M.D. Admissions
The Admissions Committee has the responsibility of recommending individuals from an increasingly large number of applicants who have the intellectual ability and motivation for service, making them most suitable for the study and practice of medicine. Particular interest is taken in candidates with a broad educational background. The committee emphasizes attempting to fill the needs of Texas for primary and rural care practitioners as well as those who will practice in other shortage areas or among needy populations. To the extent provided by applicable law, no person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under, any program or activity sponsored or conducted by The University of Texas System or any of its institutions, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, or disability, in accordance with The University of Texas System Board of Regents Rules and Regulations, Series 10701.
Admission Requirements
Students should plan college course work with an emphasis on obtaining a broad education. Knowledge is an end in itself. It is important that evidence of scholarly interest and achievement in some branch of academic endeavor be demonstrated. The study of medicine is based upon science, so the medical student must be a capable student of science. While science majors are very appropriate, a liberal arts education is also an excellent basis for a medical career.
Accordingly, applicants may have majored in such areas as classics, languages, history, English literature, music, or philosophy, provided specific scientific requirements are fulfilled. All applicants are expected to be well educated and able to demonstrate the intellectual interests associated with entry into a learned profession.
Students must complete at least 90 undergraduate credit hours at a United States or Canadian university. The specific pre-medical credits listed below must be taken at a United States or Canadian university. Although the minimum requirement for admission is 90 undergraduate semester hours at a United States or Canadian university, preference is given to students who obtain a baccalaureate degree prior to admission to medical school.
While the academic requirement is for 90 hours of college coursework, a completed degree is strongly recommended. Graduate courses do not satisfy these premedical requirements.
Requirements for Medical School Applicants for TMDSAS Schools:
English 6 semester hours
Biology 14 (12 plus 2 laboratory) semester hours One year may be completed by advanced placement. The other year must be completed in residence at a college and must include formal laboratory work. Biology courses must be as required for science majors.
Mathematics 3 semester hours of college calculus or statistics. These courses should be given by the mathematics department.
Physics 8 semester hours (6 plus 2 laboratory), Physics courses must be as required for science majors must include laboratory experience.
Chemistry 12 semester hours (6 plus 2 lab) one year of general chemistry and one year of organic chemistry as required for science majors and must include the corresponding laboratory experience.
The Medical and Dental Schools of The University of Texas System are authorized by the Texas Legislature to accept only a limited number of non-residents for enrollment in an entering class. Non-resident students should have outstanding qualifications.
The Medical College Admissions Test is required and is an important part of the application. The new format MCAT is administered many times each year, and details of the dates and places of administration can be found at the AAMC website.
Information on the MCAT may be obtained from college premedical advisers or by writing to:
The American College Testing Program
P. O. Box 414
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
Admissions Criteria
The UT Medical School, in conformity with the purpose assigned it by the Texas Legislature and its mission statement, selects the best qualified students for its entering class who demonstrate a potential to become competent and caring physicians and who will serve the identified needs of the State of Texas. To that end, the Admissions Committee considers the totality of each application and gives importance to the factors enumerated below.
1. Intellectual capacity:
Each student who is accepted must have the intellectual ability to successfully complete medical school and master the essentials of the practice of medicine.
- undergraduate and graduate record
- standardized test scores
- academic awards and honors (e.g. Phi Beta Kappa, National Merit, etc.)
- research accomplishments
- degree of difficulty of undergraduate program
- pre-professional evaluations, personal interview
2. Interpersonal and Communication Skills
The practice of medicine demands a high level of interpersonal skills and a compassionate attitude. The ability to communicate well is essential for these qualities.
- community or charitable service
- recognition for humanitarian service
- extracurricular activities and organizations
- leadership positions
- employment history
- cultural competency
- articulate and organized communication, both oral and written
- standardized test scores in verbal abilities
- written MCAT score
- statements made on the application or in the personal interview
3. Breadth and Depth of Pre-medical Educational Experience
The modern practice of medicine requires a strong scientific background and also an ability to understand the complex non-scientific problems facing physicians and patients, e.g. ethical or socioeconomic problems. The bare completion of the pre-medical requirements is a base on which to build further knowledge and prepare physicians for a lifetime of study so that they will remain the best possible practitioners of medicine.
- undergraduate core curriculum or course selection
- participation in the intellectual life of the university
- involvement in discipline organizations and clubs
- extent and variety of reading
- papers written or published
- knowledge displayed at the interview
- enrollment in an honors program in college
- pre-professional evaluations
4. Potential for Service to the State of Texas
A state medical school must, as a primary concern, produce practitioners who will serve the people of that state.
- the applicant’s goals for the future
- size and location of hometown
- residency in a Health Professions Shortage Area in Texas
- potential for future provision of health services to underserved areas
- potential for future provision of medical specialties in short supply
- language skills appropriate to the Health Profession Shortage Areas in Texas
5. Motivation
A physician must be prepared for a lifetime of intense service to her or his patients. This requires a high level of selfless motivation and commitment.
