I was really drawn to OCOM as a new school with modern facilities and technology, and I loved the idea of being part of the inaugural class. From the beginning, the faculty and staff stood out as incredibly welcoming, supportive, and genuinely invested in our success. It truly feels like everyone here wants you to do well and is willing to help you get there. I also appreciate the flexibility in our schedule and the learning environment itself. There is a lot of natural light, which makes a big difference when you’re spending long hours studying. 

Research at OCOM is very student-driven, which really allows every student to tailor their research experience here to align with their goals. You can choose how involved you want to be and what type of research you’re interested in. We have an amazing research team and a dedicated committee that meets regularly to review, approve, and support new projects. OCOM is very supportive of students who want to publish their work, and each year we host a research symposium where students and faculty present posters, share their projects, and even receive awards. 

Student involvement is a big part of life at OCOM. There are many student-run organizations, and students are encouraged to take on leadership roles or even start new clubs if they don’t see something that fits their interests. Faculty are very supportive and genuinely excited to help students bring their ideas to life. 

The OCOM community is close-knit and very welcoming, which makes it easy to get involved and meet people. Many clubs organize volunteer events throughout the year, giving students opportunities to work together while serving the Orlando community.

Exams are typically scheduled every other week, with only a few exceptions. This usually means one midterm and one final exam for each block. Exams are currently held on Monday mornings at 8:00AM in the auditorium and are taken on our OCOM-provided iPads.

I would share three main pieces of advice:

First, truly enjoy your summer before medical school starts. Spend time with friends and family, travel if you can, try new hobbies, and enjoy having unstructured time for yourself. There is nothing you need to do academically to prepare - no pre-studying required. You will do all the studying you need once school begins, so use this time to take care of yourself and do the things you love. This will put you in the best position to take on medical school at the beginning of the semester. 

Second, give yourself grace when you start. Medical school is a big transition, and it takes time to adjust. Everyone goes through an adjustment period, and it’s completely normal to feel stressed or overwhelmed at first. Be patient with yourself as you settle in and find your routine. You’ll likely try a few different study methods before finding what works best for you, and that’s very common for first-year students. 

Lastly, build connections early. Get to know your classmates and lean into the collaborative environment - your peers will become an important support system. I also encourage students to get to know the faculty early on. They genuinely want to help, and they are an incredible resource for guidance, support, and mentorship.

OCOM integrates board preparation directly into the curriculum rather than treating it as something students have to add on in addition to their course work. From day one, the curriculum is designed to encourage self-directed learning while emphasizing high-yield concepts that are commonly tested on board exams. That foundation helps students develop the discipline and focus needed for COMLEX preparation early on. 

We also have a unique longitudinal course throughout the pre-clinical years where we meet regularly as a class to work through practice patient cases, complete board-style questions, and revisit previously covered material. It follows a spiral learning model, so key concepts are reinforced and integrated over time instead of being learned once and forgotten.

In addition, OCOM provides students with subscriptions to two question banks that include both COMLEX- and USMLE-style questions. Our in-house exams also incorporate board-style questions, so we’re consistently building clinical reasoning and test-taking skills in the format we’ll see on exam day.

At OCOM, academic support is very intentional and accessible. We have two learning specialists who meet regularly with students to work on study strategies, time management, and test-taking skills. They’re incredibly approachable and genuinely invested in helping students succeed. The faculty and course directors typically have an open door policy, so it’s very easy to reach out and have one-on-one conversations if you’re struggling with content. I really appreciate that support is proactive. If a student scores lower on an exam, they’ll typically receive an email from a learning specialist or course director inviting them to meet. The goal isn’t punitive, it’s to identify what adjustments can be made and develop a personalized plan to improve performance going forward.

OCOM takes student wellness and mental health very seriously, and the support system is both comprehensive and confidential. Counseling services are offered through a combination of resources. This includes a full-time, on-campus mental health counselor who is available to students free of charge, as well as 24/7 virtual mental health support through a student assistance program. That means students have access to care both in person and around the clock, depending on what they need. All services are confidential, and students can seek support for a wide range of concerns. The culture here really encourages students to reach out early and view mental health support as a normal and important part of training. In addition to formal counseling services, OCOM promotes wellness in a variety of ways. We have an on-campus gym that students can use whenever the building is open, and the school regularly hosts wellness events and other activities that encourage balance and stress relief. We also have a student-run Health and Wellness organization that focuses on supporting mental health and overall well-being, helping to create a culture where taking care of yourself is both encouraged and normalized.

One of the great things about the self-directed learning modality is the flexibility that you have within your schedule. We usually have exams every other Monday at 8:00AM. On non-exam Mondays, the day is generally open for studying and completing our self-directed learning (SDL) assignments. Tuesdays and Thursdays are our primary on-campus days. We’re typically on campus from 8:00AM - 5:00PM for case-based learning (CBL), anatomy, learning consolidation sessions, and usually a lab session such as clinical skills, clinical simulation, research, or medical humanities. These are our most structured and collaborative days. Wednesdays are focused on OMM. You will be assigned a two-hour afternoon lab block, and the rest of the day is open for studying and catching up on SDLs. Fridays are generally unscheduled, which gives students additional time to review material and prepare for upcoming exams.

The dress code is dependent upon the day. For example on exam days there is no formal dress code. For CBL/anatomy the dress code is business casual unless otherwise stated on the student portal. For OMM we wear athletic wear, and for clinical simulations/standardized patients we wear either scrubs or business casual.