Texas has 16 medical schools: 13 MD programs and 3 DO programs. Thirteen are public and three are private (Baylor, TCU, and Incarnate Word). The most competitive are Baylor, UT Southwestern, and Long School of Medicine, and Texas residents have far better odds because public Texas medical schools must cap out-of-state enrollment at 10%.
13 of the 16 medical schools in Texas are allopathic programs
What You'll Learn
Texas Medical Schools at a Glance
How many medical schools Texas has and how they break down into MD and DO programs and public and private schools.
Rankings and Admissions Stats
How Texas medical schools compare on U.S. News rankings, tuition, GPA, and MCAT scores, and which schools are considered the best in the state.
Acceptance Rates and Residency
Which Texas medical schools are the easiest and hardest to get into, why lower stats don’t always mean better odds, and why Texas residents have a major advantage.
Schools by Region
Where each Texas medical school is located, from Greater Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth to East, Central, South, and West Texas.
What Makes Each School Unique
Each school’s mission, curriculum, clinical training, and research opportunities, from research powerhouses to schools focused on rural and border communities.
Getting Into Texas Medical Schools
How to write a strong TMDSAS application, build a data-driven school list, demonstrate fit with each school’s mission, and prepare for interviews.
Introduction to medical schools in Texas
How many medical schools are in Texas?
List of medical schools in Texas: 2026 rankings & admissions statistics
What are the best medical schools in Texas?
Texas medical school acceptance rates
Medical schools in Texas by region
Texas medical school profiles
Texas medical school admissions strategies
Frequently asked questions about medical schools in Texas
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Introduction to medical schools in Texas
There are several reasons why attending medical school in Texas is a highly attractive option to many. Notably, Texas medical schools tend to have relatively low tuition—this is especially true for in-state students but applies to out-of-state students, too. On top of this, Texas as a whole has a low cost of living, and many Texas medical schools have strong reputations and support a wide variety of communities across the state.
Whether you’re interested in living the urban life and conducting world-class research at a powerhouse like UT Southwestern in Dallas or serving rural and bicultural populations at UT Rio Grande Valley, there’s probably a Texas medical school for you.
While the 16 medical schools in California collectively get more attention than any other state’s institutions, Texas also has 16 medical schools, many of which strongly prefer to admit Texas residents over out-of-state applicants. Combined with the fact that Texas medical schools receive considerably fewer applications and tend to carry reasonable price tags, it’s no wonder that many Texans would prefer to stay home near family and friends.
It’s important to note that applying to Texas medical schools is a unique process: 14 of Texas’s 16 medical schools use TMDSAS as their primary application, while one uses AACOMAS and one uses AMCAS. Therefore, you’ll have to take a somewhat different approach when applying to Texas med schools vs. schools in other states.
In this guide, we’ll cover some of the strategies that will help you improve your odds of getting into med schools in Texas. But before we do so, let’s review the competition and other important information for each program.
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How many medical schools are in Texas?
Texas has 16 accredited medical schools: thirteen allopathic (MD) and three osteopathic (DO). Thirteen are public schools and three are private.
Allopathic medical schools in Texas (MD)
Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine (Lubbock)
Osteopathic medical schools in Texas (DO)
Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine
University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Public medical schools in Texas
Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine (Lubbock)
University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Private medical schools in Texas
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List of medical schools in Texas: 2026 rankings & admissions statistics
We’ve compiled admissions information about each medical school in Texas so you can understand what you’re up against, whether you’re a Texas resident or out-of-state applicant.
In putting together the following statistics, we noticed the following:
Several Texas medical schools enjoy strong rankings, with two achieving ‘Tier 1’ status and five achieving ‘Tier 2’ status in the 2026 U.S. News Research rankings.
Texas residents are invited to interview at Texas medical schools at much higher rates than non-residents. There are a couple of reasons behind this:
Many Texas medical schools have missions based in serving specific regions of the state; therefore, they seek applicants who have ties to those regions.
Public universities in Texas are legally required to cap their out-of-state enrollment at 10 percent.
Tuition and fees at Texas medical schools are, by and large, much cheaper than they are at most other medical schools in the U.S. In considering the costs listed in the table below, keep in mind that the national median med school tuition and fees currently total:
$43,648 per year for in-state students at public schools
$70,730 per year for out-of-state students at public schools
$74,661–$76,605 per year for students at private schools
(Note: We strongly advise you to sign up for MSAR for the most up-to-date and comprehensive data on individual MD programs and to sign up for Choose DO for DO program data.)
