Information on TCOM

[JimmyMallo]

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Hey everyone!

It may seem ignorant but I just discovered the D.O. profession 3 months ago. :laugh After all of my research it seems like being a D.O. is everything I've ever dreamed of, treating patients instead of just diseases! Anyway, I live in Texas and wondered if anyone had good info about TCOM: admitting stats, quality of program, secrets to getting in etc. Anything helps, I've searched all the threads with no luck so far. 🙁

 

[Future Doc B]

Here's what I know (you might want to verify this on the website or with actual students):

1) You have to apply through TMDSAS (www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas)
2) TCOM is ranked in the top 25 schools for primary care although many students have gotten into non-PC specialties - my interview was with a DO Cardiothoracic Surgeon who graduated from TCOM (he's the head of the Texas Board of CT surgery I think)
3) They are very technologically savvy (they have developed an Anatomy CD-ROM which appears very helpful and new virtual reality radiology imagery)

Tips for getting in:

1) Shadow a DO for a few days (if you have the time). It gives you an excellent perspective of the profession and you might be able to get a very valuable LOR.

I hope I've helped... Good Luck! 😎

 

[lilmo]

I almost went there, but ended up at an in-state school instead. Anyways, heres my $.02: I was very impressed with the school. Everyone was very friendly and helpful, interviewers were extremely nice and laidback. The school is supposedly ranked in the top 3 DO schools. Very high tech. I'd highly recommend checking it out. They'll give you a tour and you can meet with an admissions person before the whole application process if you like, just call the admissions office. Another plus is you find out your status February 1st, much sooner than many other medical schools.

 

[Gibby Haynes]

Hey Jimmy I'm a student at TCOM. Being at the end of the longest four years of my life, I have to say that I am more than satisfied with my education and feel propared to tackle intership.

Advantages:
1. student-oriented and a family friendly school
2. student body plays nice together in the playground
3. Fort Worth is a great place to live (but we don't have 6th street in Austin)
4. President Blanck is former surgeon general of the army
5. The anatomy lab is high tech (lots of space with computers at each station)
6. In state tuition- cheap, cheap, cheap
7. Good faculty whose primary focus is your education

Disadvantages:
1. Being in Texas you are isolated from the rest of the osteopathic community in the Northeast.
2. If you choose to do an osteopathic residency you will be limited if you want to stay in Texas, but most graduates have no problems getting into allo residencies (80% of last years graduates choose allopathic residencies)
3. Way too much enphaisis on primary care (you will do about 4 months of FP before you graduate- a guess this is an advantage for you 😀 )
4. Damn hot summers!

I'm not really a fan of looking at averages for admission because thats what they are, averages! The numbers will be all over the place. But since I wanted to know these things when I was in your postion I guess I'll pass on the info for my class.
MCAT 27
GPA 3.49
Age 26
Women make up about 55% of my class, not that I'm complaining.
Degree: Majority had science, some engineers, some medical profesionals (RN, EMT, paramedic), humanties, language, and 1 has a Masters in Divinity.
Hope this helps. Feel free to PM me with any questions.

 

[OrthoFixation]

Thanks for the snapshot Gibby 👍

 

[JimmyMallo]

wow Gibby! That is exactly the kind of stuff I was looking for! Thank you soooo much 😀

 

[N-toxicologist]

You should also know that the Osteopathic hospital, located just across the street from the campus, recently closed its doors. In talking to a DO during my interview at TCOM, he said that it wouldn't affect the new entering classesl; that it was really the residents that were put in a bind. The med school had previous arrangements, apparently, for students to do their rotations at nearby Harris and Plaza hospitals, and John Peter Smith, the county hospital.

 

[N-toxicologist]

I interviewd at TCOM as an applicant to the DO/Ph.D program. I have volunteered in the pharm department a semester last Spring, and during part of last summer, and I will be back in the lab this semester. What stood out to me was the awesome faculty. As an undergrad, I was welcome to walk into any office, in any department at will and ask any question I pleased. I was welcome to sit in on lectures, seminars, and basically immerse myself in the med school as much as I wished to. Anyone I ever had to deal with was friendly and helpful, other students included. TCOM was my top choice going into the app process, because of my previous experience on the campus, and its location (10 minutes from my house), even though I hope to specialize in neurosurgery. Most DO's go into GP or OB/Gyn, but that is the ONLY reason I had any qualms about choosing DO over allo, but I ended up going with my heart on this one, and decided that if I have the DO mentality, I should get the training, and perhaps I would end up with a unique marriage of my philosophy and the specialty I want. I just assume it will fall into place for me.