Today, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) released its 2026 application cycle report showing a 12.83 percent increase in applications to osteopathic medical schools from the previous year. The 26,506 applications are the most received since 2021 and represent an 18 percent increase from 2024. During the process, applicants can designate which schools get their information. This cycle’s 242,076 designations represent a 15 percent increase from 2025.
“We are very proud that prospective students continue to seek out osteopathic medical education in growing numbers,” said AACOM President and CEO Robert A. Cain, DO. “This is a testament to the quality of our colleges and future physicians’ growing interest in treating the whole person. These applicants see osteopathic graduates practicing across the full spectrum of medicine and making life changing impacts on rural and underserved communities. It is not by accident that osteopathic medicine is the fastest growing segment of medical education.”