(Note: U.S. News and World Report moved to a tier-based ranking system in fall 2024, in part due to a number of schools declining to participate. Schools who declined to share sufficient data with US News are now unranked, which is reflected in the table below with ‘UR.')
| Texas Medical Schools | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baylor College of Medicine | Tier 1 (Research) Tier 3 (Primary Care) |
$78,784.85 OOS |
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| University of Texas Southwestern Medical School* | Tier 1 (Research) Tier 2 (Primary Care) |
$38,536 OOS |
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| Texas A&M College of Medicine* | Tier 2 (Research) Tier 2 (Primary Care) |
$36,933.36 OOS |
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| McGovern Medical School at UT Health Houston* | Tier 2 (Research) Tier 3 (Primary Care) |
$38,000.92 OOS |
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| Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio* | Tier 2 (Research) Tier 2 (Primary Care) |
$69,160 OOS |
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| University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine* | Tier 2 (Research) Tier 2 (Primary Care) |
$42,436.50 OOS |
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| Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine - Lubbock* | Tier 3 (Research) Tier 2 (Primary Care) |
$35,176 OOS |
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| University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine* | Tier 3 (Research) Tier 3 (Primary Care) |
$35,559.34 OOS |
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| Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine* | Tier 4 (Research) UR (Primary Care) |
$41,600 OOS |
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| Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU | Tier 4 (Research) UR (Primary Care) |
$75,700 OOS |
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| Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine* | UR |
$33,625 OOS |
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| University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine* | UR |
$38,322 OOS |
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| University of Houston College of Medicine* | UR |
$37,368 OOS |
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| University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School* | UR |
$37,138 OOS |
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| University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine* | UR |
$35,472 OOS |
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| University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine | UR |
$72,334 OOS |
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What are the best medical schools in Texas?
The best medical schools in Texas are Baylor College of Medicine and UT Southwestern Medical School, the only two Texas schools with Tier 1 research rankings from U.S. News. Baylor also has the highest average MCAT score in the state (518). Texas A&M, McGovern, Long, and UTMB follow with Tier 2 research rankings.
Based on the most recent data, Texas’s ranked medical schools are:
Baylor College of Medicine: Tier 1 research and Tier 3 primary care
UT Southwestern Medical School: Tier 1 research and Tier 2 primary care
Texas A&M College of Medicine: Tier 2 research and Tier 2 primary care
Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio: Tier 2 research and Tier 2 primary care
University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine: Tier 2 research and Tier 2 primary care
McGovern Medical School at UT Health Houston: Tier 2 research and Tier 3 primary care
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine (Lubbock): Tier 3 research and Tier 2 primary care
UNT Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine: Tier 3 research and Tier 3 primary care
Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine: Tier 4 research
Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU: Tier 4 research
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Texas medical school acceptance rates
Most Texas medical schools accept fewer than 6% of applicants. Acceptance rates range from 1.1% at UT Austin Dell Medical School to 13.6% at Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Which Texas medical schools have the highest acceptance rates?
Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (13.6%) and UNT Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (9.7%) give applicants the best odds. Among MD programs, UT Southwestern (8.8%) and UTMB (7.9%) have the highest acceptance rates based on data provided by U.S. News.
What are the easiest medical schools to get into in Texas?
No Texas medical school is easy to get into. However, University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine (3.3 GPA, 500 MCAT), UT Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine (3.5 GPA, 508 MCAT), and Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU (3.62 GPA, 508 MCAT) have the lowest stats of accepted students.
Lower stats don’t always mean better odds, though. UTRGV accepts just 1.2% of applicants, and TCU accepts 2.9%, so compare each school’s acceptance rate and mission fit alongside its averages.
Is it easier to get into medical school in Texas?
It’s easier for Texas residents. Public Texas medical schools must fill at least 90% of their seats with residents, so in-state applicants compete for far more seats than out-of-state applicants do. Texas residents also pay some of the lowest medical school tuition in the country, as little as about $18,000–$32,000 per year at public schools.
For out-of-state applicants, Texas is one of the harder states to get into. Only the private schools (Baylor, TCU, and Incarnate Word) aren’t bound by the 90% rule, and Baylor still strongly favors Texas residents.
