The purpose of this policy is to establish the standards, eligibility requirements, and procedures governing transfer admission and the transfer and award of academic credit into the California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) program.
This policy is intended to ensure that any transfer credit awarded by CHSU-COM maintains academic integrity, curricular comparability, student competency, accreditation compliance, and alignment with CHSU-COM program learning outcomes, institutional mission, and educational standards.
This policy applies to all applicants requesting transfer admission and/or transfer of academic credit into the CHSU-COM Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program.
This policy governs:
- Transfer admission eligibility;
- Transfer credit evaluation and award;
- Academic and clinical equivalency review;
- Documentation requirements;
- Institutional review and approval processes; and
- Appeals related to transfer decisions.
CHSU-COM recognizes that exceptional personal, academic, or geographic circumstances may necessitate transfer between colleges of osteopathic medicine. Transfer admission into CHSU COM shall be considered only under limited and exceptional circumstances and only on a space available basis.
Transfer admission and transfer credit are privileges, not entitlements. Approval of transfer admission and/or award of transfer credit is not guaranteed. CHSU-COM shall consider transfer applicants only from colleges of osteopathic medicine accredited by COCA.
Transfer applicants must demonstrate that prior educational experiences, academic performance, clinical preparation, and professional standing are substantially equivalent to CHSU-COM expectations and sufficient to support successful progression within the CHSU-COM curriculum.
CHSU-COM reserves sole authority to determine eligibility for transfer admission and the acceptance, denial, limitation, or conditioning of transfer credit.
CHSU-COM does not award academic credit for prior experiential learning, employment experience, military service, continuing education activities, life experience, or other non academic educational experiences.
Definitions
Transfer Student: A student enrolled in a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program at another institution who seeks admission into CHSU-COM following matriculation.
Transfer Credit: Academic credit awarded by CHSU-COM for coursework, clinical education, or educational experiences completed at another institution and determined by CHSU-COM to be substantially equivalent to curricular requirements of the CHSU-COM Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program.
Good Academic and Professional Standing: Status indicating that a student is meeting academic, conduct, professionalism, and institutional requirements at the originating institution and is eligible to continue enrollment without restriction.
COCA: The Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, the accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education for colleges of osteopathic medicine.
Transfer Eligibility
Transfer consideration into CHSU-COM shall be limited to applicants who satisfy all of the following conditions:
- The applicant must be enrolled in a COCA-accredited Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program in the United States.
- The applicant must be in good academic, professional, and disciplinary standing at the originating institution.
- The applicant must have successfully completed all required preclinical coursework applicable to entry into the clinical phase of medical education.
- The applicant must provide official evidence of a passing score on COMLEX-USA Level 1.
- The applicant must not be subject to academic probation, professionalism probation, suspension, dismissal, unresolved disciplinary action, or pending institutional investigation.
- Transfer consideration shall be contingent upon available enrollment capacity approved by CHSU-COM.
Transfer Entry Point
CHSU-COM shall consider transfer admission only into Year 3 (clinical phase) of the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine curriculum.
Transfer opportunities are expected to be infrequent and dependent upon:
- Authorized class capacity;
- Curricular comparability;
- Successful completion of institutional review requirements; and
- Approval by CHSU-COM leadership.
Transfer Credit Evaluation Standards
Transfer credit shall be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
CHSU-COM shall review prior educational experiences to determine whether completed coursework and clinical preparation are substantially equivalent to CHSU-COM curricular requirements.
Evaluation criteria may include, but are not limited to:
- Accreditation status of originating institution;
- Course learning outcomes and competency attainment;
- Scope, depth, rigor, and sequencing of coursework;
- Credit hours and contact hours;
- Assessment methodologies;
- Clinical education experiences;
- Laboratory, simulation, and clinical skills training;
- Osteopathic principles and practice integration; and
- Demonstrated student performance.
CHSU-COM may require supplemental documentation, competency validation, clinical skills assessment, remediation, or additional educational activities when necessary to establish equivalency.
Only coursework and educational experiences deemed substantially equivalent by CHSU-COM may be eligible for transfer credit consideration.
Clinical Competency and Skills Assessment
All transfer applicants shall undergo institutional evaluation of clinical readiness and competency comparability.
CHSU-COM may require one or more of the following:
- Clinical skills assessment;
- Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE);
- Standardized patient assessment;
- Clerkship readiness evaluation;
- Competency portfolio review; and/or
- Remediation of identified deficiencies.
Transfer applicants must demonstrate competency comparable to CHSU-COM students entering the clinical curriculum.
Failure to demonstrate required competency standards may result in denial of transfer admission or mandatory remediation requirements as a condition of enrollment.
Required Documentation
Applicants requesting transfer admission and transfer credit consideration must submit all required documentation, including:
- Official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended.
- Official transcript from the originating Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program.
- Written confirmation from the Dean and/or Registrar of the originating institution verifying:
- Good academic standing;
- Professional and conduct standing;
- Eligibility for continued enrollment; and
- Absence of unresolved disciplinary or professionalism concerns.
- Official documentation demonstrating successful completion of COMLEX-USA Level 1.
- Course syllabi, catalog descriptions, competency documentation, and curricular materials required to support equivalency review.
- Written statement explaining the basis for the transfer request.
- Additional admissions, background screening, immunization, or institutional compliance documentation required by CHSU-COM.
CHSU-COM reserves the right to request additional information or supporting documentation at any stage of review.
Institutional Review and Approval Process
Transfer applications and transfer credit requests shall undergo institutional review in accordance with CHSU-COM procedures.
Review may involve consultation with:
- Office of Admissions;
- Registrar;
- Faculty subject matter experts;
- Curriculum leadership;
- Academic Affairs leadership;
- CHSU-COM Admissions Committee; and/or
- Dean, CHSU-COM.
Approval of transfer admission does not automatically constitute acceptance of all prior coursework, clerkships, or educational experiences.
Final authority regarding transfer admission and award of transfer credit resides with CHSU-COM.
Recording of Transfer Credit
Approved transfer credit shall be recorded on the CHSU academic record in accordance with institutional procedures.
Accepted transfer credit shall be designated as Transfer Credit (TR) or equivalent institutional notation and shall not be included in calculation of the CHSU-COM institutional grade point average unless otherwise required by institutional policy.
Limitations on Transfer Credit
Transfer credit awarded by CHSU-COM shall not exceed the amount of preclinical curricular credit applicable to entry into the clinical phase of the CHSU-COM Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program.
CHSU-COM retains sole discretion regarding:
- Amount of transfer credit awarded;
- Applicability of prior coursework or educational experiences;
- Conditions associated with transfer credit acceptance; and
- Additional requirements necessary for curricular alignment or competency attainment.
Appeals
Applicants whose transfer admission request or transfer credit determination is denied may submit a written appeal to the Dean of CHSU-COM within fifteen (15) business days following official notification.
Appeals must include:
- Basis for reconsideration;
- Supporting documentation; and
- Any additional information relevant to review.
The decision of the Dean following appeal review shall be final.