Admissions

E-mail: TCOMAdmissions@unthsc.edu
Phone: 817-735-2204 or 800-535-TCOM
Fax: 817-735-2225
Website: http://www.unthsc.edu

Admission into the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine is selective.  Each year, TCOM admits students from a pool of well-qualified applicants. The Office of Admissions and Outreach, located in the Student Service Center, provides advising, tours, application processing, and other related assistance. TCOM encourages future applicants to use these services in order to assist them in making informed decisions about pursuing a career in osteopathic medicine. As a state-supported medical school, TCOM is required to enroll at least 90% Texas residents for each entering class. Up to 10% of each entering class may be filled with non-residents.

The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, age or disabilities, and religion in its application and admission processes. 

Admission Requirements

Academic and Test Score Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree program at TCOM, an applicant must meet the minimum academic and entrance examination requirements.

Academic Course Requirements

A minimum of 3 years of college (90 semester hours or the equivalent number of quarter hours) from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university (or Canadian equivalent) is required. Strong preference will be given to applicants who earn a bachelor’s degree before matriculation. In addition, the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) has established the following minimum prerequisite course requirements for admission. 

• Biology: (at least 12 credits of coursework and 2 credits of laboratory course work) Includes all Biology courses applied toward a baccalaureate degree in a traditional science field. Courses for non-science or health career majors (Nursing, Pharmacy or Allied Health) are not acceptable towards the prerequisite requirements. Courses in Human Physiology and Anatomy, Cellular and Molecular Biology, and Microbiology are highly recommended.
• Chemistry: (a minimum of 6 credit hours work and 2 credits of laboratory course work) These must be courses that are applied toward a baccalaureate degree in any traditional science field. These courses should provide 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.
• Organic Chemistry: (a minimum of 6 credit hours work and 2 credits of laboratory course work) These must be courses that are 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-related career majors (Nursing, Pharmacy, or Allied Health) are not acceptable towards the prerequisite requirements.
• Physics: (a minimum of 6 credit hours of course work and 2 credits of laboratory course work) This includes all physics courses applied toward a baccalaureate degree in any traditional science field. Courses for non-science or health career majors (Nursing, Pharmacy or Allied Health) are not acceptable toward the prerequisite requirements.
• Statistics: (a minimum of 3-semester credit or 5 quarter credit course) Course may be taken in any academic discipline; course content should include descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, sampling techniques, measures of relationship, regression models, and other tests for significance. Course must be completed prior to matriculation.
• 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.

Applicants who do not meet the credit hour requirement but meet the course content requirements may be considered for admission. Prior life experience(s) or work-related activity cannot be used to meet a prerequisite course requirement.

Foreign Coursework

Applicants must complete at least 90 undergraduate credit hours at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university (or Canadian equivalent). Transfer credit from a school outside the U.S. or Canada may apply to this requirement only if the individual courses appear on the transcript of an accredited U.S. or Canada college or university - lump-sum credit is not allowed. Transfer credit from a school outside the U.S. or Canada will not apply to the prescribed course requirement. State law requires that academic work taken at foreign colleges, universities or preparatory schools be excluded from the calculation of the grade point average for students seeking admission to graduate or post-baccalaureate professional school.

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) Requirement

In addition to the academic requirements, all applicants are required to take the MCAT, which is administered throughout the year. 

Admission Procedures

TCOM requires both a primary and secondary application.  Only completed applications are considered for admission.  Applicants should carefully read all of the information about the process.

Primary Application

TCOM participates in the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) located in Austin, Texas. Early applications are strongly encouraged. The primary application can be completed and submitted electronically through the TMDSAS web site at: http://www.tmdsas.com. The processing of an application may be delayed if either the grades from courses or the MCAT scores are not included at the time of application.

Official transcripts from all prior college-level course work and MCAT scores must also be submitted to the application service. In addition, TMDSAS requires that an applicant’s premedical/health professions advisory committee submit a written evaluation directly to the service. Letters from three (3) people who are familiar with an applicant may satisfy this requirement if no advisory committee is available. The letters should be from faculty members and/or an advisor who can assess the applicant’s suitability for medical school.  Applicants are encouraged to submit a letter of recommendation from an osteopathic physician familiar with the applicant; the physician may submit this recommendation directly to TCOM.

Secondary Application

TCOM requires completion of its own web-based secondary application.

Interviews

Only selected applicants will be invited to interview. Interviews are conducted at the UNT Health Science Center (UNTHSC) located in Fort Worth. Applicants will typically tour the school and meet with current medical students. Interviewees may also sit in on medical school classes held that day.

Applicant Selection

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, the ability to work cooperatively, and dedication to serving others. These qualities and attributes are evaluated by several means, including letters of recommendation, the scope and nature of extracurricular activities, the breadth of education, and personal interviews. All aspects of the academic record, including trends in scholastic performance, are examined. Personal experiences, job history (if applicable), and motivation to become an osteopathic physician are considered. 

Admissions Committee Evaluation

TCOM uses a holistic review approach to admit a diverse class with the academic credentials and humanistic qualifications to become skilled osteopathic physicians dedicated to patient care and service to their communities.