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Medical schools in Texas by region
Medical schools in Greater Houston
Medical schools in Dallas/Fort Worth
Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University
University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Medical schools in East Texas
Medical schools in Central Texas
Medical schools in South Texas
Medical schools in West Texas
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Texas medical school profiles
Now that you’re familiar with key aspects of Texas medical schools, we’ll provide profiles of each school so that you can learn more about what makes them unique. When deciding where to apply to medical school, you’ll want to take into account not just a school’s average stats, interview rate, and tuition—you’ll also want to think about criteria like its location, curriculum, culture, and resources. These factors, plus competitiveness, should all be considered when determining which medical schools will fit you best.
Baylor College of Medicine
Consistently considered the best medical school in Texas, Baylor is known both as a research powerhouse and as a top school for clinical education. Baylor is part of the Texas Medical Center (TMC), the world’s largest medical complex, and is affiliated with many other highly ranked hospitals, giving Baylor med students a breadth of experience treating a diverse patient population. On top of this, researchers within the TMC collaborate across institutions, giving Baylor students abundant opportunities to participate in research. In fact, BCM received over $420 million in NIH funding in 2023, ranking it #20 among U.S. medical schools for research funding.
Baylor is somewhat unusual in that, although it’s a private medical school, it does receive public funding for in-state students, thus allowing it to keep tuition costs low. That’s one reason why Baylor strongly favors in-state applicants, and in line with this is its recent decision to leave the AMCAS system for TMDSAS. Baylor’s mission statement emphasizes promoting education, healthcare, and community service “locally and globally,” the former of which can be observed through its commitment to providing Texans with first-rate medical education.
Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio
Through its medical care, education, and research, Long School of Medicine aims to serve the healthcare needs of Texans, with an emphasis on South Texas. In that vein, Long is the largest educator of physicians in South Texas, and many of its grads stay in the region to practice. The curriculum emphasizes early clinical exposure, allowing students to engage in hands-on learning from their first month of medical school, which is crucial for developing practical skills.
The Long School emphasizes community service through initiatives like Student-Faculty Collaborative Practices, where students provide care for underserved populations in San Antonio. Annually, the institution handles approximately 2 million patient encounters, underscoring its role as a critical healthcare provider in the region.
Long students can also earn “distinctions” in research, medical education, or medical humanities. Long students primarily rotate at University Hospital, the third-largest public health system in Texas, and within the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, allowing them to receive a wide range of clinical experiences.
The school has a strong focus on research. Ongoing research initiatives target complex diseases such as Alzheimer's, diabetes, and various cancers. The school has been instrumental in developing groundbreaking medical devices and therapies.
McGovern Medical School at UT Health Houston
McGovern Medical School (formerly known as UTHealth Medical School) is currently the ninth-largest medical school in the country and the largest in Texas. McGovern’s curriculum includes a pass/fail first semester and the opportunity to choose a scholarly concentration to focus on. Like Baylor, McGovern is part of the vast Texas Medical Center—as such, McGovern students are granted top-notch research opportunities and excellent clinical training with exposure to a large, highly diverse patient population. With total research expenditures exceeding $319 million, faculty research at McGovern spans critical areas such as stroke, infectious diseases, cardiovascular disease, neoplastic disease (cancer), and molecular medicine aimed at disease prevention.
Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU) is a relatively new osteopathic medical school located outside of Houston; the inaugural class matriculated in 2020. Because part of SHSU’s mission is to educate physicians who will serve the eastern region of Texas, it strongly emphasizes primary care and rural medicine. Successful applicants will be committed to all three of these areas. While SHSU is technically a public school, it has for the time being chosen to forego state funding and rely instead on tuition revenue; this has resulted in tuition prices that are high for Texas and comparable to private med schools.
The DO program follows a vertically and horizontally integrated curriculum that combines biomedical sciences with clinical practice. Students engage in various teaching modalities, including lectures, small group discussions, case-based learning, and simulation exercises.
Clinical training occurs primarily in community hospitals and clinics that serve rural populations, ensuring students gain practical experience while addressing local healthcare needs.
Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU
Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU is a relatively new Texas medical school with a mission to “transform health care by inspiring Empathetic Scholars.” This focus on empathy and compassion can be seen through a communication curriculum that includes theater, narrative medicine, journalism, and population health and social justice. Other unique aspects of the TCU curriculum include a flipped classroom model (i.e., students study lecture content on their own, then use class time for group discussion and problem-solving) and a required research project and thesis completed under the guidance of a faculty mentor. With a relatively small class size, TCU fosters a close-knit academic community where students receive personalized attention from faculty and mentors.
