Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine

Class profile

Entering class size

150

Public / Private

Private

Setting

Not reported

% Out-of-state

Not reported

Orientation

Service-oriented

Research vs. service orientation

Service-oriented (12/100) — Rural/underserved mission, primary-care emphasis, no MD-PhD/MSTP, no NIH research ranking

Course exams

Core clerkship exams are the NBOME's standardized COMAT subject exams — standardized nationally, so they're consistent across DO schools. Whether the preclinical years lean on in-house, NBME-based, or a mix of exams isn't something schools publish in one place — so we don't guess per school; confirm specifics with the school.

Cost & aid

Cost of attendance

$91,187

Avg. graduate debt

Not reported

Secondary fee

$50

% receiving aid

95%

Tuition & cost of attendance verified against the school's official site (official source, 2026-2027). Schools report "tuition" vs. "tuition & fees" differently and some (e.g. NYU Grossman, Kaiser early cohorts) award universal scholarships — always confirm on the official page.

Prerequisites & requirements

Typical for US DO programs — confirm this school's exact list.

Biology

1 year with lab

General Chemistry

1 year with lab

Organic Chemistry

1 year with lab

Biochemistry

1 semester (recommended/required)

Physics

1 year with lab

English / writing

1 year

Math / statistics

1 semester–1 year (varies)

Psychology & Sociology

Recommended for the MCAT

Required tests

• MCAT — required
• CASPer: varies — verify with the school
• AAMC PREview: varies — verify

Letters of recommendation

• 3–5 letters or a committee letter
• At least one letter from a science faculty member
• A letter from a DO (osteopathic) physician is strongly preferred

Application timeline (AACOMAS)

Most US programs admit on a rolling basis — applying early materially helps.

What this school weighs

• GPA & MCAT (academic readiness)
• Clinical experience & shadowing (including osteopathic shadowing)
• Research experience
• Community service & volunteering
• Letters of recommendation
• Personal statement & secondary essays
• Interview performance & mission fit
• State residency (especially at public schools)

Secondary essay prompts (2024-2025)

⚠ Crowdsourced & anecdotal — secondary prompts change every cycle and may be incomplete. Always confirm on the school's own secondary application.

1. How do you plan to fulfill the ARCOM Mission in your practice as a physician?
2. What challenges do you expect to personally face most in the next 10 years as a healthcare professional, and how do you expect to overcome these challenges?
3. Describe an experience where you interacted with a person or people from a different background than you (ability, religion, gender, race, age, socioeconomic status, citizenship/nationality, sexual orientation). How did that interaction impact your mindset of the role of a physician? (2-3 paragraphs)
4. What is a recent book or movie you've read or watched that impacted the way you think about today's world?
5. If you had to pick today, what top 2 specialties would you be interested in learning more about? (List only; no narrative required.)

Interview

⚠ Anecdotal — based on applicant-reported experiences (e.g. SDN). Format and questions vary year to year; treat as a guide, not a script.

Format: Traditional

Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format with roughly 7-9 stations, each ~7-10 minutes, involving faculty, clinicians, and community members; mostly in-person and closed-file. Applicants describe staff as kind and generous with their time.

Questions applicants report

• Why osteopathic medicine / why DO?
• Tell us about your gap year activities.
• How would you handle an ethical dilemma such as catching another student cheating?
• Tell us about your community service involvement.
• What are your hobbies and how do you cope with stress?
• Describe a time you failed and what you learned.