WesternU HCOM DO Admissions Guide (2027)

Quick facts

• Entry cycle: Fall 2027; AACOMAS opens May 4, 2026 and closes March 1, 2027, followed by a March 15 secondary deadline. Apply now
• Current identity: The Lebanon school formerly called COMP-Northwest is transitioning to Heatherington College of Osteopathic Medicine, or WesternU HCOM. WesternU HCOM
• Application identity: California and Oregon applications are reviewed independently; applicants may receive a secondary for one or both. Secondary instructions
• Campus: 200 Mullins Drive, Lebanon, Oregon. Application requirements
• Interview: Interviews begin in September; the current official catalog requires an MMI. Apply now College catalog
• International applicants: Eligible if they meet all requirements; foreign coursework requires an approved course-by-course evaluation. Application requirements

Admission requirements

Applicants complete at least 90 semester hours leading to a bachelor's degree before applying and must have the bachelor's or an advanced degree conferred before matriculation, except through an approved linkage program. The current official catalog recommends overall and science GPAs of 3.00, or a science GPA of 3.40 in a one-year post-baccalaureate or master's program with at least 25 semester science hours. It recommends an MCAT of 500 or higher taken within three years. College catalog

Required coursework is eight semester hours each of biology, physics, inorganic chemistry and organic chemistry, including accompanying science labs, plus six semester hours each of English and behavioral science. One semester each of biochemistry, physiology and genetics is recommended. Prerequisites must be completed by June 1 of the matriculation year. College catalog

The secondary instructions require a physician recommendation from a DO or MD, with a DO preferred. A pre-health committee evaluation containing at least two science-professor evaluations is preferred; when no committee exists, a recommendation from a professor who taught a prerequisite science course is accepted. One recommendation set can serve both campus applications. Secondary instructions

International applicants may apply and must meet the same requirements. Foreign coursework must receive a course-by-course evaluation, submitted to AACOMAS through an approved service; the application page identifies WES and Josef Silny. Application requirements Apply now

The current Fall 2027 web pages do not publish a cycle-specific minimum GPA or MCAT cutoff. The figures above are recommendations in the current official college catalog, not guarantees of review or admission.

Important dates

The Fall 2027 AACOMAS application opens May 4, 2026 and closes March 1, 2027. The WesternU secondary deadline is March 15, 2027. WesternU recommends submitting the secondary within two weeks after receiving the link and uses rolling admission. Apply now

WesternU says it begins interviews in September. The current Fall 2027 pages do not publish final interview dates, Oregon-specific interview dates, decision-release dates, deposit dates, orientation or the first day of class. Apply now

The current catalog says outstanding prerequisites must be complete by June 1 of the matriculation year. College catalog

How selection works

WesternU processes AACOMAS applications and sends secondary links to applicants who meet its requirements. Official secondary instructions state that California and Oregon applications are reviewed independently and that an applicant may receive the secondary for one or both campuses. This supports a distinct Oregon School Page even though the two programs share admissions requirements, documents and processing. Secondary instructions

The Admissions Committee uses holistic review. The current official catalog says it considers academic performance and MCAT alongside life and work experiences, recommendations, interest and knowledge of osteopathic medicine, and professional promise. It requires an MMI to assess non-academic factors. College catalog

WesternU publishes no numerical component weights, current-cycle MMI weight, initial screen formula, Oregon-specific scoring rules, committee-vote method or final score-combination formula. Decisions of the Admissions Committee are final according to the current catalog.

Interview details

Confirmed

WesternU begins interviewing in September and contacts candidates selected by the Admissions Committee with scheduling instructions. The current official catalog identifies the required interview as a Multiple Mini Interview. Oregon and California applications are reviewed independently. Apply now College catalog Secondary instructions

Not published

The Fall 2027 pages do not publish whether the MMI is virtual or in person, the number and length of stations, reading or preparation time, interviewer roles, file access, question categories, scoring rubric, MMI weight, assessor calibration, Oregon-specific committee mechanics or decision timing. Detailed logistics from prior cycles were not carried forward.

Who this program may suit

WesternU HCOM is in Lebanon, Oregon. Formerly COMP-Northwest, the college is transitioning to the Heatherington name and describes itself as Oregon's only osteopathic graduate school. Its learning environment includes clinical-skills simulation, research opportunities and interprofessional education, grounded in WesternU's humanistic approach to whole-person care. WesternU HCOM

The Oregon program has longstanding relationships with communities in Oregon and the Northwest. Current clinical partnerships include core rotation opportunities in southern Oregon, while community engagement and rural or underserved care remain visible in the college's official program identity. WesternU HCOM

Applicants should connect a specific clinical, service or teamwork experience to humanism, culturally sensitive care and the needs of Oregon or the Pacific Northwest. The separate independent application review is the decisive identity reason for an Oregon-specific page; shared requirements remain clearly shared with COMP.

Practice and next step

Record one response to the featured prompt. Use a specific clinical, service or teamwork example to show how you listened, made a decision and accounted for the person's broader circumstances. Connect the lesson to osteopathic whole-person care and to a concrete reason for training in Oregon.

Review whether the response demonstrates compassion, cultural sensitivity, reflection and a credible Oregon fit. Record it again after making one improvement, then compare the attempts for clarity and evidence. Practise shifting quickly between ethical, teamwork and reflective scenarios because WesternU confirms an MMI but does not publish the Fall 2027 station design.

Frequently asked questions

Is COMP-Northwest now WesternU HCOM?

Yes. WesternU's current site identifies the Lebanon school as Heatherington College of Osteopathic Medicine and explains that COMP-Northwest is transitioning to that name. WesternU HCOM

Is the Oregon application separate from COMP in California?

Official secondary instructions say applications to the two campuses are reviewed independently and applicants may receive a secondary for one or both. One set of recommendations can serve both. Secondary instructions

What are the Fall 2027 deadlines?

AACOMAS opens May 4, 2026 and closes March 1, 2027. The secondary closes March 15, 2027. Apply now

What is the interview format?

The current official catalog requires an MMI and interviews begin in September. The Fall 2027 modality, station count, timing and scoring are not published. College catalog

Sources

Verified August 11, 2026. Current official sources used:

• WesternU HCOM — current Oregon-school identity, former COMP-Northwest name, location, mission and program environment.
• Fall 2027 apply now — exact primary and secondary dates, rolling process and September interview start.
• Application requirements — current shared COMP and HCOM requirements and international-applicant policy.
• Secondary instructions — independent campus review and one-or-both secondary structure.
• Current official college catalog — holistic selection, MMI, coursework, degree, GPA and MCAT recommendations.
• Naming announcement — official transition from COMP-Northwest to Heatherington College of Osteopathic Medicine.