Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine: An Innovative Approach to Medical Education

Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine (Noorda-COM) is an institution dedicated to training future physicians through an innovative, student-centered approach. Located in Provo, Utah, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains, Noorda-COM offers a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) program and a dual DO/MBA program in partnership with Utah Valley University.

History and Accreditation

Founded in 2019, Noorda-COM was created to address the growing healthcare needs of Utah, which is the fastest-growing state in the nation. Utah County, where the college is located, is at the epicenter of this population growth. With pre-existing physician shortages and a significant number of Utah student doctors leaving the state for education and residency, the need for graduate medical education within the state was clear. Noorda-COM has been granted full accreditation by the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).

Campus and Facilities

Noorda-COM sits on a 30-acre campus in south Provo, overlooking the Timpanogos Golf Club and the Wasatch Mountain range. The 140,000 sq. ft. Academic Center offers ample educational and study space, bathed in natural light with mountain views. The facilities feature 70 learning pods, large classroom spaces, 18 OSCE rooms, simulation facilities, and a state-of-the-art anatomy lab. The Provo-Orem metropolitan area offers a variety of housing options within a 15-minute drive to campus, many of which are accessible by public transportation.

Curriculum and Educational Approach

Noorda-COM's curriculum diverges significantly from traditional medical education. The college employs a blended curricular model that integrates technology and directed personal guidance, placing students at the center of their medical education experiences. There are no scheduled classes or large classroom lectures. Instead, the heart of the curriculum is faculty pre-recorded, short video segments covering defined learning objectives. Students engage with core content in small groups of about 3-6 people in on-campus learning pods and collaboratively accomplish required assignments. Videos are supplemented by in-person weekly reviews.

Hands-on skills are a crucial competency for successful physicians. Students have ample opportunity to work with interdisciplinary teams to simulate real healthcare delivery experiences. Discipline-specific clinical experiences are designed in collaboration with local and regional hospitals and clinics, utilizing similar asynchronous, learning objective-driven content. Pre- and post-rotation instruction for core third-year rotations blend holographic, animated, and live patients with augmented or virtual reality and hands-on task trainers. Proficiencies essential to be a meaningful contributor to the healthcare team are emphasized.

First and second-year students receive letter grades for core courses, resulting in a cumulative GPA after each semester. The assessment system is designed to give students individualized, meaningful feedback about their progress on a weekly basis. Students complete board preparatory-style questions every week. Each board prep question is accompanied by a complete explanation of the correct and incorrect answers so that students can move forward with greater understanding. Individualized data about the topic, organ system (e.g., cardiovascular system), and discipline (e.g., pharmacology) from practice questions, midterms, and finals is provided to each first and second-year student.

Noorda-COM students will have a variety of clinical experiences before traditional rotations in their third and fourth year, including participation in graded OSCEs (objective structured clinical examinations). The Clinical Education Department works with hospitals and clinics in Utah and neighboring states to arrange for required third-year student rotations. Rotations that are requested to be completed out of state will be supported by the Clinical Education Department. As with most medical schools, fourth-year students at Noorda have control over what their fourth-year schedule looks like, with assistance from an assigned Clinical Education Coordinator.

Osteopathic Medicine

There are two pathways a student can take to become a doctor: The MD (allopathic) path or the DO (osteopathic) path. The allopathic medical philosophy is defined by using symptoms to form a diagnosis and treatment plan. Osteopathic medicine’s philosophy focuses on treating the whole person and finding the root causes of illness. DOs follow a nearly identical educational and licensing route to MDs. However, DOs also obtain an additional skillset (“OMM”, or osteopathic manipulative medicine) that involves physical manipulation of the body’s muscles and tissues. Osteopathic manipulative medicine is one of the many tools in a DO’s toolkit. Students study the osteopathic philosophy in the brand-new building, featuring a customizable OMM lab, natural light study spaces, a Simulation Center, and many other educational enhancements.

Dual Degree Programs

Noorda-COM offers dual degree programs to provide students with additional expertise in related fields:

DO/MBA: In partnership with Utah Valley University, Noorda-COM students can complete a Master of Business Administration with a Healthcare Leadership Concentration.
DO/MPH: In partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Noorda-COM students can complete a Master of Public Health degree.

Admissions

Noorda-COM seeks to recruit students from around the country who fulfill the mission, vision, and values of the organization. The admissions team provides a holistic review of each applicant, taking into account all academic and extracurricular experiences. Ideal students will embody competence, confidence, and compassion in aspects of academic pursuits, community involvement, and intellectual curiosity.

