At AACOMAS, the well-being and safety of our teams and communities are our top priority. As we closely monitor the evolving impact of COVID-19, we are implementing ongoing measures to ensure the health and safety of our staff, while also maintaining the highest level of service to our applicants.
COVID-19 AACOMAS Application Updates and FAQs
Latest Updates
- AACOMAS customer service staff are set up to work remotely and available to assist as usual.
- All AACOMAS application services continue to operate as expected. The 2020-2021 application cycle launched May 5, 2020.
Osteopathic Medical Schools Adapt Admissions Processes in Response to COVID-19
Congruent with the osteopathic medical profession’s philosophy, AACOMAS participating schools intend to adapt their application review process to allow for greater flexibility in accepting online coursework, accepting pass/fail/satisfactory/unsatisfactory coursework, and reviewing applications prior to receiving MCAT scores. Please refer to AACOM’s letter to future applicants for details regarding these changes. AACOM will continue to guide its osteopathic medical schools as the needs of prospective students evolve.
Additional COVID-19 AACOMAS Application Questions
AACOM has added three optional questions to the AACOMAS application in response to COVID-19. Students should use these questions as an opportunity to provide more context to medical schools about their application and pathway to medical school.
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- Did your school move to offering only online curriculum during the COVID-19 crisis?
- Did you have an opportunity to receive a letter grade for any of your courses taken during the COVID-19 crisis?
- Please describe how COVID-19 has impacted your pathway to medical school. (2500 characters) Items to consider incorporating in your response may include but are not limited to:
- Academic: Were you able to interact with your professors? Did you have to leave an academic program stateside or abroad? Did your school require you to move to pass/fail grading systems? Did your MCAT exam get cancelled, delayed? Other academic barriers?
- Professional: Did you hold a job? Did have to go out and seek new job opportunities? Did you lose a job? Other financial or professional barriers that you faced?
- Personal: Did you have to move out of a house or dorm? Did you have to cancel travel plans? Did you modify your planned experiences related to healthcare or volunteer opportunities? Did you seek out volunteer opportunities that arose from the crisis? Did you assist any family or community members that were affected?
FAQs
Will my official transcripts still be processed?
Yes, both electronic and paper transcripts will be processed as usual upon receipt.
What happens if the school I attended is closed and cannot send my transcript?
To complete your application, you must release official transcripts from all colleges attended to AACOMAS. Despite college campus closures due to COVID-19, nearly all colleges continue to issue official transcripts.
Most institutions are posting COVID-19 updates on their website. Visit your institution’s website for more information and/or guidance on changes to their processes.
Visit the Applicant Help Center for instructions on sending official transcripts to AACOMAS.
Will my application still be verified?
Yes, your application will be verified in accordance with the standard process. Access the Applicant Help Center for more information about the verification process and timeline.
Will my Professional Transcript Entry (PTE) still be processed?
Yes, the PTE process is being performed as usual and your PTE will be completed once all official transcripts are received. Access the Applicant Help Center for more information about the PTE process and timeline.
Will my Academic Update (AU) still be processed and verified?
Yes, your transcripts will still be processed and your application will be verified in accordance with the standard process. Access the Applicant Help Center for more information about the Academic Update process and timeline.
Will my foreign evaluations still be processed?
Yes, both electronic and paper evaluations will be processed as usual upon receipt. However, we advise checking with the evaluation companies to determine if there have been any disruptions to their processes. Some are linked below:
Will my MCAT scores still be posted to my application?
Yes, MCAT scores will be processed as usual upon receipt. However, we advise you to monitor the AAMC’s MCAT Coronavirus Page to determine if there have been any disruptions to their processes, including scheduling tests and ordering test results.
What should I do if I am unable to take the MCAT that my program(s) require because testing centers are closed?
Congruent with our philosophy, AACOMAS participating schools intend to review your application and extend interview invitations prior to receiving your MCAT score by evaluating experiences, academic metrics, and attributes that you have demonstrated in your application. In some instances, our colleges will accept you without MCAT scores, but many will await required MCAT scores before extending an offer to join a class.
AACOMAS participating schools also intend to adapt their application review process to allow for greater flexibility in accepting online coursework and accepting pass/fail/satisfactory/unsatisfactory coursework. Read the full letter from AACOM President & CEO for more information about changes to osteopathic medical school admissions processes in response to COVID-19.
What if I need help with my application?
We’re here to assist with any application-related questions. Contact AACOMAS Customer Service at 617-612-2889 or aacomasinfo@liaisoncas.com. Note the following:
- Hours of operation: Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm ET.
- We typically provide responses to emails within 2 business days; however, response times can take up to 3 business days when we’re at our busiest.
- Be sure to have your AACOMAS ID # (located under your name in the upper-right corner of the application) when contacting AACOMAS via phone or email.
For all other inquiries, including the following, please contact your program directly:
- Admission requirements and policies
- Deadline requirements
- Prerequisites
- Supplemental materials
- Requirements regarding the identity of evaluators
- Status of your application after it has been verified
- Admission decisions and interview questions
- Content and duration of a particular school’s program