Osteopathic Medicine

The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine fosters health care leaders across the continuum in undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education to advance exceptional osteopathic healthcare locally and globally through education, research, scholarship, practice, and community health.

Vision

The University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine will become a recognized leader in educating primary care physicians for Maine, New England, and the nation by developing into:

• A medical school that offers a state-of-the art curriculum, dynamic clinical rotations, and support unique GME
• A major contributor in clearly defined, and well-focused medical research
• A strong clinical program that serves our community through collaborative and entrepreneurial efforts
• An organization that offers leadership to our profession and our community
• A catalyst for inter‐profession education and service
• A trusted partner in health care for our community

Core Values

• Foster an environment of wellness, equity, inclusion, and diversity across our community
• Creatively shape the future while preserving our heritage to train osteopathic physicians to care for rural and underserved populations of Maine and New England
• Strengthen our commitment to the principles of osteopathic medicine
• Promote a diverse, innovative, interprofessional, and entrepreneurial culture
• Maintain our caring, collegial environment
• Foster integrity and accountability through a strong ethical base
• Utilize evidence-based methods, practice-focused research, scholarship, critical thinking, and a variety of learning modalities to improve medical education and healthcare outcomes
• Actively seek internal and external collaborations to further our mission

The degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.), granted to graduates of osteopathic medical schools, demonstrates to the public that these physicians have received a complete medical education grounded in the general principles of osteopathic medicine, the interrelatedness of mind, body, and spirit, as articulated by its founder, Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, and the American Osteopathic Association.

Consistent with osteopathic philosophy and training, the majority of osteopathic physicians practice in primary care specialties or with underserved populations. Osteopathic physicians provide both preventive and curative services to patients on a comprehensive and continuing basis. Recognizing the interrelatedness of mind, body, and spirit to each individual’s state of health, osteopathic medicine, with its patient-centered focus, embodies both conventional and complementary approaches to patient care.

In addition to the primary care specialties (e.g., Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine), many osteopathic physicians choose residency training in other medical and surgical specialties, and in settings such as active military practice, hospitalist care, and academic health centers. All fifty (50) states in the USA and more than sixty (60) countries offer unlimited medical licensure to qualified osteopathic physicians.

Curriculum Overview

Medical education is continuously evolving in alignment with best practices for learning and teaching. To maintain the most up-to-date, productive learning environment for our students, UNE COM reserves the right to revise and amend as appropriate the policies and practices described in this catalog.

The UNE COM curriculum is designed to educate and train osteopathic primary care and other specialized physicians who are skilled in health promotion and illness prevention, and the treatment and care of those who are ill. To that end, UNE COM provides an innovative, contemporary, patient-focused curriculum that fosters lifelong, self-directed, evidence-based learning, and professional development. Our progressive, integrated four (4)-year curriculum aligns educational activities with the principles of adult learning to maximize the attainment and retention of knowledge, skills, and attitudes crucial to the delivery of health care in the 21st century.

The four (4)-year curriculum is under the supervision of the Dean, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (ADAA), and the Associate Dean for Clinical Education (ADCE) with guidance and input from the Curriculum Advisory Committee, Dean’s Leadership Team, COM faculty, and COM students. The UNE COM dean is the arbiter. UNE COM has adopted, as learning objectives (outcomes), the following seven (7) core competencies and the core Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM).

The AOA Seven (7) Core Competencies

Osteopathic Principles and Practice

The student will understand and apply osteopathic principles to patient care.

Patient Care

The student will have the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to provide compassionate, appropriate, and effective patient care.

Medical Knowledge

The student will demonstrate knowledge of established biomedical, epidemiological, social, and behavioral sciences and their application to patient care.

Practice-Based Learning and Improvement

The student will demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate patient care practices using scientific evidence and apply these to patient care.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

The student will demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in effective and empathetic interactions with patients, families, and colleagues.

Professional

The student will demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities in an ethical and sensitive manner.

System-Based Practice

The student will demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the system of health care to provide care that is of optimal value.

Pre-Clerkship Education

UNE COM students spend the first two (2) years of the program on the UNE campuses in Biddeford and Portland, Maine. The curriculum consists of a patient-centered basic and medical science curriculum integrated with osteopathic clinical skills learning activities, which are applied to experiential learning in simulation, standardized patient settings, physicians’ offices, hospitals, extended care facilities, and health centers. Learning sessions include traditional didactic lectures, interactive problem-solving sessions, patient case study discussions, hands-on skills training, panel discussions, demonstrations, and clinically focused encounters with standardized, simulated, and real patients. Our integrated curriculum offers learning activities to provide a strong foundation in the basic biomedical, medical, behavioral, and social sciences as well as physical examination and clinical skills as they apply to the rapidly changing practice of medicine in the 21st century. A thorough grounding in the manual skills, characteristic of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM), is provided in the first two (2) years and supplemented, reinforced, and expanded in the third and fourth year.

Student preparation before class and active participation in class is a consistent element in the learning dynamic throughout the curriculum. An open, respectful dialog between faculty and students is characteristically valued and encouraged. Capitalizing on the University’s support of multiple degree programs in the health and allied health professions, including medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistant, and social work, the curriculum engages in, endorses and promotes interprofessional education (IPE), collaboration, and practice (IPP).

