Pre-Medicine Early Assurance Program

Partnership with Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

Otterbein partners with Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine to attract highly talented high school students into an Early Assurance Program aimed at increasing the pipeline of primary care physicians practicing in Ohio.

The Heritage College is a national leader in training primary care physicians. The college is the top school in Ohio and 11th nationally in medical schools which graduate physicians who practice in under-served rural areas. The state’s only osteopathic medical school has sites in Athens, Dublin, and Cleveland, Ohio. Students participating in the Early Assurance Program can be considered for any of the Heritage College’s campuses.

Within the next decade, experts predict a national shortage of more than 45,000 primary care physicians, with residents of rural or inner city medically under-served areas of Ohio feeling some of the greatest effects. Approximately 50 percent of Heritage College alumni practice in primary care and nearly 60 percent practice in Ohio, making the school uniquely positioned to help address these projected shortages.

According to the American Osteopathic Association, osteopathic medicine is one of the fastest-growing health professions, with one out of five medical students enrolled in a college of osteopathic medicine.

Students accepted to the program have two curricular options: a 3+4 track or a 4+4 track.

• The 3+4 track (3 years at Otterbein, 4 years at OU-HCOM) only applies to students who have earned enough college credit through Advanced Placement or College Credit Plus coursework to graduate in three years.
• The 4+4 track allows students to pursue a traditional four-year plan at Otterbein plus four years at OU-HCOM. Admission to this program is highly competitive. Typically, only 10 students are accepted each year.

Application Information

To be considered for the program, high school seniors must meet certain minimum criteria; they must be accepted to Otterbein; and, they must apply to the program no later than January 10 each year.

Students may complete any major at Otterbein provided they also complete the required pre-requisites for HCOM. Students may choose to explore our pre-professional, pre-medical school tracks as helpful majors to prepare for medical school.

Minimum criteria include:

• 3.5+ GPA (unweighted on a 4.0 scale).
• One letter of recommendation from a science teacher or medical professional.
• Completed guidance counselor evaluation form.
• Four years each of English, math and science including biology and chemistry. Coursework in physics is strongly encouraged.
• Resident of Ohio.
• Graduated from an Ohio high school.
• Official high school transcript and official transcripts from any post-secondary institutions attended.

Once a student is accepted to Otterbein, they may complete the Early Assurance Program Application. If students meet the criteria, the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine will schedule an interview to take place in February or March.

Students will be notified within one week of their interviews whether they are accepted for conditional admission into the Pre-Medicine program.

• The Osteopathic Application Form is currently closed. Check back in August.

If you have any questions, please contact the Otterbein Office of Admission at uotterb@otterbein.edu or 614-823-1500.