Texas A&M’s medical school is ranked the 80th best medical school for research in the USA. It provides the most primary care doctors to rural and underserved areas in the USA.
Texas A&M is a good medical school for students who want to attend an inexpensive public medical school or practice in a rural community. It is a mid-tier, affordable school with a moderate acceptance rate and diverse program offerings for MD, medical science, and education students.
Let’s look at the details to help you decide if Texas A&M Medical school is a good fit for you. I’ll cover the school’s pros and cons, student and alumni opinions, and anything else you need to know before applying.
Interested in learning more about specific medical school pros and cons? Check out our Medical School Guides here – we cover all osteopathic (DO) and allopathic (MD) schools.
Texas A&M Medical School Programs
Texas A&M’s medical school program offerings cover a wide range of medical disciplines, making their medical school an ideal choice for students who wish to practice, research, teach, engineer, and more.
Texas A&M offers the following degree programs for medical students:
- MD. Doctor of Medicine students can graduate with an MD or opt for a dual degree program with an additional doctorate in Philosophy or a Master’s in Science, Public Health, Business Administration, Engineering, Science and Technology Journalism, or Education for Healthcare Professionals.
- Ph.D. or MS in Medical Science. A&M offers six different schools within the college of medicine. You can choose which school you want to focus your research on when earning your MS or Ph.D. in Medical Science.
- MS or Certification in Education for Healthcare Professionals. A&M’s teaching degrees are some of their most unique, and they offer a 36 to 34-hour degree or shorter certification program for those who wish to teach in the field of health and medicine.
This list of program offerings is incredibly customizable, making it ideal for students who want to pursue a specialty in medicine or aren’t sure what field they desire to practice in.
Since A&M is also an undergraduate institution, you can complete your entire education on campus, from freshman to doctor. This setup is vastly more comfortable for students who don’t want to move around the country for medical school or individuals who value having a support network while studying.
Texas A&M Medical School’s Match Data
Texas A&M doesn’t share most of its residency match results. But based on news reports from the University in 2022, 75% of Texas A&M’s students found residency matches.
According to the published results, students matched with residencies at Duke, Temple, and George Washington University, among others.
A&M students seem to prefer to attend residencies in-state, with 77% of 2022 graduates and 48% of 2003 graduates matching with residencies in Texas.
Most A&M graduates usually go into primary care, following A&M’s tradition of providing doctors to rural and underserved areas in Texas. The most popular specializations are family, internal, and pediatric medicine, which A&M has a long and distinct reputation for.
However, smaller percentages of one to eight students per class go into specialty fields such as:
- Emergency medicine
- Surgery
- Psychiatry
- Plastic surgery
- Orthopedic surgery
- Dermatology
- Anesthesiology
Related: 5 Best Emergency Medicine (EM) Residency Programs (Key Info & Data)
Texas A&M Medical School Acceptance Rate
Texas A&M is a moderately selective medical school, accepting 20% to 40% of applicants yearly. The average GPA of admitted A&M students is 3.67, and the average MCAT score is 507.
Although A&M still holds high standards for its medical school students, this school is far easier to get into than any private medical school or ivy league. It’s a fantastic option for people who can’t get into the most selective schools but still want to attend a quality medical school in the USA.
Texas A&M Medical School Tuition
Texas A&M medical school’s affordable tuition is one of its most attractive features. It’s why this school is a financially savvy choice. In-state tuition costs $21,670 annually for the 2022-2023 year. Out-of-state tuition is $34,860.
Unlike most medical schools, TAMU doesn’t increase the tuition cost as you progress from M1 to M4.
However, that number only reflects tuition. A&M estimates that the total cost of attendance, including housing, books, food, and travel, will cost an in-state student $59,488. For out-of-state students, that figure shoots up to $72,994 each year.
A&M’s tuition is just over half the $40,372 average in-state public medical school tuition in the USA.
Tuition prices are rising, but TAMU has always been renowned as one of the country’s most affordable yet respected medical schools.
For that reason, A&M is a solid choice if you are on a budget. It’s also an ideal backup school for any student relying on scholarships or loans to attend med school.
Does A&M Accept AP Credits?
A&M accepts AP credits. Texas A&M accepts up to three AP credits per student if the subject corresponds with the classes offered. A&M recommends that prospective students examine the course catalog to determine which AP credits fit with their chosen degree program to get ahead.