High-quality laboratory and educational facilities provide a stimulating venue for learning activities. The specially constructed Leonard Hall redefines the typical medical school teaching and learning environment by creating an intentional space that fosters group dialogue, case-based study, and interactive connection using emerging technologies. The Harold Alfond Center for Health Sciences houses laboratories, lecture halls, and clinical skills training spaces that place UNE COM at the national forefront of health and life sciences education. The Donor Lab (including full cadaveric dissection) is an advanced facility where students work in teams and engage with clinical and anatomy faculty as they learn from their “first patients.” The Manipulative Medicine and Clinical Skills Lab spaces are spacious and well designed with the latest technological support. The Clinical Performance Center is an interactive clinical skills teaching, testing, and learning facility with a well-established Standardized Patient Program. The Clinical Simulation Center is a state-of-the-art facility designed for interprofessional learning opportunities, team-based interactions, meaningful debriefing, and student reflection.

Clerkship Education

The last two (2) years of pre-doctoral training occur in community-based hospital and clinical settings, which prioritize experiential and hands-on learning to expand the student’s clinical acumen and further develop individual and team knowledge and skills. During third year, each student is assigned to one (1) of our Core Clinical Sites located in the Northeastern US for a twelve (12)-month period. These serve as the base for educational opportunities and completion of the entire year three (3) curriculum.

The UNE COM Core Clinical Sites are a consortium of community-based education sites, each consisting of one (1) or more community-based training institutions within a specific geographic region that allows coordinated delivery of the core academic clinical training experience. In keeping with our focus on primary care, UNE COM Core Clinical Site training programs are based in community hospitals, private physician offices, and community health centers that represent environments in which many UNE COM graduates will eventually practice the College's Core Clinical Sites are primarily located in the New England states, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Students, in their third year, complete clinical clerkships in the six (6) core disciplines (family medicine, general surgery, pediatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and psychiatry) at their assigned Core Clinical Site. Each campus provides the patient base, didactic and experiential learning opportunities, supervisory infrastructure, and longitudinal evaluation necessary for the accomplishment of the educational goals of third-year core clerkships; and the establishment of a solid foundation in general medicine in preparation for fourth year and residency.

While community hospitals form the core of year three (3) and most year four (4) clinical rotations, affiliations with specialty-focused facilities allow students to pursue a broad range of clinical experiences. Fourth-year students continue their learning with selective and elective clinical rotations at UNE COM-approved programs of their choice. Many of these hospitals also provide Graduate Medical Education (GME) as members of the Northeast Osteopathic Medical Education Network (NEOMEN).

Postdoctoral Medical Education (Residency Training)

UNE COM actively participates in affiliations with a number of postgraduate residency programs (GME) through partnerships in the Northeast Osteopathic Medical Education Network (NEOMEN). The college and NEOMEN serve as a liaison to promote residency training, advise and assist with residency development, and partner with affiliated programs for training in Osteopathic Principles and Practices. UNE COM graduates apply to these and other programs for residency training.

The College of Osteopathic Medicine is an academic program at the University of New England. UNE is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), whose mission is to establish and maintain high standards of education through the doctoral level. Accreditation by NECHE signifies that UNE meets or exceeds those high standards.

The College of Osteopathic Medicine receives accreditation through the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (AOA COCA), the only national accrediting agency for predoctoral osteopathic medical education in the United States. In the spring of 2023, UNE COM again earned COCA’s highest level of re-accreditation — ten (10) years with exceptional outcomes. Being granted this level of accreditation signifies that UNE COM has exceeded the COCA standards for educational quality and is deemed to have the credentials to confer the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine to its graduates.

Postdoctoral Medical Education

The College advises and assists residency programs in the Northeast Osteopathic Medical Education Network (NEOMEN) Consortium with accreditation and osteopathic recognition by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) programs. UNE COM graduates may apply to these and other postgraduate programs for residency training.

Continuing Medical Education

UNE COM’s Office of Continuing Medical Education (CME) is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and the Maine Medical Association and provides postdoctoral medical education to both osteopathic (D.O.) and allopathic (M.D.) physicians through the AOA and Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Each agency grants accreditation based on the demonstrated ability to plan and implement CME activities in accordance with accreditation requirements. UNE COM is one (1) of a handful of providers to hold the distinction of maintaining this dual accreditation and sponsor collaborative CME activities for these two (2) physicians’ groups.

The College of Osteopathic Medicine maintains its accreditations with continued adherence to required sets of criteria and its commitment to continual quality review and improvement of its programs and services.

Articulation Agreements

The College of Osteopathic Medicine has established articulation agreements with both undergraduate institutions and post-baccalaureate programs.