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Applications must be submitted to AACOMAS. Noorda-COM has a rolling admissions process, which begins on the first Monday in May. Applicants who apply early in the cycle have the greatest opportunity for an available seat. A total MCAT score of 500 with subsection scores of 125 is preferred. Total scores of 494 and below will not be considered. MCAT scores are valid for three years from the original test date. A minimum cumulative and science GPAs of 3.0 are preferred. The applicant’s last 60 credit hours are evaluated as a separate metric. Letters must be signed and on letterhead and dated within two years prior to application submission.

Applicants who meet minimum technical standards and who align with the mission and values of Noorda-COM will be invited to complete a secondary application via a short video or essay. Selected applicants are invited to participate in formal, personal interviews, in person or virtually. Applicants are interviewed by faculty or staff (who only have access to an applicant’s personal statement and secondary application video/essay). During this interview session, applicants also have the opportunity to meet with the admissions team, campus leaders, and student ambassadors to learn more about Noorda-COM.

Osteopathic Medical College (COM) applicants may be asked to submit necessary matriculation documents, including a deposit, according to the following AACOMAS traffic guideline schedule:

Those accepted prior to November 15 to have until December 14.
Those accepted between November 15 and January 14 to have 30 days
Those accepted between January 15 and April 30 to have 14 days.

Deposits are non-refundable as allowed after the three-day cooling-off period regardless of the reason. Submission of a full seat deposit ($1,250 Acceptance Fee + $750 Enrollment Fee) is required. Payment is credited toward tuition and fees balance upon matriculation.

Technical Standards and Requirements

Students are held to technical standards for admission and matriculation, which fall under the following categories: communication, motor function/strength/mobility, observation and sensory skills, intellectual, conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities, behavioral and social attributes, participation in osteopathic clinical skills laboratory, and proper dress attire.

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Transcripts should be sent after the posting of final grades and/or the conferral of degree(s). Acceptance is conditional until all official transcripts are received from institutions where a degree was earned, or prerequisite coursework was completed. Transcripts must be on file prior to matriculation. All required coursework must be completed with a C or higher and degrees completed by July 15 of the matriculation year.

Prior to matriculation, all students matriculating into Noorda-COM will have a drug screening performed at their own expense. Students will be required to undergo an additional drug screening towards the completion of the second year prior to promotion to third year and clinical clerkships. A positive drug screening may result in denial of acceptance into the COM.

All matriculating students must be vaccinated in accordance with Noorda-COM’s guidelines to participate in clinical activities and rotations. Immunization and health requirements are based on CDC guidelines for healthcare workers and the requirements of the Department of Clinical Education.

All Noorda-COM students are required to submit proof of personal auto insurance after matriculation, unless they seek an Auto Insurance exemption if they do not have a personal mode of transportation. All Noorda-COM students are required to maintain personal health insurance. Students may have insurance through various options including parents, spouses, or health exchanges. Noncompliance with Noorda-COM’s health insurance policy may result in unexcused absences leading to failure of a course, academic probation, failure to progress, delay in graduation, or dismissal from the College.

Transfer Admission

Students enrolled at a medical school accredited by the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (AOA-COCA) or the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) may be considered for transfer admission into the beginning of the second or third year of medical studies at Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine (Noorda-COM) upon completion of the equivalent level of medical education as currently structured at Noorda-COM and provided that a vacancy exists. The last two years of education must be completed at Noorda-COM. LCME-enrolled transfer students must successfully complete all OMM/OPP competencies before graduation from the COM. Transfer or admissions with advanced standing is at the discretion of the Dean.

Additional Programs and Initiatives

Noorda-COM Health Clinic: The Health Clinic at Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine provides accessible, high-quality primary care and OMM services to the Utah Valley community.
Noorda CARES: Noorda CARES provides elementary-aged children with the opportunity to receive free, annual, opt-in health screenings. Screenings are conducted by Noorda-COM student doctors under the supervision of faculty physicians.
Research Opportunities: Students start engaging in research projects during their first year.
Noorda-COM Store: The store allows you to shop for your favorites, check out new items and colors, and help contribute to student scholarships.

Addressing Utah's Healthcare Needs

Utah is also the center of the fastest-growing region in the United States and Utah County is at the epicenter of this historic growth. Business leaders know that having high-quality medical education for their employees coming to Utah will be critically important. In 2022, Noorda-COM played a crucial role in securing legislative funding from the State of Utah for the development of new residency programs in Utah. There are numerous hospitals in Utah that may be able to create new or expand residency programs to accommodate more residents. All the ingredients needed to create this unique medical education opportunity are in place: Utah has high-quality healthcare and some of the best and brightest undergraduate students who want to become physicians.

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