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University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine

Edinburg, TX Class Size: 55
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Statistics Tuition Friendliness Mission Statement Situational Judgement Tests Dates & Deadlines Prerequisite Courses Dual Degree Tracks Contact Information Secondary App Questions Interview Questions

Gaining admission to University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine is Moderately Competitive. Applicants typically have an average GPA of 3.79 and an average MCAT score of 507.

Statistics

To summarize, listed below are the most important academic statistics for University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine applicants:

Average GPA:
3.79
Average MCAT:
507
Competitiveness:
Moderately Competitive
Note: Competitiveness is assessed based on the school's acceptance rate, average MCAT, and average GPA.

Tuition

Affording medical school can be tough, often requiring students to take on significant loans. Information about the yearly tuition for University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine is below.

In-State Tuition:
$20000
Out-of-State Tuition:
$33000

For more information about tuition at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, visit the following link: https://www.utrgv.edu/som/admissions/tuition-and-financial-aid/cost-of-attendance/index.htm

Friendliness

Some schools prefer in-state candidates, while others are more receptive to out-of-state or international applicants. View our school "friendliness" scores for University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine below:

IN-STATE

In-State Friendliness:
Very Friendly

OUT-OF-STATE

Accepts Out-of-State:
No
Out-of-State Friendliness:
Neutral

INTERNATIONAL

Accepts Canadian:
No
Accepts International:
No
International Friendliness:
Not Friendly

Note: Most schools will be labelled "Neutral" for In-State Friendlines because they don't have a strong bias for in-state applicants compared to out-of-state applicants. In other words, we believe these schools view In-State and Out-State applicants more or less equally. Schools labelled as "Out-of-State Friendly / Very Friendly" have a high proportion of their class filled with Out-of-State applicants.

Mission Statement

It is always important to read and understand a medical school's mission statement before applying. Often, you will find out what the medical school stands for, and if you fit in with the general "vibe" of the medical school. However, being honest, most medical schools have the same run-of-the-mill mission statement as everybody else. Anyways, you can be the judge. Below you can find the mission statement for University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine:

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine Mission Statement:
The mission of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine (UTRGV SOM) is to educate a diverse group of dedicated students who will become physicians that serve across all the disciplines of medicine; bring hope to patients by advancing medical knowledge through research; integrate education and research to advance the quality and accessibility of patient care; and engage with the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) communities to benefit Texas and the world.

For more information on the mission statement for University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, visit the following link: https://www.utrgv.edu/som/admissions/ready-to-apply/index.htm

Situational Judgement Tests

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine does not require the completion of either the CASPer® nor the AAMC PREview™ examinations.

CASPer®:
No
AAMC PREview™:
No

Dates, Deadlines, and Fees

Throughout your application cycle, there are many dates to be cognizant of in order to ensure the successful completion of your application.

Primary Application Deadline:
November 1
Secondary Application Deadline:
Nov 15
Secondary Application Fee:
$80
Note: The primary application deadline refers to when your primary application (i.e., the initial AMCAS/AACOMAS/TMDSAS application) needs to be completed. Please be aware that there are processing times associated with primary applications—for instance, there can be a several week processing time associated with verifying your acadmic transcripts when initially submitting the AMCAS application. Upon receipt of the primary application, most schools will then shortly send you a secondary application with targeted essay questions relevant to the specific school.

The secondary application deadline is the final day for all your application materials to be together, which includes submitting the secondary essays, all letters of recommendation, all test scores, etc. Sometimes, schools may have earlier deadlines for letters of recommendation. However, note that for the vast majority of schools it is best to submit your secondary application as soon as possible: within 2 weeks of receiving the secondary application is a good rule-of-thumb.

Below are some other helpful dates:

Interview Cycle Start:
August
Interview Cycle End:
February
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Prerequisite Courses

Most schools have a list of prerequisite courses that you need to have completed before matriculating. View information provided for University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine below:

Interpreting Semester Hours
Typically,
3 Semester Hours = A single semester-long course = 1 or 2 quarters
4 Semester Hours = A single semester-long course + associated lab unit
6 Semester Hours = Two semester-long courses = 3 quarters
8 Semester Hours = Two semester-long courses + two associated lab units

PHYSICS

Semester Hours:
8
Lab?
Required

CHEMISTRY

GenChem = General Chemistry

OChem = Organic Chemistry

Biochem = Biochemistry

GenChem Semester Hours:
8
GenChem Lab?
Required
OChem Semester Hours:
8
OChem Lab?
Required
Biochem Semester Hours:
3
Biochem Lab?
Not Required

BIOLOGY

GenBio = General Biology

HL Bio = Higher Level Biology

GenBio Semester Hours:
14
GenBio Lab?
Required
HL Bio Semester Hours:
0
HL Bio Lab?
Not Required

HUMANITIES & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

Semester Hours:
0

ENGLISH/WRITING

Semester Hours:
6

MATHEMATICS/STATISTICS

Mathematics Semester Hours:
0
Statistics Semester Hours:
3

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES

OTHER RECOMMENDED COURSES

SOURCE: https://www.utrgv.edu/som/admissions/_files/documents/prerequisites-acknowledgment.pdf

Special Programs

Many schools have dual-degree programs for motivated applicants. View the ones offered at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine below:

MD+PhD (MSTP - Medical Scientist Training Program):
MD+MPH (Public Health):
MD+MBA (Business, Healthcare Administration):
MD+JD (Law):
MD+MA (Master of Arts):
MD+MS (Master of Science):

Contact Information

View contact information (phone and email) available to contact University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine below:

CONTACT #1

Title:
E-mail:
mdadmissions@utrgv.edu
Phone:

CONTACT #2

Title:
E-mail:
Phone:

Secondary Application Essay Prompts

Below are the past secondary (supplemental) application essay prompts for University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine.

Which potential barriers and facilitators exist for medicine of the future? How will you make a difference in this regard? (350 words or less)
Describe how you decide if a person or source is trustworthy. (300 words or less)
Describe a time when the awareness of your own limitations resulted in a favorable outcome for you or someone close to you. (350 words or less)
In the event you are accepted to two or more medical schools, what factors would be most important in determining which school would be the "best fit" for you. (150 words max; bullet points are acceptable)
OPTIONAL: If you feel that the Admissions Committee should be aware of any academic discrepancies or extenuating circumstances, please explain them. (350 words or less)
OPTIONAL: Describe any major hardships you have overcome to reach this point in your life. (350 words or less)
OPTIONAL: How have volunteer work, hobbies, and/or extracurricular activities informed your beliefs about health care and a career in medicine? (350 words or less)
Submit a 2-minute video that responds to two of the values listed: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine prepares future physicians in accordance with the following values: patient advocacy, community focus, cultural awareness, collaborative leadership style, and lifelong problem solving. Select TWO (2) of these values and discuss what you have done in the past that resonates with them. How will you support and strengthen these two values when you practice medicine?

Interview Questions

Below are common interview questions that you might encounter on your important day for University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine.