For students

Apply to ORIGINS

If you are an osteopathic medical student with an interest in surgery, ORIGINS gives you a structured path into research that strengthens your residency application.

Mark your calendar

The Application Opens Once a Year, in Late April

The ORIGINS application is released every late April and is due by early June. It is distributed on the ORIGINS and ACOS-MSS social media. Applications are not accepted year-round, so follow those accounts to catch the window.

Who can apply

Eligibility

Osteopathic Student & ACOS-MSS Member

You are an osteopathic medical student and a member of the ACOS Medical Student Section. Membership in the ACOS-MSS is a requirement to apply to ORIGINS.

A Surgical Focus

You have an interest in surgery and a defined specialty focus area. A clear direction helps us match you to the right principal investigator.

Ready to Commit

You are prepared to commit to a scholarly deliverable within twelve months. Sustained engagement is what turns a match into a publication.

Priority is given to first-, second-, and third-year students, who have the most runway to complete a project and carry it into their residency application. Not yet an ACOS-MSS member? Membership is required to apply and is quick to set up; watch the ACOS-MSS and ORIGINS social channels for membership and application details.

Track record

What Past Participants Have Achieved

52

Students matched in the pilot cohort, each paired with an active faculty principal investigator.

9

National presentations delivered by pilot-cohort students across osteopathic surgical meetings, including the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons assembly cycle.

3

Manuscripts formally submitted for peer review to PubMed-indexed journals, with additional projects in active preparation.

What a Strong Application Looks Like

The strongest applications share three components. First, a clearly stated research interest aligned with one of the ACOS surgical specialties ORIGINS serves, from general surgery to neurosurgery, so we can place you where the active work is. Second, a realistic timeline based on your current academic year and match cycle, so the deliverable fits the months you actually have. Third, a demonstrated willingness to engage in sustained, structured collaboration with a PI mentor: the students who publish are the ones who show up to the monthly check-ins, return drafts on time, and treat the project as their own.

Explore the Specialties

Begin Your Application

Tell us about your surgical interests and your timeline. We review applications on a rolling basis.

Begin Your Application