Members of the osteopathic medicine Class of 2024 in the Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine achieved the highest pass rate among all osteopathic medical schools nationwide on the Level 1 exam of the COMLEX-USA national board exams, which is taken by all future osteopathic physicians. The DMU class attained a 98.6% pass rate, which was a full eight percentage points above the national average.
In addition, DMU osteopathic students who took the Level 2-CE exam achieved the number-one average score nationwide of 587.4, exceeding the national mean score by 35 points. Their pass rate was also second in the nation at 98.54%, just 0.04% shy of the number-one pass rate and above the national pass rate of 94.5%.
COMLEX-USA is a national standardized medical licensure exam series administered by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. Osteopathic students typically take the Level 1 exam at the end of their second year in medical school and Level 2 exams during the third or fourth year. All osteopathic medical students must pass the licensure exam series to graduate from medical school.
“DMU’s track record of success is no accident. These exceptional outcomes are a testament to the high-quality preparation our osteopathic medicine students receive and the excellence of our faculty and curriculum,” says Angela L. Walker Franklin, Ph.D., DMU president and CEO. “Students come to DMU with a true passion for becoming outstanding physicians, and the education they experience equips them to fulfill that passion.”
DMU’s D.O. students consistently achieve exam pass rates and scores that exceed national averages. The three-year average pass rates on Levels 1 and 2-CE for DMU students are 98.1% and 98.3%, respectively.
These high-performing outcomes give DMU graduates a competitive edge for coveted and limited medical residency positions. Over the past five years, 99.22% of DMU graduates successfully matched to residency programs to further hone their clinical skills.