TCU has just opened a new 100,000 square foot medical school campus in Fort Worth’s medical innovation district, which features advanced simulation labs and technology-integrated classrooms designed to support innovative teaching methods and hands-on learning experiences.
One of only three private medical schools in Texas, TCU is also the only med school in Texas that uses AMCAS for its MD admissions process.
Texas A&M College of Medicine
Split across five campuses, Texas A&M trains all incoming medical students at its main campus in Bryan-College Station; beginning in the third year, students receive clinical training there or at satellite campuses in Dallas, Houston, Round Rock, or Temple. This gives them the option to gain clinical experience in either urban or small-town environments and allows them to capitalize on a variety of research opportunities (e.g., the Houston campus is part of the Texas Medical Center).
True to A&M’s roots as an agricultural school, the medical school’s curriculum emphasizes rural and population health. The MD program consists of 1.5 years of pre-clinical training followed by 2.5 years of clinical training. This structure allows students to engage in clinical experiences earlier in their education. Students can gain clinical experience in both urban and rural settings, allowing them to understand the varied healthcare needs across different populations. In addition, it offers unique tracks such as military health and EnMed, an integrated engineering and medical curriculum.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
The mission of Texas Tech’s Paul L. Foster School of Medicine (PLFSOM) is to “promote wellness and relieve human suffering through excellence in health care, intellectual innovation, and service beyond borders.” PLFSOM emphasizes working with underserved populations. Given El Paso’s location on the U.S.-Mexico border, students can gain a wide diversity of clinical experiences, including insights into the medical circumstances of developing countries. As such, PLFSOM is the only medical school in the country that requires its students to learn medical Spanish.
Additionally, PLFSOM’s curriculum is pass/fail for the first two years, integrates clinical experience beginning in the first year, and has a mandatory “Society, Community and Individual” component in which students gain education in public health topics. Students have opportunities to volunteer at student-run clinics that provide primary care services to individuals of all ages, fostering a commitment to community service.
You’ll also find top-tier facilities at PLFSOM. The Medical Education Building (MEB) is equipped with state-of-the-art classrooms, simulation labs, such as the Center for Advanced Teaching and Assessment in Clinical Simulation (ATACS) with hands-on training using high-fidelity mannequins and standardized patients to practice clinical skills. Clinical skills areas are designed to support interactive learning.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine
Founded to address a physician shortage in West Texas, TTUHSC’s mission is regionally focused and strives to aid the underserved. Its curriculum emphasizes humanistic primary care and encourages interprofessional collaboration with students in other health professions.
The school was established specifically to address a physician shortage in West Texas, where healthcare disparities are prevalent. Approximately 20% of physicians practicing in West Texas are graduates of TTUHSC.
Through research and clinical care, TTUHSC aims to decrease the health disparities that affect rural and minority populations and improve the overall health of the region. TTUHSC has a multi-campus system; all students spend their first two years in Lubbock before beginning clinical training there or at satellite campuses throughout West Texas. As the Lubbock campus’s University Medical Center Hospital is the only Level 1 trauma center serving 108 counties in West Texas and eastern New Mexico, the clinical experience students gain there has an unparalleled reputation among Texas medical schools.
TTUHSC features a modern learning environment with the Academic Classroom Building (ACB) in Lubbock which has over 62,000 square feet of space dedicated to medical education, including lecture halls, conference rooms, and laboratories for neuroanatomy studies.
Students will also learn in the SimLife Center, which provides students with simulated clinical experiences using high-fidelity mannequins and standardized patients to practice their skills in a controlled environment.
If you’re interested in Family Medicine and want to cut down the time to residency, TTUHSC offers an accelerated three-year track that culminates in a three-year standard Family Medicine residency in Lubbock.
University of Houston College of Medicine
University of Houston is another relatively new Texas medical school whose first class matriculated in 2020. UH’s mission is to address the shortage of primary care physicians and to improve health disparities in both urban and rural areas of Texas not only by treating disease, but also by preventing it through a focus on social determinants of health.
The curriculum is designed to integrate clinical experience from the first year, with a strong emphasis on primary care and community health. Students participate in weekly clinical experiences at primary care clinics, allowing them to develop essential skills in patient management. They’ll also work alongside peers from nursing, social work, and other health professions, fostering the interprofessional collaboration necessary for real-world medical practice.
