Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU-COM) has announced that it has been granted Accreditation with Exceptional Outcomes by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).
Accreditation with Exceptional Outcomes is the highest level of achievement and confers 10 years of academic approval. COCA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the accreditor of colleges of osteopathic medicine.
Founded in 2020, SHSU-COM will eventually have over 600 student doctors enrolled. Osteopathic medical schools are granted initial accreditation during their development but must complete the process of becoming fully accredited prior to graduation of their first class.
SHSU-COM will hold its inaugural commencement ceremonies on May 9, 2024, in Huntsville where the first cohort of 69 new doctors will graduate. In March, SHSU-COM announced that 100% of their Class of 2024 had been placed into a residency program following the National Residency Match Program. In keeping with the mission of the college, 62% of the class will remain in Texas for their residency and 58% are pursuing primary care specialties.
Although SHSU-COM is a relatively new college, it has already distinguished itself in medical education. As a Texas state institution, SHSU-COM has the lowest cost of attendance of any osteopathic medical school in the country. It ranks in the top three colleges of osteopathic medicine for first time pass rate on level one of the national board examination. The college has over 850 physician preceptors across the state that train student doctors in community-based, rural and underserved areas.
SHSU-COM is based in Conroe where first and second-year student doctors train in a state-of-the-art facility with a dedicated team of faculty and staff.
