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 1 of the year prior to matriculation. In addition, a secondary application, which is to be sent directly to TCOM, must also be completed. To be considered for admission to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, an applicant must meet the minimum academic and entrance examination requirements.
Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) Examination
All applicants
are required to take the MCAT, which is administered throughout the year. 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 www.aamc.org/students/mcat/start.htm
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 U.S. college or university (or Canadian
equivalent) is required (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 |
|
One semester of biochemistry will be accepted toward fulfilling this requirement. While not required, coursework in basic biochemistry can help future students prepare for the rigors of medical school. 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 TCOM may consider statistics courses taught in other departments on an individual basis. |
3 credits |
Strong preference will be given to applicants who earn a bachelor's degree before matriculation. 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 enroll 90 percent Texas residents for each entering class. Up to 10 percent of each entering class may be filled with non-residents. 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. Information on Texas residency can be found at www.collegefortexans.com
Committee Evaluation of Applicants
Committee scores are
assigned to each application that is Acceptable or placed on an
Alternate list. This score is used to rank applicants for admission.
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 (not an exhaustive list) | |
| 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* |
*Contributes to the diversity of the class includes race, ethnicity, or
any other unique personal life experience(s), including but not limited to
experience abroad, foreign language skills, hardships and adversities overcome,
community service, or previous career experience, that will enrich the
educational environment of the Texas College of Osteopathic
Medicine.
Texas Resident Admission Notification Process
TCOM processes
applications through procedures agreed upon by the participating medical schools
in the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS). Texas
resident applicants, who are not applying through the Early Decision Program
(EDP), D.O./Ph.D. Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) or the Master of
Science in Premedical Sciences, will be notified of their admission through one
of four periods:
|
Pre-Match Admissions |
Selected applicants will be notified between November 15 - December 31 on a rolling basis. |
|
Match Admissions |
Applicants who interviewed, but did not receive an offer of admission through Pre-Match Admissions, may be considered for February 1 Medical School Admissions Match. |
|
Rolling Admissions |
Applicants who were not admitted on or before February 1, may be placed on the Wait List and considered for admission as seats in the class become available. |
| Medical Science Program Students | Applicants who are participating in the Master of Science in Medical Sciences Program at the Health Science Center will be considered for admission either at the end of the Fall 2008 or Spring 2009 semesters. |
Notification to Non-resident Applicants
Non-resident applicants
may be admitted on a rolling basis on or after October 15, 2008.
Notification to D.O./Ph.D. Applicants
Applicants to the
D.O./Ph.D. Medical Scientist Training Program may be admitted on a rolling basis
on or after October 15, 2008.
Early Decision Program
Applicants only applying to TCOM can
take advantage of the Early Decision Program (EDP). If you are interested in the
EDP, please submit your application to TMDSAS as soon as possible after May
1.
Typically applicants accepted through this program have exceptional academic and non-academic credentials. EDP applicants must have taken the MCAT, completed all prerequisite courses by August 1. All decisions on EDP applicants will be made by September 15. If you are accepted under the EDP, you are obligated to accept the offer. Applicants who are not accepted under the Early Decision program are free to apply to other schools.
Why choose to apply through the Early Decision Program? By applying for early decision you can avoid the high costs associated with applying to a number of different medical schools. Also, if osteopathic medicine is your first choice, this may be a viable option for you to consider since we send decisions out to Early Decision applicants months before the regular match.
There is no limit on the number of applicants that can be admitted through the EDP. Applicants are reviewed by the Admissions Committee based on individual merit and competitivness.
Deferment
Any accepted applicant can request a deferment of
entry for one academic year. The applicant must make the request before June
1.
Reapplication
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 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. A new application is required for each
reapplication. Information for reapplicants can be found here.
This page last updated May 08, 2008
