SHSU-COM Interview Prep Guide (2025-2026)

The Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU-COM) Interview Prep Guide provides an in-depth overview of the interview process and key information about SHSU-COM to help applicants prepare. It covers the unique interview format (two one-on-one interviews plus group exercises) aacom.org, the college’s mission emphasizing primary care for rural Texas communities shsu.edu, and essential program facts such as its state-of-the-art Conroe campus and strong student outcomes catalog.shsu.edu catalog.shsu.edu. The guide also reviews relevant healthcare policy issues in Texas (like physician shortages shsu.edu and uninsured rates governing.com), the non-academic qualities SHSU-COM seeks in applicants (e.g. service orientation and mission fit) shsu.edu shsu.edu, and the core competency frameworks underlying the curriculum meducalix.org. Additionally, it highlights common themes from past interview questions studentdoctor.net and outlines the 2025–2026 application timeline for Texas medical schools tmdsas.com. By understanding these facets, applicants can better align their preparation with SHSU-COM’s expectations and context.

SHSU-COM uses a hybrid interview format that combines traditional and scenario-based one-on-one interviews with group activities aacom.org. Each applicant completes two individual interviews (~15 minutes each): one is a conventional interview covering typical questions, and the other presents an ethical or situational scenario for the applicant to discuss aacom.org. In addition, the interview day includes a short written essay, a student-led group session, and a collaborative group activity among interviewees aacom.org. This multifaceted format allows the school to assess interpersonal skills, problem-solving, and teamwork in real time alongside conversational Q&A.

Interviews at SHSU-COM are conducted one-on-one (not panel) and are generally closed-file, meaning interviewers do not have access to the applicant’s academic file during the interview studentdoctor.net. Surveyed candidates indicated they typically spoke with about four different interviewers throughout the process studentdoctor.net. The atmosphere is usually moderately relaxed – most applicants reported average stress levels and a positive impression of their interview experience studentdoctor.net. SHSU-COM offers the option of virtual or in-person interviews, and in recent cycles many candidates interviewed virtually aacom.org studentdoctor.net, reflecting the school’s accommodation of different circumstances. While specific post-interview acceptance rates are not published, SHSU-COM matriculates around 160 students per year aacom.org, so a significant proportion of those interviewed ultimately receive offers. Overall, understanding the format and expectations can help applicants focus on showcasing their fit with the program throughout the various interview components.

SHSU-COM’s mission centers on improving primary care access in Texas, especially in rural and underserved eastern regions of the state shsu.edu. The college aims to prepare culturally aware, diverse, and compassionate physicians who practice osteopathic principles and are committed to patient-centered care in their communities shsu.edu. A significant part of this mission is to increase the physician workforce in East Texas by recruiting students from rural or underserved backgrounds who are likely to return and practice in those areas shsu.edu. This mission-driven approach highlights values such as professionalism, service, and community engagement. In the interview, applicants should be mindful that aligning with these core values – for example, demonstrating a sincere interest in primary care or in serving disadvantaged populations – will resonate with SHSU-COM’s foundational purpose.

SHSU-COM is a new osteopathic medical school with several notable features that candidates should know. Below are some key program facts and highlights:

• Opened in 2020 as the third osteopathic medical school in Texas, and in its initial accreditation the college earned “Accreditation with Exceptional Outcomes” – a full 10-year approval from COCA (an unprecedented achievement for a new COM) catalog.shsu.edu.
• Located in Conroe, TX, the campus features a four-story, 107,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility with a Simulation Center and standardized patient suites aacom.org, providing advanced resources for medical training.
• Admits a large class (~162 students) annually aacom.org. As an official state-supported medical school, SHSU-COM has relatively affordable tuition, making it one of the most cost-effective DO programs nationally catalog.shsu.edu (with in-state tuition around $26.5k/year).
• Students have excelled academically – for example, the Class of 2025 achieved a 99.1% first-time pass rate on the COMLEX-USA Level 1 licensing exam, placing SHSU-COM among the top three osteopathic schools in the country catalog.shsu.edu.
• The college has an extensive network of clinical rotation sites. Affiliated partners across East Texas (e.g. Conroe, Lufkin, Nacogdoches) ensure students gain clinical experience in a variety of settings, including rural and underserved areas shsu.edu. This aligns with the school’s mission to train doctors for communities in need.
• SHSU-COM offers a dual-degree DO/Master of Public Health (MPH) program catalog.shsu.edu for students interested in integrating public health with clinical medicine.

These distinctive features not only define SHSU-COM’s program, but also provide excellent talking points during an interview. To demonstrate your interest and knowledge, consider asking insightful questions about the program’s offerings and philosophy. For example:

• “SHSU-COM’s mission emphasizes serving rural East Texas communities shsu.edu. What opportunities do students have to gain experience in rural or underserved healthcare settings during the program?”
• “I know the facility has a state-of-the-art simulation center aacom.org. How are simulation and standardized patient exercises integrated into the curriculum, and at what stages of training do students use these resources?”
• “Given the school’s very high board exam pass rates catalog.shsu.edu, what academic support or resources are in place to help students succeed on exams and in coursework?”
• “With SHSU-COM offering a DO/MPH dual degree option catalog.shsu.edu, how do students balance the MPH coursework with the DO curriculum, and what kind of projects or community health work do dual-degree students engage in?”
• “Osteopathic principles are clearly important to SHSU-COM shsu.edu – how does the program incorporate osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) training and the osteopathic philosophy into day-to-day learning and clinical rotations?”

