Joint Medical Program
Pitzer College & Western University of Health Sciences

Pitzer College

Pitzer College is an independent, residential, liberal arts and sciences college of about 1,000 students. Pitzer was founded in 1963 as the sixth member of the Claremont Colleges. The total enrollment of all the colleges is about 5,500 students.

Pitzer's emphasis on interdisciplinary learning, intercultural understanding, environmental sustainability, social responsibility and student autonomy distinguishes us from most other colleges in the United States. We encourage students to explore how different academic fields intersect and draw on each others' wisdom and ideas; we enable students to see issues and events from cultural perspectives different from their own; and we show students how to transform knowledge into action as they strive to make the world a better place to live for themselves and future generations. Pitzer's curriculum prepares students for the distinctive approach that characterizes osteopathic medical education.

Western University of Health Sciences

Founded in 1977, Western University of Health Sciences' College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP) is dedicated to preparing patient-centered physicians who are life-long learners with the Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) degree. Located about five miles from Pitzer College, the campus of Western University of Health Sciences has all the attributes of a modern academic health center, including Western University's Medical Center, research and teaching laboratories, medical library and smart lecture theaters. Medical students spend their first two (pre-clinical) years on campus in lectures, laboratories, small group tutorials and engaging in hands-on, supervised clinical interactions with standardized patients in state-of-the-art clinical skills teaching laboratories. Medical students in the clinical phase of their education spend two years in rotations amongst a highly select group of area hospitals. By rotating among a diverse group of hospitals, students are exposed to a full range of patient care modalities and local conditions. International rotations also exist for students interested in obtaining medical experience abroad.

Curriculum

Here is a sample of the three-year undergraduate program you may follow at Pitzer College before starting your D.O. degree at West University of Health Sciences:

To continue in this program, students must:

1. Achieve an overall minimum grade point average of 3.2 with a minimum grade point average of 3.3 in the science courses.
2. Obtain a minimum of 24 on the scored subtests of the MCAT with all individual scores at or above a score of 7.
3. Demonstrate personal dedication and traits suitable for health professionals.

The four-year medical school curriculum at Western University is a student-friendly block-curriculum divided into three phases. Interwoven into all phases are hands-on, didactic courses such as Osteopathic Principles and Practice, Essentials of Family Medicine, Doctor Patient Communication and Physician and Society & Service Learning.

Phase 1
Introduction to basic sciences. Students learn the concepts of anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology and physiology.

Phase 2
Correlated system teaching, integrating basic and clinical sciences in the study of each of the body's organ system. This extends for three semesters, until the end of the second year.

Phase 3
Clinical experiences. During the third and fourth years, students do clinical rotations at clinics and hospitals in Medicine, Family Practice, Osteopathic Medicine and Manipulation, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Surgery and Emergency Medicine. Additional specialized electives are also available. Major rotations sites include:
• Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (CA)
• Downey Regional Medical Center (CA)
• Pacific Hospital of Long Beach (CA)
• Riverside County Hospital (CA)
• Pomona Valley Hospital (CA)
• Botsford General Hospital (MI)

Following graduation with B.A. and D.O. degrees, students go on to medical internships and residency programs. Students graduating from COMP enter both primary care and specialized practices. COMP graduates obtain residency placement across the country at institutions including:
• UC San Francisco (CA)
• UC San Diego Medical Center (CA)
• U Colorado SOM-Denver (CO)
• County/USC Medical Center (CA)
• Kettering Medical Center (OH)
• U of Buffalo-Buffalo General Hospital (NY)

Admission

Admission to this program is highly selective. A joint Admission Committee admits a maximum of six students each year. The Admission Committee expects that applicants have taken some of the most challenging courses offered at their high school, including Honor/AP/IB biology, Honor/AP/IB chemistry, Honor/AP/IB physics and Honor/AP/IB calculus. In addition, we expect to see community involvement and motivation for a career in primary care medicine. Finalists are required to come for a day-long personal interview with the Admission Committee at Pitzer and Western University in late March. Interview dates change from year to year so we advise you to check our website for the most up-to-date information.

Applicants must complete the Common Application available on the Pitzer Website or at www.commonapp.org. In addition, you must submit a two-to-three page essay separately addressing the following questions:

• 1. Why are you interested in osteopathic medicine?
• 2. Why does this program appeal to you?
• 3. Why do you believe you are qualified for this program?

In answering this last question, you should indicate how you have demonstrated your commitment to community service.

Before mailing your 2-3 page essay to the Admission Office addressing the above questions, please reference "Essay 3" in bold letters next to your name to help us identify your interest in seeking admission to the program.

Interviews

Individual interviews provide you with the opportunity both to tell us about yourself and to learn more about Pitzer from an admission counselor or admission fellow. We want to know you as best as we can and there is no substitute for a personal interview to get to know you.

On-campus and Skype interviews are available only for seniors from May (end of junior year) through mid-December at selected times throughout the day, Monday through Friday. Interviews on Saturday mornings are available by appointment in the fall through mid-December. Seniors are encouraged to schedule their interview in the summer or fall for a more informative conversation.

Interviews are required of Early Decision applicants and must be completed by December 1. Interviews are recommended, but not required, for Regular Decision candidates by December 15.

Video Interviews

In addition to offering interviews on campus, we are offering students an opportunity to submit a video free of charge through LikeLive. LikeLive is a cutting-edge, user-friendly platform created for domestic and international students who want to add another dimension to their undergraduate applications. This site allows applicants to build an on-line interview profile that can be viewed by the Pitzer admission staff. You can then upload a short video interview and the admission committee will watch your video when discussing your file.

The deadline for the video interview is January 31.

If you already had an interview then you don’t need to worry about this, but if you didn’t, here is your chance!

For More Information

The best way to learn more about Pitzer College is to visit, and we look forward to meeting you. The Office of Admission is open for interviews and campus tours all year. Tours are available during the week and on Saturday mornings during the regular school session. If you can't visit our campus, we can arrange for an interview with an admission counselor over the phone or by Skype.

 

Helpful Links

• Western University of Health Sciences
• American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
• Pitzer College Summer Program in Costa Rica
• Keck Science Department
• Handbook - How to Get Into Medical School