- Fairmont State University partners with West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine to launch the Pre-Osteopathic Medicine Program (POMP) with guaranteed medical school admission.
- The program provides focused academic preparation, mentorship, and early exposure to osteopathic medicine principles for eligible students.
- POMP aims to produce well-trained physicians, supporting healthcare access in rural and underserved communities while streamlining the pre-medical path.
Fairmont State University is proud to announce a milestone agreement with the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine to offer students a direct, guaranteed admission to medical school through the newly created Pre-Osteopathic Medicine Program. Starting in October 2023, the program will guarantee admission to WVSOM in Lewisburg for qualified Fairmont State students who complete all academic and programmatic requirements.
The partnership is one important step toward making the often cumbersome and very competitive process of applying to medical school easier, and will now provide students with a defined and structured path from undergraduate study to career in osteopathic medicine. Because of this, the Pre-Osteopathic Medicine Program has been specifically designed to closely parallel the admission criteria and overall educational standards at WVSOM to give Fairmont State students focused preparation for medical school.
Students in the program get intense academic preparation in the foundational sciences and are counseled on completing required prerequisite courses, participating in relevant extracurricular activities, and developing clinical skills. The program also focuses on mentorship, providing students with faculty from both institutions who will help students regarding academic planning, professional development, and medical school application processes.
POMP eliminates one of the major question marks along the pre-medical path by granting automatic acceptance to WVSOM for students who meet all of the various requirements, thus enabling participants to concentrate on knowledge, skills, and practical experience building. The program also works like a motivational curriculum, which makes students pursue high academic achievements and gets them involved in activities that fortify their preparation for medical studies.
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Again, early exposure to osteopathic medicine principles, including a holistic approach to patient care-a core component of WVSOM's curriculum-is promoted in this partnership. The collaboration between Fairmont State and WVSOM is also expected to have greater ramifications throughout the healthcare landscape in West Virginia and beyond. Producing a consistent stream of well-trained osteopathic physicians addresses growing demand for medical professionals in rural and underserved communities, supporting state efforts to improve healthcare access and quality.
The POMP initiative evidences the commitment of both institutions to enlarging opportunities for future physicians and ensuring excellence in education and professional preparedness. It reflects a forward-thinking approach to partnerships in higher education, with students assured of support, resources, and a structured pathway toward their goal of becoming osteopathic physicians. With this program, Fairmont State and WVSOM are not only giving students a guaranteed path into medical school but also laying out a foundation for lifelong success in medicine.
