Texas is a large state, and has a significant number of medical schools, which turn out a significant number of well-qualified doctors each year. Many students want to attend these schools, both from within Texas and without. We’ve written another article about TMDSAS, the application system used to apply to Texas medical schools; in this article, then, we’re going to be looking at the schools themselves.
While all medical schools have the same general purpose, they are not the same. They have different foci, provide different levels of support to students, and often specialize in different areas. They can also see varying levels of success helping students land the residencies they desire. We’re going to go through the medical schools in Texas, break them down, and help you evaluate which are the best to match your goals. Let’s jump right in!
The Medical Schools in Texas
Our ranking here is based on US News rankings. Now, in 2024, US News moved to using a tier-based system to rank medical schools, instead of exact ranks, due to an increasing refusal by schools to participate. Schools are listed in the order they were ranked on US News the last time granular rankings were assigned. For each school, we will give you their acceptance rate, and some information about their program, so that you can evaluate it.
Baylor College of Medicine
With a 4.02% acceptance rate in 2025, BCM is quite competitive; this is understandable, as they are generally considered the best medical school in Texas. Note that they are not affiliated with Baylor University. They are part of the Texas Medical Center, and are associated with a number of other large clinical centers as well, giving students significant access to a diverse set of patients.
While Baylor is a private medical school, they do get funding from the state of Texas for in-state students, allowing them to keep tuition prices relatively low. This also causes them to somewhat favor Texas students for admissions; around 80% of their student body are Texas residents.
UT Southwestern Medical Center
With an acceptance rate of around 4%, UT Southwestern is known for both its strong clinical education and as a major center for medical research. As the name suggests, they are associated with the University of Texas system, and are a public college. Their curriculum is a bit atypical, being divided into three phases; an 18 month pre-clerkship, an 18 month clerkship, and a 12 month post-clerkship.
The school is associated with Parkland hospital, a very large teaching hospital in Dallas. As a public school, they are significantly cheaper for Texas residents, and also advantage Texas residents in the admissions process.
Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio
Based, as the name suggests, in San Antonio, this is another medical school in the University of Texas system. With an acceptance rate of around 4.2%, they are quite competitive; though most medical schools are. This is the largest medical school in South Texas, and many graduates of the school remain in this region to practice.
The school does have a strong focus on research; but their main thrust is community service, especially in the South Texas region. Texas residents are advantaged in the admissions process, and receive discounted tuition rates at the school. Approximately 88.4% of the students at Long are Texas residents.
McGovern Medical School at UT Health Houston
Located in Houston (unsurprisingly), McGovern has an acceptance rate of approximately 4.2%. This is the largest medical school in Texas, and the 9th largest in the country. It is, like Baylor, part of the Texas Medical Center in Houston, granting students access to significant clinical and research opportunities.
The school is pass/fail in its first semester, to help students acclimate themselves to medical school and its rigors. As a public school, they are cheaper for in-state students, and advantage Texas residents in admissions; approximately 95% of their student body are Texas residents.
Texas A&M College of Medicine
Associated with Texas A&M, this school has an acceptance rate of approximately 3.5%. While it does not directly advantage Texas A&M students in admissions, there are some pathways for existing students to get in early, though primarily through an association with their Corps of Cadets. The school’s main campus is in Bryan (near College Station), and all students begin there, before travelling to satellite campuses to train in different specialties. Despite having five total campuses, this is all a single school.
The school does have a focus on rural health primarily, but one of its campuses is part of the Texas Medical Center, for students who want a more urban atmosphere. Students spend one and a half years on pre-clinical training, and two and a half years on clinical, more than the average medical school. They do have an additional track for students interested in entering military service as physicians. As a public school, in-state students are advantaged for both tuition and acceptance rates; approximately 86% of students are Texas residents.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences School of Medicine
Located in Lubbock, alongside Texas Tech’s main campus, TTU’s School of Medicine has an acceptance rate of approximately 3.7%. This school was founded with the express intent of addressing a shortage of physicians in West Texas, and has maintained that regional focus. This is a multi-campus system; students spend their first two years in Lubbock, then the next two at one of their satellite campuses throughout West Texas.
The school has a focus on serving rural populations; as their main campus is the only level 1 facility in the region, students have the chance to see a wide variety of cases. They also have a shortened three-year track to residency specifically for students interested in family medicine; residencies for this are all in Lubbock. This is a public school, and in-state students are advantaged on tuition and in admissions. Approximately 90% of students are Texas residents.
University of North Texas Health Science Center – Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Note that this school offers a DO program, rather than an MD program; you can find more about the difference between these in our article here. Located in Fort Worth, this program is widely considered to be one of the top DO schools in the US, and is highly ranked by US News for both primary care education and research. It is also one of the oldest DO programs in the country.
They have an emphasis on serving under-resourced populations, and around 60% of graduates go on to enter primary care. They do have a specific track for students interested in pursuing rural medicine, but have both urban and rural venues for clinical learning. This is a public school, and Texas residents are advantaged in both admissions and tuition. Around 93% of students are Texas residents.
Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
As the name suggests, this is also a DO program, rather than an MD. Located in Huntsville, this is a relatively new program, having only been established in 2019, though already seeing many positive results. One of the primary goals of the school is to educate physicians who will serve the eastern part of Texas, and so they have a focus on both primary care and rural medicine.
Clinical training for the school occurs in both community hospitals and rural clinics, giving students a range of opportunities. While they are a public school, they have chosen to forgo state funding, instead relying solely on tuition dollars. This does make them slightly more expensive than many other public medical schools, with tuition rates comparable to their private counterparts. In spite of this, the majority of their students are still Texas residents; approximately 96% of students come from Texas.