The institutions that have entered into an agreement whereby qualified individuals who meet the criteria of the agreement receive a guaranteed interview with UNE COM are the following:

• University of New England, Biddeford, Maine
• Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Cheyney, Pennsylvania
• Tufts University Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program, Medford, Massachusetts
• University of Vermont Master of Medical Science Program, Burlington, Vermont

• Medical education requires that the accumulation of scientific knowledge be accompanied by the simultaneous acquisition of specific skills and professional attitudes and behavior. Medical school faculties have a responsibility to society to train and graduate the best possible physicians who are competent for safe practice appropriate to their level of training, and thus admission to medical school has been offered to those who present the highest qualifications for the study and practice of medicine. Successful completion of all required courses in the curriculum is necessary in order to develop the essential skills required to become a competent physician and to enter residency.
• The essential technical standards presented in this document are prerequisites for matriculation, subsequent promotion from year to year, and ultimately graduation from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM). These standards pertain to all students enrolled in UNE COM.
• The faculty is committed to fostering relationships with its students that encourage personal and professional growth. Its policies and procedures attempt to reflect this commitment to proactive and supportive communication. At the same time, it is imperative that all students recognize that the primary responsibility for a successful medical school education, both in and outside the classroom, rests with the individual student.
• The College’s obligation and mission is to produce effective and competent osteopathic, primary care physicians who will be best able to serve the needs of society. Therefore, the College seeks applicants best suited to meet this mission and all applicants will be held to the same admission standards, and all enrolled students will be held to the same academic standards.
• All students must be able to demonstrate competency for patient safety appropriate to the learner’s level of training. Demonstration of fluency of skills and knowledge appropriate to the level of training is a requirement for progression through the curriculum. Most assessments are designed to simulate activities in the clinical training and clinical practice settings and are tied to the learner’s demonstration of competency for patient safety. These assessments may be performed in a timed and structured environment and are designed to evaluate the learner’s ability to demonstrate appropriate fluency of skills and knowledge under specific conditions.
• All students, including students with disabilities, must have the capacity to manage their lives and anticipate their own needs.

Technical Standards Policies

• No otherwise qualified individual will be denied admission to UNE COM based solely upon a disabling condition.
• Enrollment in UNE COM assumes that admitted students will possess certain levels of cognitive, emotional, and technical skill. All osteopathic medical students are held to the same fundamental standards. Academic and clinical requirements that are essential to graduation from UNE COM or directly related to licensing requirements will not be eliminated for any student. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to assist the student in learning, performing and satisfying the fundamental standards, so long as the student applies properly for the accommodation(s) and they are approved.
• The College is obligated to provide reasonable accommodations that are necessary to afford students with a disability an equal opportunity to participate in the UNE COM program. Accommodations are not reasonable if they would fundamentally alter the program or the assessment, impose an undue burden to the College, or pose a direct health or safety risk to any other individual, including patients.
• Excessive absenteeism of the mandatory curriculum does not allow students the exposure, application, practice and development of the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to become an osteopathic physician. Students may miss 21% of the mandatory curriculum or less as defined in the course syllabus of any course. Students who exceed this threshold will not be allowed to proceed in the course and will be required to meet with the Committee on Student Progress (CSP) for review and recommendation and may be required to take a leave of absence.

Abilities and Skills

A candidate for the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree must have abilities and skills of five (5) varieties: observation skills; communication skills; fine and gross motor skills; conceptual, integrative and quantitative, cognitive skills; and behavioral and social/emotional skills. Students demonstrate their ability to meet these technical standards through their participation in mandatory curricular activities.

Observation Skills

The student must be able to acquire a defined level of required information as presented through demonstrations and experiences in the basic sciences, including, but not limited to, information conveyed through physiologic and pharmacological demonstrations in animals, dissection of cadavers, examination of specimens in anatomy, pathology, neuroanatomy laboratories, microbiologic cultures, microscopic study of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic states. Furthermore, a candidate must be able to observe a patient accurately, at a distance and close at hand, acquire information from written documents and visualize information as presented in images from paper, films, radiographs, computer screens, slides or video. The student must be capable of using instruments such as, but not limited to, a stethoscope, an ophthalmoscope, a microscope, an otoscope, and a sphygmomanometer. Such observation and information acquisition necessitate the functional use of visual, auditory and somatic sensation while being enhanced by the functional use of other sensory modalities. An intact sense of smell is necessary to assist in the clinical setting.

In any case where a candidate’s ability to observe or acquire information through these sensory modalities is compromised, (i.e. physical disabilities or chemical sensitivities/allergies) the student must demonstrate alternative means and/or abilities to acquire and demonstrate the essential information without reliance upon another person’s interpretation of the information.

Communication Skills

The student must be able to effectively, efficiently, and respectfully communicate in English using verbal, written, and reading skills, in a manner that demonstrates sensitivity to patients, their families, and all members of the health care team.

A student must be able to accurately elicit information and describe a patient’s change in mood, thought, activity, and posture. Students must demonstrate established communication skills using traditional or alternative reasonable means that do not fundamentally modify this standard. Assistive devices may be used, if appropriate under these standards

Motor Skills

The student must be able to, with or without the use of assistive devices, but without reliance on another person, interpret X-rays and other graphic images and digital or analog representations of physiologic phenomenon (such as electrocardiograms).

The ability to participate in basic diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers and procedures, including but not limited to palpation, percussion, and auscultation is required. Students must have sufficient motor function to safely execute movements required to provide osteopathic manipulative medical care to patients. Students must be able to negotiate patient care environments and must be able to maneuver between settings, such as clinic, classroom building, and hospital. Physical stamina sufficient to complete the rigorous course of didactic and clinical study is required. Long periods of sitting, standing, and moving are required in classroom, laboratory, and clinical experiences.

It is also essential for a student to be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general and emergency diagnosis, osteopathic manipulative care, and medical care such as airway management, placement of intravenous catheters, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and suturing of wounds. At all times the ability to administer care to patients in a safe manner is paramount.

Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Skills

The student must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize information in a timely fashion. In addition, the student must be able to comprehend three (3)-dimensional relationships and understand the spatial relationships of structure. Problem-solving, the critical skill demanded of physicians, requires all of these intellectual abilities. These problem-solving skills must be able to be performed in the precisely limited time demanded by each specific clinical setting.

Behavioral and Social/Emotional Skills

Every student must behave in a manner exhibiting high moral and behavioral standards reflecting the position and status of an osteopathic physician. Students need to show respect for individuals and groups without regard for age, gender, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, including gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, or veteran status. Students must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients.

Students must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and function effectively under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of the uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of patients. They must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize information effectively in a precisely limited time demanded by each specific clinical setting, while under stress, and in an environment in which other distractions may be present.

Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities that will be assessed during the admissions and educational processes.

Students demonstrate their ability to meet these technical standards via their participation in mandatory curricular activities.

Participation in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and Clinical Skills Practice and Training Sessions

Active participation in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and Clinical Skills training and practice sessions (laboratories) is an admission, matriculation, and graduation requirement. The development of manipulative medicine palpatory skills is taught in all four (4) years of the curriculum. This learning requires active participation in all laboratory sessions. During the first two (2) years, each student will palpate, in the laboratory setting, a variety of people representing all genders and individuals with different body types to simulate the diversity of patients expected in a practice setting. Being palpated by other students and faculty helps the student appreciate how palpation feels from the patient’s perspective and enables students to provide feedback to their laboratory partners, thus, enhancing their palpatory skills. Reading and observation, although helpful, do not develop the skills required to perform palpatory diagnosis and manipulative treatment. Each student is required to actively participate as both an active learner and a recipient in all skills development laboratory sessions.

General Health

The student must have sufficient physical stamina to perform strenuous workloads for long periods. They should be free of chronic or reoccurring debilitating diseases that would interfere with or require a fundamental alteration of the program or preclude successful completion of the curriculum.

*All Elective Rotations have a formal approval process.

**These are the common elective rotations taken. This is not a comprehensive list.

Courses

UNE’s integrated interdisciplinary curriculum is delivered over the first two (2) years through concurrent semester-long longitudinal courses titled Osteopathic Medical Knowledge (OMK) and Osteopathic Clinical Skills (OCS). The courses run in parallel within common clinical frameworks with frequent integration between the courses.

The student is required to complete eighty-two (82) weeks of clinical training in years three (3) and four (4) (typically forty-two (42) to forty-eight (48) weeks are done in the third year). UNE COM defines three (3) categories of clinical requirements:

Core — Fourty-Two (42) Weeks

Required Discipline — The student is assigned by the UNE COM Department of Clinical Education; Core rotations are typically referred to as “clerkships.” There are six (6) weeks each of Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Ob-Gyn, Psychiatry, and Surgery, and twelve (12) weeks of Internal Medicine.

Selective — Sixteen (16) Weeks

Required Discipline — Site selected by the student, subject to approval by the Department of Clinical Education. There are four (4) weeks each of Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Surgery, and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine.

Elective

Discipline and site selected by the student, subject to approval by the department.

Elective Rotation Requirements

Sufficient quantity to meet graduation requirements.

Family Medicine

Core Family Medicine is a hospital and/or ambulatory experience that enhances the student’s understanding of patient and family dynamics in illness and health, the physician/patient relationship, and the careful and economical use of medical therapeutics, technological and laboratory investigation, and hospitalization. Special attention is given to the patient interview, directed physical examination, and patient education.

Internal Medicine

Core Internal Medicine is twelve (12) weeks (general or mix of general plus subspecialty) and may complete one (1) or more additional rotations in Internal Medicine subspecialties, typically in a hospital setting. Applying principles learned in the preclinical years, and working within a multidisciplinary team, the student learns to formulate a differential diagnosis based on the history and physical, prioritize a problem list, identify appropriate diagnostic tests, develop a treatment plan, and present patients to supervising physicians and in team meetings. Further developing and refining the ability to communicate effectively with patients and members of the treatment team is of critical importance.

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Core Obstetrics and Gynecology is intended to provide practical clinical exposure in the diagnosis and management of the female patient with normal and pathologic obstetric and gynecologic processes. Gynecologic procedures, surgery, labor and delivery, fetal evaluation and monitoring, pre-operative evaluations, and post-operative care are emphasized.

Pediatrics

Core Pediatrics places an emphasis on primary care of the newborn to the adolescent. In hospital and/or ambulatory settings, the student gains a greater understanding of the continuum of child development, including physical, social, and emotional aspects, as well as the role of family dynamics. The student develops communication skills with both the pediatric patient and the family and, as appropriate, refines their skill at educating the child, parents, and other caregivers in health promotion.

Psychiatry

Core Psychiatry encourages the student to recognize, screen for, and assess key symptoms of common mental illnesses, using the mental status examination as the basis for differential diagnosis and therapy. Additional content areas include cognitive, psychomotor, and affective development, risk assessment, substance abuse issues, and the impact of mental illness on patients and families.

Surgery

Core General Surgery and one (1) selective in General Surgery or a surgical subspecialty must be completed by each student. This clerkship is an introduction to the principles and practice of surgery. The student will experience the totality of care from the patient’s pre-surgical visit through the surgical encounter and post-operative recovery.

