LECOM Interview Prep Guide (2025-2026)

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) School of Podiatric Medicine is a newly established podiatry program that integrates specialty training with LECOM’s osteopathic medical education approach lecomhealth.com. Its interview process, conducted virtually, is concise and scenario-based forums.studentdoctor.net, reflecting the school’s emphasis on ethical decision-making and fit with its values. In line with a mission to improve community health through holistic care lecom.edu, the four-year curriculum includes shared foundational courses with osteopathic students and diverse clinical rotations through LECOM Health’s network lecomhealth.com. These program features address broader healthcare needs, from alleviating physician shortages lecomhealth.com to managing chronic foot health issues in various populations azuravascularcare.com. LECOM’s holistic philosophy also extends to admissions, as the school seeks well-rounded candidates carreersupport.com whose experiences in service and leadership complement strong academics, and it trains them to meet professional competencies in podiatric medicine. Finally, the rolling admissions cycle lecom.edu and key deadlines underscore the importance of early preparation for the 2025–2026 applicants.

Interviews at LECOM’s podiatry program are conducted virtually via Zoom lecom.edu in a structured yet conversational format. Candidates typically join an interview day that includes an informational session followed by a brief individual interview with a small panel of interviewers carreersupport.com. The interview itself tends to be short (approximately 10 minutes) forums.studentdoctor.net and comprised of scenario-based questions rather than specific queries about the applicant’s background forums.studentdoctor.net. This format implies a mostly closed-file interview, focusing on critical thinking and ethical reasoning. While official post-interview acceptance rates are not available, the program’s class size (40 students per year) offers a limited number of seats lecom.edu, and admissions decisions are typically communicated within about a week of the interview under LECOM’s rolling admissions timeline lecom.edu.

The LECOM School of Podiatric Medicine’s mission is to prepare students for residency through innovation, scholarship, and service experiences, with the goal of improving the overall health and wellness of all members of society through the practice of podiatric medicine lecom.edu. This mission aligns with LECOM’s institutional focus on holistic, community-centered healthcare education lecom.edu. Core values such as professionalism, integrity, and service are emphasized across the institution’s programs lecom.edu, and the podiatry school reflects these in its emphasis on compassionate care and collaborative learning. By training students alongside osteopathic medical students, LECOM fosters a culture of interprofessional respect and holistic practice in line with its osteopathic philosophy lecomhealth.com.

LECOM’s School of Podiatric Medicine is the 11th podiatric medical school in the U.S., with its inaugural class matriculating in 2023 lecomhealth.com. Located at LECOM’s main campus in Erie, PA, the program is approved to admit up to 40 students per year lecom.edu. The college operates under provisional accreditation as a new program (recently achieving Pre-Accreditation status and on track for full accreditation by 2026) lecom.edu. A distinctive aspect of LECOM’s podiatry program is its integration with the College of Osteopathic Medicine: students share many first- and second-year courses with D.O. students, leveraging state-of-the-art facilities and technology for collaborative learning lecom.edu. This close partnership not only enriches the basic science education but also instills an interprofessional perspective from day one.

The curriculum spans four years, following a two-plus-two model: the first two years cover foundational sciences and podiatry-specific courses, while the final two years are devoted to extensive clinical training lecom.edu. Students gain early clinical exposure starting at the end of second year and continue through diverse rotations in third and fourth year. Clinical experiences span multiple settings – from inner-city clinics to rural health centers – and include specialty areas such as sports medicine, inpatient care, and geriatrics at facilities like LECOM’s Senior Living Center lecom.edu. Through LECOM Health’s integrated healthcare system, podiatry students train alongside residents and practitioners in various disciplines, preparing them for multidisciplinary team practice. These features provide rich topics for discussion during interviews; for example, an applicant might ask how the osteopathic and podiatric curricula are coordinated, or inquire about the range of clinical rotation opportunities within LECOM’s health network lecomhealth.com lecom.edu.

• Shortage of Podiatric Physicians: Nationally, there is a recognized need for more podiatrists, which LECOM has cited as a reason for establishing this program lecomhealth.com. Policies and discussions around expanding the podiatric workforce are relevant to the school’s mission.
• Diabetes and Preventive Foot Care: With roughly 9% of Americans living with diabetes azuravascularcare.com, preventive podiatric care is crucial to avoid complications like foot ulcers and amputations. This ties into healthcare policies on chronic disease management and highlights podiatry’s role in preventive care.
• Healthcare Access in Diverse Communities: LECOM’s location and training sites involve both urban and rural healthcare settings lecom.edu, raising issues of healthcare access and disparities. Students should be aware of how podiatrists can improve outcomes in underserved areas and among aging populations.
• Holistic and Integrated Care Models: As an osteopathic-affiliated program, LECOM SPM embodies a holistic approach to care. Current healthcare trends emphasize interdisciplinary, team-based care, and policies encouraging integration of specialties (like podiatry) into primary care teams align with the school’s philosophy lecomhealth.com.

