The New York College of Osteopathic Medicine/SUNY New Paltz seven year medical program is a dual degree program. Students are admitted only as freshmen and spend their first three years at New Paltz completing requirements for a BS degree in Biology (or Chemistry or Physics, with special permission from NYCOM) as well as general education requirements. At the end of the three years they enter NYCOM as a first year medical school student. After their first year in medical school, they will receive credit for two semesters of science electives and are then awarded the B.S. degree in their major from SUNY-NP. Upon the successful completion of their four years of medical school, they then receive the D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) degree from NYCOM. This is a rigorous dual degree program and requires hard work, dedication and determination. [Check the pre-DO program policies for further details of the program.] Application to this program is handled at the time of initial application to SUNY New Paltz. Contact the Office of Admissions for information. Pre-D.O. Students at SUNY New Paltz
As soon as you matriculate at SUNY-NP, you must begin to take the required science courses for entrance to NYCOM. Your entrance requirments are typical of those for any medical school applicant (see PreHealth Academic Requirements) but unlike most other medical school applicants, your entrance to professional school is nearly guaranteed as long as you:
- Maintain a cummulative GPA of 3.50 (NOTE the significant digits).
- Pass a personal interview by NYCOM faculty.
- Receive a favorable Composite Letter of Recommendation from the SUNY-NP Prehealth Advisor.
- Receive an MCAT score of at least the average score of the entering NYCOM class the semester you matriculate at New Paltz (for Fall 2008, that score is 27).
You must finish all of the required pre-requisite courses for NYCOM and take the MCAT before the fall of your third year here at New Paltz. It is most important that you prepare for the MCAT during the spring semester of your second year. In addition, since you must finish all required courses in your major as well as ALL of your general education requirements within three years, you have few options beyond those described below.
Given the limited time available to finish your B.S. most semesters will entail a 16 to 19 credit load. If you take a few GE courses during summer school, the regular academic year semester course loads can be reduced to 15 - 16 credit-hours. Here is a common three year plan for Pre-D.O. students in Biology (this is only an example, other plans are possible and will be worked out with your advisor, Dr. Nolen):
Biology Major (note: see pre-DO/Biology Major Program -- Cell/Molecular Track)
| 1st Semester | 2nd Semester | 3rd Semester | 4th Semester | 5th Semester | 6th Semester |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Biol I | General Biol II | Genetics | Basic Cell Biology | Basic Molecular Biology | Bio Elective |
| General Chem I | General Chem II | Organic Chem I | Organic Chem II | Bio Elective | Bio Elective |
| Calculus I | Calculus II | Physics I | Physics II | Intro to Statistics | Bio Elective |
| Freshman Comp I |
Freshman Comp II |
GE Requirement |
Bio Elective | GE Requirement |
GE Requirement |
| GE Requirement |
GE Requirement | GE Requirement | |||
| Pre-Osteo Seminar | Pre-Osteo Seminar | Pre-Osteo Seminar | Pre-Osteo Seminar | Pre-Osteo Seminar | Pre-Osteo Seminar |
| 16 cr | 19 cr | 16 cr | 19 cr | 16 cr | 17 cr |