Emergency Medicine

Emergency Medicine selective represents where knowledge and skills gained by the student in Core rotations come together in the fast-paced emergency department. In conjunction with Emergency Department personnel, the student will evaluate and treat patients of all ages who are experiencing medical, surgical, or psychiatric emergencies.

Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine

Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine focuses on osteopathic philosophy and principles, which are intrinsic to the entire curriculum and are incorporated throughout the clinical portion of the student’s education. In the fourth year, the student completes a total of four (4) weeks of osteopathic manipulative medicine to gain in-depth experience by working with a practitioner who is well versed in these principles and utilizes them in the clinical care environment.

Graduation Requirements

The Board of Trustees of the University of New England confers the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree upon those students who have satisfactorily completed the requirements for graduation and who have been recommended for graduation by the faculty of the College.

Every candidate for the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine must:

• Be of good moral character and meet the UNE COM standards for professional behavior and conduct as described under academic and technical standards.
• Have met and completed the academic requirements of the College, including passage of COMLEX-USA Level 1 and 2CE, within six (6) academic years (or within 150% of the standard time) for the awarding of the degree and have been enrolled at this College for at least the last two (2) years. Successful completion of or its equivalent is under discussion by the COCA and consideration of this graduation requirement will be adjusted based on their decision. Each student must pass the third-year clinical assessment examination provided by UNE COM.
• Be free of indebtedness to this College, the University, and their affiliates.
• Have demonstrated the ethical, personal, and professional qualities deemed necessary for the successful and continuing study and practice of osteopathic medicine.
• Have been recommended by the faculty for graduation.
• Be present at the University Commencement Ceremony as well as the UNE COM Physician Hooding Ceremony of their class at the time the degree is conferred, unless otherwise excused by the Dean.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

As part of its review, the UNE COM Committee on Admissions evaluates each applicant in the areas of personal and academic integrity and personal values. An invitation to join the UNE COM community indicates that the institution believes that the applicant has a well-developed set of values and a high level of integrity. The faculty and administration are committed to fostering this integrity and to developing students' increasing awareness of the multifaceted demands of professionalism ­as student physicians who are ultimately responsible for their own learning, as people who need to reflect and reappraise themselves consistently and honestly, and as future physicians who must learn to cope with an ever-­evolving set of demands.

Student physicians are expected to behave professionally and ethically with respect and integrity, to face new situations and people with open minds, to maintain their intellectual and personal curiosity, and to meet their obligations. These expectations form the basis of student responsibilities.

Likewise, student rights are based on the premise of reciprocity. Students should expect to be met with the same sense of integrity, respect, and openness.

Statement on the UNE COM Student Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct Policy

The proper practice of medicine requires the physician to maintain an unwavering standard of professionalism and ethics. The medical student, by accepting the invitation to join the medical profession, acknowledges their responsibility to uphold these high standards.

Ethics are a body of moral values that govern a particular group. The terms ethical and unethical used in this document pertain to what is right and wrong.

Any violation of the UNE COM Student Ethics Code can result in referral to Committee on Student Progress (CSP) and may result in probation, course failure, and/or dismissal.

Professionalism is the behaviors and attitudes and individual exhibits within a particular profession. The UNE COM Student Professional Conduct Policy was designed to set a minimum standard of behaviors society should reasonably expect of a physician in training.

Professionalism is one (1) of the competencies assessed and graded in each course. Failure to learn and meet expectations for professionalism can lead to a grade of unsatisfactory (U) or failure (F). Details are provided in course syllabi. In some cases, including unprofessional behaviour outside of the curriculum, a referral to the Committee on Student Progress (CSP) will be made. CSP will recommend what actions should be taken. The appropriate Associate Dean will render a decision.

It is the responsibility of all UNE COM students to:

• Uphold and have knowledge of university policy including the Conduct Rules and Regulations as defined in the UNE Student Handbook
• Abide by the UNE COM Student Code of Ethics
• Abide by the UNE COM Student Professional Conduct Policy
• Abide by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Code of Ethics

UNE COM Student Code of Ethics

A UNE COM student will:

• Act honorably and honestly at all times
• Not tolerate dishonest or deceptive actions
• Confront or report any dishonest behavior

UNE COM Professional Student Conduct Policy

Satisfactory completion of the curricular requirements for graduation from the University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM), includes the demonstration of acceptable professional behavior and conduct. Students must meet the standards as outlined in the COM Student Handbook Supplement and uphold the Code of Ethics throughout all years of UNE COM training to maintain eligibility for graduation.

Registration

The University conducts a registration confirmation for students during the initial days of each term. Students are expected to have finalized payment of tuition and related fees, including filing appropriate documents and photos with the following offices: Registrar, Student Financial Services, Business Affairs, and Recruitment, Students & Alumni Services by their respective due dates.

Individuals who fail to confirm program registration by the established process and deadline may be administratively withdrawn from the program. Students may request special consideration, and if approved will be assessed a late registration fee and will not be allowed to participate in any learning activities until the requirement is completed.

Students must be cleared by a background check and immunization compliance prior to matriculation. Additional background checks will be required prior to the start of rotations and prior to certain clerkship rotations in year four (4). Students failing to comply may be administratively withdrawn from the program.