Texas A&M University will accept your AP credits, but you must be sure to send them over to the University via College Board. You have until you graduate from A&M with a bachelor’s degree to transfer and accept these scores for course credit.
However, as a graduate college, the School of Medicine does not need to accept AP scores. Completion or expected completion of a bachelor’s degree will suffice when applying to the A&M School of Medicine.
Does A&M Offer Scholarships?
Texas A&M offers scholarships. There are hundreds of scholarships to choose from, covering medical students, graduate students, and general students of A&M. Professional students in Medical School may also take advantage of assistantships and federal and state aid.
Getting a full ride to Texas A&M Medical School is possible if you apply for the right scholarships and have an outstanding academic record. However, finding scholarships to help you cover the cost of attendance is still an option for those who don’t have a 4.0.
TAMU offers scholarships for many types of students, allowing you to pull resources from the University’s more general “college student” and “graduate student” scholarships while also taking advantage of the scholarships for medical students.
For more information concerning the Scholarships that TAMU offers for medical students, check out their scholarships webpage.
A&M also accepts all forms of federal and state student aid, so you can take out federal loans or use FSA to cover your tuition.
Is A&M Medical School Good?
A&M Medical School is good for students who want an accessible, inexpensive degree. A&M is a public school that prepares students for practice in more rural areas and underserved communities, and its education model focuses on technique and research rather than test prep.
Texas A&M is not a top-tier medical school but has gained a solid reputation as a public medical school. It is affordable, which may be a significant factor in your decision to apply.
It is the top choice for students who want a well-rounded medical education that prepares them for residencies. However, the curriculum requires students to prepare for exams out of class since most lecture time is spent on research and practical knowledge.
Likewise, A&M is the top choice for med students who wish to practice primary care in rural areas.
A&M might not be the best choice for you if you have the academics to attend a more prestigious university or if you want to practice in urban areas or acclaimed hospitals.
A&M is also not the best choice for people who want to go into particular fields of medicine since most of their classes match with residencies in primary care.
However, a few people from every class year end up in specialties like orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery, and neurosurgery at prestigious hospitals. If you study hard, you can get any residency you want from A&M — you just might not be in the majority of your class.
The Pros
- Small class sizes.
- You could complete your undergrad, graduate, and residency all at A&M if you wanted.
- Inexpensive.
- Prepares you for residency very well, and classes focus on practice rather than test prep.
- High acceptance rate.
- One of the best public schools for primary care.
- Match results are promising.
- You have many opportunities to research and branch out into various medical disciplines.
- The dual degree programs are perfect for students who want to enter a unique field.
- The faculty is helpful and very easy to work with.
- Located in a college town with plenty of student resources.
- Attached to a learning hospital, allowing you to shadow and complete research in a hospital environment.
The Cons
- Not the most prestigious university.
- Students must spend more time out of class preparing for exams.
- The attendance policy is rather strict.
- Most rotations are in neighboring colleges, and many graduates stay in Texas for residencies.
Student and Graduate Reviews of A&M
Overall, student ratings of A&M’s School of Medicine are pretty high. While students generally shared similar complaints, they also shared similar benefits of attending A&M.
Graduates and current students of A&M liked the excellent facilities on campus and the small-town vibe of the area. They shared positive reviews for most of their professors and expressed gratitude that they went because they felt more prepared for residency than graduates from other schools.
A&M is also an attractive choice for students as they are constantly evolving and updating their curriculum and resources based on their students’ needs.
Some changes they’ve recently made include offering free counseling services to all students, making preclinical years pass/fail, adding stipends and more exam-studying resources, and loosening up on their attendance policy.
A&M is very willing to accommodate students and will work with you and your classmates to ensure you are in an environment where you can succeed.
Although A&M is a solid school to attend, it doesn’t have the feel of a prestigious medical school like Rutgers or Duke. Emphasis is on research and gaining experience while in class at A&M, and you will need to budget time to prepare for standardized tests.
However, it’s a perfect medical school for people who are not in the 99th percentile of MCAT test-takers or those who don’t want to pay an excessive amount of money for med school. You’ll find helpful faculty, have the resources you need to succeed, and be in a comfortable environment. Most importantly, though, A&M Medical School will prepare you well for your career to come.
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Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.