Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM)’s achievements and contributions to the health care needs of Texas

TCOM graduates make significant contributions to health care in Texas.  In a recent study of medical social mission[1], TCOM ranked best among the seven medical schools in Texas.  The study evaluated the numbers of “graduates who practice primary care, work in medically underserved communities or are themselves minorities.”[2]  This record of accomplishment and the institution that it belongs to should be celebrated and expanded to accommodate even more students.  UNTHSC should be proud that it already has a medical school that has graduated more than 3,000 alumni.  These graduates have served well the community in Tarrant County and Texas by producing 65 percent of its graduates specializing in primary care and 34 percent serving in small towns of fewer than 25,000 people. About 585 osteopathic (D.O.) physicians practice in Tarrant County, including 245 specialists and 340 in family practice. More than 36 percent of the primary care physicians in Tarrant County are osteopathic physicians.[3]



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Therefore, TCOM has been “ranked among the top 50 medical schools for primary-care medicine since 2002 by U.S. News & World Report, and Hispanic Business Magazine ranked it among the top 20 medical schools for Hispanics in 2005 and 2007.”[4]  Currently, TCOM is ranked #19 for primary care schools, #11 for family practice, #15 for geriatrics, and #22 for rural medicine by U.S. News and World Report.[5]  In 2009, Hispanic Business Magazine ranked TCOM 11th out of the 156 MD- and DO-granting schools in the U.S.; TCOM is the highest-ranking osteopathic medical school on the list.[6]

Furthermore, TCOM students and graduates are as qualified as any medical students and graduates in the nation.  According to a 2009 report from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the average MCAT score and GPA for osteopathic applicants offered admission were 27.3 and 3.5, respectively.[7]  The scores for allopathic applicants offered admission were 28.9 and 3.56, respectively.[8]  As noted below, TCOM students exceeded these averages.

According to the Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service, the TCOM Class of 2013 had average MCAT scores and GPAs of 29.2 and 3.63, respectively.  One-third of MD students scored below a 29 on the MCAT.  Based on 2009 MCAT data, approximately 2/3 of test-takers scored below the 28 level,[9] which means that TCOM students scored in the top 1/3 of all prospective medical students.

For licensure, DOs have a choice of passing the USMLE examination or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX).  At TCOM, 100% of DO students take the COMLEX examination and 85% also take the USMLE examination.[10]  TCOM graduates have earned the highest scores on the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination Steps 1 and 2 in the past four years, and they ranked in the second quartile on the U.S. Medical Licensure Examination.[11]

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[1] Fitzhugh, Mullan, MD, et al.  “The Social Mission of Medical Education: Ranking the Schools.”  Annals of Internal Medicine.  June 15, 2010, p. 804.  URL: www.annals.org

[2] Ramshaw, Emily.  “Study: Texas Med Schools Have No ‘Social Conscience.’”  June 22, 2010. URL:  www.texastribune.org.

[3] Cole, George, DO.  “Cole: The true costs of adding M.D.s to the UNT Health Science Center.”  Star-Telegram.  March 27, 2010.  URL: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/03/27/2070650/cole-the-true-costs-of-adding.html#ixzz164WvN4vq

[4] DeLengocky, Tayson, DO.  “Proposed M.D. school at health science center is an insult to institution’s D.O. history.” Star-Telegram.  November 13, 2009.

[5] UNTHSC Legislative Appropriations Request (for Fiscal Year 2012-13), p. 3.  URL: http://www.hsc.unt.edu/Sites/OfficeofFinancialPlanningandBudget/Documents/LAR%20Fiscal%20Year%202012%20and%202013.pdf

[6] UNTHSC Office of Marketing and Communications.  “TCOM ranks 11^th by Hispanic Business magazine.”  October 16, 2009.  Downloaded September 26, 2010.  URL: http://www.hsc.unt.edu/news/newsrelease.cfm?ID=795

[7] “Taking Stock of Med School Applicants.”  Health Workforce News.  Downloaded September 16, 2010.  URL: http://www.hwic.org/news/may10/applicants.php

[8] Ibid.

[9] Association of American Medical Colleges.  “Table 1: Percentages of MCAT Examinees Achieving Scaled Score Levels and Associated Percentile Rank Ranges by Area of Assessment.”  (2009).  Downloaded September 16, 2010.  URL: http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/admissionsadvisors/examstatistics/scaledscores/combined09.pdf

[10] UNTHSC.  “What is the Difference Between a DO and an MD?”  URL: http://www.hsc.unt.edu/Sites/StudyGroup/Images/Photos/2009.01.29%20Defining%20Osteopathic%20Medicine.doc, or see the “additional Fact Sheet” link at http://www.hsc.unt.edu/sites/MDSchoolInitiative/index.cfm?pageName=What%20is%20a%20DO.    Downloaded November 22, 2010. 

[11] DeLengocky, Tayson, D.O.  “Proposed M.D. school at health science center is an insult to institution’s D.O. history.” Star-Telegram.  November 13, 2009.