The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine has identified 50 prospective students for its second class.

Of the 50 students matched, 45 are from Texas and 11 of those are from the Rio Grande Valley. Seven are from Hidalgo County, two are from Cameron County and two are from Starr County.

The average MCAT score for matched applicants was 507, which is in the 76th percentile nationally. The average grade point average is about a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.

We are delighted with the students who matched with us, said Dr. Steven A. Lieberman, interim dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine. Not only are they academically gifted, but they also have a passion to serve the people of the Valley. We are truly fortunate to attract students who will represent the best of what our profession stands for: both a keen mind and a big heart.

This is the first time the School of Medicine has matched with students from Starr County, said Betty Monfort, The UTRGV School of Medicines senior associate dean for Admissions and Enrollment Management.

The out-of-state prospective students are from California, Utah, North Carolina and Washington.

This is a very high-caliber class, Monfort said.

The School of Medicine received 3,950 completed applications and interviewed 320 students for 50 seats.

The medical school then ranked applicants for admission. Applicants, as well, ranked the medical schools to which they applied, in order of preference, should they be accepted to those schools. The rankings from the medical school and applicants were then sent to the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service a centralized application processing service for all first-year medical students applying to public medical, dental and veterinary schools to be matched.

Because students have until the first day of orientation to decline the acceptance offer, The UTRGV School of Medicine is not yet releasing names of the top 50 students with whom they matched, Monfort said.

Orientation for the new medical students starts July 5.

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UTRGV med school matches with 50 students for its second cohort ... - Brownsville Herald