Academic Records

Complete records and related documents are maintained by the Office of the Registrar. Under the terms of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), students have the right to review and inspect all education records pertaining to their academic enrollment. However, letters of recommendation submitted on the basis of a pledge of confidentiality prior to January 1, 1975, need not be shown to students, and a student may be allowed but not required to waive their right of access to letters of recommendation received after that date. FERPA requires post-­secondary institutions to provide students not only access to official records directly related to them, but also an opportunity for a hearing to challenge such records on the grounds that they are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate. It is the right of students to file a complaint with the Department of Education concerning an alleged failure by an educational agency or institution to comply with Section 438 of the Act that guarantees such rights.

University students wishing to review their records may do so by providing a written request to the Office of the Registrar.

Student Access and Annual Notification

FERPA affords students certain rights with respect to their education records, specifically the right to:

• Inspect and review the student's education records within forty-five (45) days of the day the University receives a request for access. The student should submit to Registration Services a written request that identifies the records they wish to inspect. The office will notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
• Request the University to amend the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. The student should write to the University Registrar, clearly identifying the part of the record they wish to be changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If it is determined not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of the right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding hearing procedures will accompany this notification.
• Consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One (1) exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff) ; a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, or assisting another school official in performing their task; or the Veterans Administration for students registered for various GI Bill programs. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill their professional responsibility.
• File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failure(s) by the University of New England to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:
  Family Policy Compliance Office
  U.S. Department of Education
  600 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC 20202­4605

FERPA permits the University to disclose "directory information" without a student's consent. Directory information is defined as name, address, e­mail address, telephone listing, photograph, date and place of birth, level of education, academic major, degrees, honors and awards received, and educational institutions in which a student was enrolled.

Active students who wish to have directory information withheld from release must do so in writing on a ‘per­-academic­-year’ basis. Request forms are available in Registration Services or Office of Recruitment, Student, and Alumni Services. Requests must be submitted prior to September 30 (if first-time enrollment for academic year is fall semester) or January 30 (if first-time enrollment for academic year is spring semester) to affect a "withhold" status.

Student Enrollment Status

The University of New England classifies student credit load status for the purposes of financial aid loan deferments. See enrollment classifications.

Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examinations

The Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examinations (COMLEX-­USA) are administered by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) and are divided into three (3) levels. Levels one (1) and two (2) are completed during the predoctoral years and Level three (3) is given to qualified graduates during their first year of postgraduate (residency) training.

Details of student eligibility for the Level 1 examination are described in the COM Student Handbook Supplement. Students must pass COMLEX Level 1 as a condition to start core clinical rotations.

Students must take and pass the Level 2 CE examination as a condition of graduation.

Students are allowed a maximum of three (3) attempts to pass COMLEX-USA Level 1 and COMLEX-USA Level 2. Any student who fails to pass any individual component of the COMLEX-USA examination series after three (3) attempts will be recommended for dismissal from the college.

Students are allowed a maximum of six (6) years to complete all of the College of Osteopathic Medicine curriculum, including passage of COMLEX-USA Level 1, and Level 2 CE. At the conclusion of six (6) years, students who have not met all graduation requirements will be recommended for dismissal from the College.

Registration and scheduling of the exams is the responsibility of the student. Students should also plan to register and take the COMLEX-USA Level 1 and 2 (CE) with sufficient time allowed to receive exam results and be able to comply with any deadlines for clinical rotations or graduation. Students applying for residency should have registered for and taken COMLEX –USA Level 2 CE prior to the start of residency interviews. Students should plan on taking COMLEX-USA Level 2 no later than May 31st of their third year and COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE no later than July 31 of their fourth year. This timing should allow sufficient time to receive scores for residency interviews and allow time to meet graduation requirements. Students are responsible for being current in their knowledge of residency application guidelines and graduation requirements and take steps to ensure they meet all requirements in a timely manner. This may require registration and scheduling with NBOME up to twelve (12) months in advance. It is recommended that these exams be taken early enough to ensure that the exams are passed with sufficient time to allow for any necessary retesting.

Laptop Requirement

The College has instituted a mandatory laptop computer requirement. Specifics regarding the minimum configuration are updated and made available annually.

Course Grade Reporting

The process of determining grades and the criteria for passing a course are described explicitly in each course syllabus ratified by the Curriculum Advisory Committee (CAC) and posted prior to the beginning of the course.

A final course grade is determined by the course director and must comply with the standards and principles endorsed by the Curriculum Advisory Committee.

Academic Standing

The Committee on Student Progress (CSP) is responsible for making recommendations of each student's progress through the curriculum. Recommendations for yearly progress go to the COM Dean, while recommendations for interruption of progress will go to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs (first and second year) or the Associate Dean of Clinical Education (third and fourth year). This includes recommendations on behavioral, disciplinary, and academic matters. The CSP makes recommendations to the COM Dean concerning the promotion of students to the next class, and to the COM Faculty Assembly (COMFA) and COM Dean on the awarding of the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine to those who have satisfied all graduation requirements.

In addition to the UNE COM Student Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct Policy, UNE COM students must also follow the UNE Student Code of Conduct. Any violations to the UNE Code of Conduct will be reviewed and addressed through the UNE process outlines in the Student Handbook. Students experiencing academic, behavioral and/or professional difficulties may be referred to CSP.

