TCOM Class of 2019 board exam scores highest in nation

By Alex Branch

2019 Web
 
The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2019 earned the highest score in the United States on a national board exam for future osteopathic doctors.

The students’ mean test score of 592.93 was well above the national mean of 557.81 on the COMLEX-USA Level 1 Exam administered by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. The students also achieved a 99.1 percent pass rate.

The Class of 2019 has 223 students, now in their 4thyear of medical school.

“These students set very high goals for themselves, and their performance on the board exam is proof of their talent hard work and preparation,” said Dr. Frank Filipetto, DO, FACOFP, Interim Dean of TCOM. “It also speaks to the high caliber of our curriculum, our faculty, our staff and everyone who contributes to make TCOM one of the best programs in the country.”

Class of 2019 students have said they decided during their first year of medical school to create a supportive community. That meant sharing class notes and directing classmates toward helpful resources rather than viewing each other as competitors.

“From our perspective, medicine is about coming together to improve the lives of the people we serve,” said David Schulze, Class of 2019 President.

Students also credited TCOM faculty members for a willingness to listen to students’ suggestions, such as providing more practice questions before exams, allowing students to video record power point presentations and providing more cumulative feedback on exam performances.

“I’m so proud for TCOM to receive this recognition,” said Charles Taylor, PharmD, Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs. “Being ranked first in the country for National Board Performance is a fantastic accomplishment and a wonderful testament to our outstanding students, faculty and staff.”

Recent News

Selina Tucker
  • Community
|May 16, 2025

A passion for helping others through research motivates CBTS graduate to dig deep

Selina Tucker, who graduates this semester with a Ph.D. in integrative physiology from The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth’s College of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, had an interest in science and medicine from an early age, but she was unsure where her curio...
Berenice Benayoun
  • Community
|May 15, 2025

NBAAD Symposium will feature geroscience expert and highlight student training in aging research

By 2050, 21% of the global population—about 2 billion individuals— will be older than 60, driving a sharp rise in age-related diseases. The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth is helping lead the charge against this growing crisis. On Tuesday, May 20, sci...
Image2
  • Community
|May 15, 2025

Army, Navy and Marine veteran and former physician assistant adds one more title: osteopathic physician

Meet Bradley Vander Zanden. He’s currently in the United States Navy, formerly in the United States Army, a former Marine, a former physician’s assistant and now he’s adding one more title to the prestigious list: osteopathic physician. Vander Zanden, after a nearly 20-year military career, is...
Cheyenne Conger Ws
  • Community
|May 15, 2025

PT students go pro: Clinical rotations bring major league experience

When third-year physical therapy students Cheyenne Conger and Stephanie Budrock walked into their final clinical rotations at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth’s Department of Physical Therapy, they didn’t step into a typical outpatient clinic. Instead, they found...