AACOMAS releases accommodations with respect to the new application cycle!

[MoTheGreatish]

Hey everyone! Good news for anyone looking to apply through AACOMAS this year!
Here is the link to an email I got on this: Osteopathic Medical Schools Adapt Admissions Processes in Response to COVID-19

But here's the main points copied here:

"Congruent with our philosophy, AACOMAS participating schools intend to adapt their application review process to the following to mitigate the many obstacles you may face:

• Accept all pass/fail/satisfactory/unsatisfactory coursework, regardless of whether your school required this, including pre-requisite coursework in the context of your entire academic history
• Accept all online coursework, including laboratory credits
• Review your application without all required laboratory coursework, if you can demonstrate that your institution was unable to provide these courses due to COVID-19; proof of completion may later be required
• Review your application and extend interview invitations prior to receiving your MCAT score, by evaluating experiences, academic metrics, and attributes that you have demonstrated in your application. In some instances, our colleges will accept you without MCAT scores, but many will await required MCAT scores before extending an offer to join a class
• Consider reducing the required number of health care experience hours and other extracurricular experiences you planned to complete
• Most of our schools will continue to require a letter of recommendation from a physician (DO or MD)

If you plan to take an MCAT exam, please ensure you are currently registered for an upcoming exam and indicate your planned MCAT date in your AACOMAS application. We encourage you to apply early and when ready without MCAT scores. As in previous application cycles, AACOMAS does not delay the delivery of your application without MCAT scores.

If any of your institutions cannot provide official transcripts due to this pandemic, the AACOMAS application will provide an exception process for you to get your application verified and delivered to the colleges you select in your AACOMAS application. Keep in mind that our colleges will require official transcripts when operations resume at your previous attended institutions."

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[sunshinefl]

Hey everyone! Good news for anyone looking to apply through AACOMAS this year!
Here is the link to an email I got on this: Osteopathic Medical Schools Adapt Admissions Processes in Response to COVID-19

But here's the main points copied here:

"Congruent with our philosophy, AACOMAS participating schools intend to adapt their application review process to the following to mitigate the many obstacles you may face:

• Accept all pass/fail/satisfactory/unsatisfactory coursework, regardless of whether your school required this, including pre-requisite coursework in the context of your entire academic history
• Accept all online coursework, including laboratory credits
• Review your application without all required laboratory coursework, if you can demonstrate that your institution was unable to provide these courses due to COVID-19; proof of completion may later be required
• Review your application and extend interview invitations prior to receiving your MCAT score, by evaluating experiences, academic metrics, and attributes that you have demonstrated in your application. In some instances, our colleges will accept you without MCAT scores, but many will await required MCAT scores before extending an offer to join a class
• Consider reducing the required number of health care experience hours and other extracurricular experiences you planned to complete
• Most of our schools will continue to require a letter of recommendation from a physician (DO or MD)

If you plan to take an MCAT exam, please ensure you are currently registered for an upcoming exam and indicate your planned MCAT date in your AACOMAS application. We encourage you to apply early and when ready without MCAT scores. As in previous application cycles, AACOMAS does not delay the delivery of your application without MCAT scores.

If any of your institutions cannot provide official transcripts due to this pandemic, the AACOMAS application will provide an exception process for you to get your application verified and delivered to the colleges you select in your AACOMAS application. Keep in mind that our colleges will require official transcripts when operations resume at your previous attended institutions."

I’m glad they are being proactively helpful and informative to applicants. Alleviates a lot of extra stress.

 

[miniwumbo]

Hey,

I had just seen this email as well. I am planning on applying this upcoming cycle; however, I am concerned of applying without a LOR from a physician. Amidst the outbreak, my shadowing, with a physician I was getting along with quite well, has been cancelled. The email states a LOR from a physician is still required for most schools.

Does anyone have advice on how to proceed? I have ~50 shadowing hours with the ER doc from winter break. Should I just ask him for a LOR at this current state?

Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[PapaGuava]

Hey,

I had just seen this email as well. I am planning on applying this upcoming cycle; however, I am concerned of applying without a LOR from a physician. Amidst the outbreak, my shadowing, with a physician I was getting along with quite well, has been cancelled. The email states a LOR from a physician is still required for most schools.

Does anyone have advice on how to proceed? I have ~50 shadowing hours with the ER doc from winter break. Should I just ask him for a LOR at this current state?

Thanks for the help in advance!

Yeah it wouldn’t hurt to ask because you would definitely like to have an LOR from a physician.

 

[sunshinefl]

Hey,

I had just seen this email as well. I am planning on applying this upcoming cycle; however, I am concerned of applying without a LOR from a physician. Amidst the outbreak, my shadowing, with a physician I was getting along with quite well, has been cancelled. The email states a LOR from a physician is still required for most schools.

Does anyone have advice on how to proceed? I have ~50 shadowing hours with the ER doc from winter break. Should I just ask him for a LOR at this current state?

Thanks for the help in advance!

I would. You need one. However, I would be mindful of the pandemic and

A: not ask until later with the hope things fizzle off and
B: acknowledge the situation when you do contact them, not come across as oblivious

But that’s just my way in the world.

 

[miniwumbo]

@sunshinefl

Thanks! Will use your advice!