LECOM School of Podiatric Medicine FAQ

The LECOM School of Podiatric Medicine (SPM) participates in the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine’s centralized application service, AACPMAS. The service opens on August 1st and closes on June 30th. Once the service verifies the application is complete, your application is reviewed by the LECOM Admissions Office. Qualified applicants are invited to participate in a Zoom interview day. Applicants are typically notified within five (5) business days after completing the interview. For additional information go to Podiatric Medicine- Apply to the School of Podiatric Medicine – Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (lecom.edu).

Applicants are required to submit an official MCAT score. Applicants are encouraged to take the MCAT no later than the Spring of the year they plan to matriculate. There may be circumstances where an MCAT score cannot be reported prior to the start of the academic year. In those instances, the LECOM SPM will consider an applicant’s Academic Index Score (AIS), based on undergraduate GPAs and the ACT and/or SAT. For additional information go to School of Podiatric Medicine Entrance Requirements – Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (lecom.edu).

The accrediting agency for podiatric medical education, the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME), has approved the LECOM SPM to enroll a maximum of forty (40) students each year.

Accreditation is a continual process for all schools/colleges. For new programs, accreditation is a four-step process. Currently, the LECOM SPM has Candidate Status and is preparing for the third step in the process, Preaccreditation, with CPME planning an onsite visit in November 2024. The final step is achieving Accreditation following another onsite visit scheduled for late in the third year or early in the fourth year of the inaugural class. The LECOM SPM continues to work in collaboration with CPME throughout the accreditation process.

The didactic curriculum provides early hands-on experience and promotes a holistic approach to patient care with an emphasis on lower extremity. Assessments are developed to prepare students for national board exams. LECOM has exceptional facilities including the newly constructed space dedicated to the SPM. Students receive a broad range of clinical training experiences from outpatient inner city to rural clinics, sports medicine, inpatient care, and the Senior Living Center associated with the Institute for Aging, all part of the LECOM Health System. Students can rotate and interact with the residents at the LECOM Millcreek Community Hospital’s podiatric medical and surgical residency program.

At present there are more residency positions available compared to the current number of graduates from all schools/colleges of podiatric medicine. This trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. This has not stopped LECOM from working with existing programs to increase the number of positions and with programs not offering podiatric residency programs, many affiliated with LECOM to start new podiatric residency programs.

We realize students have different levels of experience when it comes to research. To ensure all students understand the foundational elements of human subject research, in the first semester of Year 1, students complete the Research and Biostatics Course which includes various CITI training modules, covering important research related topics. In addition, the first semester Foundations in Podiatric Medicine Course also reviews various types of research studies and the components of a research study. On completion of the first semester, interested students meet with faculty and residents to form research teams. There also may be opportunities to participate in research projects with faculty from other programs. In the third-year Evidence Based Podiatric Medicine Rotation, students are assigned to small groups to complete a research project over the course of that 4-week rotation, resulting in a scientific poster presentation.

Academic merit scholarships are offered at the time of acceptance based on an applicant’s previous academic record and MCAT score. These scholarships are renewable in accordance with the academic conditions stated in the acceptance letter. Other scholarships are available that typically require application to the sponsoring organization or selected by LECOM SPM administration and faculty per the requirements established by the sponsoring organization.

You have a couple of options to visit LECOM. You can sign up for one of LECOM’s On-Campus Day Events by clicking on the following link: LECOM Erie On-Campus Day Events (office.com). If you are unable to attend one of these days, you also have the option of contacting two staff members in Student Affairs, Molly Myers, MMyers@lecom.edu or Dustin Cassell, dcassell@lecom.edu to schedule a time to visit campus.

Erie is a smaller city with many amenities of a larger city. Erie is a diverse community with an abundance of cultural activities, is easy to move about, known for its scenic beaches and sunsets at Presque Isle State Park, recognized for its medical and higher education institutions, and has many opportunities to be a fan of professional sporting events or participate in recreational activities. Erie is an affordable city. The cost of living in Erie compared to the average cost where other podiatric medical schools are located is more than 50% lower. Erie is also centrally located between the cities of Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Cleveland.

Our students are excited to be part of something new! They value the educational collaborative relationship with the College of Osteopathic Medicine. But it doesn’t stop there, they cite the professional culture of the campus, the head start they receive with the Bootcamp Program, exceptional facilities including the Wellness/Fitness Center and the new space dedicated to the LECOM SPM in the West Building, a health system within the LECOM organization, the excellent reputation of LECOM, and the affordability of living in a smaller city with plenty of things to do.