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US Medicine · 2027 Entry

McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) Medical School2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

Location Houston, TX, United StatesEstablished 1969Interviews (2027 entry) October 2026–February 2027Decisions (2027 entry) March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard)

Photo: Montesq · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped

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Overview

About McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD)

McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, founded in 1969, is a public medical school embedded in the Texas Medical Center. It is one of the largest medical schools in the United States by class size. Clinical training spans the full spectrum of care settings: academic, safety-net, VA, and community health.

The school is part of The University of Texas System and is a TMDSAS institution, with a strong preference for Texas residents. Its location in the Texas Medical Center — home to over 60 institutions — provides unmatched clinical exposure from the earliest years.

What makes McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) different

McGovern Medical School, located in the Texas Medical Center — the largest medical complex in the world — benefits from extraordinary clinical breadth.

It is the flagship medical school of UTHealth Houston and trains a large class of physicians with access to Memorial Hermann Health System (one of the largest not-for-profit health systems in Texas), Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital (Harris County public safety-net), and the Houston VA. The school has significant research activity through UTHealth Houston's affiliated research institutes.

McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) course & teaching

Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. Year 1–2: integrated organ-system curriculum with early clinical skills development. Year 3–4: required clerkships at Memorial Hermann (academic tertiary), LBJ Hospital (public safety-net), Harris Health System clinics, and the Houston VA — providing diversity across acuity levels, payer mix, and patient populations. Dual-degree options: MD–PhD, MD–MPH available.

McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) research strengths

McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) is strong in these research areas:

  • Cancer biology
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Neuroscience
  • Transplantation
  • Health equity

How the McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) interview runs

Format: Traditional one-on-one or small panel interviews with faculty

McGovern Medical School interview day is held in the Texas Medical Center in Houston. Applicants typically have two 20–30 minute traditional interviews — one with a faculty physician and one with a current medical student. Interviewers have reviewed the full TMDSAS application beforehand and probe motivation for medicine in Texas, clinical and research experiences, and leadership.

The school occupies a unique position in the Texas Medical Center adjacent to Memorial Hermann Hospital (the primary teaching affiliate), providing access to Level I trauma, transplant, and academic medicine from the clinical years. The day includes a campus tour, an admissions presentation, and informal interaction with current students over lunch.

McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) intake

Approximately 240 students per year.

McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) at a glance

Founded in 1969. Based in Houston, TX.

Programmes offered:

  • Surgery
  • Internal Medicine
  • Primary Care
  • Trauma Surgery
  • Community Health
Entry requirements

What you need to apply to McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD)

Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applications via TMDSAS. Strong preference for Texas residents; non-Texans fill a very small proportion of seats. Secondary application required. Demonstrated clinical experience and community service are valued alongside academic metrics.
MCAT median
513 (range 508–518)
GPA median
3.84 overall / 3.71 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
3.5%
Class size
240
In-state preference
Strong — primarily in-state
In-state matriculants
94%
CASPer
Required
AAMC PREview
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Texas residency, clinical experience, community service, academic strength across all areas.
Notes
Estimates from public AAMC FACTS / class-profile; verify current cycle.
Specialities offered
Surgery, Internal Medicine, Primary Care, Trauma Surgery, Community Health

MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures are taken from McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston's published admissions data. Class profiles are republished each year — confirm which entering class these numbers describe before you rely on them.

Working towards the MCAT score McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) expects? Build a week-by-week plan from your test date — free for the first two weeks.

Interview

How McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) interviews applicants

Format
Traditional one-on-one or small panel interviews with faculty
Interview window (2027 entry)
October 2026–February 2027
Decision date (2027 entry)
March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard)
Post-interview chances
Estimated post-interview acceptance rate approximately 25–35%. Large class size creates a somewhat larger interview pool; academic metrics are weighted heavily alongside mission fit.
Tutor insight
McGovern is an excellent public school value for Texas residents — its Texas Medical Center location means clinical breadth that rivals any school in the country. Apply early through TMDSAS; the school receives a very high volume of applications. In your interview, demonstrate awareness of the specific clinical environments at McGovern (Memorial Hermann, LBJ Hospital, VA) — showing you understand what training in the Texas Medical Center actually involves impresses interviewers. Research is not as dominant a selection criterion as at Baylor, so applicants with strong clinical and community backgrounds should highlight those.
Practice

Practise for your McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) interview

PrometheusQuestion Bank621 medicine questions inside

Interview questions matched to McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD)

Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.

MediumPanelQ1

Service Orientation: Rural Health and Physician Workforce Shortages

You grew up in a rural county where the nearest primary care physician was 45 miles away. Your grandmother drove three hours round-trip for specialist appointments and was once hospitalised because a preventable condition had gone unmanaged. You are now applying to a rural-track medical school programme.

What motivates you, what challenges do you anticipate in practising in a rural setting, and how will you sustain your commitment over a career?

Likely follow-up · What federal and state programmes exist to incentivise physicians to practise in underserved rural areas?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
MediumPanelQ2

Surprise billing and the No Surprises Act

Before recent reform, many insured Americans received large 'surprise' medical bills, often from out-of-network providers they never chose, such as anesthesiologists or emergency physicians. The No Surprises Act took effect in 2022 to address this. Why is surprise billing a problem worth solving, and what does it reveal about the US system more broadly?

Likely follow-up · How does the No Surprises Act protect patients, and where do gaps remain?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
Get support

Apply to McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) with confidence

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Sources

Where McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD)'s figures come from

Compiled from McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston's published admissions material and checked for internal consistency. Not independently re-checked against the official course page for 2027 entry — confirm the figures with the school before you rely on them.

FAQ

McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) — frequently asked questions

McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) matriculants have a median MCAT of 513. The middle range of matriculants is 508–518. US schools publish medians rather than cut-offs, and committees review holistically — the MCAT is weighed alongside GPA, clinical and research experience, letters of recommendation and secondary essays.

Apply to McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) with confidence

We've helped students turn their MCAT, personal statement and interview prep into offers from McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston (MD) and other US medicine schools.