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Supporting a Seamless Transition to Medical School

Ohio Wesleyan Joins Early Acceptance Program at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

DELAWARE, Ohio – A new agreement between Ohio Wesleyan University and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine enables qualified OWU students to gain provisional early acceptance into LECOM’s medical school.

“The Early Acceptance Program provides qualified students with a reserved seat at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine as early as the summer before they start classes at Ohio Wesleyan,” said Dale J. Brugh, Ph.D., OWU’s associate dean for innovation. “Early acceptance can help students avoid some of the stress and cost of applying to medical school. In addition, exceptionally well-qualified students could begin medical school before completing their OWU bachelor’s degrees.”

LECOM is the largest osteopathic medical school in the United States. The College’s main campus is in Erie, Pennsylvania, and it has branches in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and Bradenton, Florida. LECOM confers the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree.

According to the American Association of Osteopathic Colleges of Medicine, doctors who have D.O. degrees – like those with M.D. degrees – “can choose any specialty, prescribe drugs, perform surgeries, and practice medicine anywhere in the United States.”

Osteopathic medicine, the association states, “offers the added benefit of hands-on diagnosis and treatment” and “emphasizes helping each person achieve a high level of wellness by focusing on health promotion and disease prevention.”

LECOM’s Early Acceptance Program includes two tracks: an accelerated 3+4 option and a more traditional 4+4 option. Students select a track when they apply to the program and may switch once while enrolled at Ohio Wesleyan. The program will accept up to five OWU students each academic year.

According to LECOM, the College is “looking for medical students who will excel in academics, clinical care, research, and community service. The College selects applicants who show an awareness of osteopathic medicine recognizing total-person health care for the patient and for the community.”

Learn more about Ohio Wesleyan’s pre-med program and LECOM agreement at www.owu.edu/lecom and more about Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and its Early Acceptance Program at www.lecom.edu/admissions/entrance-requirements/early-acceptance-programs.

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About Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

Founded in 1992, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) is a private, nonprofit graduate school of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy, with its main campus in Erie, Pennsylvania, and branch campuses in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and Bradenton, Florida. The medical school at LECOM is the largest in the United States. Its mission is to prepare health care professionals trained in the osteopathic tradition of competent and compassionate, whole-person primary care. Learn more at www.lecom.edu.

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About Ohio Wesleyan University

Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers nearly 90 undergraduate majors and competes in 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through Ohio Wesleyan’s signature OWU Connection program, students integrate knowledge across disciplines, build a diverse and global perspective, and apply their knowledge in real-world settings. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” listed on the latest President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, and included in the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “best colleges” lists. Learn more at www.owu.edu.