Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine is committed to complying with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, interpreted and strengthened by the Americans with Disabilities Act, and with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA), by meeting the needs of students who have disabilities under the law. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and accompanying regulations define a person with a disability as someone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities such as walking, seeing, hearing, or learning as compared to most people in the general population. Functional limitation refers to the behavioral manifestations of the disability that impede the individual’s ability to function, i.e., what someone cannot do on a regular and continuing basis as a result of the disability.

It is the College’s policy to provide reasonable accommodation for students who, through a documented assessment performed within three years of requesting the accommodation at PCOM, qualify for an accommodation(s) under the ADA. As per the ADA, the documentation must confirm that the student “has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities” and that the disability supports the accommodation(s) requested.

Please Note: Problems such as test anxiety and English as a second language (in and of itself) are not learning disabilities and therefore are not covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, or the PHRA.

Additional information regarding disability accommodations can be found on MyPCOM.

Accommodations for Licensing Examinations:

Students should note that many licensing agencies have a separate process for applying for accommodations for license exams. Students should check with the licensing agency affiliated with their intended graduate or professional school program for their process and requirements

A student with a documented disability may request reasonable accommodations. This request must be accompanied by appropriate documentation that establishes that the student has a specific disability that supports the accommodation(s) requested. All requests for information should be emailed to the Equity and Title IX Manager at disabilityservices@pcom.edu.

The Equity and Title IX Manager will provide the student with the PCOM Guide to Disability Services as well as instructions for the accommodation request process. Once all required documentation is submitted, the review process will begin. The Equity and Title IX Manager will notify the student of the outcome of the accommodation request, and a plan for implementing any approved accommodations will be set in motion.

Once accommodations are approved, they are no retroactive. They are enacted within a reasonable timeframe going forward from the date of the accommodation approval. 

The Equity and Title IX Manager facilitates the interactive process for disability accommodations at PCOM. For more information, please email: mailto:disabilityservices@pcom.edu.

A student with accommodations who misses an examination or assessment for a no-show, lateness, or cancellation must be prepared to take a make-up examination or assessment immediately upon their return to campus, unless other arrangements are made with Student Affairs or the department contact administering the testing. It is the student’s responsibility to reschedule a make-up exam by contacting a Student Affairs staff member on your campus or the department contact administering the test.