Here Are the 10 Best Medical Schools in Texas

Texas is one of the best states for pursuing a medical school degree, home to many higher education institutions dedicated to medicine.

Going to medical school in Texas is a wise decision; as Texas is home to nearly 30 million individuals, the need for doctors, nurses, surgeons, and practitioners is higher than ever before.

The best medical schools in Texas and the best medical schools worldwide emphasize both theory and practice. In Texas’s medical schools, a myriad of important discoveries has advanced healthcare and health products.

For this list, we looked at innovation in research, the difficulty of admission, GPA, MCAT scores, and similar metrics for this list.

Additionally, we looked at the quality and impact of both the independent schools of medicine as well as their affiliated medical centers.

What are the lone star state’s best programs for research and primary care? Today, we list 10 of the best medical schools in the entire state of Texas.

The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School (Austin, TX) 

University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School
Larry D. Moore, Dell Medical School Health Discovery Building 2020, CC BY-SA 4.0

One of the youngest medical schools in Texas, Dell Medical is only four years old. Although this school is young, its accomplishments over the last few years are exceptional. 

The curriculum at UT Austin Dell Medical is outstanding. The first year is dedicated to understanding the essentials of a pre-clinical curriculum. The second-year includes an 8-week clerkship throughout Austin-area clinics and hospitals. 

The third-year allows students to explore a particular medical interest and help patients throughout Central Texas. By the fourth year, students prepare for the transition into a medical residency.

Although Dell Medical is a young school, it is incredibly selective. In its inaugural year, Dell Medical accepted 50 students out of 5,000 total applicants, giving it a 1% acceptance rate.


Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine (El Paso, TX)

9. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
CDonn3, Medical Sciences Building I, CC0 1.0

The Paul L. Foster School of Medicine is a unique institution. Most medical schools do not permit students to do clinical science work until the third year; however, they can begin in their first year at Foster.

Foster School of Medicine students get unparalleled clinical training in one of the most impressive facilities in all of Texas, the TECHS facility. TECHS, which stands for Training and Educational Center for Healthcare Simulation, is home to over 24,000(!) square feet of simulation space designed for experiential medical learning.

The greater Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso originally formed in 1969 as a constituent of Texas Tech University. In 2013, it became a separate institution.

In 2011, the associated Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing, one of the schools of Texas Tech El Paso, opened its doors through a significant $10 million donation. 


University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine (Galveston, TX)

University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine
Tacovera1, UTMB’s Research Buildings, CC BY-SA 4.0

The first medical school established in all of Texas, the UTMB School of Medicine has trained 1 in 6 Texas physicians, according to Wikipedia.

The University of Texas Medical Branch received an endowment in 2019 for an unprecedented $560 million, funds used for advancing the healthcare and facilities of this important academic center. 

UTMB is an impressive medical facility; the greater medical branch currently houses 70 buildings, over 2,500 students, and 1,000 faculty members! With its tremendous impact on the health profession throughout Texas and the US, it is safe to say UTMB is a medical school changing the world.

Annually, UTMB spends over $1 billion on research and other medical endeavors.

UTMB is a part of the greater Texas Medical Center, a 2.1 square mile medical district in Houston that is the largest medical complex in the world.


Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine (Lubbock, TX)

TTUHSC
Elred, TThsc, marked as public domain

The medical school at Texas Tech has had a tremendous impact on West Texas healthcare. According to Wikipedia, 1 in 5 physicians in West Texas graduated from TTUHSC! With its deep connection to this very specific region of Texas, applying students should focus their essays on their own personal connection to the people and healthcare of this region.

Four different schools comprise the Health Sciences Center. They include schools specializing in nursing, pharmacy, and general medicine. The School of Health Professionals has unique specializations in athletic training, audiology, speech-language pathology, and more.

Some of the world’s most critical clinical experts teach at Texas Tech. They include one Amy Doneen, an American doctor who invented the BaleDoneen Method, a vital assessment and protocol preventing heart attacks and strokes. Alumni of TTUHSC include Donna Campbell, a member of the Texas Senate.

Admission to this School of Medicine is exceptionally competitive. The average GPA of an incoming student is 3.87, and the average MCAT is 512.


University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (Fort Worth, TX)

University of North Texas Health Science Center
Michael Barera, Fort Worth Cultural District (University of North Texas Health Science Center), CC BY-SA 4.0

The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine was ranked in the top 75 of all medical schools throughout the nation for primary care in the 2021 list for US News. A prominent primary care research institution, TCOM graduated the 17th highest number of primary care residents

The greater University of North Texas Health Science Center is home to five colleges with a total enrollment of over 2,200 graduate students studying public health, pharmacy, physical therapy, and other medical sciences. In terms of research growth, the UNT Health Science Center is #1 of all medical schools in Texas.

