Residency Advisor
The mythology around “one Texas MD number” is wrong. The data show that school type within TMDSAS—public MD, UT Austin Dell Med, McGovern, Texas Tech, TCOM (DO), veterinary, and dental—drives very different median metrics for accepted applicants.
Below is a numbers-first breakdown of median GPA, MCAT, and related metrics for accepted TMDSAS applicants by school type, anchored to the most recent cycles with publicly available data (TMDSAS reports, AAMC/ADA/AVMA aggregates, published institution profiles, and approximation where Texas-only cuts are not disclosed). Values are rounded but directionally accurate and consistent with statewide patterns.
1. TMDSAS Overview: One Application, Very Different Metric Targets
TMDSAS is a unified application service, but the accepted-applicant profiles are far from unified. The data show at least four distinct clusters:
- Texas public MD schools (core group)
- UT Austin Dell Medical and McGovern (Houston) as higher-metric MD anchors
- Texas DO (TCOM) with slightly lower MCAT but very competitive GPAs
- Dental and veterinary schools with MCAT/DAT/GPA profiles comparable to many MD programs
For context, Texas MD schools have two structural features that shape their metric distributions:
- Statutory in‑state preference (90%+ of seats to Texas residents in most MD/DO programs).
- Lower average tuition, which attracts “high-stat” in‑state applicants who might otherwise target higher-cost private schools.
In short, the TMDSAS pool is dense with high-aptitude in‑state applicants, and that density becomes visible when you compare median metrics across school types.
2. Public Texas MD Schools: Core TMDSAS Cluster
Let us start with the “standard” TMDSAS MD path: the public allopathic schools excluding Dell and McGovern outliers.
These include:
- UT Medical Branch (UTMB)
- UT Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Medicine
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) – Lubbock
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso (TTUHSC El Paso)
- University of North Texas Health Science Center TCOM is DO (covered later; not in this MD group)
- UT San Antonio (Long School of Medicine)
- UT Tyler School of Medicine (new; lower data stability, but we can align to early cycles)
Approximate median metrics for accepted applicants (not matriculants):
Aggregate Public MD (Core Group) – Accepted Applicant Medians
- Cumulative GPA (cGPA): 3.78–3.81
- Science GPA (sGPA): 3.73–3.77
- MCAT Total: 512–514 (≈ 85th–88th percentile)
- Section medians (approximate):
- CP: 128
- CARS: 127–128
- BB: 128–129
- PS: 128
Two patterns stand out:
Very narrow GPA band. At many TMDSAS MD schools, the interquartile range (IQR) for accepted applicants is roughly 3.65–3.95. Applicants below 3.6 are operating from the left tail and generally require strong compensating strengths (upward GPA trend, high MCAT, nontraditional background).
MCAT clustering around 512–514. While matriculant averages might show 511–513, the accepted pool tends to be 1–2 points higher because some higher-stat applicants later withdraw for out-of-state schools.
To make this more concrete, a typical accepted applicant profile at a mid-range Texas public MD school would look like:
- cGPA 3.80, sGPA 3.76
- MCAT 513 (128/128/129/128)
- 1,000+ hours of clinical exposure, strong volunteering, and one or two substantial non-clinical activities
Contrast that with a 3.55/508 applicant: the probability of acceptance across this group of schools falls sharply, especially without clearly differentiating features.
3. The High-Intensity MD Subset: Dell and McGovern
Within TMDSAS MD programs, two schools tend to show higher median metrics for accepted applicants:
- McGovern Medical School (UTHealth Houston)
- Dell Medical School at UT Austin
They occupy slightly different niches though.
McGovern Medical School (UTHealth Houston)
McGovern sits in the Texas Medical Center ecosystem and draws a high-volume, high-stat applicant pool.
Accepted applicant medians (approximate):
- cGPA: 3.82–3.85
- sGPA: 3.78–3.81
- MCAT: 514–516
McGovern’s median MCAT is typically 1–2 points above the TMDSAS MD aggregate. The distribution has a longer right tail; 518+ MCAT scores are not unusual among accepted students.
Implication: Compared to a mid-range Texas MD program, the odds for a 510 MCAT applicant drop more at McGovern than at most other schools, holding other variables constant.
Dell Medical School (UT Austin)
Dell is specialized and mission-driven: strong lean toward innovation, leadership, population health, and nontraditional profiles. This mission focus does not mean lower stats.
Accepted applicant medians (approximate):
- cGPA: 3.80–3.84
- sGPA: 3.74–3.78
- MCAT: 515–517
However, the variance in experiential metrics is higher. You see more applicants with graduate degrees, prior careers, or nontraditional backgrounds.
Data pattern: Dell shows a slightly higher concentration of:
- Post-bacc or SMP completions
- Applicants with advanced degrees (MPH/MA/MS)
- High leadership / innovation experience
From a strictly numerical lens, Dell sits at the top of TMDSAS MCAT medians alongside McGovern, but it reserves a larger share of seats for applicants whose experiences match specific mission criteria.
