Benchmarks & Acceptance to VCOM
In a typical year, 70% of students who complete the MABS program are accepted at a U.S.-based medical school!
Meeting the benchmarks in the MABS program can provide a significant advantage for acceptance into the on one of the four VCOM campuses. The MABS program can also eliminate the lag or glide year that is mandatory in similar programs.
Benchmark for VCOM Admissions
| MABS GPA | MCAT | MABS to D.O. Interview Committee |
| 3.5-4.0 | 496 or above | Positive evaluation |
The evaluation by the MABS-to-D.O. Interview Committee will require a short interview with the committee to evaluate the applicant’s professionalism and fitness for VCOM. Input from program faculty, staff, and administration as well as the student’s professionalism throughout the process will also play key roles in the MABS-to-D.O. Committee’s evaluation. The committee is composed of selected MABS faculty and staff plus members from the faculty and administration of each of the VCOM campuses.
Each year a significant number of the students meet these benchmarks and gain acceptance to VCOM. In a typical year, this number approaches 60% of the students who complete the program. Additionally, another 10-15% typically earn acceptance to other osteopathic medical schools. Pharmacy programs, podiatry programs or other healthcare programs also accept MABS students.
Benchmarks are reviewed in December, March, and May. The December review is based upon the Fall MABS GPA and the student’s most recent MCAT score. If acceptance is granted by the MABS-to-D.O. Interview Committee, a seat will be offered at one of the VCOM campuses for the following academic year, thereby eliminating the lag or glide year required by other similar programs.
The March review is for students who achieved a benchmark GPA in the Fall Semester but lacked the benchmark MCAT score. By taking the January MCAT and improving their score, such students can become eligible for the March review by the MABS-to-D.O. Interview Committee. All seats in the VCOM D.O. program are often filled by March; therefore, students accepted by the MABS-to-D.O. Admissions Committee in the March review are typically placed on the waitlist at one of the VCOM campuses. If a student accepted in March does not matriculate from the VCOM waitlist, they will be reviewed again in May by the MABS-to-D.O. Interview Committee and may be offered early admissions to a VCOM campus for the following admissions cycle.
It should be noted that all acceptances from the December and March reviews are considered provisional and contingent upon successfully completing the program, maintaining a 3.50 GPA or higher in the Spring Semester, and maintaining a continued positive recommendation by the MABS-to-D.O. Interview Committee. A student whose grades decline below a 3.5 in the Spring Semester and/or who has their positive recommendation withdrawn for unprofessional behavior by the MABS-to-D.O. Interview Committee will no longer be offered the position, as the position was offered conditional upon maintaining those benchmarks.
In the event that a student did not meet the benchmarks in December or March, they remain eligible to be reviewed in May. The May review is based on the student’s cumulative MABS GPA and their most recent MCAT score. Upon receiving a positive evaluation by the MABS-to-D.O. Interview Committee, such students will be placed on the waitlist at one of the VCOM campuses and they may also be granted early acceptance to VCOM for the following year if they do not matriculate from the waitlist.
In order to be eligible to gain admission to VCOM via these benchmarks, a student must complete the MABS program in a single academic year. Any repeated courses negate benchmark eligibility. A student can only earn one VCOM mini-interview via the benchmarks.