Lecom - early acceptance programs
If your goal is to practice osteopathic or dental medicine, or become a pharmacist, PennWest California can help to connect you with an exceptional opportunity to pursue your desired career.
PennWest California offers an Early Acceptance Program with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), enabling PennWest California biology majors to set a pathway to a career in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy or dental medicine.
Under the Early Acceptance Program, qualified PennWest California undergraduates in the B.S. in Biology: Pre-professional Program can be assured of provisional acceptance – in essence, a “reserved seat” -- in LECOM's College of Osteopathic Medicine, School of Pharmacy or School of Dental Medicine. Students in the Early Acceptance Program must complete a successful interview and meet all academic requirements.
Students can apply for the Early Acceptance Program as soon as their senior year of high school, or prior to the start of their third year in the biology program at PennWest California, depending on their desired program track:
- Eligible osteopathic, pharmacy or dental students may choose a "4+4" program that assures them a seat in a four-year LECOM program once they successfully complete the four-year, 120-credit pre-professional biology program at PennWest California.
- Highly motivated osteopathic or pharmacy students may select an accelerated "3+4" program. This option allows qualified students to enter LECOM's medical or pharmacy school after completing just three years (90 credits) at PennWest California. PennWest California accepts the first 30 credits in LECOM's four-year medical/pharmacy program toward completion of the B.S in Biology degree.
Early Acceptance: Important Advantages
Having a reserved seat in medical, pharmacy or dental school offers exceptional advantages. "Medical schools are highly competitive," says Dr. Ed Zuchelkowski, program director in PennWest California’s Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. "Through the Early Acceptance Program, students in PennWest California's pre-professional biology program take rigorous courses that prepare them to do well in their graduate-level studies. And they largely bypass the intense competition for medical school seats.”
LECOM's tuition is lower than many other medical, pharmacy or dental schools, and students also enjoy a considerable savings because they don't have to apply to multiple schools (and pay multiple application fees) or spend added time and money to travel to multiple interviews.
With early acceptance, students can focus totally on their studies during their senior year in college.
To qualify for admission to the programs, students should have a high school grade-point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher (unweighted), with an SAT score of at least 1240 or an ACT score of at least 26. The entrance exam for medical school (known as MCAT) or pharmacy school (PCAT) is not required, but the entrance exam for dentistry school (DAT) is required.
Students who are interested in joining the Early Acceptance Program should notify
PennWest California when they apply (or as soon as possible) in order to meet program
deadlines. Current PennWest California biology students, as well as transfer students,
will be considered for the Early Acceptance Program if they meet the requirements.
Why Choose LECOM?
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine is the nation's largest medical college, with campuses in Erie, Pa.; Greensburg, Pa.; and Bradenton, Fla. LECOM is recognized as a leader in innovative, student-centered medical education with five learning pathways leading to a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree: lecture discussion, problem-based learning, directed study and two three-year pathways: Primary Care Scholars and the Accelerated Physician Assistant Pathway.
The majority of LECOM graduates become primary care physicians (family physicians, internal medicine, pediatrics or OB-GYN).
Osteopathic medicine is centered around a more holistic view of medicine. A Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) focuses on seeing the patient as a “whole person” to reach a diagnosis, rather than treating the symptoms alone. M.D.s practice allopathic medicine, the classical form of medicine, which focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases.
Both M.D. and D.O. students, like those at LECOM, complete four years of medical school before entering residency programs to finish their training and become full-fledged physicians.
TheCollege of Osteopathic Medicine at LECOM is accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) of the American Osteopathic Association.
The School of Dental Medicine at LECOM offers a patient-centered curriculum to train dentists to improve the health of their patients through preventive care. LECOM’s dental medicine curriculum is modeled on problem-based learning through small-group, case-based study for basic sciences. Students receive early simulation and clinical learning experiences in basic patient care and progress to community-based, primary-care clinic experience in urban areas with the greatest need for dental care. The dental education program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of “approval without reporting requirements.”
LECOM’s School of Pharmacy prepares pharmacists to be members of a changing healthcare environment dedicated to patient-centered care. LECOM Erie offers a year-round, three-year curriculum, while LECOM Bradenton has a four-year program. LECOM School of Pharmacy alumni are working in a variety of positions at retail and community pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and physician offices. LECOM’s Doctor of Pharmacy degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).
Get a strong foundation to build your career in healthcare by starting with a bachelor’s degree in biology, with a concentration in pre-professional study, at PennWest California. Apply now!
Lake Erie College of Medicine
Nationally Recognized
Learn about LECOM, the nation's largest medical college.
Pursue Osteopathic Medicine
Premier Preparation
Earn your undergraduate biology degree at PennWest California – and take advantage of an exceptional opportunity to pave the way to your future in osteopathic medicine.
Study Dentistry
Go Farther
The biology pre-professional program at PennWest California and the Early Acceptance Program with LECOM can put you on the path to a successful career in dentistry.
Pharmacy Education
Expanded Roles
Start your future as a pharmacist with an undergraduate degree in biology from PennWest California and access to our Early Acceptance Program with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.