Throughout their education, students engage in specialized sessions that address contemporary health issues, such as pain management, global health challenges, and end-of-life care.
Household-centered care initiatives are another feature of the program, where students visit homes facing significant health challenges with the goal of helping them understand the social determinants of health affecting their patients.
University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine
Incarnate Word is a private, osteopathic medical school that’s part of one of Texas’s oldest Catholic universities. Incarnate Word focuses on educating primary care physicians and treating underserved populations, particularly in South Texas. As a faith-based school, it emphasizes “the ethical, compassionate, and altruistic practice of medicine”—as such, social accountability and community service make up important parts of its mission. (Note: Students of all religious backgrounds are welcome.) Incarnate Word is the only Texas medical school to use AACOMAS in its admissions process.
The curriculum is integrated and learner-centered, focusing on case-based learning. In years one and two, students build foundational knowledge in osteopathic principles and biomedical sciences through interactive learning experiences and in years three and four, they engage in core clinical rotations across various specialties, including family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, and more.
During your time at UIW, you’ll gain practical experience through community service initiatives that address local health disparities and engage in rotations in medically underserved areas, providing students with exposure to various healthcare settings and patient populations.
University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) stands out among Texas DO schools for a few reasons: it’s by far the oldest and most established, it’s ranked by U.S. News for both research and primary care, and it’s generally considered to be the top DO school in the country. These are among the reasons why plenty of applicants consider TCOM alongside allopathic medical schools. About 60 percent of TCOM graduates go into primary care—one of the highest percentages in the nation—and TCOM is known for its focus on treating underserved populations. As such, TCOM also offers a track specializing in rural medicine.
The institution prioritizes social accountability, encouraging students to engage with underserved communities, particularly in rural areas of Texas. However, you’ll gain experience across various healthcare settings, including urban hospitals and rural clinics.
University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School
UT Austin’s Dell Medical School has established itself as an exciting option due to its mission to “revolutionize how people get and stay healthy.” Aspects of this mission include a focus on educating future healthcare leaders, developing new models of care and healthcare delivery, and rethinking the standard medical school curriculum.
Unique strengths of the Dell Med education include small class sizes, a pass/fail first year, and a science curriculum that’s compressed from the typical two years down to one year, thus freeing up the third year for research, another independent project, or a dual degree. Its curriculum is known as the Leading EDGE curriculum, which consists of four phases: Essentials, Discovery, Growth, and Exploration. The school actively engages in initiatives aimed at improving healthcare access for underserved populations in Central Texas. Dell’s innovative mission and curriculum have made it a med school to keep an eye on.
University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine
UTMB is distinctive among Texas medical schools for a few reasons: its strong reputation combined with the laid-back atmosphere of its Galveston Island location draw many; it’s the oldest medical school in Texas with many long-established affiliations; and it boasts unique clinical experiences, such as providing care for the incarcerated and an aerospace medicine track (in partnership with NASA). The campus features state-of-the-art facilities designed for medical education and research. This includes simulation labs, advanced classrooms, and collaborative spaces that support interactive learning.
UTMB students are provided with many research opportunities, including at the on-campus Galveston National Laboratory, a Level 4 federal biocontainment research facility. The first two years of UTMB’s curriculum are pass/fail; after this, students rotate at sites both in Galveston and in other parts of Texas, allowing them to gain an array of clinical experiences.
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
The UTRGV School of Medicine is another relatively new Texas medical school. Like Texas Tech’s El Paso campus, UTRGV is located near the U.S.-Mexico border and focuses on addressing the unique health disparities present in the border community through delivering quality healthcare, educating physicians who will serve the region, and advancing research on diseases that significantly affect the Rio Grande Valley, such as diabetes.
Distinctive features of UTRGV’s curriculum include interprofessional education in which MD students learn collaboratively with students in other healthcare disciplines, early clinical exposure, and the opportunities to work in underserved communities. All this is done while incorporating various teaching methods, including problem-based learning, case studies, laboratory sessions, and flipped classroom formats.
The UTRGV School of Medicine is located in Edinburg, Texas, featuring state-of-the-art facilities designed for medical education and research. The planned $145 million Cancer and Surgery Center aimed at providing advanced cancer care while also conducting research into effective treatments for prevalent cancers in the region.
The school also operates initiatives like UniMovil, a mobile health clinic that provides primary care services to medically underserved areas within the community.
What’s more, UTRGV is known for affordability, offering one of the lowest tuition rates nationally, allowing more students from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in medicine.
