ICOM Interview Prep Guide (2025-2026)

The guide begins by outlining ICOM's interview format and setting, which features traditional open-file interviews held virtually icom.edu. It then reviews the college's mission – educating physicians for whole-person care in Idaho and beyond icom.edu – and core values like collaboration, professionalism, and osteopathic philosophy icom.edu icom.edu. Key facts about ICOM's program are summarized, including its founding to address Idaho's physician shortage icom.edu, state-of-the-art facilities, and notable outcomes such as a 99% residency placement rate for graduates aacom.org. The guide also discusses relevant healthcare context, from regional issues like Idaho's rural healthcare needs icom.edu to national trends in osteopathic medicine and medical training policies aacom.org.

Next, the guide examines what ICOM looks for in candidates beyond academics, highlighting the importance of healthcare experience, community service, and personal attributes such as compassion and integrity aacom.org aacom.org. It describes the competency frameworks that shape ICOM's curriculum, including the seven core competencies of osteopathic medical education that ensure graduates are well-rounded clinicians clinicaldistinctioncom.wordpress.com. Common themes from past ICOM interview questions are explored – ranging from personal motivations (e.g. "Why osteopathic medicine? Why ICOM?") to creative scenario-based prompts – illustrating the conversational and holistic nature of the interviews studentdoctor.net studentdoctor.net. Finally, a timeline of the 2025-2026 admissions cycle is provided, detailing key dates from application submissions to interview invites and acceptance deadlines aacom.org icom.edu.

ICOM conducts a traditional interview (as opposed to MMI), typically in a virtual format. Interviews are open-file and usually involve two faculty members interviewing one applicant in a 30-minute session icom.edu. The style is generally conversational and low-stress – past candidates have described the discussion as organic and friendly studentdoctor.net. Performance in the interview is a crucial factor in admissions decisions (alongside academics and experiences) aacom.org, and the Admissions Committee usually notifies applicants of their outcome within about two weeks after the interview icom.edu.

ICOM's mission is to educate and train highly competent, caring osteopathic physicians who will provide whole-person care, with a focus on serving Idaho and other underserved communities icom.edu. In line with this mission, ICOM's vision emphasizes leadership in medical education, increasing access to care, and improving community health icom.edu. The school's core values include Student Dedication, Collaboration, Osteopathic Identity, Professionalism, and Excellence icom.edu icom.edu. These values translate into a supportive, community-oriented culture that prizes respect, integrity, lifelong learning, and the integration of osteopathic principles (mind-body-spirit unity) into training icom.edu. Understanding ICOM's mission and values can help applicants demonstrate alignment with the school's ethos during the interview.

Established in 2016, ICOM is Idaho's first medical school – a private institution (affiliated with Idaho State University) founded to address the state's physician shortage icom.edu. The college received full accreditation from the AOA's Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation and graduated its inaugural class in 2022 icom.edu. Located in Meridian (near Boise), ICOM offers a modern 94,000-square-foot facility with two large lecture halls, a high-tech simulation center, standardized patient exam rooms, and a dedicated osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) lab aacom.org. Class size is around 144 students per year aacom.org, and while ICOM recruits heavily from Idaho and the Mountain West region aacom.org, it also attracts students nationwide (approximately 27% of the inaugural classes have been Idaho residents) aacom.org.

Despite being a newer school, ICOM has demonstrated strong outcomes. It boasts a 99% residency placement rate for its graduates, with alumni matching into prestigious programs like Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic aacom.org. About half of graduates enter primary care fields (reflecting ICOM's mission-driven focus), while others have gone into competitive specialties such as Orthopedic Surgery and Neurology aacom.org. Students' academic performance is solid – ICOM students score at or above national averages on board exams (COMLEX) aacom.org. The curriculum is integrated and organ-system–based: during the first two years on campus, students learn basic sciences alongside clinical skills in eleven system-based courses aacom.org, and they receive early training in osteopathic principles and practice, including hands-on OMM techniques aacom.org. For third and fourth years, students are assigned via lottery to regional clinical sites across Idaho and partner states, where they complete core rotations (often in community hospitals or clinics) and gain experience in underserved areas aacom.org.

