Admission to the Medical Curriculum
2002-2003 Catalog
Admission to The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School is determined by an Admissions Committee appointed by the dean of the medical school. It is composed of faculty members from both preclinical and clinical departments.
Application Procedure
Applications for admission to the first-year class beginning in August of any year must be submitted between May 1 and Nov. 1 preceding the year of desired entrance. Application to any medical or dental school in The University of Texas System, Texas A&M University College of Medicine and Texas Tech University School of Medicine is made to the central application center. Application must be made via the Internet Web site for the Texas Medical and Dental Application Service at http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas.Academic Prerequisites
Obtaining a baccalaureate degree is strongly recommended for applicants to UT Southwestern; however, applicants may be admitted after completing 90 semester hours (exclusive of physical-education requirements).For applicants attending non-U.S. colleges and universities, it is recommended that undergraduate course work be completed at or credited through a regionally accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university. At least 45 semester hours, including all prerequisites, should have a grade assigned by a U.S. college or university.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to complete all prerequisites prior to matriculating into medical school. Questions regarding prerequisites should be directed initially to the premedical advisor at the applicant's college or university and secondarily to the Texas Medical and Dental Application Service. If necessary, clarification should be obtained from the Admissions Office, with whom final acceptance of courses for prerequisite credit rests.
The required course work is as follows:
English: One year of college English. A minimum of six semester credit hours is required with a grade of C or better. English courses must be approved by the English department for fulfillment of the general education English requirement for the baccalaureate degree. Remedial, developmental and "English as a Second Language" courses are not accepted.
Biology: Two years as required for science majors. One year must include a formal laboratory experience. A minimum of 14 semester credit hours is required with grades of C or better. One semester in biochemistry, as offered for science majors, will be accepted toward fulfilling one-half year of this biology requirement. Courses for non-science majors and courses taught for health-career majors (nursing, pharmacy or allied health sciences) are not accepted.
Physics: One year including laboratory as offered for science majors. A minimum of eight semester credit hours is required with grades of C or better. Any courses for non-science majors or health-career majors (nursing, pharmacy or allied health sciences) are not accepted.
Chemistry: Two years including laboratory as offered for science majors. A minimum of 16 semester credit hours is required with grades of C or better, divided equally between inorganic and organic chemistry. It should include experience in the laboratory and familiarity with analytic and volumetric techniques. Any courses for non-science majors or health-career majors (nursing, pharmacy or allied health sciences) are not accepted.
Mathematics: One-half year of college calculus or statistics. A minimum of three semester credit hours is required with a grade of C or better. The calculus course may be taught by the math or physics department. Business calculus and pre-calculus are not accepted. The statistics course must be math-based and preferably taught in the math department. Business statistics and statistics taught in social sciences or education departments are not accepted.
Evaluation of Applicants
The Admissions Committee considers all of the following in evaluating each applicant's acceptability:- Academic performance in college as reflected in the undergraduate grade-point average;
- The rigor of the undergraduate curriculum;
- Scores from the Medical College Admission Test;
- Recommendation letters from the college premedical committee or faculty;
- Extracurricular activities;
- Research experience;
- Socioeconomic background;
- Any time spent in outside employment;
- Personal integrity and compassion for others;
- The ability to communicate in English;
- Other personal qualities and individual factors, such as leadership, self-appraisal, determination, social/family support and maturity/coping capabilities;
- The applicant's motivation for a career in medicine.
A personal interview is required and is initiated by invitation from the Admissions Committee. The committee invites applicants to interview who have excellent academic qualifications as reflected by their GPAs and MCAT scores or who demonstrate convincing evidence of commitment to an area of medicine emphasized in the mission of Southwestern Medical School and who have MCAT and GPA values that indicate the potential for success in achieving the M.D. degree.
Medical College Admission Test
The Medical College Admission Test prepared by the American College Testing Program must be taken by the applicant, and the test scores must be available before the Admissions Committee will take action on the application. MCAT scores are valid for five application seasons immediately subsequent to the date taken. The MCAT must be taken in or before the year in which application is made. The test is offered each spring and fall at premedical college centers. The advantage of taking the test in the spring rests in the applicant's ability to retake it (if necessary) in the fall.Registration for the MCAT can be accomplished via the Internet at www.aamc.org.