4. Texas DO via TMDSAS: TCOM as the Data Point
Within TMDSAS, the primary DO program is:
- Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) – UNTHSC Fort Worth
TCOM is not a “backup” from a metrics standpoint. Texas residents with DO interest and solid GPAs make its accepted pool competitive.
Accepted applicant medians (approximate):
- cGPA: 3.70–3.73
- sGPA: 3.63–3.68
- MCAT: 506–508
That median MCAT is ~5–8 points below flagship MD programs but the GPA differential is narrower than many expect. Two key data realities:
High volume of re-applicants and nontraditional candidates. Many with improving academic trends and strong life experience, compressing the GPA distribution upward.
In-state DO demand. Texas residents often prefer TCOM over out-of-state DO options, so the accepted pool’s metrics sit well above national DO medians.
Compare:
- National DO matriculant MCAT ≈ 503–504
- TCOM accepted MCAT ≈ 506–508
This 2–4 point gap is material. For a Texas applicant with, say, 3.55 GPA and 503 MCAT, TCOM is still a reach statistically, not a safety.
From a planning standpoint:
- 3.7+/506–508: You are aligned with TCOM medians.
- 3.4–3.6/500–504: You fall below TCOM medians and would need stronger narratives, robust clinical work, or evidence of upward academic trajectory.
5. TMDSAS Dental Schools: DAT and GPA in a Different Arena
TMDSAS also handles applications for Texas dental schools, where the primary numerical filters shift from MCAT to DAT but GPA remains central.
Major TMDSAS dental programs:
- UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry
- UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry
- Texas A&M School of Dentistry (Dallas)
Aggregate Dental – Accepted Applicant Medians (Approximate)
GPA:
- Overall GPA: 3.70–3.75
- Science GPA: 3.62–3.68
DAT:
- Academic Average (AA): 20–21
- Perceptual Ability (PAT): 20–21
- Total Science (TS): 20–21
Given that the national DAT average is around 18, an AA of 20+ places accepted Texas dental applicants around the 75th–80th percentile.
Distinctive data feature: accepted dental applicants often have slightly lower GPAs than top Texas MDs but similar or higher rigor in prerequisite sciences, with a heavy lab load. The sGPA IQR for accepted applicants is broadly around 3.50–3.85.
For example, a robust accepted profile might be:
- cGPA 3.72, sGPA 3.65
- DAT AA 21, PAT 21, TS 21
- 200–400 hours of shadowing, strong manual dexterity experiences, and solid letter support
A 3.4 GPA with 20 DAT is not mathematically impossible, but on the left tail of the accepted distribution; such applicants usually offset weaker GPAs with very strong DAT and significant dental exposure.
6. Veterinary (DVM) through TMDSAS: A Separate Competitive Frontier
Texas veterinary programs using TMDSAS introduce another data environment altogether:
- Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
- Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine
Texas A&M is historically the anchor and has published fairly consistent ranges.
Veterinary – Accepted Applicant Medians (Approximate)
GPA:
- Overall GPA: 3.75–3.82
- Prerequisite GPA: 3.70–3.80
Standardized Tests:
Texas schools have been shifting away from requiring the GRE broadly, and its role has diminished. Where used, the GRE tends not to be as decisive downstream as GPA and experience hours.
What makes the DVM data distinct:
- Very high GPA expectations relative to national veterinary averages
- Extremely high experience hours, often 1,000–3,000+ across veterinary, animal, and research categories
From a purely numerical angle, a “median-like” accepted A&M DVM candidate often shows:
- cGPA 3.80, strong prerequisite science performance
- Multiple long-term animal/vet experience roles (hundreds of hours per role)
- Strong upward or stable academic trends; very few C grades in key sciences
The GPA distribution here overlaps strongly with the upper half of Texas MD applicants, indicating that veterinary admission in Texas is not “easier” on a GPA basis.
7. How Medians Differ Within Each Track
The headline medians only tell part of the story. The spread (IQR and tails) varies by school type, and the data show systematic patterns.
7.1 MD: Narrow Spread, Strong Right Tail
For core Texas MD schools:
- GPA IQR (accepted): Approx. 3.65–3.94
- MCAT IQR (accepted): Approx. 509–517
Left tail: a nontrivial slice of accepted applicants with GPAs under 3.5 or MCATs under 507 usually bring one or more of:
- Nontraditional background with years of relevant work
- Significant meaningful adversity stories, documented and contextualized
- Exceptional experiences (e.g., substantial research with publications, high-impact leadership)
Right tail: applicants with 520+ MCAT and 3.9+ GPAs often hold multiple acceptances and may ultimately leave the TMDSAS pool for out-of-state or top-20 private programs.
7.2 DO (TCOM): Slightly Wider MCAT Spread
TCOM tends to have:
- Narrow GPA spread (heavy clustering 3.5–3.8)
- Wider MCAT spread (500–511 being common among accepted applicants)
So the relative “fact”: GPA is a more stable predictor of TCOM admission than MCAT variability alone. A 3.8/503 applicant is more viable than a 3.3/508 in many cycles.
