Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) perform surgery, deliver babies, and prescribe medicine in hospitals and medical centers around the country. Whether they are family doctors or specialists, DOs use all the tools of modern medicine and more. 

What distinguishes DOs? A whole-person approach that emphasizes the body's interconnectedness, the ability to diagnose and treat using their hands (OMM) (hover over for a definition of OMM) and treating each patient as an individual, not a set of symptoms. Read more about the history of osteopathic medicine.

During your four years at the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP), you will develop expertise in diagnosis and learn the problem-solving skills you need to treat and care for the whole patient through:

• basic science
• in-depth study of 10 human organ systems using basic and clinical sciences
• 20 rotations comprised of the major medical disciplines and electives

Why choose WesternU? We have a nationally recognized program and offer you:

• a record of consistently high first-time pass rates for COMLEX board exams.
• early and extensive clinical training that develops professional and communication skills. 
• a reputation for well trained graduates who receive multiple high-paying job offers.
• a small, private, health-focused institution that fosters interprofessional learning. 
• state-of-the-art classrooms and research facilities.
• faculty who care deeply about students and are committed to their success.
• long humanistic tradition of treating patients as people first; treating students with respect; and fostering camaraderie among students.
• outstanding student support services including tutoring and disability resources. 
• diverse student body and rich array of student club and volunteer opportunities.
• Southern California location with tremendous clinical training opportunities as well as access to
  major cultural and recreational resources.
• a chance to join well-respected WesternU-COMP alumni, who enjoy a lifelong connection with the University.

The training you receive at WesternU will prepare you well for the postdoctoral training years of your choice, with an emphasis on clinical care. We will help you build the foundation you need for a rewarding career as a physician caring for patients and their families.

For more information, please join us for an information session,
complete the information request form or contact us.

Meet some of our DO students, faculty and alumni and read their candid thoughts about their experiences at WesternU. Move your mouse over each picture to read more about that individual or read profiles of numerous students, faculty and alumni

Seth Criner DO, Class of 2010	Raj Kandpal, PhD Associate Professor	Charles Maynard, DO DO, Class of 1983
On time commitment: I spend on average about 4-5 hours a day in class. Then another 3-4 hours a day studying. It is pretty much the same schedule as when I worked full time. The curriculum is not made more difficult than it needs to be, which is great. Every other week we have exams, which means the opposite weekends get spent with friends and family. In addition to school, I am also very active with several different clubs, travel to conferences, shadowing in trauma centers, and helping out with first aid at Angel's games during the season. WesternU distinctive: A unique aspect of COMP is its size. In terms of student strength, COMP is comparable to any other medical school. However, we have the opportunity to interact with or know pretty much every student in the college. I don¿t think that it happens or is possible in any other school. Courses Taught: Molecular and Cellular Basis of Medicine Cardiovascular System Research Interests: The regulation of gene expression in human health and diseases In particular - taking advantage of gene profiling to describe molecular differences in normal and disease tissues E-mail me Why WesternU: My family doctor and mentor, Dr. Travis Ferguson, suggested I apply. (Growing up with Dr. Ferguson a few doors away, I didn't really understand what an MD was. I thought all doctors were DOs!) Beyond the classroom: Dr. Steven Horowitz [LSP1]and I would connect again years after graduation, this time I was a very ill patient and he was the physician who kept me alive for years. His compassion and clinical knowledge are the reason I am alive today.