Pursuing a career in medicine can be hard for the residents of certain states of the U.S. Many medical schools prefer to admit students who live in the state where they live. This means that if you live in a U.S. state without a medical school, you’ll have to apply to private universities outside your area, which can be more expensive because you’ll also have to pay for added costs like accommodation and transportation.
This was the situation prospective students faced in Idaho. Aspiring medical students of the state were forced to enroll in other states to obtain a medical degree. But this changed when its first-ever medical school, the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine started its operation in 2018.
The Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) was inaugurated in 2018, as the first medical school in the state of Idaho. This is a huge achievement as the medical field has been going through rough times over the years. There was a shortage of physicians, and Idaho was positioned in 49th place regarding the number of physicians per capita in the U.S.
Now, let’s take a closer look at this new medical school!
Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM)
Located in Meridian, the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) received its first group of students in 2018.
ICOM grants Doctor of Osteopathic (D.O.) degrees. Along with those who have M.D. degrees, these are the two types of physicians who can be licensed to practice medicine, prescribe medication, and perform surgeries in the U.S. The difference between them is the approach. Physicians with D.O. degrees received holistic training that focuses on preventing diseases.
The D.O. four-year program is divided into two phases. During the first two years, students will take lectures to learn foundational concepts and will go through laboratory and clinical experiences in small groups. The last two years consist of clinical training performed in affiliated centers. ICOM has 9 core affiliated centers and almost 30 affiliated centers.
Technology is a key aspect of the education of students at ICOM. The second floor of the school’s building is for clinical simulations. It has patient exam rooms, clinical simulation rooms, and control rooms, all equipped with cameras and microphones. This way, students can be interactively evaluated because everything is recorded.
It has low-fidelity and high-fidelity human simulators, which can mimic the symptoms of real patients and communicate with the students. They also have models of parts of the body, called “task trainers”, where students can practice specific procedures. ICOM also has modern laboratories with cutting-edge technology.
Although it is still considered a “new medical school”, admissions can be highly competitive as it is the only medical school in Idaho. The class of 2018 was 162 students. It had an average MCAT score of 503 and an average GPA of 3.45. And the application has to be done online through the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS).
As in other medical schools, here you’ll have to submit recommendation letters, have done required premedical coursework, and take the MCAT. As of the moment, ICOM doesn’t accept international or transfer students. You have to hold a legal permanent residency to apply.
Hopefully, this will encourage you to apply to Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. Studying abroad can be overwhelming, if you are planning to study in the U.S., check out our U.S. Study Guide and Available U.S. Programs sections!
About the Author: Hyun Lee