University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
Highly ranked in both research and primary care, UT Southwestern offers a top-notch, well-rounded education. On the clinical side, UT Southwestern is known for its dedication to mentorship and the opportunities it provides to pursue individualized pathways through the medical school curriculum.
The curriculum is structured into three phases—pre-clerkship (18 months), clerkship (18 months), and post-clerkship (12 months). The pre-clerkship phase focuses on foundational medical sciences and early clinical experiences, while during the clerkship phase students engage in clinical rotations across various specialties. Post-clerkship allows for further individualization of your education, in the form of research projects or advanced clinical training.
UT Southwestern students gain excellent clinical experience through the school’s affiliation with Parkland Hospital, one of the largest teaching hospitals in the nation and Dallas County’s only public hospital. In addition, UT Southwestern’s status as a leading research facility, with annual research funding exceeding $554 million, gives students plenty of opportunities to get involved with groundbreaking research. The school conducts cutting-edge research across various fields, including cancer, neuroscience, and cardiovascular medicine.
University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine
UT Tyler is the newest Texas medical school; its inaugural class of 40 students matriculated in Fall 2023. Through a focus on rural health, UT Tyler aims to address the physician shortage in East Texas, particularly in primary care specialties, and to increase levels of health awareness in the region. The entire inaugural class is expected to receive four-year scholarships.
The curriculum incorporates guided, self-directed learning and emphasizes collaborative education across healthcare disciplines. All students take an 18-month course focused on population health, which equips them with essential competencies in healthcare delivery systems.
UT Tyler aims to develop research programs that focus on understanding health disparities in East Texas. Some planned research areas include tuberculosis, lung disease, and occupational injuries.
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Texas medical school admissions strategies
In this section, we’ll cover four strategies—beyond achieving a strong GPA and MCAT score and participating in critical medical school extracurriculars—to increase your odds of getting in.
Strategy 1: Submit a great TMDSAS application
Texas medical schools are unique in that all but two use TMDSAS (Incarnate Word uses AACOMAS; TCU uses AMCAS). TMDSAS is entirely separate from AMCAS and AACOMAS and differs in some of the following key ways:
The TMDSAS personal statement character limit is 5,000, whereas AMCAS and AACOMAS have a 5,300-character limit.
The TMDSAS Activities section allows up to 300 or 500 characters per entry depending on the type of activity, compared with 700 for the AMCAS Work and Activities section. Moreover, you can use up to 500 characters for the TMDSAS “most meaningful” entries, compared with 1,325 for AMCAS.
TMDSAS requires you to submit two additional essays: a personal characteristics essay and an optional essay.
TMDSAS requires in-state applicants to participate in a Match process.
The two additional essays are a particularly important difference because every Texas medical school you apply to will see those essays. On the other hand, AMCAS and AACOMAS will only require you to submit your medical school personal statement; individual schools are then allowed to request whatever secondary essays they would like to see. That said, Texas medical schools will also require you to submit additional secondary essays. We’ve placed the number of secondary essays for each Texas medical school in the table below to help with your planning.
(Recommended reading: Medical School Secondary Essay Prompts)
Strategy 2: Develop a data-driven Texas medical school list
In the table above, we see a wide range of average GPA and MCAT scores among matriculants to medical schools in Texas. For instance, whereas UT Austin (Dell) has an average GPA of 3.74 and an average MCAT score of 513, UT Rio Grande Valley has an average GPA of 3.5 and an average MCAT score of 508. It’s clear, therefore, that Dell expects higher stats than UTRGV.
As you develop your school list, aim to apply to medical schools where your GPA is no more than 0.2 points and your MCAT is no more than 3 points below their averages. Of course, higher is better.
In addition, closely review each Texas medical school’s acceptance rate, because stats alone won’t tell you how hard a school is to get into. Some schools with lower averages are among the most selective in the state. UTRGV and University of Houston accept just 1.2% of applicants despite average MCAT scores of 508 and 505. Meanwhile, UT Southwestern accepts 8.8% of applicants despite a 515 average MCAT. Likewise, UT Tyler’s matriculants average a 3.9 GPA but a 503 MCAT, which shows that individual schools weigh GPA and MCAT differently.
Keep in mind that these acceptance rates include both in-state and out-of-state applicants. Because public Texas medical schools must fill at least 90% of their seats with Texas residents, your odds at those schools will be considerably better than the listed rate if you’re a resident, and considerably worse if you’re not.
