DO Qualifying High School Students

This program is open to current high school students who are accepted and plan to attend Messiah University and have met or exceeded the following requirements:

• High school GPA of 3.5 or higher on an unweighted 4.0 scale;
• SAT/ACT score requirement:
  • a combined SAT score of at least 1240 on the evidence-based reading & writing and math composite requirement (no superscores accepted) OR an ACT score of at least 26, or
  • Students without SAT/ACT scores will either have to complete LECOMs MMS program with a 3.0 GPA or higher, or score a 500 on the MCAT for the medical program, or
  • Students with low SAT/ACT scores can opt out of the MMS program or MCAT, if their AIS is 115 or higher for the medical program.
• 25 hours of combined allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medically-related experience must be completed by the time of the EAP interview at LECOM. 
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
• All provisional letters of acceptance will be sent on March 15 of the academic year in which the application is made.

Application is initiated by the student through this LECOM link, and the application cycle is open from September of July 15th of the summer prior to the applicant's senior year.

 Minimum Required undergraduate courses:

• 6 Credit Hours of English
• 6 Credit Hours of Behavioral Science
• 4 Credit Hours of Physics including a lab
• 8 Credit Hours Biology including two labs
• 8 Credit Hours Inorganic Chemistry including two labs
• 8 Credit Hours Organic Chemistry including two labs
• 3 Credit Hours Biochemistry
• 3 Credit Hours Genetics

Strongly Recommend Undergraduate Courses (Completed before matriculating to LECOM):

• 4 Semester Credit Hours Physiology
• 4-8 Semester Credit Hours of Human Anatomy including lab
• 4 Semester Credit Hours of Microbiology including lab
• 3 Semester Credit Hours of Cell Biology

Recommended Undergraduate Courses, if available at Messiah University

• 3 Semester Credit Hours of Histology
• 3 Semester Credit Hours of Immunology
• 3 Semester Credit Hours of Embryology
• 3 Semester Credit Hours of Medical Terminology
• 3 Semester Credit Hours of Pathophysiology

Other Requirements

After graduating from Messiah University, at the time of their transition to LECOM, students must reach or exceed the following benchmarks: 

• Overall GPA of 3.3/4.0;
• Science GPA of 3.2/4.0;
• If the MCAT is not waived, an MCAT score of at least 500, is required.
• 150 hours of medically-related experience, 50 hours of this must be with a D.O.

MCAT

Students will be exempt from the MCAT requirement providing:

• They have taken at least one Biochemistry* course and one Genetics* course and have earned a final grade of “C” or higher in each; and
• have qualified by way of their GPA AND SAT (math and critical reasoning) or ACT composite scores.

Students not meeting both of these requirements must take the MCAT and score at or above 500. (Messiah University students in this category should complete the relevant required coursework for LECOM by the end of their third year at Messiah University so that they are prepared to take the MCAT prior to the start of their senior year.)

• The time that it takes a student to earn his/her undergraduate degree from Messiah University varies.  Some students are able to complete the degree in fewer than four years depending on a variety of factors including summer school attendance, AP test scores and college dual-enrollment during high school.
• Regardless of the timing, the undergraduate degree must be completed prior to matriculating at LECOM.
• Most DO EAP students major in biology, chemistry, or biochemistry. With early and careful planning, other major choice may be appropriate.  See Martha Stigelman for further details.
• If not selected for this high school entry EAP program, students may reapply to LECOM as Messiah University students prior to their junior year at Messiah.

• A grade of at least 'C' is required to transfer prerequisite coursework.
• No required class should be taken P/F
• Required classes should be taken at Messiah College unless prior approval is granted.
• Messiah University requires that at least 150 hours of documented medically-related experience be completed at the time of matriculation to LECOM. At least 50 of the hours must be with a DO.
• Students accepted into this program must be enrolled at Messiah as full-time students for at least the two consecutive years immediately preceding matriculation at LECOM.
• This program is open to transfer students.
• Provisionally accepted students may not apply to any other medical school.  Application to another medical school will result in the loss of the student’s provisional acceptance. 
• LECOM will try to honor students' choice of campus if multiple campus choices are offered.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.