Pursuing a career in medicine can be especially challenging for residents of U.S. states that do not have a medical school. Some medical schools, particularly public ones, may not accept out-of-state applicants or may prefer applicants who are residents of their state. This can lead students to consider schools outside their home state, which may also add costs such as housing, relocation, and transportation.
This was the situation many prospective students faced in Idaho. Before the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine opened, Idaho was the most populous state in the nation without a medical school of its own. ICOM changed that when its inaugural class began classes in 2018.
The Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) opened in Meridian in 2018 as Idaho’s first medical school. This was a major development for the state, which has continued to face physician workforce challenges. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges’ 2025 release, Idaho and the Northern Mariana Islands had the lowest number of active physicians among states and territories, and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare lists 98.7% of Idaho’s primary care areas as health professional shortage areas.
Now, let’s take a closer look at this 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. Classes for ICOM’s inaugural class of 162 students began on August 20, 2018.
ICOM grants Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degrees. Along with physicians who hold MD degrees, DOs are fully trained and licensed doctors who can practice medicine, prescribe medication, and perform surgery in the U.S. The difference is in the approach. Physicians with DO degrees receive training that emphasizes whole-person care, preventive medicine, and osteopathic principles and practice.
The DO program is a four-year program divided into preclinical and clinical training. During the first two years, students study on ICOM’s campus in Meridian through lectures, laboratory work, clinical skills training, and small-group learning. The final two years consist of clinical clerkship rotations at core-affiliated hospitals and outpatient sites. ICOM’s clinical rotations take place in settings such as hospitals, ambulatory practices, long-term care facilities, and regional sites in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, and beyond.
Technology is a key part of student education at ICOM. The Clinical Simulation Center is used for clinical skills education, testing, and evaluation. It includes 12 patient exam rooms, six clinical simulation rooms, and three control rooms. All 18 patient rooms are equipped with ceiling cameras and microphones, and simulation events can be recorded for interactive evaluation.
The center uses low-fidelity simulators, partial manikin task trainers, and high-fidelity simulators. These high-fidelity simulators are computer-driven models with pulses and the ability to breathe, talk, seize, and show pupil responses. ICOM also uses task trainers, which are models of specific body parts that allow students to practice procedures such as airway intubation, catheter insertion, IV placement, lumbar puncture, prostate examination, and obstetric maneuvers.
Admissions remain competitive. ICOM is approved for a class size of 220 students per year, with an allowed 8% variance for attrition. ICOM’s admissions page lists a minimum competitive GPA of 3.2 for both science and cumulative GPA, a recommended MCAT score in the 50th percentile overall with no section below the 35th percentile, and recent ICOM matriculant averages of 505.4 on the MCAT and 3.54 cumulative GPA. Applications are submitted online through the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS).
As in other medical schools, applicants must submit a recommendation letter, complete the required premedical coursework, earn a bachelor’s degree before matriculation, and take the MCAT. ICOM currently requires one recommendation letter from a science faculty member or a pre-medical/pre-health advisor, while a physician letter is strongly encouraged but not required. ICOM does not accept applications from students requiring F-1 student visa status, and legal permanent residents must provide a copy of their permanent resident card before admission. ICOM may consider transfer students on a case-by-case basis, but transfer credit is generally accepted only under limited circumstances.
Hopefully, this overview helps you learn more about the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. Studying in the U.S. can be overwhelming, so if you are planning your studies there, check out the U.S. Study Guide and Available Programs for International Students!