Moreover, some Texas medical schools have strong regional preferences. They prefer to admit not only Texas residents but also applicants who come from a particular region or have shown a commitment to serving it, since those students are more likely to enroll and stay. UTRGV and Texas Tech Paul L. Foster, for example, focus on the U.S.-Mexico border region, while UT Tyler focuses on East Texas.
Therefore, as you decide which medical schools you should apply to, consider not only your stats but also your state of residence, each school’s acceptance rate, and how well your background fits its regional mission.
Strategy 3: Demonstrate your unique sense of fit with all medical schools in Texas
Medical schools in Texas are often mistakenly lumped together as though they’re the same, yet they differ in so many ways. As discussed in the profiles above, some programs are known more for their research than others, others are more committed to serving certain regional communities or individuals from certain cultural or socioeconomic backgrounds, and so on.
Therefore, when you approach your Texas medical school applications, consider your applicant persona—how you want to be known and remembered—and develop clear themes throughout your essays. For instance, being known as “the rural health gal” or “the plastic surgery researcher” may make you a more attractive applicant at different programs.
In addition, be sure to write your secondary essays for each Texas med school in such a way that demonstrates a clear fit with their mission—stated or otherwise. For example, Texas Tech (Lubbock) asks questions about your interest in serving individuals from underserved backgrounds, working in rural health, border towns, and primary care, and also whether you have ties to West Texas.
When you write your essays, highlight appropriate aspects of your background to fit what they’re looking for. Even if you don’t have ties to West Texas, perhaps you’re from another rural area, or from an area with a similar demographic and can share an anecdote that demonstrates your knowledge and heart for the type of community that Texas Tech aims to serve.
Strategy 4: Preparing for interviews is crucial
The final hurdle to getting on your path to a white coat is acing medical school interviews. Once you’ve submitted your applications and essays, if you’ve been invited for an interview, that means adcoms think you could be a good fit from what they’ve seen on paper.
However, they also want to know who you are as a person. How do you think? Are you as congenial and cooperative as you seem in your essays? Making a solid impression during the interview is incredibly important to whether you’ll be granted an offer of admission.
With this in mind, you’ll want to research the interview styles of each Texas medical school you apply to. Will you have just one interview with an admissions committee member? Will it be in-person or virtual? Perhaps they use the multiple mini interview (MMI) format instead of a traditional one.
For example, Texas A&M requires applicants to sit for two 30 minute interviews and a seven minute Standardized Patient Exercise, while Baylor requires two 25-30 minute virtual interviews one-on-one with a faculty member or student admissions committee member.
Taking these variations into account will ensure you’re fully prepared with distinctive and compelling answers on interview day.
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Frequently asked questions about medical schools in Texas
What is the best medical school in Texas?
Baylor College of Medicine is generally considered the best medical school in Texas. It holds a Tier 1 research ranking from U.S. News and has the highest average MCAT score in the state (518). UT Southwestern also holds a Tier 1 research ranking.
What is the easiest medical school to get into in Texas?
University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine has the lowest average stats in the state (3.3 GPA, 500 MCAT). Among MD programs, UT Rio Grande Valley (3.5 GPA, 508 MCAT) and TCU (3.62 GPA, 508 MCAT) have the lowest averages. For the highest acceptance rate, look at Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (13.6%).
Do Texas medical schools accept out-of-state students?
Yes, but public Texas medical schools are limited to 10% out-of-state students, so nonresidents have much lower odds there. Private schools like TCU and Incarnate Word are more open to out-of-state applicants and charge the same tuition regardless of residency. Baylor is also private, but it favors Texas residents and charges them much lower tuition.
What GPA and MCAT do you need for Texas medical schools?
Average GPAs at Texas medical schools range from 3.3 to 3.93, and average MCAT scores range from 500 to 518. For the most competitive schools (Baylor, Long, and UT Southwestern), plan on a GPA of 3.8 or higher and an MCAT of 515 or higher.
Final thoughts
Medical schools in Texas are among the most coveted given their relative affordability for in-state and out-of-state students, and also their breadth of training opportunities. When developing your medical school list, consider your likelihood of getting into each individual Texas medical school, based not only on your stats, but also how well you fit the type of student they’re looking for. As you write your essays and participate in interviews, consider how you can demonstrate your enthusiasm for each school and the communities they serve so you can maximize your chances of getting in.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions. For over 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school using his exclusive approach.
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