Community outreach is at the heart of the UNTHSC experience. Community programs sponsored by this medical establishment include the Hispanic Wellness Fair as well as the beloved Cowtown Marathon, a weekend event complete with a 5k, 10k, and a full marathon among other activities. 


Long School of Medicine at University of Texas San Antonio (San Antonio, TX)

UT Medicine San Antonio
Zereshk, UTHSCSA, CC BY-SA 3.0

The Long School of Medicine, a constituent of the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, ranked in the top 60 medical colleges for research in the nation by US News in their 2021 rankings list. The largest training center of physicians in South Texas, the Long School of Medicine is an essential and established medical research and practice institution.

The University of Texas Health Science Center is home to a number of impressive academic and healthcare practice facilities. These include the Johnson Center for Surgical Innovation, a 1,300 square-foot simulation surgery training center, and the Sam & Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity & Aging Studies, a facility making groundbreaking advancements in age-related diseases. 

The average incoming student’s MCAT is second-highest in Texas, with a 516 score. The average GPA is 3.82.


University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston (Houston, TX)

McGovern Medical School
WhisperToMe, McGovernCampusTMC, marked as public domain

The McGovern Medical School is affiliated with many of the most important medical institutions in the country, providing faculty, students, and partnerships. These affiliations include Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Lyndon Baines Johnson General Hospital, and the MD Anderson Cancer Center. 

With over 1,000 students on campus, McGovern is the 8th-largest medical school in the country. The McGovern Medical School’s affiliated hospital, Memorial Herrmann, was ranked #2 teaching hospital in the country by the Lown Index, citing A+ patient outcomes and an A+ overall ranking.

McGovern is among the most selective medical institutions in Texas. Students have an average incoming GPA of 3.9 and an MCAT of 514. 


Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine (Bryan, TX)

Texas A&M School of Medicine
Gabriel Chmielewski, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College of Medicine, CC BY-SA 4.0

Admission to Texas A&M’s College of Medicine is tremendously difficult; the average GPA for an incoming student is 3.84, an “A” average. The typical MCAT score is a competitive 512!

Texas A&M Health Science Center is on the cutting-edge of medical research. Their many accomplishments include creating a portable water purification device for the military, ingenious facial restoration technology, and an innovative diagnostic for tuberculosis.

Texas A&M’s Health Science Center is a comprehensive institution, with majors in dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and public health available. As a medical institution, Texas A&M serves over a million residents in 254 counties of Texas every year.


Baylor University College of Medicine (Houston, TX)

Baylor’s College of Medicine is the most academically difficult medical school in Texas for admission, with the average GPA for entrance being an incredible 3.93. Baylor is consistently ranked among the top medical schools in the country and even has one of the lowest tuitions of all private medical schools, according to US News.

Baylor is one of the few schools with an accelerated preclinical curriculum, taking only 1.5 years to complete instead of the usual two years for most colleges.

The faculty at Baylor are among the most respected clinicians in the country. They include seven members of the National Academy of Sciences, 14 members of the Institute of Medicine, and three Howard Hughes Medical Institute members.

Interestingly, Baylor’s College of Program is home to the National School of Tropical Medicine, the only school of its kind in the entire country.


University of Texas Southwestern Medical School (Dallas, TX)

UT Southwestern
Nightryder84, South campus UTSW, CC BY-SA 4.0

One of the country’s most essential healthcare institutions, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School admits around 230 students a year. Only one in every 20 candidates gets accepted to this prestigious medical school.

The medical center affiliated with the medical school is home to over 13,000 employees! Of those, nearly 2,500 are faculty members in the college of medicine. Annually, this medical school trains nearly 4,000 students!

Annually, the entire Southwestern Medical sees over 2 million patients every single year, providing Southwestern Medical School students unprecedented access to hands-on experiential learning.

The students enrolled at Southwestern are among the most accomplished residents of Texas in any school. The average incoming GPA for this medical school is an impressive 3.84. The typical MCAT score? An exceptionally competitive 515.

Several publications rank Southwestern among the best medical schools worldwide, including US News, which ranked it in the top 30 of all medical colleges in the country ahead of some Ivy League schools.  


GPA/MCAT References: https://www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/medical-schools-in-texas