- success in overcoming adverse economic or educational conditions
- employment history occurring simultaneously with undergraduate academic preparation
- participation in activities requiring time management skills
- varsity athletics, campus symphony, and other time-intensive accomplishments
- improvement in the undergraduate record
- veteran status and military experience
- experience in health-related activities
6. Integrity
Because of the public trust given to members of the medical profession, a physician must have qualities of integrity beyond reproach.
- pre-professional evaluations
- any academic integrity violation
- comission of a crime
- any other relevant background relating either positively or negatively to applicant’s standard of integrity
- honorable discharge or discharge under honorable conditions
7. Ethical Standards
A candidate must demonstrate a professional demeanor and behavior and must perform in an ethical manner in all dealings with peers, faculty, staff, and patients.
8. Technical Standards
All individuals, without exception, who apply for admission to the UT Medical School at Houston must be able to perform specific essential functions. Essential functions are the basic activities that a student must be able to perform to complete the generalist medical school curriculum. An applicant who cannot perform the medical school’s essential functions will not be considered for admission. A candidate for the MD degree at the UT Medical School must be able to perform these essential functions:
OBSERVATION
- accurately observe demonstrations
- accurately observe patients close up and at a distance
- observe to gather patient data (affect, gait, appearance, posture, etc.)
- use visual, auditory, olfactory and somatic senses to gather information
COMMUNICATION
- communicate orally and in writing with patients and members of the health-care team
- read and comprehend written material
PSYCHOMOTOR SKILLS
- sufficient motor function to obtain data from patients
- use tactile, auditory, and visual maneuvers
- execute motor movements to provide general care and emergency treatment
INTELLECTUAL AND COGNITIVE ABILITIES
- measure, calculate, reason, analyze, synthesize, integrate and apply information
- comprehend three-dimensional relationships
- understand the spatial relationships of structures
BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL ATTRIBUTES
- emotional health to fully use intellectual abilities
- exercise good judgment
- promptly complete all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients
- developing mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients
- tolerate physically taxing workloads
- function effectively under stress
- adapt to changing environments
- display flexibility
- learn to function in the face of many patients
- show compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation
CHRONIC CONDITIONS
A candidate must not possess any chronic or recurrent illnesses, including but not limited to, infectious, psychiatric or substance abuse problems that can interfere with patient care or safety and are not compatible with medical practice or training.
For more information on the Technical Standards, contact:
Office of Admissions
The University of Texas Medical School at Houston
6431 Fannin
Houston, Texas 77030
Application Procedure
Application for admission to The UT Medical School is made through the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS). Applications for entry are accepted between May 1 and Nov. 1 of the preceding year. Early application is encouraged and is of advantage to applicants. Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Applicants should contact the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service for the most current information. Application information is available from The Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service’s Web site: www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas
Questions may be directed to:
Texas Medical and Dental Schools
Application Service
702 Colorado, #6.400
Austin, Texas 78701
Telephone 512-499-4785
A non-refundable filing fee is required to accompany completed application forms when they are submitted to the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service. For Texas residents, the cost of submitting an application is $55 for one school and $10 for each additional school to which application is made. For non-residents, the cost of submitting an application is $100 for one school and $10 for each additional school to which application is made. These fees are subject to change.
After applications have been processed by the application service, they are forwarded to the UT Medical School, where they are reviewed and evaluated.
Applicants who give evidence of being well-qualified candidates for admission are invited to Houston for personal interviews on a specified date. The invitation for interview is for the specified date only. All applicants are welcome to visit the UT Medical School at anytime, but formal interviews must, of necessity, be arranged by, and are at the initiative of, the Office of Admissions.
Following each interview, applicants may rank their medical school preferences via the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service’s Web site. Final preference decisions must be made prior to Jan. 15 (subject to change). The Admissions Committee evaluates each applicant and sends a list of applicants to the Central Application Service for matching with the applicant’s medical school preferences. The schools may make early offers of acceptance beginning October 15 for MD/PhD candidates and November 15 for Texas residents.
After the match date, admitted applicants are required to indicate their acceptance decision in writing within two weeks of notification. An applicant who later decides to accept a position in another institution should give prompt notice in writing of withdrawal from the UT Medical School.
The Medical School is cognizant of the procedures recommended by the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Entering medical students will be expected to consent to and pay for a criminal background check by an entity designated by the Medical School.
“Academic Fresh Start” Statute
A Texas resident applicant for undergraduate admission may seek to enter this institution pursuant to the “academic fresh start” statute, Texas Education Code, Section 51.931. When the applicant informs the admissions office in writing of the election, the institution will not consider in the admissions decision any academic course credits or grades earned by the applicant 10 or more years prior to the starting date of the semester in which the applicant seeks to enroll. An applicant who makes the election to apply under this statute may not receive any course credit for courses taken 10 or more years prior to enrollment under academic fresh start.
An applicant who has earned a baccalaureate degree under the “academic fresh start” statute, Texas Education Code, Section 51.931, and applies for admission to a post-graduate or professional program will be evaluated on only the grade-point average of the course of work completed for that baccalaureate degree and the other criteria stated herein for admission to the postgraduate or professional program. |
