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Burnett School of Medicine milestones through the years.

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2015
July 6

Texas Christian University and UNT Health Science Center announce plans to develop a new medical school, which will offer M.D. degrees. Read More

2016
March

TCU and UNTHSC select Stuart D. Flynn, M.D. as the founding dean to lead the new School of Medicine. Read More

2017
April 17

The School of Medicine announces the H. Paul Dorman Charter Scholarship Program, which will provide full, first-year tuition to the first 60 students to be known as Dorman Scholars. Read More

2017
May 1

Evonne Kaplan-Liss, M.D., announced to serve as nation’s first medical school dean devoted solely to patient communication. Read More

2017
September

School of Medicine appoints first join hire with JPS Health Network. Grant C. Fowler, M.D., named department chair of family medicine. Read More

2018
April

In partnership with the TCU’s Neeley School of Business, the School of Medicine hosted a health care forum on the opioid crisis. Read More

2018
October 19

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education awarded preliminary accreditation to the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine, opening the doors for student recruitment. Read More

2019
February

Terence McCarthy, M.D., was named the John M. Geesbreght M.D., M.S., FACEP, Chair of Emergency Medicine. The generous gift established the first endowed chair for the medical school. Read More

2019
June

Twelve faculty physicians became certified physicians as part of the unique Physician Development Coach Initiative. Read More

2019
July

The inaugural class of M.D. students arrive on campus for Welcome Week and bring a new energy to Fort Worth community. Read More

2019
December

More than 250 people attended the panel discussion titled, “A Healthy Bottom Line: Improving the Patient Health Care Experience,” co-hosted by the School of Medicine and the TCU Neeley School of Business. Read More

2020
February

Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center Fort Worth and the School of Medicine will offer physician resident positions beginning in 2021. Read More

2020
March 17

The School of Medicine transitions to remote work and learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, faculty physicians provide information answer questions from the public about the Coronavirus. Read More

2020
March

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, medical students set up a donation station and collect needed PPE for the local healthcare community. In addition, a Virtual Blood Drive began for hospitals experiencing a shortage of blood donations. Read More

2020
April

New research restores vision to blind mice. School of Medicine faculty member helps create a one-of-a-kind approach to treat the most common form of macular degeneration. Read More

2020
June 1

Dean Stuart Flynn encourages all School of Medicine community members to show solidarity and stand against racism and hate in light of the death of George Floyd. Read More

2020
June

The medical school broadcasts live Q&As to provide the community useful information on the impact of racism on mental health, how to talk to children about racism and how to be an ally. The videos are some of the most watched videos on the school’s Facebook page. Read More

2020
July 6

The School of Medicine welcomes 60 new medical students who bring excitement to their virtual Welcome Week. The students were among the first in the country to begin medical school in a remote learning environment. Read More

2020
August

Six medical students are featured as part of a narrative project by TCU Magazine. The students will be followed by a team of writers and photographers who will capture their stories throughout all four years of medical education. Read More

2020
September 15

The late Anne Marion and the Burnett Foundation make a $25 million gift to establish The Anne W. Marion Endowment in support of the School of Medicine. Read more.

2021
February 24

The School of Medicine receives more than 8,000 applications for 2021-2022 medical school cycle. Read more.

2021
March 22

The School of Medicine’s second class receives transformational gift of year’s tuition from anonymous donors to support the future of medicine. Read more.

2021
June

The School of Medicine awarded provisional accreditation from the LCME. Read more here.

2021
October

Texas Health Resources and the School of Medicine announce a new Graduate Medical Education program to offer physician resident positions beginning in 2022. Read more.

2022
January 12

After a successful collaboration that resulted in the creation of one of the nation’s newest allopathic medical schools, Texas Christian University and the University of North Texas Health Science Center, will advance the school to its next chapter by transitioning its governance solely to its degree-granting institution, TCU.  Read more. 

2022
February 28

Texas Christian University announced  a new campus for the TCU School of Medicine in Fort Worth’s Near Southside neighborhood in the heart of the medical district. Read more.

2022
June 16

An anonymous family provided full tuition for the 2022-23 academic year  to the Class of 2024 medical students at the TCU School of Medicine in Fort Worth. The class of students, who started medical school in July 2020, had their second year of medical school tuition (2021-22) supported in full by an anonymous couple in 2021. Read more.

2022
June 21

The TCU School of Medicine moved into its temporary home at 4055 International Plaza in Fort Worth.

2022
July 11

With the arrival of 60 new medical students, the TCU School of Medicine has a full campus of 240 students for the first time since its inception. Read more.

2022
July 25

Texas Christian University today announced that the School of Medicine will be named the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine in honor of the late Anne Burnett Marion’s lifetime of friendship and support and her extraordinary generosity to the TCU School of Medicine. Read more.

2023
March 17

The entire graduating class of medical students at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian Universitymatched into medical residency programs across the United States. Read more.

