Admission Requirements and Selection

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Applicants are required to submit their application for admission to the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) on or before October 15 of the year prior to matriculation. In addition, a secondary application, which is to be sent directly to TCOM, must also be completed.

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) Examination
All applicants are required to take the MCAT, which is administered twice a year in April and August. The daylong exam has three multiple-choice tests (Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences, and Biological Sciences) plus a writing sample. Information on the MCAT may be obtained at the advising office on many college campuses, through the World Wide Web at http://www.aamc.org/

Course Prerequisites
A minimum of 90 semester credit hours (or an equivalent number of quarter hours) towards a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States is required at the time of application (some courses may be in progress). In addition, the following prerequisite courses in the sciences and humanities must be satisfactorily completed in order for us to properly evaluate your application:

Strong preference will be given to those who have completed all of their requirements for the bachelor's degree before entering medical school. Applicants are also encouraged to complete their prerequisite course work with letter grades rather than using a pass/fail option.

Science courses must include laboratory experiences and must be at the level taken by majors in those disciplines. Biology courses should cover the cellular and molecular aspects, and the structure and function of living organisms. The writing requirement may be met with creative writing, English or other expository writing courses.

We also urge you to broaden your education by taking courses in the behavioral sciences and the humanities. Prospective medical students should strive to become proficient in scientific problem solving, critical thinking and writing.

Selection Factors
Each year, the Admissions Committee looks for students who demonstrate the greatest promise of becoming skilled osteopathic physicians. Applicants will be evaluated on their personal integrity, compassion, maturity, interpersonal and communication skills, creativity, motivation for and interest in a medical career, ability to work cooperatively and dedication to service of others.

These qualities and attributes will be evaluated by several means, including letters of evaluation, the scope and nature of extracurricular activities, the breadth of the undergraduate education and personal interviews. All aspects of the entire academic record, including trends in scholastic performance, will be examined. Personal experiences, job history (if applicable) and motivation to become and osteopathic physician will also be considered.

As a state-supported medical school, TCOM is required to admit 90 percent Texas residents for each entering class. Up to 10 percent of each entering class may be filled with non-residents with outstanding credentials. An alien living in the United States under a visa permitting permanent residence or who has filed with the proper federal immigration authorities a declaration of intention to become a citizen has the same privilege of qualifying for Texas residency as do citizens of the United States.

There is no prejudice for or against any applicant who reapplies for admission. If possible, such applicants are encouraged to identify any deficiencies and rectify them before reapplying. Applicants who are not accepted have the opportunity to review their application with an admissions officer in an effort to identify ways to improve their competitiveness.

Committee scores are assigned to each application that is Accepted or placed on an Alternate list to be reviewed again at a later meeting. This score is used to rank applicants for the Match and, after the Match, the Wait List. Because this score affects the ultimate status of the applicant, careful consideration must be given to each applicant when assigning a score.

The score is derived by assessing both the cognitive and non-cognitive values of the applicant. Committee members will submit an individual score for each applicant at the meeting. The applicant's score is the mean among those members who scored the application. Applicants accepted by the committee will be submitted to the Dean for final approval. Applicants approved by the Dean will be placed on the Texas Medical School Admissions Match List in rank order based on the Admissions Committee's score. Scores range from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest (Cognitive values: 5 Non-cognitive values: 5). Decimal values may be given. The following variables are assessed when an applicant is scored:

Pre-Match and Match Selection Process
For 2007 admission, TCOM will process applications through new procedures agreed upon by the participating medical schools in the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS). As part of this new process, some applicants will be able to receive earlier notification than in previous years and they will also be allowed to hold multiple acceptances at the same time. Since applications are considered in the order in which they were received, we strongly suggest that applicants submit their materials in a timely manner.

All interviewed applicants will eventually participate in the February 15, 2007 medical school admissions match. However, some applicants will already know that they have been accepted by at least one medical school. Although these applicants hold an acceptance at one medical school, they may opt to attend another medical school through the match process. A more detailed explanation is below.

Exceptions to the Admissions Process
There are two exceptions to this new process: Non-resident applicants and D.O./Ph.D. applicants. Applicants who are applying through either of these categories will be notified of our decision beginning October 15 and will continue to be considered on a rolling basis.

Application Timeline for 2007 Applications

Information for Non-resident Applicants
Non-resident applicants may be admitted on a rolling basis on or after October 15, 2005. However, TCOM may also admit non-resident applicants through the February 1, 2006 medical school match depending upon the applicant's qualifications for medical study.

Deferment
Any accepted applicant can request a deferment of entry for one academic year. The applicant must make the request before June 1.

Reapplication
Applicants who are not accepted have an opportunity to review their application with an admissions officer to try to pinpoint the reason(s) for the action. These applicants are encouraged to identify areas that are in need of improvement before reapplying. There is no prejudice for or against any medical school applicant who reapplies for admission. A new application is required for each reapplication.