The CSP may review the status of a referred student whenever the student's performance is found to be unsatisfactory in the accumulation of knowledge or skills, professional behaviors, and/or personal growth, which are all considered part of the student’s academic performance. For example, the student’s academic progress may be reviewed for any of the following reasons:

• Absence(s) from class, laboratory, or clinical experience.
• Failure to obtain a satisfactory grade in any unit of study such as a course, preceptorship, clinical rotation (clerkship) or other educational activities.
• Failure to obtain a satisfactory grade in either the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Self-Assessment Examination (COMSAE), or Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX).
• Failure to meet the Technical Standards and Student Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct Policy as per the COM student handbook supplement or to exhibit the behavior, ethics, or professional manner deemed necessary, in the judgment of the Committee on Student Progress, for the continued study and later practice of osteopathic medicine.
• Personal or medical reasons; in assessing personal growth, such factors as ethics, emotional stability, integrity, general conduct, reliability, judgment, and rapport with faculty, professional staff, peers, supervisors, and patients are considered.

After discussion and deliberation on any matter, CSP decides by majority vote to make a recommendation to the appropriate Associate Dean.

Academic Progress Policy

All students are expected to meet the academic requirements for progression. Any student failing to do so, including for failure to meet criteria for professional behavior, will meet with CSP. Based on the student’s overall performance, CSP will, in consultation with the Course Director, make a recommendation to the appropriate associate dean.

Course Retesting Policy

The syllabus of the original course, approved by the Curriculum Advisory Committee (CAC), may or may not allow for retesting; and will specify the dates, duration, and plan of any allowable retesting, reassessment, competency assurance process (CAP) or remedial activity for any failed assessment, competency, discipline or achievement criteria.

Withdrawal/Dismissal

A student who is required to repeat a course, or an academic year, or is suspended or dismissed from the College, may appeal this decision to the Dean according to the guidelines in the COM Student Handbook Supplement and the University Student Handbook. The Dean may, at their discretion, convene an Academic Appeals Review Committee for a review of the decision. The charge of the Academic Appeals Review Committee will not be to repeat the deliberations of the Committee on Student Progress (CSP), but rather to determine whether or not the following conditions apply to the original decision:

• New information is available that was not available to the original recommending committee (CSP).
• Procedural errors in the original review process that had a substantial impact on, or otherwise prejudiced the original determination.

If the Academic Appeals Review Committee upholds the original recommendation, the decision is final and there is no further appeal. If the Academic Appeals Review Committee does not uphold the requirement to repeat the year, suspension, or dismissal, it will recommend to the Dean such other requirements, as it deems appropriate.

An application for voluntary withdrawal from the College must be submitted in writing to the appropriate associate dean. The dean may grant a leave of absence due to financial difficulties or for personal, medical, or family problems. Students should complete the appropriate form for Leave of Absence or Withdrawal found on the Registrar's website.

Probation

Placement of a student on academic probation or disciplinary probation indicates the faculty’s extreme dissatisfaction with the student’s behavioral performance and the student’s failure to maintain satisfactory academic or behavioral standards. While on probation, the student will not represent the college at outside events and will be asked to curtail elected office responsibilities until their performance improves. In addition, a student on academic probation must pass all units of study; a student on disciplinary probation must discontinue the behavior leading to probation and maintain a record of exemplary behavior, which will be monitored by the College. Students who violate the conditions of probation as listed above will be reviewed again by CSP, which will make such recommendations to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (ADAA) or the Associate Dean for Clinical Education (ADCE) as appropriate. For further information please refer to the COM Student Handbook Supplement.

Exceptional UNE undergraduate students aspiring to a career in medicine or dentistry may apply to the University of New England HuMed program which provides the opportunity that spans their junior and senior years as an undergraduate and their four years in UNE’s College of Osteopathic Medicine or College of Dental Medicine. UNE HuMed makes it possible to deepen student learning in English, History, or Liberal Studies while they prepare for a career as a dentist or an osteopathic physician. Requirements are described at http://cpm.domains2book.com/humed.

During their years as an undergraduate in UNE’s College of Arts and Sciences, students complete the requisite coursework in the natural sciences to prepare for their graduate education, while earning a Bachelor of Arts in English, History, or Liberal Studies. As a HuMed student, they are not required to take the DAT or the MCAT. Instead, the College of Osteopathic Medicine requires individuals to take the United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude test (UKCAT). In both programs, students have an assurance of acceptance contingent upon fulfilling the HuMed curricular requirements and passing the interview process.

Application

The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine participates in the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOMAS) centralized application service. All applicants are required to apply online through this service.

Applications for admission are reviewed holistically by the UNE COM Committee on Admissions based on compatibility with the Mission, Vision, and Core Values of UNE COM and a combination of GPA, academic record, MCAT scores, applicant interview, and lived experiences.

Degree Requirement

Completion of ninety (90) semester hours or 75% credit progress towards a bachelor’s degree, to be earned at a U.S. regionally accredited college or university, or international equivalent, at time of application. Undergraduate degree must be conferred with official transcripts submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions & Recruitment prior to matriculation.

• All applicants are required to submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Official transcripts should be sent directly to AACOMAS. Please refer to the AACOMAS Help Center for additional information and instructions.

