The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine has been named one of the country's top medical schools in primary care by U.S.News & World Report for the second consecutive year. The magazine publishes its annual rankings of America's best graduate schools in its April 14 issue.

TCOM tied for No. 20 on the list with Michigan State University. Last year, the medical school was ranked No. 39.

Additionally, the medical school's physician assistant program tied for No. 33 within its specialty, and the geriatrics program ranked No. 15, tied with the University of Connecticut.

"This continued recognition reaffirms the quality of our medical education and particularly our success in focusing on the primary health care needs of Texas," said Ronald Blanck, DO, president of the University of North Texas Health Science Center, home to the medical school.

More than 83 percent of TCOM graduates from 2000 to 2002 chose primary care residencies.

"The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine was originally founded to train primary care physicians, and we've long been a leader in this area," said Marc B. Hahn, DO, TCOM dean. "This recognition by our peers is yet another indication of the quality of our physician graduates."

Other Texas medical schools on the list are Baylor College of Medicine (No. 26) and the University of Texas Southwestern medical Center in Dallas (No. 30).

These rankings of the medical schools are based on the results of surveys sent to deans and senior faculty of the 144 medical schools in the United States and to residency program directors, as well as other criteria such as student selectivity and faculty resources.

A complete copy of the survey results is available online at www.usnews.com.

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