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:
General or Inorganic Chemistry (at least 6 credits of course work and 2 credits of laboratory course work)Must be courses that is applied toward a baccalaureate degree in any traditional science field. Should include familiarity with analytic and volumetric techniques. Inorganic courses include: General Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Quantitative Analysis. Courses for non-science or health career majors (Nursing, Pharmacy or Allied Health) are not acceptable towards the prerequisite requirements. |
8 credits
|
Courses for non-science or health career majors (Nursing, Pharmacy or
Allied Health) are not acceptable towards the prerequisite requirements. |
14 credits
|
Physics (at least 6 credits of course work and 2 credits of laboratory course work) Includes all physics courses applied towards a baccalaureate degree in any traditional science field. Courses for non-science or health career majors (Nursing, Pharmacy or Allied Health) are not acceptable towards the prerequisite requirements. |
8 credits
|
Organic Chemistry (at least 6 credits of course work and 2 credits of laboratory course work)Must be courses that is applied toward a baccalaureate degree in any traditional science field. Organic courses must have "Organic" in the course title. Courses for non-science or health career majors (Nursing, Pharmacy or Allied Health) are not acceptable towards the prerequisite requirements. |
8 credits
|
English (Two 3-credit courses) Any course accredited (approved) by the English Department that fulfills the general education English requirement of a baccalaureate degree will meet this requirement. Remedial or developmental courses or "English As a Second Language" courses are not acceptable. |
6 credits
|
Calculus or Statistics One semester course of math-based Calculus or Statistics is required. Pre-calculus is not acceptable towards this requirement. |
3 credits
|
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:
Admissions Criteria for D.O. Admissions | |
Cognitive Values | Academic performance as an undergraduate student; Academic performance as a graduate student; Academic performance while attending high school; Scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) |
Non-cognitive Values | Interviews scores; Geographic diversity; Socioeconomic background; Commitment to the field of study; Availability of members of the osteopathic profession while the applicant attended elementary and secondary school; First generation to go to college; Letters of evaluation; Contributes to the diversity of the class |
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
May 1, 2006 |
TMDSAS applications will be available online at www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas |
June 1, 2006 |
First day applicants can submit their TMDSAS application |
October 15, 2006 |
Deadline for TMDSAS applications |
November 15, 2006- December 31, 2006 |
Pre-Match Admissions Process: During this period, TCOM will make offers of admission to selected applicants on a rolling basis |
January 15, 2007 |
Applicants who have been accepted to more than one of the seven medical schools in the TMDSAS during the Pre-Match Admissions Process, must notify TMDSAS which one school they plan to attend for Fall 2007. NOTE: although applicants may be accepted during the Pre-Match Admissions Process, they may also receive an additional offer through the February 15 medical school admissions match (see below). |
February 1, 2007 |
Applicants who have interviewed at any of the participating TMDSAS medical schools must submit their ranked preferences to the TMDSAS. Applicants who already hold a seat in a medical school through the Pre-Match Admissions Process may also participate in the Match Admissions Process. |
February 15, 2007 |
Match Admissions Process: Applicants will be notfied of their match through the TMDSAS web site, however, official offers can only be made by the medical school. Applcants can only match with one medical school, which will be the highest ranked medical school that admits them. Applicants who are matched with a medical school ranked higher than the one school chosen through the Pre-Match Admissions Process, will be withdrawn from the acceptance received during the Pre-Match Admissions Process in favor of the school match on February 15. By this date, applicants should be admitted into only one of the seven TMDSAS medical schools, however, applicants may also be on the wait list of those schools ranked higher than their matched medical school. |
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.
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