2023
April 18

More than 200 donors, key stakeholders, faculty, staff and students at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU, construction crew members from Linbeck, designers from CO Architects and Hoefer Welker gathered in Fort Worth’s medical district for a “Topping Out” celebration. Read more. 

2023
May 12

The first graduating class at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University received their doctoral hoods, signifying the completion of the M.D. degree program. Read more. 

2023
May 13

The inaugural class of the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University graduates. Read more. 

Read through our General Information, Accreditation or Admissions questions and click to expand each answer.

General Information

The Burnett School of Medicine is redefining medical education, abandoning an outdated lecture model and transforming the clinical experience. The School of Medicine offers a one-of-a-kind educational experience, tailored to how students learn best, capitalizing on teamwork and application sessions to retain knowledge, with the patient at the center of all they do.

An M.D. school will provide a solution in our community to the cost, quality and quantity challenges of health care. It will place Fort Worth on the cutting edge of the movement to instruct medical students in the team model of care, which places the patient at the center of attention and enhances communication among caregivers. Additionally, an M.D. school is expected to bring jobs and investments to our community.

We are dramatically changing the way medical education is delivered. Our mission is to transform health care by inspiring Empathetic Scholars®

  • The Curriculum is wholly centered on the patient, allowing students to retain the empathy with which they start medical school. During Week 1 they begin seeing patients and have one-on-one mentoring with physicians.
  • Students will develop and present a four-year Scholarly Pursuit and Thesis.
  • Medical knowledge is advancing rapidly. Students will be trained with the latest advances in Simulation and Cutting-Edge Technology, and prepared to evaluate and integrate discovery into practice.
  • Coaching Initiatives will foster a coaching relationship (both academic and executive) that will contribute toward student professional identity formation while providing an additional layer of support toward the student’s academic success.
  • Communication is embedded throughout the curriculum to create exceptional communicators and active listeners.

Our graduates will be compassionate, empathetic and prepared to discover the latest knowledge in medical care with the tools to ask and answer the medical questions of the future. Along with the ability to “walk in a patient’s shoes,” these physicians will excel in the science of medicine. Outstanding communicators and active listeners, Empathetic Scholars® are life-long learners and highly valued as physicians, colleagues, leaders and citizens in their community.

The Burnett School of Medicine currently holds classes at its temporary space at International Plaza in Fort Worth and Harris Place in the hospital district. We also have access to facilities on the TCU main campus. The permanent home for the medical school will be at the corner of Rosedale and Henderson streets at the center of Fort Worth’s medical district. The building is expected to be completed in 2024.

 

The Burnett School of Medicine has been accredited with TCU as the responsible party for operations and governance. The School of Medicine has achieved full accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).

Each class is comprised of 60 students with a total enrollment at 240 students.

The medical school is anticipated to bring more publicly and privately funded research, more educational resources and more intellectual capital to the TCU campus.

We expect an increased likelihood that graduates will have more opportunities for residency programs in the Fort Worth/North Texas area, thus providing more, and much-needed, practicing physicians as an outcome.

As currently planned, funding for the ongoing operation of the medical school will come from tuition, fees and private support.

Accreditation

Here you will find information on the School of Medicine’s road to accreditation through the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools: Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

In general, accreditation certifies that an educational program meets the requirements and standards of an accrediting body.  Requirements and standards typically revolve around program areas such as governance, faculty, curriculum design and delivery, assessment and evaluation, student support services, resources and facilities. Educational programs must show that their program supports the mastery of general educational and professional competencies that are foundational for the next stage of professional training or education. TCU is accredited by our regional accreditor, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools: Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the School of Medicine was awarded preliminary accreditation by the program-specific accreditor, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) in October 2018. The School of Medicine was awarded provisional accreditation from the LCME on June 21, 2021. In June 2023, LCME granted full accreditation for the full five years possible to the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU.

While the accreditation process usually entails a lengthy self-study and the development and submission of a large amount of data, it is mainly aimed at answering three important questions.

  • Has our education program clearly established a mission and program learning objectives?
  • Are the education program’s curriculum and resources organized and adequate to meet its mission and objectives?
  • What evidence is available that indicates the program is currently meeting its mission and objectives and is it likely to continue to meet them in the future?

