West Virginia Wesleyan College and the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) have recently entered into an agreement to establish a Pre-Osteopathic Program for undergraduate students who have an interest in osteopathic medicine and plan to enter osteopathic medical school.
The goal of the program is to promote osteopathic medicine, increase the number of excellent applicants, support aspiring osteopathic physicians at all levels of education, and continue the proud legacy of osteopathic medicine in West Virginia.
In this partnership, Wesleyan students will have the opportunity to network with medical students, medical professionals, provide/assist with shadowing opportunities, while at the same time improving their knowledge of osteopathic medicine. Students are assigned a faculty mentor to monitor progress and answer questions as well as an expedited application review to WVSOM and an early admission interview. Pending successful completion of their medical interview, students will receive an acceptance to WVSOM prior to their senior year of college.
Melanie Sal, Wesleyan associate professor of biology and department chair, will oversee the partnership. Brian Griffith, Ph.D., WVSOM associate professor of biomedical sciences, will be working with Sal.
Wesleyan joins Concord University, West Liberty University, Davis & Elkins College, Alderson Broaddus University, WVU Institute of Technology, and Waynesburg University as the seventh school to become an undergraduate affiliate to WVSOM.
“The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine is an amazing partner,” commented President of the College Joel Thierstein, J.D., Ph.D. “We are delighted to provide this early admission opportunity to our students.”
“We are very pleased to have West Virginia Wesleyan College as one of our partners for WVSOM’s Pre Osteopathic Program,” stated WVSOM President Michael Adelman, D.O., J.D. “It allows for early identification of the best and brightest students who have an interest in osteopathic medicine and lets us provide guidance and mentorship to prepare them for the rigors of medical school.”
WVSOM is one of the best primary medical schools in the United States. U.S. News & World Report has ranked WVSOM as one of the nation’s top medical schools for 19 consecutive years. WVSOM is No. 1 in the nation among all medical schools graduating physicians who practice in rural areas according to Academic Medicine.
For more information on the Pre-Osteopathic Program, please visit www.wvsom.edu/programs/pomp.