Medical School

A few things to consider: The path to becoming a physician is a long and rewarding one. Once a student determines that medicine might be in their future, we recommend that you come in and make an appointment with the Professional School Advising pre-medical advisor. This advisor will be able to pick you up where you are, whether you are a freshman, junior or former student, and determine what path is best for you in your pursuit of medicine.

What major should I choose? Texas A&M does not have a pre-medical academic track, and med schools have no preference in what major you choose. It is our suggestion that students choose a major that they will enjoy and will do well in while completing the prerequisite course requirements.

Being a strong applicant: Medical schools take a holistic view of applicants, so to be a strong applicant you not only need a competitive GPA and MCAT test scores, you also need exposure to the medical field, community service and leadership. You will also need strong letters of recommendation.

Shadowing and volunteering: Students gain experience by shadowing a physician, volunteering in a clinic/private practice or working in the field. Many pre-med students start this process with their personal doctors while at home during the semester breaks. Virtual shadowing has also become popular and is a great way to view different areas of medicine when you’re not able to find in-person opportunities.

Another good way to obtain shadowing/volunteering, along with leadership, is through a Texas A&M pre-med student organization, such as AMSA, MAPS or the Pre-Med Society.

• Tip: Keep an extensive record of where and who you shadowed, volunteered and worked with, what you learned from it and when you had this experience. You will need all of this information when it comes time to complete your med school application. We recommend that you write these experiences down as soon as you go through them, so you don’t forget anything when you do complete your Professional School Advising medical/dental portal and med school application.

While there is no magic number of shadowing hours the med schools require, a good goal would be to have at least 200 hours before you apply.

Community service: Med schools want to know what you’re doing to give back to your community. You can do this individually, with a group or with a student organization.

Letters of Recommendation (LOR): Get to know your professors because you will be required to have at least two positive letters of recommendation from professors you’ve had in class. So, it is important to get to know your professors, and equally important that they get to know you and your personal aspirations, so your application does not have “cookie cutter” letters of recommendation.

• Get involved with other Texas A&M student organizations

You can also view our What Do I Need to be Working On worksheet.

Texas Medical School prerequisites:

• English, 6 hrs – from any class taught in the ENGL dept

The Application Process – This process typically begins either the fall of the students junior year, or two years before they want to apply to med school. Generally speaking, students follow the below timeline:

• Fall of junior year (or two years before applying to med school) – Attend OPSA Med/Dent Portal workshop (mandatory) and begin studying and preparing to take the MCAT the following spring
• Spring of junior year – Complete portal information and take the MCAT
• Summer between junior and senior year – Apply to med school and attend OPSA interview workshop (recommended)
• Fall of senior year – Med school interviews and rolling admissions begin for TMDSAS
• Spring of senior year – Med school match submission deadline
• Summer after senior year – Receive notification from med schools

Getting started early and developing a timeline is key to staying on track.

OPSA Portal Workshop (required) – Students are required to attend a Portal Workshop to begin preparing for the application process. These workshops are held in the fall and early spring semesters prior to the summer in which students will apply for medical school.

Application and Interview Workshops (Recommended): We offer application and interview workshops that will help students through the application process. To view the full list of workshops we offer, visit our Graduate & Professional School Advising workshops page.

What is the MCAT? – The MCAT is a computerized 7.5 hour exam and there are 30 examinations throughout the year. You can register online to take the exam. Medical schools consider each score, so prepare early and thoroughly the first time. We recommend that you take a practice MCAT before taking the actual MCAT, and NEVER take the actual MCAT for practice.

Registration for the MCAT will open about four to five months prior to the actual test date. You may only take the MCAT up to three times in a calendar year, four times over two consecutive years and seven times total.

What content is covered? – Knowledge and skills tested on the exam are found in prerequisite courses. The total score ranges from 472- 528, and scores are reported within 30-35 days after your exam. If you need to re-take the MCAT; you must wait 48 hours before you can register for another exam date.

• Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
• Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
• Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
• Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills

When should I take the MCAT? – If you are a student on a four year schedule and wish to start medical school after graduation, then the spring of your junior year will most likely be when you will take your test.

MCAT review courses:

• ExamKrackers
• Kaplan
• Princeton Review

Aggie to Medicine (Ag2M) – This new program is designed to attract highly competitive second-year Texas A&M University Pre-Med students who are interested in seeking a medical degree from the Texas A&M School of Medicine, and ultimately pursuing a career as a physician in Texas.

Cadet to Medicine (C2M) – This program was designed to accelerate the process for Corps of Cadets students who are committed to pursuing medical school by introducing them to experiences and opportunities to prepare them for a career in military medicine.

Pre-Med Fellows – This program was designed to accelerate the process and prepare Pre-Med students to be highly competitive medical school students by introducing them to experiences and opportunities to prepare them for a career in medicine.

Partnership for Primary Care – Through the Texas A&M College of Medicine Office of Admission Partnership for Primary Care Program (PPC), you have the opportunity to bring quality health care home to your fellow Texans.

These programs are offered through the Texas A&M College of Medicine. Please contact their office for more information or to apply.

Osteopathic Medical Schools (DO degree)

Sam Houston State School of Osteopathic Medicine – Huntsville
Phone: (936) 294-1111

Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM), University of North Texas Health Science Center – Ft. Worth
Phone: (817) 735-2204

University of the Incarnate Word – San Antonio
Phone: (210) 283-6998

Allopathic Medical Schools (MD degree)

Baylor College of Medicine – Houston
Phone: (713) 798-4842

McGovern Medical School – Houston
Phone: (713) 500-5116

Texas A&M School of Medicine – Bryan
Phone: (979) 436-0237

Burnett School of Medicine at TCU – Ft. Worth
Phone: (817) 735-2430

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center – Lubbock
Phone: (806) 743-2297

TTUHSC:  Paul Foster School of Medicine – El Paso
Phone: (915) 783-1250

Fertitta Family College of Medicine, UH – Houston
Phone: (713) 743-2255

University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School – Austin
Phone: (512) 495-5555

University of Texas, Long School of Medicine – San Antonio
Phone: (210) 567-6080

UTMB John Sealy School of Medicine – Galveston
Phone: (409) 772-6958

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley – Edinburg
Phone: (956) 296-1600

University of Texas Southwestern Medical – Dallas
Phone: (214) 648-5617