? I received an email last Monday confirming that my primary application was received.

 

[Futureleader2024]

They sent secondaries today

 

[drypay98]

Has anyone received a supplemental application? I received an email last Monday confirming that my primary application was received.

I have not.

 

[LuckyDr2Be]

current OMS2 here! they screen for secondaries. if you get a secondary, you’re pretty much guaranteed an interview

Do you know their criteria by any chance?

 

[sydwig00]

Do you know their criteria by any chance?

if u mean who they choose to interview, no. i doubt anyone who’s not on adcoms would

 

[futurefamilydoc68]

I heard they stopped charging for secondaries last year

 

[ajaxmonkey]

I heard they stopped charging for secondaries last year

This is correct, at least the no fee part.

 

[Mgray98]

current OMS2 here! they screen for secondaries. if you get a secondary, you’re pretty much guaranteed an interview

Do you know what they screen for?

 

[likeits1978]

@sydwig00 I have a couple questions!

1. What is your favorite part about ARCOM? What's been the most challenging thing to get used to?
2. How was your orientation experience? Did you feel like you were prepared enough?
3. Do they give you dedicated time to study for COMLEX? Is there an ARCOM test you have to take first before you are allowed to sit for the COMLEX?

Thanks!

 

[Jenfromtx]

Ya'll, I got an email that says they want to get to know me better, inviting me to a drop-in advising session. I also have a portal, but I don't have a secondary yet.

 

[Futureleader2024]

I noticed the pic was incorrect above

 

[Futureleader2024]

@sydwig00 I have a couple questions!

1. What is your favorite part about ARCOM? What's been the most challenging thing to get used to?
2. How was your orientation experience? Did you feel like you were prepared enough?
3. Do they give you dedicated time to study for COMLEX? Is there an ARCOM test you have to take first before you are allowed to sit for the COMLEX?

Thanks!

1. The faculty and staff are incredibly supportive.
It's a lot to move and start school. If you aren't thinking about it, things like getting your Rx transferred for your SO signed up for stuff can make you get behind. I'm kind of a procrastinator so that stuff caused me some issues. The community is fine. It's about the size of the city I grew up in so it works for me.

2 Orientation was good. They gave us a lot of information and checklists. We did a scavenger hunt, so we could find where everything was. .They did a learning how to learn workshop and taught us bls. But they gave us a few half days off so that we could work on our personal stuff. That was last year's.I don't know about this year.
I'm not sure anyone has ever truly prepared enough. They'd tell you, it'll be drinking out of a fire hose, but nobody really realizes what it's like until they live it . But they have a lot of support.

3 from what I hear, we have about six weeks of dedicated, and then another month.If we need it. Then there's a 3rd month that is a non clinical elective That's pretty easy as well. You have to score a certain number on a barrier exam in order to release to take the comlex. You have multiple chances to get to that score. And they look at your true learne assessments and other things, and coach you on how to get there. I just finished my first year, so i'm just telling you what the class about me has told me.

 

[FutureFriendsUDoc]

Secondary received yesterday.

Primary Application Updates
Please use this section to submit any updates that may be missing from your primary application.

• List any significant volunteer, community service and/or mission experiences you have had since submitting your AACOMAS application. Provide the organization name, hours/week, duration of experience, as well as a brief description of your experience.
• Please tell us about any healthcare experiences you have had that are not listed on your AACOMAS application. Provide organization name, hours/week, duration of experience, and a brief description of your duties.

Long Response Questions
Please answer all questions in this section honestly and to the best of your ability. There are no length requirements or minimums.

• How do you plan to fulfill the ARCOM Mission in your practice as a physician? *
• What challenges do you expect to personally face most in the next 10 years as a healthcare professional? *
• How do you expect to overcome these challenges? *
• Describe an experience where you interacted with a person or people from a different background than you (ability, religion, gender, race, age, socioeconomic status, citizenship/ nationality, sexual orientation). *
• How did that interaction impact your mindset of the role of a physician? *
• If you are in a difficult basic science class and feel you are not fully grasping the information given in lecture, how would you alter your study habits or techniques to better understand the material and complete the course successfully? *
• What is a recent book or movie you've read or watched that impacted the way you think about today's world? *
• Please explain how this book impacted the way you think about today's world. *

 

[ajaxmonkey]

Ya'll, I got an email that says they want to get to know me better, inviting me to a drop-in advising session. I also have a portal, but I don't have a secondary yet.

I got the same one.

 

[likeits1978]

1. The faculty and staff are incredibly supportive.
It's a lot to move and start school. If you aren't thinking about it, things like getting your Rx transferred for your SO signed up for stuff can make you get behind. I'm kind of a procrastinator so that stuff caused me some issues. The community is fine. It's about the size of the city I grew up in so it works for me.