ICOM's distinctive features and resources can serve as great talking points during an interview. Showing curiosity about the program not only provides you with valuable insights but also demonstrates genuine interest. Below are some potential questions a candidate might consider asking their interviewers, inspired by ICOM's unique program characteristics:

• What opportunities does ICOM provide for students to gain experience in rural or underserved communities during their training?
• How are clinical rotations assigned and what regions can students expect to train in during third and fourth year?
• In what ways are osteopathic principles and OMM integrated into the curriculum and student life at ICOM?
• What support does ICOM offer for students preparing for residency matching and board exams (COMLEX/USMLE)?
• What research, service, or extracurricular opportunities are available for students to pursue on campus or in the community?

ICOM's creation was a direct response to healthcare needs in Idaho: prior to its founding, Idaho was the most populous state without a medical school and ranked 50th in physicians per capita icom.edu. The Mountain West region, including Idaho, faces a shortage of doctors (especially in rural and underserved communities), leading to policy efforts aimed at attracting and retaining physicians in these areas. ICOM's mission to serve the underserved ties into these local policy concerns – for example, Idaho has invested in residency programs and incentives for rural practice, and ICOM graduates will be crucial to bolstering the state's primary care workforce. Recent state healthcare policies also shape the practice environment; for instance, Idaho's 2022 near-total abortion ban led to dozens of obstetricians leaving the state apnews.com, highlighting how legislation can impact physician availability in certain specialties.

Nationally, broader policy trends in medical education and healthcare delivery are also relevant. Osteopathic medicine has been growing rapidly – the number of DO physicians in the U.S. increased by over 30% in the past five years icom.edu – and DOs make up a significant portion of primary care providers icom.edu. A major change in the graduate medical education landscape was the 2020 transition to a single accreditation system for residency programs, which fully integrated osteopathic graduates into the same residencies as their MD peers aacom.org aacom.org. As a result, nearly all osteopathic medical graduates now secure a residency (99% placement in 2020) aacom.org, and program directors increasingly recognize the value of osteopathic training. Additionally, national health policy conversations about expanding access to care, addressing rural healthcare gaps, and emphasizing preventive, whole-person care resonate with ICOM's values and the role its graduates are expected to play.

Beyond grades and test scores, ICOM looks for applicants who embody certain experiences and qualities. The admissions process favors well-rounded, service-oriented individuals – those who have shown commitment to helping others and to the osteopathic philosophy aacom.org aacom.org. Significant healthcare exposure (such as shadowing, clinical employment, or volunteering) is important, as it demonstrates that an applicant has pursued hands-on learning about patient care aacom.org. Likewise, a history of community service or leadership indicates a dedication to service that aligns with ICOM's mission. Personal attributes are carefully evaluated during interviews and in letters: traits like compassion, integrity, resilience, teamwork, and cultural competence are highly valued. In essence, ICOM seeks aspiring physicians who not only excel academically but also have proven character, empathy, and a genuine desire to serve the underserved.

ICOM's curriculum and evaluation methods are aligned with the key competency frameworks established for medical education. Osteopathic medical students are expected to develop proficiency in seven core competency domains clinicaldistinctioncom.wordpress.com, which include: Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP), Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Practice-Based Learning and Improvement, and Systems-Based Practice. These competencies (defined by AACOM and the AOA) ensure that graduates have a broad skillset – from clinical acumen and scientific knowledge to ethical practice and systems-level awareness – that will prepare them for residency training. ICOM reinforces these areas through its integrated curriculum and assessments. Notably, the emphasis on Osteopathic Principles means students learn to incorporate the tenets of osteopathy (holistic mind-body-spirit approach and OMM techniques) into patient care icom.edu aacom.org, alongside the general competencies common to all physicians. Mastery of these competencies is essential for meeting accreditation standards and for success in the single graduate medical education system, where ICOM graduates compete alongside peers from MD programs.