GPA Requirements

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 at the time of application, as calculated by AACOMAS (inclusive of all coursework taken with no forgiveness for retakes)*.
• Minimum science GPA of 2.8 at the time of application, as calculated by AACOMAS (inclusive of all coursework taken with no forgiveness for retakes)*.
• All applicants must meet minimum GPA requirements to be considered for admission.

*The average GPAs for those offered admission to UNE COM are well above published minimums.

Prerequisite Coursework Requirements

Additional Recommended Courses

• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Cell/Molecular Biology
• Genetics
• Math/Statistics
• Microbiology
• Behavioral Sciences
• Humanities

Other Prerequisite Coursework Considerations

• Pass/Fail courses are accepted for prerequisite courses taken in spring 2020 only.
• All prerequisite courses must be successfully completed with a grade of C or better (C- grades are not acceptable).
• Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) test credit can be accepted towards prerequisite requirements. To apply AP or IB test credits towards prerequisite requirements, the credits must be broken down by subject on the undergraduate transcript. An official letter from the University Registrar, including subject breakdown, is also acceptable.
• Prerequisite courses may be in-progress or planned at the time of application. However, all courses must be completed by January 1, 2025, with an official transcript submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions & Recruitment prior to the start of the program.

All planned or in-progress coursework must be listed on the AACOMAS application at the time of application submission; not doing so will result in the applicant not meeting all admissions requirements and therefore will not be eligible for admission review.

Online courses offered through UNE’s Online Science Prerequisites as well as online courses from other regionally accredited U.S. colleges or universities are acceptable.

Standardized Tests

Completion of the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) is required.

• Although UNE COM does not have a minimum score requirement, highly competitive applicants typically score in the 50th percentile or higher.
• Official MCAT score reports must be submitted directly to AACOMAS from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). MCAT Score Report
• The MCAT must have been taken between January 2022 and January 2025.

Letters of Evaluation

Three (3) letters of evaluation are required – submitted via AACOMAS

The UNE COM Committee on Admissions seeks evaluation letters that outline a holistic description of the applicant, including information on student engagement (especially teamwork within academic settings), interpersonal skills, character, and professionalism.

• UNE COM prefers that all letters of evaluation be submitted directly through AACOMAS.
• Evaluation letters from Interfolio are acceptable, as long as the letter is sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admission by the letter writer.
• Letters from friends or family members are not acceptable.
• Preferred sources of evaluations include Pre-Health Committee Advisor, Pre-Health Advisor, a faculty member with substantial knowledge of the applicant, a direct supervisor with substantial knowledge of the applicant, or a health care professional with substantial knowledge of the applicant (preferably physicians). Letters from an Osteopathic Physician (D.O.) are recommended but not required.
• Most successful applicants submit letters that characterize and reflect their most recent academic, clinical, and community engagement experiences.

Personal Statement

Please refer to the AACOMAS application for UNE COM-specific writing prompts and additional instructions.

Interviews

Interview sessions are held from September to March and are done by invitation only. Interviews are a required part of the application process.

UNE COM reserves the right to adjust interview dates, modalities, and processes as needed. Applicants will be notified immediately if changes to the format or timing of interviews occur at any point during the cycle.

International Applicants

International applicants and those with foreign degrees and coursework are required to satisfy the following additional requirements:

• Official credential evaluation by World Education Service (WES), confirming degree and grade/course equivalency to that of a U.S. bachelor’s degree. Please submit the WES ICAP course-by-course evaluation. The completed credential evaluation should be sent directly to AACOMAS. Please refer to the International Admissions section of the UNE website for more information on the type of credential evaluation required for admission review.
• Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate written and spoken fluency through the successful completion of an English language proficiency test.
• Applicants should refer to the English Language Proficiency page on the UNE website for specific information and minimum score requirements.
• Please refer to the AACOMAS application for test score submission instructions.

Other Requirements

Prior to matriculation, accepted and deposited students will be required to complete the following compliance requirements or may have their acceptance offer rescinded without return of deposit:

• Completion of physical examination with proof of up-to-date immunization status. Please refer to UNE’s Student Health Center for detailed information.
• Satisfactory completion of a criminal background check and/or drug screen prior to matriculation, as well as periodically throughout the program (as required by UNE COM and clinical training sites).
• All students must have the ability to meet all Academic and Technical Standards of UNE COM.
• UNE follows AACOMAS traffic rules, with notification dates and deadlines structured as such.

All materials submitted as part of the application become the property of UNE and will not be returned or released to anyone, including the applicant. This policy includes letters of reference, primary and secondary applications, personal statements, transcripts, and other supporting materials.

Policy Exceptions

• Policies are established to ensure fair and consistent admissions practice for all applicants to the university and its programs
• All criteria presented in this summary are subject to change per professional accreditation requirements, changes in curriculum and/or other institutional standards, and clinical affiliation requirements
• Exceptions to existing admission policies are rare and made only when it is deemed necessary and appropriate to maintain fair and consistent practice for all candidates, not individual candidates

Transfer Credit

• Students in good standing at other Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine may apply for transfer admission into the third year of the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program at UNE.
• For more information on the transfer process please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions and Recruitment.

Advanced Standing

• No advanced standing placement is available.

Experiential Learning

• No credit is awarded for experiential learning.