2 Orientation was good. They gave us a lot of information and checklists. We did a scavenger hunt, so we could find where everything was. .They did a learning how to learn workshop and taught us bls. But they gave us a few half days off so that we could work on our personal stuff. That was last year's.I don't know about this year.
I'm not sure anyone has ever truly prepared enough. They'd tell you, it'll be drinking out of a fire hose, but nobody really realizes what it's like until they live it . But they have a lot of support.

3 from what I hear, we have about six weeks of dedicated, and then another month.If we need it. Then there's a 3rd month that is a non clinical elective That's pretty easy as well. You have to score a certain number on a barrier exam in order to release to take the comlex. You have multiple chances to get to that score. And they look at your true learne assessments and other things, and coach you on how to get there. I just finished my first year, so i'm just telling you what the class about me has told me.

This is super helpful; thank you!

 

[Mgray98]

I got the same one.

Did anyone join this? I tried to join but it said the meeting didn't start

 

[ajaxmonkey]

It told me 3 pm, but I had to pick up a shift at work because of a call in. I was hoping someone would join lol.

 

[isaacguadarrama]

OOS II received two days ago. 503/3.73 GPA. This interview is for fall 2026. Im interviewing August 1st

 

[likeits1978]

OOS II received two days ago. 503/3.73 GPA. This interview is for fall 2026. Im interviewing August 1st

Good luck!! Let us know how it goes!

 

[drypay98]

Does anyone else’s portal show incomplete as the status ?

 

[likeits1978]

What is the portal link?

 

[drypay98]

What is the portal link?

On my personal page there is a spot that says view/manage applications. It shows incomplete as a status.

 

[likeits1978]

On my personal page there is a spot that says view/manage applications. It shows incomplete as a status.

Ohhh. It says mine is still in the process of being made.

 

[ajaxmonkey]

Ohhh. It says mine is still in the process of being made.

Mine too, do you or does anyone know if this means we will be getting secondaries?

 

[likeits1978]

I think it's too early to rule out secondaries, but I might reach out to them in a couple weeks if still no secondary..

 

[anon2424]

OOS II received this morning!

 

[isaacguadarrama]

Sw

OOS II received this morning!

Sweet! When is yours?

 

[anon2424]

Sw

Sweet! When is yours?

August 1!

 

[MrYeast]

OOS Sub 500 MCAT primary received confirmation 07/15 secondary received 07/23

 

[Di0nysus]

Also OOS with Sub 500 MCAT, recieved secondary 7/23 🙂

 

[Futureleader2024]

I saw this on LinkedIn today. I thought is was funny. Interview Asst provost /diversity director about the area and school

 

[bronbron2251]

Submitted secondary. For those who got interviews, how long was the turnaround time after submission? Do all applicants who submit secondaries get an interview?

 

[bubba89]

OOS II!

 

[bronbron2251]

OOS II

 

[WoeBot62]

Verified beginning of the month, no portal, secondaries, or anything. Not even a rejection. I haven't sent a physician letter yet so there's that

 

[sydwig00]

Verified beginning of the month, no portal, secondaries, or anything. Not even a rejection. I haven't sent a physician letter yet so there's that

ARCOM pre-screens for secondaries. not everyone who applies will get a secondary app

 

[gansitolover101]

Do they send pre-secondary rejection emails? Still waiting on a secondary, and I submitted my primary on 6/18.

 

[Chief15]

OOS A 8/4/25, Interviewed 7/29/25.

 

[bronbron2251]

OOS A 8/4/25, Interviewed 7/29/25.

Congrats! What was the interview like/what was the format?

 

[Chief15]

Congrats! What was the interview like/what was the format?

Thanks! Interview was 1 person affiliated with the university and 1 person from the community. Loved this because it gave it a more relaxed feel! It was 30 minutes and they did it pretty close to the beginning so you could enjoy the tour and listen to the other information they gave you without the interview in the back of your head which I liked.

 

[bronbron2251]

Thanks! Interview was 1 person affiliated with the university and 1 person from the community. Loved this because it gave it a more relaxed feel! It was 30 minutes and they did it pretty close to the beginning so you could enjoy the tour and listen to the other information they gave you without the interview in the back of your head which I liked.

Thanks! I have an interview with ARCOM in a couple of weeks so this is really good to know!

 

[Chief15]

Thanks! I have an interview with ARCOM in a couple of weeks so this is really good to know!

Ofc!

 

[futureshedoc]

About Fort Smith. Click link to check out a short video about the area. Shared from schools YouTube pg.

 

[isaacguadarrama]

OOS A! interviewed on the first

 

[ajaxmonkey]

Was just checking my portal and I see that there is a secondary there. However, I have not received an email. Has this happened to anyone?

Edit: I just received the email.