Applicants who are recommended for admission by the committee are assigned a score.  The applicant’s score is the mean among those members who scored the application. 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.

*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 TCOM.

Applicants who are recommended for admission by the committee are forwarded to the Dean for approval.  The Dean may approve or may place an applicant on hold for future consideration.  Applicants who are held are placed on the waitlist but are not offered admission until the hold is released.

Acceptance Notification

TCOM sends acceptance notifications based on procedures agreed upon by the participating medical schools in the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS).  

Texas Residents

Non-Residents of Texas

Applicants who are classified as non-residents of Texas may be admitted on a rolling basis on or after October 15.

Dual DO/PhD Program

Applicants for the Dual DO/PhD Program may be admitted on a rolling basis on or after October 15, regardless of residency status.

Early Decision Program (EDP)

Highly qualified applicants who have a preference for the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) may apply through the Early Decision Program (EDP). Applicants must indicate they are applying on their TMDSAS application.  The deadline for EDP applications is August 1. All EDP decisions are made by September 15. Any applicant that is accepted through the EDP process is obligated to attend TCOM. An applicant that is not accepted through the EDP is free to apply to other schools for regular admission consideration.

Deferment

Any accepted applicant may request a deferment of entry for one academic year. The applicant must make the request prior to June 1, sign a deferment assurance statement, and submit a non-refundable deposit of $1,000.00 to hold a seat in the next class.  Requests received after June 1 are considered on a case-by-case basis.  Accepted applicants who are placed on deferment cannot apply to any other medical school.

Primary Care Pathway Program (PCPP)

Applicants who are enrolled in the Primary Care Pathway Program (PCPP) may be considered for admission upon completion of their first year of study at their undergraduate institution. Only students who are attending a designated partner institution may apply for PCPP consideration.

University of North Texas-University of North Texas Health Science Center Seven Year Bachelor of Arts/Doctor of Osteopathic (BA/DO) Combined Program

University of North Texas students may apply after their second year of undergraduate study through the combined BA/DO program.  Applicants must follow the policies and procedures for the program to be considered.  Applicants through this joint program are not required to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
 

Admission in Advanced Standing (Transfer)

Admission to TCOM as a transfer student is extremely limited.  Students currently enrolled in a fully accredited college of osteopathic medicine may be considered for advanced standing admission to the third year of medical studies at TCOM. Students must demonstrate both the completion and equivalency of a medical school curriculum equivalent to the first two years of medical education at TCOM. The applicant must have valid reasons for transfer, have maintained good academic standing, be qualified in every respect including academic performance, met all other requirements for admission, and be eligible for continuation. Admission is competitive and depends upon space availability at TCOM.

Guidelines for Eligibility

An applicant who has been dismissed from or has withdrawn from another medical college for academic reasons will NOT be considered for advanced standing.

• An applicant who previously applied to TCOM for admission as a first-year student and was not accepted will be considered for advanced standing only if academic performance in medical school has been distinguished as determined by the Admissions Committee.
• An applicant who has taken all premedical or medical studies at foreign institutions, including the medical schools located in the Caribbean region, will not be considered for admission in advanced standing.
• Applicants from related professions, such as dentistry, or those who have completed the related basic sciences as a graduate or health professional student are considered for admission only to the first-year medical class, regardless of prior degree(s) held.

Preliminary Requirements

Before any application for admission in advanced standing is processed, an applicant must first submit the following information:

• A letter explaining their reason(s) for requesting admission into the third year.
• Official transcripts of all medical school coursework.
• The dates and outcome of any previous applications to TCOM.
• Documentation such as a catalog or course syllabi that demonstrates the prospective transfer student will have completed the same two-year curricular content required of third-year medical students at TCOM, including medical science and osteopathic clinical courses.
• Official transcripts of all prior undergraduate and graduate courses taken as well as scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

If any of these requirements are not met, the application will be denied and further processing will be terminated.  Prospective transfer students should submit his/her preliminary requirements no later than October 1 of the year prior to matriculation.

Requirements

Selected applicants who meet all preliminary requirements and the stated guidelines for eligibility will be invited to submit all of the following required materials and information for full consideration as an applicant for admission in advanced standing:

• A completed application obtained from the Office of Admissions and Outreach and a filing fee of $100. The deadline for receipt of applications is January 15 of the year of proposed matriculation. All necessary supporting documents must also be received by January 15. Incomplete applications will be withdrawn from further consideration. No exceptions will be made.
• Official transcripts from all undergraduate colleges, graduate schools, and medical colleges. Copies of transcripts or hand-carried transcripts are not acceptable.
• A letter of evaluation from the dean of students at the medical school the applicant currently attends. This letter must indicate that the dean of the school has given full approval for the application for transfer.
• Scores on all external medical examinations taken (Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-COMLEX, USMLE). Official test results should be sent directly to the Office of Admissions and Outreach from the testing boards. Applicant should indicate when examinations are to be taken if no scores are available.
• A personal statement of reasons for applying for admission in advanced standing. This statement should be addressed to the Admissions Committee.
• An on-campus interview. Applicants are invited to the Health Science Center for admissions interviews at the discretion of the Admissions Committee.
  The Admissions Committee will consider only applications that are complete in every aspect provided they are received on or before January 15.