Essential Functions
All individuals, including persons with disabilities, who apply for admission to UT Southwestern Medical School must be able to perform specific essential functions. Essential functions are the basic activities that a student must be able to perform to complete the generalist medical school curriculum. No applicant who can perform the medical school's essential functions -- either with or without reasonable accommodations -- will be denied consideration for admission. A candidate for the M.D. degree at UT Southwestern must be able to perform these essential functions:A. Observation: Candidates must be able to accurately observe demonstrations and patients close up and at a distance to learn skills and to gather patient data (e.g., observe a patient's gait, appearance, posture, etc.). Candidates also must possess functional use of the sense of vision and somatic sensation. Observation is enhanced by the functional use of the sense of smell.
B. Communication: Candidates must be able to communicate orally and in writing with patients and members of the health-care team. Candidates also must be able to read and comprehend written material.
C. Psychomotor Skills: Candidates must have sufficient motor function to obtain data from patients using tactile, auditory and visual maneuvers. Candidates must be able to execute motor movements to provide general care and emergency treatment that are reasonably required of physicians.
D. Intellectual and Cognitive Abilities: Candidates must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, synthesize, integrate and apply information. Problem solving, a clinical skill required of physicians, requires all these intellectual abilities. In addition, candidates must be able to comprehend 3-D relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures.
E. Behavioral and Social Attributes: Candidates must possess the emotional health required to use their intellectual abilities fully, such as exercising good judgment, promptly completing all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and developing mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients. Candidates must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties and ambiguities inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest and motivation are personal qualities that will be assessed during the admissions and education process.
F. Ethical Standards: A candidate must demonstrate professional demeanor and behavior and must perform in an ethical manner in all dealings with peers, faculty, staff and patients.
Residency Defined
Under state statutes and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rules and regulations interpreting those statutes, a prospective student is classified as a resident of Texas, a nonresident or a foreign student.
A person who has resided in the state under circumstances specified in these rules is eligible for classification as a resident. A citizen, a national or a permanent resident of the United States not eligible to be classified as a resident is classified as a nonresident. An alien who is not a permanent resident of the United States and has not been permitted by Congress to adopt the United States as a domicile while in this country is classified as a foreign student. An individual classified as a nonresident may qualify, under certain exceptions specified in these rules, for resident tuition rates and other charges while continuing to be classified as a nonresident.
The student is responsible for registering under the proper residence classification. If there is any question about the student's right to classification as a resident of Texas, it is the student's obligation to consult the Texas Medical and Dental Application Service and have his or her status officially determined. The applicable statutory provisions are set forth in Title 3, Chapter 54, Sections 54.001 et seq., Texas Education Code. Rules and regulations and interpretations have been issued by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for the effective and uniform administration of these provisions. A brochure on residency determination is available in the Admissions Office.
Students classified as Texas residents must affirm the correctness of that classification as a part of the registration procedure by signing an "oath of residency." If the student's classification as a resident becomes inappropriate for any reason, it is the responsibility of the student to notify the proper administrative official at the institution. Information and advice regarding residency status are available from the Admissions Office and the Texas Medical and Dental Application Service.
Required Immunization
The Texas Department of Health requires that all medical students submit official documentation of complete immunization for, or immunity to, mumps, measles and rubella prior to matriculation. Students born prior to Jan. 1, 1957, are exempt from requirements for mumps and measles. Additionally, medical students are required to submit documentation of immunization within the past 10 years for tetanus/diphtheria. Students also must have a history of having had varicella (chicken pox) or provide documentation of having received two varicella vaccinations or have an immune titer (blood test). Medical students also are required to provide proof of having completed the series of vaccinations to prevent hepatitis B or proof of an immune titer.Inquiries concerning supplemental immunization requirements should be referred to the UT Southwestern Student Health Services.
Transfers From Other Medical Schools
If positions are available, transfer is permitted for students in good standing at a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. Transfer is most easily accommodated at the beginning of the third year. Transfer into the fourth year is not possible. Typically, the availability of positions in the third year will be known in the late spring of the second year, whereas positions in the second year are not known until mid-summer of the first year.Applications and information can be obtained from the Admissions Office. Applications for transfer will be considered by the Admissions Committee of the medical school. Special consideration is given to spouses of medical students, of full-time faculty or of house staff in training at Parkland Memorial Hospital or Children's Medical Center of Dallas, or to M.D./Ph.D. candidates whose research mentor relocates to UT Southwestern.
Advanced Standing
UT Southwestern does not have an advanced standing program. Admission can be granted only through the usual process to the first-year class. Upon admission, a student is permitted to petition individual departments if exemption from that course is desired. There is no formal process for this, and decisions are totally at the discretion of each department.