• Exposure to Podiatric Medicine: Applicants are expected to understand the field through experiences like shadowing or working with a podiatrist (LECOM suggests a recommendation letter from a podiatric physician) lecom.edu.
• Community Service: Demonstrated volunteer service or community involvement aligns with LECOM’s mission of improving health for all and is highly valued lecom.edu.
• Leadership and Teamwork: Leadership roles or collaborative projects (e.g., in student organizations or employment) show interpersonal skills and initiative, reflecting the school’s emphasis on professionalism and teamwork lecom.edu.
• Research and Extracurricular Activities: Participation in research, scholarly projects, or other significant extracurriculars can distinguish an applicant as well-rounded carreersupport.com. While not mandatory, such experiences underscore a commitment to learning and the broader medical community.

• Holistic Patient Care: LECOM instills an osteopathic-influenced approach to podiatric medicine, teaching students to treat patients holistically and consider overall health (not just isolated foot issues) lecom.edu.
• Medical Knowledge & Clinical Skills: The curriculum is designed to ensure graduates have a strong foundation in biomedical science and clinical skills, meeting the expected competencies in medical knowledge and patient care lecom.edu.
• Professionalism & Ethics: Professional conduct is a core competency – students are expected to demonstrate integrity, ethical decision-making, and accountability throughout their training lecom.edu.
• Interprofessional Collaboration: Learning alongside osteopathic medical students helps podiatry students develop communication and teamwork skills for effective collaboration with other healthcare professionals lecom.edu.
• Research & Lifelong Learning: Emphasis on evidence-based medicine and research in the curriculum reinforces the importance of continual learning. Students complete research and biostatistics training, preparing them to integrate new knowledge and pursue lifelong improvement lecom.edu.

• Ethical/Hypothetical Scenarios: Many questions have involved situational dilemmas, asking candidates what they would do in challenging situations (for example, confronting academic dishonesty or other ethical issues) forums.studentdoctor.net.
• Professionalism and Behavior: Interviewers often probe an applicant’s understanding of professional conduct and interpersonal skills. Questions might include defining professionalism, describing a time one dealt with a conflict or observed unprofessional behavior carreersupport.com.
• Motivation and Fit: Applicants should be ready to discuss why they are pursuing podiatric medicine and why LECOM in particular, including how they resonate with the osteopathic, holistic philosophy of the school carreersupport.com.
• Healthcare Awareness: It’s common to be asked about current healthcare topics or policies. Candidates might be prompted for their thoughts on the state of the U.S. healthcare system, healthcare access, or other medical issues in the news carreersupport.com.

• AACPMAS Application Opens: Early August 2025 – The application cycle opens around August 1 via the AACPMAS centralized application service lecom.edu.
• Application Deadline: June 30, 2026 – This is the final date to submit an application through AACPMAS for Fall 2026 entry (LECOM adheres to this closing date) lecom.edu.
• Rolling Admissions: LECOM SPM uses a rolling admissions process, reviewing applications and granting interviews throughout the cycle lecom.edu. Applying earlier in the cycle is advantageous as spots in the class are filled continuously.
• Interview Period: Interviews are conducted in the fall, winter, and spring months on specific dates (via Zoom) lecom.edu. Invitations to interview are sent out periodically as applications are reviewed.
• Post-Interview Decision: After the interview, decisions (acceptance, waitlist, or denial) are typically communicated within about 5 business days lecom.edu, reflecting the quick turnaround of LECOM’s process.
• Matriculation: Classes for the incoming cohort begin in July 2026 at the Erie campus lecom.edu, with orientation and first-year coursework commencing in mid-summer.

In summary, understanding LECOM’s interview structure, mission-driven program features, and the broader context of podiatric healthcare will help candidates present themselves effectively. Being mindful of the school’s values and current healthcare topics – as well as the logistical timeline of admissions – allows interviewees to engage meaningfully and navigate the process with confidence lecom.edu lecomhealth.com.