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University Health Professions Office

Medical School

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Overview

The purpose of an undergraduate education is to provide students with the opportunity to grow personally and intellectually; allowing them the time and resources to discover a breadth of new ideas and topics as well as to build and to explore their own interests and passions in depth.  Therefore, students should seek a broad education during their undergraduate years.  There is no required major for entrance to medical school.  The courses listed in the prerequisites section represent the minimum course requirements for entrance to a Texas medical school.  Students are encouraged to incorporate these requirements into their semester by semester plans for completion of their baccalaureate degrees.  It is further recommended that students learn directly from medical schools about their most current, available admissions information.

Timeline

Students who enter their undergraduate studies with the intention of beginning medical school just after graduation should plan to complete the premedical curriculum by the end of their junior year and apply to medical school shortly thereafter.  Such a schedule would permit a student to complete his or her baccalaureate degree requirements over the course of the following year prior to matriculation to medical school.  It is not unusual, however, that a student will decide later in their academic career to pursue medicine.  Arriving at the decision later does not necessarily place a student at a disadvantage.  It will, however, require a student to postpone the application to medical school until premedical course requirements are fulfilled.  The medical school application cycle, from application to matriculation, takes approximately fourteen months, so advanced planning is essential.

Prerequisites

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Required Areas of Study

UTSA Course

Grade/
Sem

Prerequisites/
Corequisites

Must receive C or better

English
(6 hrs lecture)

WRC 1013

 

 

WRC 1023

 

WRC 1013

Statistics
(3 hrs lecture)

NOTE:  Three Texas medical schools will also accept calculus, and one will not have a math requirement.  For more information, please see the TMDSAS website.

STA 1053 or higher

 

Satisfactory performance on placement exam

General Chemistry
(6 hrs lecture; 2 hrs lab)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

¹CHE 1103 or ²CHE 1143

 

¹Passing grade on Chemistry Placement Exam or C or better in CHE 1073 and completion of or concurrent enrollment in MAT 1073; ²Grade of “B” or higher in MAT 1073 and CHE 1073 or score of 60% or higher on chemistry placement exam

CHE 1121 Lab and
CHE 1120 Lab Lecture

 

Completion of or concurrent enrollment in CHE 1103 or CHE 1143

¹CHE 1113 or ²CHE 1153

 

¹CHE 1103; ² “C” or better in CHE 1143 or “B” or better in CHE 1103 and instructor consent

CHE 1131 Lab and
CHE 1130 Lab Lecture

 

CHE 1121 and completion of or concurrent enrollment in CHE 1113 or CHE 1153

Organic Chemistry
(6 hrs lecture; 2 hrs lab)

NOTES:  Since the chemistry labs are worth two credit hours each at UTSA, taking just one organic chemistry lab here will technically fulfill the two credit hour organic chemistry lab requirement for Texas medical schools.

CHE 2603 was formerly CHE 2604;
CHE 3643 was formerly CHE 2623;
CHE 3652 was formerly CHE 2632;
CHE 3650 was formerly 2630.

CHE 2603

 

CHE 1113 or CHE 1153

CHE 2612 Lab and
CHE 2610 Lab Lecture

 

Completion of CHE 1131 and completion of or concurrent enrollment in CHE 2603

CHE 3673 or CHE 3643

 

CHE 2603 and completion of or concurrent enrollment in CHE 2612

CHE 3652 Lab and
CHE 3650 Lab Lecture

 

CHE 2603 and CHE 2612

Physics
(6 hrs lecture; 2 hrs lab)

PHY 1603 or higher

 

MAT 1023 (not recommended for pre-med students), MAT 1073 or higher

PHY 1611 Lab or higher

 

Completion of or concurrent enrollment in PHY 1603

PHY 1623 or higher

 

PHY 1603

PHY 1631 Lab or higher

 

PHY 1611 and completion of or concurrent enrollment in PHY 1623

Biology
(12 hrs lecture; 2 hrs lab)

 

 

 

 

NOTE:  Biochemistry is required by the medical schools at UTHSCSA and TTUHSC and is highly recommended by other Texas medical schools.  For more information, please see the TMDSAS website. 

BIO 1404

 

MAT 1023 (not recommended for pre-med students), MAT 1073 or higher; CHE 1073 or higher also recommended by UHPO

BIO 1122 Lab

 

Completion of or concurrent enrollment in BIO 1404

BIO 1413

 

BIO 1404

BIO 2313 Genetics

 

BIO 1413 and completion of or concurrent enrollment in CHE 1103 and MAT 1193 or MAT 1214 or STA 1053

¹BIO 3513 or ²CHE 4303

 

¹CHE 2603 and 2612; ²CHE 3643


MCAT

The MCAT is offered between January and September each year in a computer-based exam format.  To be an early applicant to medical school, it is extremely important to take the test between January and May.  Disciplined review and preparation for the exam should be undertaken at least six months in advance of the test date.  The MCAT is comprised of four sections: Biological Sciences; Physical Sciences; Verbal Reasoning; and Writing Sample.  The scoring for the first three sections is on a 1-15 scale.  Ten or better is considered a strong score.  The Writing Sample section is assigned a letter value of J to T, T being the highest possible score.  The total score for all of these sections combined will also be reported.  Through the AAMC website (http://aamc.org/students/mcat/start.htm), students can find detailed information about the exam and can register to take the exam.

Application Process

Application Process: To apply to Texas medical schools, with the exception of Baylor College of Medicine, students who are Texas residents must utilize the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS).  Detailed information on the application process can be found at their website: www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas.  The application typically becomes available May 1 and closes on October 1.  It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that TMDSAS receives all transcripts, fees, and other required documentation.  Medical schools typically interview candidates between August and January.  Admissions decisions for Texas medical schools are announced in October for Early Decision candidates, between November 15 and December 31 for Pre-Match Texas Resident Applicants, and February 1 for all others.  Matriculation is in August. 

To apply to out-of-state allopathic schools of medicine as well as Baylor College of Medicine, students should utilize the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS).   Detailed information about the AMCAS application can be found on the website of the Association of American Medical College (AAMC):  http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm. 

To apply to out-of-state osteopathic schools of medicine, students should utilize the American Association of College of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS).  Detailed information about the AACOMAS application can be found on the website of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM):  https://aacomas.aacom.org/.

http://www.aacpm.org/apply/apply.asp .   

To better serve future students, we will be establishing a longitudinal database through which we can keep track of our applicants and where they have matriculated.  To facilitate this, we request that students approve advisor access to their application status through TMDSAS and other application services utilized.

Student Organization

Student organizations can provide important opportunities for networking, education and service. For additional information please visit the Pre-Medical Society.

Special Programs

There are two programs available for incoming freshmen:

Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP)

Facillitated Acceptance to Medical Education (FAME)