Requirements
Education Requirements
Each required course must be completed with a grade of “C" or better. Courses taken with a grading basis of Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit do not count towards meeting the requirement. Advanced placement credit is accepted only if the school granting the credit lists the specific course number(s) and number of semester/credit hours granted per course on an official transcript.
- Applicants must have completed a minimum of 90 semester credit hours (or 135 quarter hours)
- Each prerequisite course must be completed with a grade of “C” or better
- Online courses will not be accepted unless prior special permission is granted
- All prerequisite courses must be taken at an accredited US college or university.
- Minimum overall GPA of 3.0 or higher is required*
- Minimum Science GPA of 3.2 or higher is required*
*UTRGV School of Medicine evaluates applications via "Holistic Review". If an applicant does not meet the minimum requirements, he/she will be reviewed by an admission special evaluation sub-committee. The sub-committee will determine if the application merits consideration.
The MCAT
- The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) is a requirement for admission
- MCAT scores above the 50th percentile, with each section having a score of 122 or higher, will be holistically reviewed and assigned for processing.
- MCAT scores below the 50th percentile will be forwarded to a special admissions sub-committee for evaluation. MCAT scores below 495 will not be considered for admission.
- MCAT scores older than 3 years will not be valid.
- AAMC MCAT Percentile Reference Page
OTHER
- Applicants with misdemeanor convictions will be reviewed by a special sub-committee
- Applicants with a felony conviction will not be considered for admission
- Essential Abilities and Technical Standards
- Subsequent Legal, Professionalism, or Institutional Actions
Recommendation Letters (LORs)
Health professions advisers and/or faculty play an important role in helping the admissions committee assess intellectual ability, personal attributes and promise for medicine as a career. Therefore, prospective applicants are urged to get to know their advisers and teaching faculty early in their undergraduate education experience to ensure support of their application
- A minimum of three evaluations or a Health Professions Advisory packet are required. Letters of reference from professors are preferred, however, letters from employment supervisors, physicians, other medical personnel or research mentors are acceptable as well. TMDSAS will authenticate all letters and Health Professions Advisory packets.
Shadowing Experience
UTRGV considers a student’s shadowing experience very valuable. Experience should be on a continuous basis. For more information about shadowing experience, please visit TMDSAS.