Accelerated DO Program with Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Are you interested in medicine but want to treat more than symptoms? Your desired approach to health care focuses on the whole person — mind, body and spirit. This is what doctors of osteopathic medicine do every day.

Are you ready to join them?

The Fast Track to a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Degree

Georgia Southern University and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) are partnering to provide a 3+4 program for undergraduate students to get their bachelor’s degree and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree in seven years instead of eight.

Get your undergraduate degree in one of the following:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Psychology

The accelerated program allows a Georgia Southern junior to enter PCOM before completing all requirements for their undergraduate degree and after completion of their junior year. Each year, PCOM will accept up to three Georgia Southern students who have completed their undergraduate prerequisites and meet PCOM requirements.

For those students who wish to complete their undergraduate degree at Georgia Southern, we offer a 4+4 program.

Get Started Now!

What is Osteopathic Medicine?

Osteopathic medicine is a “whole person” approach to health care. While osteopathic doctors have the same background and training as medical doctors, they also bring something extra to their patients — holistic healing and care. This work often includes physical therapy and rehabilitation.

DOs can see patients, prescribe medications and perform surgery, but they focus on preventative health care, working with their patients to fight illness and prevent it.

Many doctors of osteopathic medicine practice in small towns and rural areas, where they serve as family-oriented physicians. In this role, they become an integral part of the community, caring for individuals and their families.

Ready to get started? Fill out our interest form!

The Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Program at PCOM

• Years 1 – 2
  • Students are introduced to both basic and clinical sciences. 
  • Receive hands-on training with patient simulators and standardized patient actors to reflect actual clinical procedure and practice. 
  • Shadow physicians in a wide range of clinical settings. 
• Years 3 – 4
  • Students work in some of the finest teaching hospitals and gradually assume more responsibility under the direction of experienced physicians. 
  • Through active participation in rounds, lectures, conferences, morning reports and case presentations, students develop skills in history-taking, physical examination, differential diagnosis and invasive and noninvasive procedures. 

Fast Facts About Osteopathic Medicine

• Approximately 57 percent of practicing osteopathic physicians practice in the primary care specialties of family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and adolescent medicine and osteopathic manipulative medicine.
• Many fill a critical need for health care by practicing in rural and other underserved communities.
• The osteopathic medical profession continues to grow. The number of practicing osteopathic doctors in the United States has nearly quadrupled since 1990.
• The profession is also getting younger. In 2021, Two-thirds of actively practicing DOs were under age 45.
• The number of women joining the field continues to rise. In 2021, 43 percent of practicing DOs were women.
• Nearly 7,000 new osteopathic physicians enter the workforce each year. Approximately 135,000 fully licensed active osteopathic physicians currently practice the entire scope of modern medicine.
• More than 26 percent of medical students in the United States today are training to be DOs.

Ready to Get on the Fast Track to a DO Degree? Contact Us!

The Office of Pre-Professional Advising at Georgia Southern

• Phone: 912-478-7472
• Email: prehealth@georgiasouthern.edu
• Website: Pre-Professional Advising

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Phone: 229-668-3162
• Email: sogaadmissions@pcom.edu
• Website: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Degree

* Source: American Osteopathic Association (AOA), American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM)

Last updated: 3/10/2023