D.O. Program with Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

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Pursue a career in medicine that treats patients holistically—as mind, body, and spirit—and get on the fast track to become a D.O. through our partnership with the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Locations

Why pursue a D.O. from Georgia Southern and PCOM?

  • Enter a field of medicine that treats the whole patient—mind, body and spirit
  • Get a medical degree in 7 years rather than 8 with our 3+4 program
  • Join a growing number of doctors providing for underserved and rural communities, often in the role of trusted family physician
  • Gain all the training and skills of a traditional medical degree with the added perspective of a holistic and preventative approach.
  • Pursue an undergraduate degree in biology, chemistry or psychology before going on to medical school.

If you’re interested in becoming a doctor but would rather take a “whole person” approach to health care, Osteopathic Medicine is the right choice. Not only will our program prepare to serve in this incredibly important role, but our partnership with the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine allows you to earn your entire degree in 7 years rather than 8. 

This accelerated program allows up to three Georgia Southern juniors majoring in biology, chemistry or psychology to enter PCOM before completing all requirements for their undergraduate degree. And for those students who wish to complete their undergraduate degree at Georgia Southern, we still offer a traditional 4 year + 4 year program.

Osteopathic medicine is a highly rewarding and rapidly growing field of healthcare. More than half of all practicing osteopathic physicians practice in the primary care specialties of family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and osteopathic manipulative medicine. And the number of osteopathic doctors in the U.S. has quadrupled since 1990.

Ready to Apply?

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What Can You Do as a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine?

Doctors of Osteopathy receive the same training as traditional doctors with an additional emphasis on preventative medicine and treating patients holistically. Many go on to work as primary care physicians and family doctors.

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Percentage of all current medical students training to be D.O.s (American Osteopathic Association).

Current number of practicing D.O.s in the United States.

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Percentage of practicing D.O.s who are women.

What You’ll Learn

Just like students studying to become an M.D., students studying to become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine will eventually choose a specialty and will be trained to perform surgeries, prescribe drugs and practice medicine. However, osteopathic physicians have additional training in Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment or Medicine (OMT or OMM)—a special branch of medicine that involves hands-on treatment and an integrated understanding of the entire body’s systems.

Over the course of their education, our students who partner with PCOM will:

  • Be introduced to both basic and clinical sciences. 
  • Receive hands-on training with patient simulators and standardized patient actors to reflect actual clinical procedure and practice. 
  • Shadow physicians in a wide range of clinical settings.
  • Work in some of the finest teaching hospitals and gradually assume more responsibility under the direction of experienced physicians. 
  • Participate in rounds, lectures, conferences, morning reports and case presentations, developing skills in history-taking, physical examination, differential diagnosis and invasive and noninvasive procedures.

Plan Ahead

Take advantage of our extensive pre-medicine resources here—where you can find everything from how to meet with an advisor to checklists and advice on finding internships, planning your coursework, and exploring research opportunities.

Pre-Medicine Logbook

Download the pre-medicine logbook to track everything you’ll need for your health professional school applications, including: prospective schools, direct patient care hours, and shadowing hours.

Pre-Medicine Course Map

Use our recommended Prerequisite Course Sequence Map to ensure you have all of the course requirements needed to apply for Pre-Medicine (MD/DO) programs.

AAMC and MCAT GPA Data

Data provided by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) can help students understand current acceptance scores and create clear goals for themselves as they plan for medical school.

Take Action

Follow these steps to complete the Georgia Southern application: 

  • Create an application account.
  • Complete our online application using the PIN you received after creating your application account.
  • Pay the $30 application fee or upload a valid fee waiver once complete. Previous Georgia Southern applicants and dual-enrollment students do not need to pay the fee.

Check your application status at My.GeorgiaSouthern.edu/admissions three days after completing your application. This page contains live information about your admission status, including a checklist of missing documents we need to make a decision.

Apply as a First-Year Student Transfer to Georgia Southern

The Chemistry and Biochemistry department at USG—accredited by both the ACS and the ASBMB—is the only dually accredited department in the University System of Georgia.

  • Years 1 – 2
    • Students are introduced to both basic and clinical sciences. 
    • Students receive hands-on training with patient simulators and standardized patient actors to reflect actual clinical procedure and practice. 
    • Students shadow physicians in a wide range of clinical settings. 
  • Years 3 – 4
    • Students work in some of the finest teaching hospitals and gradually assume more responsibility under the direction of experienced physicians. 
    • Students develop skills in history-taking, physical examination, differential diagnosis and invasive and noninvasive procedures through active participation in rounds, lectures, conferences, morning reports and case presentations.

Graduate and professional schools often require some sort of written statement—often called a “statement of purpose,” “personal statement,” or “letter of intent”—as a part of the application. Some statements require specific information (i.e. the applicant’s intended area of study within a graduate field). Others are less structured,leaving the applicant free to address a wide range of topics. This guide can help you as you navigate how to best compose your own personal statement.

Applying to medical school is an exciting milestone in the journey towards becoming a physician. The AAMC and the American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®) are here to help you navigate this next step.

The 2025 AMCAS applicant guide provides you with all the necessary information to complete the application process smoothly and successfully. This comprehensive resource outlines the current AMCAS application process, policies, and procedures to help you understand how to best complete your AMCAS application.

Find a variety of resources for planning your career from our Office of Career and Professional Development.

Related Programs

Take the Next Step

Get on the fast track to becoming a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and reach out today.

Contact Us

The Office of Pre-Professional Advising at Georgia Southern
P.O. Box 8064
Statesboro, GA  30460
Phone: 912-478-7472 
Email: prehealth@georgiasouthern.edu
Website: https://ocpd.georgiasouthern.edu/channels/pre-health/

The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Phone: 229-668-3162 
Email: sogaadmissions@pcom.edu
Website: https://www.pcom.edu/do/