Western University of Health Sciences’ College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP) ranks in the top 10 nationwide in total applications to medical schools, according to a new report.

COMP had 8,653 applicants in fall 2014, bringing it into the top 10 nationwide for the first time, according to U.S. News and World Report. Drexel University topped the list at 14,648 applicants.

"COMP has a long tradition of excellence that is reflected by our dedicated faculty and staff and the success of our alumni," said COMP Dean Paula Crone, DO ’92. "The ranking in the Top 10 on the U.S. News and World Report regarding schools with the most applicants is yet another demonstration that the word is out about WesternU."

COMP, which has campuses in Pomona, California and Lebanon, Oregon, has seen steady increases in the number of applications it has received in the past five years. The two campuses received 5,502 applications in 2011, 6,169 applications in 2012, 7,655 in 2013, 8,653 in 2014 and 10,317 in 2015.

"I think it’s students discovering osteopathic medicine and what it has to offer," said COMP Executive Director of Admissions Susan Hanson, MS. "The applicants want something more to help patients. This generation of applicants enjoys the hands-on approach of osteopathic medicine, and WesternU’s interprofessional education. I often hear, ‘I know the type of physician I want to be, and when I found your program, it’s exactly what I wanted.’"

COMP enrollment has remained steady on the Pomona campus, with 222 to 226 new students enrolling each year since 2011. COMP-Northwest, WesternU’s Lebanon campus, accepted its inaugural class in 2011 and reached full matriculation in 2014, with 418 students enrolled in all four classes. COMP’s total enrollment in 2014 was 1,315.

The number of students applying to and enrolling in American medical schools reached a record high in 2014 – 49,480 applicants, up 3.1 percent from the previous year. More than 20,000 students enrolled, according to U.S. News and World Report.