More D.O.s than ever
Posted: November 1, 2011
ATSU-SOMA one of three new COMs graduating D.O.s in 2011
This spring, the nation’s colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs) graduated nearly 4,200 students. Last year, that number was 3,845, and it was just 2,536 a decade ago.
Although some of the growth can be attributed to increasing class sizes, much of the increase stems from new colleges and campuses founded in the last 10 years. This year, two other COMs, in addition to ATSU-SOMA, graduated their first class of osteopathic medical students. They are Lincoln Memorial University – DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harrogate, Tenn., which graduated its first class of 130 students in May, and Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – New York, which graduated more than 100 new physicians in June.
The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine opened its centralized application service on June 1 to begin taking applications for the 5,716 2012 academic year medical student slots at the nation’s 26 colleges of osteopathic medicine, four branch campuses, and four remote teaching sites. More than 20 percent of all new U.S. medical students are studying at osteopathic medical colleges.