7.3 Dental and Vet: GPA as a Harder Floor
For Texas dental and veterinary programs:
- GPA appears to serve more like a floor than a sliding scale.
- Sub‑3.4 GPAs in key sciences among accepted applicants are rare outliers.
Dental: DAT can compensate somewhat for a weaker GPA but rarely for a 0.4–0.5 gap below medians.
Vet: Experience hours sometimes compensate for minor GPA deficits (e.g., 3.55–3.6 vs 3.75 median), but large deficits are uncommon in accepted data.
8. Strategic Takeaways by School Type
The data allow a few quantitative planning heuristics for Texas applicants.
8.1 For MD-Focused Premeds
If you are a Texas resident aiming at any TMDSAS MD acceptance:
- Target cGPA ≥ 3.70 and MCAT ≥ 510 as a practical baseline.
- To be close to median accepted metrics for most schools, aim for cGPA 3.78+ / MCAT 512–514.
- For McGovern / Dell level programs, median-aligned profiles cluster around 3.8+ / 514–516.
Falling 2–3 MCAT points below these ranges or 0.1–0.2 GPA points below them does not eliminate chances but shifts you into the lower half of the accepted distribution, where experiences and fit must carry more weight.
8.2 For DO-Focused Texas Applicants (TCOM)
Data-aligned goals:
- cGPA ~3.6–3.7 and MCAT ~505–508 to sit near median accepted levels.
- Below 502 MCAT or 3.4 GPA, you are operating from the lower tail; multiple reapplication cycles are common in this zone unless remediation or additional coursework improves the profile.
8.3 For Dental Applicants
To approximate a median-competitive TMDSAS dental profile:
- cGPA 3.7+, sGPA ~3.6–3.7
- DAT AA 20–21, PAT 20–21, TS 20–21
A 19 DAT can still be accepted with stronger GPAs; a 22 DAT can mitigate a 3.45–3.5 GPA somewhat, but there is not unlimited tradeoff.
8.4 For Veterinary Applicants
Given the Texas data:
- Aim for cGPA 3.75+ with strong prerequisite performance.
- Build substantial, documented experience hours; vet schools quantify these more explicitly than MD programs.
A 3.6 GPA with exceptionally strong experience can match or slightly exceed the acceptance rates of a 3.8 GPA with minimal experience.
9. Why “Median” Alone Can Mislead
The median is a critical anchor but not the full story.
Three quantitative cautions:
Accepted vs. Matriculated. Many publicly posted metrics are for matriculants, not accepted applicants. Accepted pools typically have slightly higher MCAT and similar or slightly higher GPA because some high-stat candidates withdraw.
Aggregate vs. Individual Schools. Aggregated TMDSAS reports blend data across institutions. Dell and McGovern pull medians upward; newer or regionally focused schools (like UTRGV or UT Tyler) may have slightly lower medians in early years, though differences narrow over time.
Cycle Volatility. A single cycle with an unusually strong or unusually weak cohort can shift reported medians by 0.02–0.05 GPA or 1 MCAT point. No applicant should treat a single printed number as an exact cutoff.
Therefore, a more robust strategy is to:
- Interpret medians as probability inflection points, not guarantees.
- Position yourself at or above the median for at least a subset of your target schools.
- Combine metrics with school-specific mission fit, geography, and clinical/extracurricular profile when constructing an application list.
FAQ (3 Questions)
1. How far below a school’s median MCAT can an applicant realistically be and still have a chance through TMDSAS?
Data from multiple cycles suggest that being about 2–3 points below the median MCAT is the practical lower bound where acceptance probability remains nontrivial, assuming your GPA is near or above the school’s median and your experiences align well. Larger gaps (4–6 points below median) typically require compelling compensatory factors: outstanding GPA, exceptional life story, or substantial clinical/leadership strength.
2. Are Texas residents with high stats (e.g., 520+ MCAT, 3.9+ GPA) almost guaranteed TMDSAS MD acceptances?
No. Although such applicants sit on the far right of the metric distribution and have high acceptance probabilities statistically, several filters still apply: interview performance, letters, professionalism, and school-specific mission fit. Data from recent cycles show a nontrivial fraction of very high-stat applicants holding no Texas MD offers, especially when their school list is narrow or poorly aligned with institutional missions.
3. For a borderline applicant, is it better to retake the MCAT or try to raise GPA with a post-bacc in the TMDSAS landscape?
If your GPA is ≥3.6 but MCAT is 4–5 points below target medians, MCAT retake yields a higher impact per unit effort, since GPA movement is slow. If your GPA is ≤3.3–3.4, even a strong MCAT often does not fully offset that deficit for MD; structured coursework (post-bacc/SMP) to raise science GPA and demonstrate recent academic strength tends to shift your position in the accepted distribution more meaningfully.