TCU School of Medicine
Part of Texas Christian University, this medical school is located in Fort Worth. This is a relatively new program, having only been established in 2015, though it is already showing strong results. This program is notable for requiring students to complete a research project under faculty guidance, and for a curricular focus on communication in medicine.
This is a private college, and tuition prices are higher than many of their public counterparts. This is one of only two schools in Texas to use the AMCAS for admissions (the other being Texas A&M), instead of the TMDSAS. They recently opened a new 100,000 square foot campus in Fort Worth. They do not advantage Texas residents in admissions or for tuition; approximately 26% of students are Texas residents.
Foster School of Medicine – Texas Tech University El Paso
Located in El Paso (as the name suggests), this is another medical school in the Texas Tech system. It is unrated by US News, but is known for having a strong clinical studies program. They have a focus on working with underserved populations, and their location on the US-Mexico border in El Paso allows students to access a wide variety of patients and cases.
Foster’s curriculum is pass-fail for the first two years, and all students are required to take a public health component. In addition, students begin clinical experiences in their first year, and have the option to volunteer at a number of student-run clinics. This is a public university, and in-state students are advantaged on tuition and admissions alike. Approximately 94% of students are Texas residents.
University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine
As the name suggests, this program offers DO degrees, rather than MD. It is part of the University of the Incarnate Word, a Catholic university located in San Antonio. This is a faith-based school, and Catholic teachings do inform their philosophy and outlook. Despite this, students of all faith backgrounds are welcome, and there is no religious studies component to medical school.
The school focuses on an integrated curriculum and case-based learning. The school has a number of community service initiatives students participate in; the concept of giving back to the community is a core part of their mission. UIW is the only medical school in Texas to use the AACOMAS application system. This is a private university, and in-state students have no advantage in terms of tuition or admissions. That said, approximately 73% of students at UIW are from Texas.
University of Houston College of Medicine
Located in Houston, this is a relatively new medical school, founded in 2019. The goal of this was to increase the number of doctors in Texas, and lessen health disparities in both urban and rural areas. The curriculum focuses on integrating clinical experiences beginning in the first year. Students take part in weekly clinical experiences at primary care clinics, working alongside other medical professionals.
Another aspect of the curriculum is household-centered care; students are sent out to help in home health, with a goal of understanding systemic challenges to healthcare. This is a public university, and in-state students have an advantage for tuition and admissions. Approximately 96% of students are Texas residents.
UT Austin Dell Medical School
Located in Austin, this school is part of the University of Texas system. It is relatively new, having just been founded in 2013. They have some curricular quirks, including compressing science curriculum to a single year, allowing the third year to be spent pursuing research or another independent project.
The school’s purpose is to improve access to healthcare in central Texas, especially among underserved populations. They are one of the smaller medical schools in Texas. As a public university, in-state students are advantaged in the admissions process and for the cost of tuition. Approximately 90% of students are in-state.
University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine
Located in Galveston, this is the oldest medical school in Texas, the first founded by what became the University of Texas system. It has a strong reputation, but is unranked by US News. They have a number of long-standing partnerships, and leverage these into unique clinical experiences for students, including working with incarcerated individuals and a partnership with NASA for an aerospace medicine track.
The first two years of curriculum are offered pass-fail; for the next two years students rotate through a wide variety of clinical experiences in both Galveston and throughout Texas. The school also has a strong reputation for research, including a level 4 biocontainment lab. This is a public institution, and Texas residents are advantaged for tuition and admissions. Approximately 94% of students are Texas residents.
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
Located in Edinburg (the one in Texas, not Scotland), this is another member of the University of Texas system. It is another relatively new school, having only been founded in 2013. Based near the US-Mexico border, it has a focus on the unique health disparities and challenges faced by many of the border communities in Texas. Many of the physicians who train here stay in this region of Texas.
One very notable factor of this school is their exceptionally low tuition by medical school standards, one of the lowest in the nation at $21,532 for in-state students, and $34,632 for out of state students. In spite of this low cost, they offer an excellent student experience, with a focus on clinical experiences helping underserved populations. Approximately 96% of students at the school are Texas residents.
University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine
Located in Tyler (as one might expect), this is yet another University of Texas system school, and is the newest medical school in Texas, with the first class entering the school in 2023. The goal of the school is to address a physician shortage in East Texas, especially primary care providers. This is still a relatively small program, though it intends to grow, and we anticipate further developments over time.
The school has a particular focus on rural health care in its clinical experiences. All students also take an 18 month long course on population health, with a focus on the region they are in. There are research opportunities, and as a new school, many of these are just getting started. This is a public university, and in-state students are advantaged in admission and tuition. Currently nearly all students are Texas residents, but we anticipate a slight increase in out-of-state interest as time goes on and the program finds its footing.
Final Thoughts
Texas is a big state, and has many excellent medical schools. Indeed, it has added a number of these recently, as they seek to proactively solve a shortage of physicians by training more of them. This is something we support, as more of these facilities is good for both patients and students alike. While some of these programs are still developing, they all offer excellent opportunities; we hope that this article has given you a clear sense of what your options are, and which of these medical schools may suit you best.
Of course, all medical schools are competitive for admissions, even those that are quite new. Finding the right schools to apply to, and crafting your application to match each of their needs, however, can greatly improve your odds. If you are looking for advice on finding the perfect medical school for you, or on perfecting your application, then schedule a free consultation with us today. We have a deep understanding of what these schools are looking for, and are always happy to hear from you.