LCME

Medical education programs leading to the M.D. degree in the United States and Canada are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). The LCME is the organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit allopathic medical schools in the United States and Canada. The LCME is an independent organization; however, it is uniquely tied to both the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). LCME accreditation is a peer-reviewed study conducted to determine whether a medical education program meets established standards. This quality assurance process is an opportunity for self-study and reflection that can foster improvements to our programs and institutions. To gain and maintain accreditation, medical education programs offering an M.D. degree in the United States and Canada must meet the accreditation 12 standards and 94 elements, which can be found in the LCME document Functions and Structure of a Medical School.  The goal of these components is to represent the trends, best practices and provide thresholds of performance as medical education evolves. They are not prescriptive, but a framework that allows for interpretation and flexibility in meeting the needs of an institution and ultimately supporting its mission and objectives. In addition to assuring the quality of an institution’s medical education program, accreditation by LCME establishes eligibility for selected federal grants and programs, including Title VII funding administered by the U.S. Public Health Service. Most state boards of licensure require that U.S. medical schools granting the M.D. degree be accredited by the LCME as a condition for licensure of their graduates. Eligibility of U.S. students in M.D.-granting schools to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) requires LCME accreditation of their school. Graduates of LCME-accredited schools are eligible for residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

The School of Medicine was awarded preliminary accreditation from the LCME in October 2018, which allowed the School of Medicine to begin recruiting its inaugural class. The School of Medicine submitted its provisional accreditation materials in November 2020. Due to ongoing coronavirus concerns, the School of Medicine welcomed the survey visit team via a virtual accreditation survey visit February 22-24, 2021. Following this successful survey visit, the School of Medicine was awarded provisional accreditation from the LCME on June 21, 2021. The school will continue the process toward full accreditation, with submission of the accreditation package in mid- to late 2022 and a survey visit and decision in 2023.

SACS COC

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is the recognized regional accrediting body in the eleven U.S. Southern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia) and in Latin America for those institutions of higher education that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s or doctoral degrees. The Commission on Colleges’ Board of Trustees is the representative body of the College Delegate Assembly and is charged with carrying out the accreditation process. Texas Christian University is currently accredited by SACSCOC.  To gain or maintain accreditation with the Commission on Colleges, an institution must comply with the standards contained in the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement and with the policies and procedures of the Commission on Colleges. The Commission on Colleges applies the requirements of its Principles to all applicant, candidate and member institutions, regardless of type of institution (public, private for-profit, private not-for-profit). Texas Christian University will pursue a substantive change in accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools: Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). A substantive change is a significant modification or expansion in the nature and scope of an accredited institution.  Large scale changes, such as adding significantly different programs to the academic curriculum or offering a majority of the coursework needed to complete a degree, certificate or diploma online, may require written notification as well as advance approval of a prospectus; see the Substantive Change policy for details on due dates and on the content of the prospectus.

TCU submitted its Substantive Change Prospectus to the SACSCOC in April 2018. The SACS COC Board of Trustees notified the school of its approval of the program in a letter dated November 8, 2018.  TCU is currently in the process of reaffirmation for SACSCOC to be determined in 2023.

LCME 

The School of Medicine was awarded preliminary accreditation from the LCME in October 2018, which allowed the School of Medicine to begin recruiting its inaugural class. The School of Medicine submitted its provisional accreditation materials in November 2020. Due to ongoing coronavirus concerns, the School of Medicine welcomed the survey visit team via a virtual accreditation survey visit February 22-24, 2021. Following this successful survey visit, the School of Medicine was awarded provisional accreditation from the LCME on June 21, 2021.  In June 2023, LCME granted full accreditation for the full five years possible to the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU.

SACS COC 

TCU submitted its Substantive Change Prospectus to the SACS COC in April 2018. The SACS COC Board of Trustees notified the school of its approval of the program in a letter dated November 8, 2018.  TCU is currently in the process of reaffirmation for SACSCOC to be determined in 2023.

Admissions

As a private medical school in Texas, we only accept applicants via AMCAS.

Applicants who indicate retaking the MCAT exam as posted on the AMCAS will be reviewed once the new score is received, regardless of any prior scored exam. If multiple scores are presented, the most recent will be used.

Applicants must submit an MCAT score(s) from within three years from the date of matriculation, for example: applicants for the entering class of 2019 must have taken the MCAT in 2016, 2017 or 2018.

Applicants must have taken the MCAT exam within three years at the time of application, and only the most recent MCAT score will be evaluated during the application review process. The minimum threshold established by the Admissions Committee is an MCAT score of 502 (no more than four attempts) and an overall grade point average of 3.2 and a cumulative science GPA of 3.0.

Yes, you can submit the AMCAS application while you wait for the MCAT score; however, we will not begin reviewing the application until a score is received.

An applicant must have completed at least 90 semester hours (or equivalent quarter hours), including at least 30 semester hours (or equivalent quarter hours) of upper division coursework, by the time of matriculation. All coursework must be completed at a fully-accredited college or university in the United States or Canada by the time of matriculation. A bachelor’s degree is not required.

Applicants can apply prior to having all courses completed; however, any outstanding courses must be completed and graded prior to the start of medical school. The final official transcript with graded coursework must be received no later than June 1 prior the start of medical school in July.

An applicant must submit at least three letters of recommendation, of which a committee letter will be considered one. The remaining letters are encouraged from those who can attest to professional and personal readiness for medicine. Letters from science faculty are not required. Letters must be received in order to advance in the review process.