Interviewees report that ICOM's interview style is conversational and relaxed studentdoctor.net, yet it covers a broad range of topics. Many questions focus on the applicant as a person – for example, a typical interview may start with, "Tell me about yourself," and include queries about the candidate's background, interests, or a meaningful hobby studentdoctor.net studentdoctor.net. Interviewers often delve into the motivations behind your career choice, frequently asking "Why medicine?" and "Why osteopathic medicine (DO)?", or even specifically "Why ICOM?" studentdoctor.net. Be prepared for reflective questions regarding how you've prepared for medical school and how you handle challenges – past candidates have been asked about managing stress or overcoming academic difficulties, and to discuss receiving constructive criticism studentdoctor.net studentdoctor.net. Additionally, ICOM interviews sometimes incorporate a few unconventional or thought-provoking questions (e.g. "If you could have any superpower, which would you choose?" or "If you could cure one disease, what would it be?") studentdoctor.net studentdoctor.net. These are not meant to be overly difficult, but rather to gain insight into your creativity, values, and thought process. Overall, the questions tend to cover personal history, fit with osteopathic medicine, ethical reasoning, and problem-solving in a friendly dialogue format.

ICOM follows a rolling admissions process, so applying early and being mindful of deadlines is important aacom.org. Below are key dates for the 2025–2026 cycle:

• May 5, 2025 – AACOMAS primary application opens for ICOM (start of the 2025–2026 cycle) icom.edu.
• August 1, 2025 – Early Decision Program (EDP) application deadline. Applicants choosing ICOM as their top choice must submit the AACOMAS primary application (and a letter of intent to ICOM) by this date icom.edu icom.edu.
• August 12, 2025 – Deadline for all EDP supplemental materials to be submitted (including required documents and any secondary application components) aacom.org.
• Early Fall 2025 – Interviews for EDP applicants take place in early fall (September) for those meeting the criteria icom.edu. EDP candidates are notified of acceptance or rejection within two weeks of their interview, by no later than September 1, 2025 aacom.org.
• Rolling Interviews (Fall 2025 – Spring 2026) – For regular applicants, interview invitations are extended and conducted on a rolling basis. Applications are reviewed as they are completed, and earlier applicants have an advantage in securing interview slots aacom.org. ICOM typically notifies interviewed applicants of admissions decisions within a few weeks post-interview icom.edu.
• June 12, 2026 – Final deadline to submit the AACOMAS primary application for ICOM's 2025–2026 cycle (last day applications are accepted) aacom.org.
• Acceptances Timeline – Admissions offers can be issued as early as July 1, 2025, in line with AACOMAS traffic guidelines icom.edu. ICOM releases acceptances on a rolling basis; the latest acceptances are typically sent by August 1, 2026 (just before matriculation) icom.edu.
• Seat Deposit Deadlines – Accepted students must secure their spot with a $1,000 non-refundable deposit. The due date for this deposit depends on when the acceptance is received, per AACOMAS guidelines (e.g. acceptances before Nov 15, 2025, require deposit by Dec 14, 2025; acceptances between Jan 15 and Apr 30, 2026, have 14 days to deposit) icom.edu.
• July 2026 – Orientation for ICOM's incoming class of 2026 is expected to begin in July 2026, with exact dates provided upon acceptance icom.edu.

In summary, preparing for an ICOM interview involves a combination of self-reflection and research. By understanding the school's interview format and aligning with ICOM's mission and values icom.edu, knowing the program's distinctive features and outcomes aacom.org, and staying aware of the healthcare needs ICOM was founded to address icom.edu, candidates can approach their interviews confidently. Awareness of what ICOM seeks in its students aacom.org and familiarity with osteopathic competency standards clinicaldistinctioncom.wordpress.com will enable you to articulate your fit for the program effectively. Overall, demonstrating knowledge of ICOM's community-focused philosophy and showing genuine enthusiasm for its training approach will leave a strong impression during the interview.