Understanding the healthcare landscape in Texas and the broader U.S. will help you engage in informed discussions during the interview. Physician workforce shortages are a major issue that SHSU-COM was created to address – Texas, especially its rural counties, has a shortage of primary care physicians shsu.edu. This is part of a national trend as well; the U.S. is projected to face a shortfall of up to ~139,000 physicians by 2033, affecting both primary and specialty care time.com. Interviewers may touch on ideas for solving these shortages, such as training local students (a strategy SHSU-COM employs) or incentivizing practice in underserved areas.

Another key topic is healthcare access. Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the country, with about 16.6% of Texans lacking health insurance (roughly double the national average of 8%) governing.com. This reality, along with Texas’s decision not to expand Medicaid, means many patients in the state face barriers to care. You might be asked your thoughts on caring for uninsured or underinsured patients, or how to improve access in communities with limited resources. Public health challenges also resonate – for instance, reaching rural populations with preventive care (e.g. vaccine outreach) or addressing rural hospital closures and infrastructure limitations. Demonstrating awareness of these issues – from local rural health concerns to national policy debates – will show that you appreciate the context in which SHSU-COM physicians are expected to practice.

SHSU-COM takes a holistic approach to admissions, meaning the committee weighs personal attributes and experiences alongside academic metrics shsu.edu. The school clearly values candidates who demonstrate a genuine commitment to service and community involvement – for example, continuing volunteer or clinical work even after college is seen as a strong positive, since “medicine is a profession of service” and they seek those actively engaged in helping others shsu.edu. Leadership experience, teamwork, and communication skills are also important; in fact, SHSU-COM requires applicants to complete the CASPer and Duet assessments to evaluate ethics, professionalism, and value alignment aacom.org. Alignment with the school’s mission is a critical factor as well. This means applicants who have a background or interest in primary care, rural health, or caring for underserved populations may stand out during file review and interviews. Additionally, the admissions committee looks for evidence of resilience and academic readiness. For instance, an application with a pattern of excessive course withdrawals or repeats can raise concerns shsu.edu, as SHSU-COM’s curriculum is taught in rigorous block schedules without opportunities to drop individual courses. In summary, beyond good grades and test scores, SHSU-COM is looking for well-rounded individuals who exhibit service-oriented character, mission fit, and the ability to handle the challenges of medical training.

As an osteopathic medical school, SHSU-COM’s training is grounded in a set of professional competencies that align with national standards for physician development. The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) has defined core competencies for osteopathic medical education – these include Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP), Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Practice-Based Learning and Improvement, and Systems-Based Practice meducalix.org. In addition, osteopathic programs emphasize areas like health promotion/disease prevention, cultural competency, and interprofessional collaboration meducalix.org. SHSU-COM’s curriculum and evaluations are organized around these competencies to ensure graduates are well-rounded physicians. Applicants aren’t expected to recite these frameworks, but it helps to be mindful of them: for example, demonstrating strong communication and ethical reasoning in your interview aligns with the interpersonal and professionalism competencies, and showing understanding of osteopathic principles (like a holistic view of patient care) aligns with OPP. Awareness of these competency areas can subtly guide how you discuss your experiences and motivations, reinforcing that you have the qualities needed to succeed in an osteopathic medical program.

Reviewing past interview experiences at SHSU-COM and similar schools can reveal common question themes. Applicants report that many traditional interview questions focus on motivations and experiences – for instance, expect to discuss “Why osteopathic medicine?” and “Why SHSU-COM?” specifically studentdoctor.net, as well as reflections on your meaningful community service or volunteer work (showing your service orientation) studentdoctor.net. Given SHSU-COM’s scenario-based interview component, ethical and professional dilemmas are also frequently posed. Past candidates have been asked how they would handle situations like breaking bad news to a patient, dealing with an unprofessional peer, or responding to someone seeking medical advice when you’re a student studentdoctor.net. Interviewers may probe how you approach patients’ needs and healthcare challenges – for example, describing a scenario involving an underserved patient or a general question about improving access to care, which ties into the school’s mission. Additionally, you should be ready for questions about leadership and advocacy experiences (e.g. “Tell me about a time you advocated for someone” or how you’ve shown leadership) studentdoctor.net. Overall, the themes tend to reflect a mix of personal fit (“why this path, why our school”), service and teamwork, and ethical judgment. Preparing anecdotes and viewpoints around these areas will help you confidently tackle the variety of questions you might face.

For those applying to SHSU-COM in the 2025–2026 cycle, it’s important to stay on top of the Texas application timeline (SHSU-COM participates in the Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service, TMDSAS). Key dates for this cycle are:

• May 1, 2025 – TMDSAS application opens for Entry Year 2026 (you can begin filling out your application) tmdsas.com.
• May 15, 2025 – TMDSAS begins accepting submitted applications (first day you can officially submit) tmdsas.com. Applying early is often advantageous due to rolling interview invitations.
• October 1, 2025 – Deadline for submission of TMDSAS application for medical schools tmdsas.com. All sections must be complete and submitted by 11:59 p.m. CST on this date. (There are no deadline extensions.)
• October 15, 2025 – Texas medical schools, including SHSU-COM, can start extending offers of acceptance to applicants on this date tmdsas.com. Offers are given on a rolling basis after this point (this is often referred to as the start of “pre-match” offers in Texas).
• January 30, 2026 – Deadline to submit your medical school preference rankings for the TMDSAS match tmdsas.com. (By this stage, you’ll rank all the schools at which you interviewed, if you haven’t already been accepted to a top choice.)
• February 13, 2026 – Match Day for TMDSAS: match results are announced, and the rolling admissions period begins for any remaining unfilled spots tmdsas.com. Applicants find out if and where they are matched, essentially receiving final acceptance if not already admitted earlier.
• April 30, 2026 – The AMCAS/TMDSAS “Plan to Enroll” deadline tmdsas.com. By this date, applicants holding multiple acceptances must decide on one program and withdraw from others (ensuring waitlisted candidates can be moved up after this point).

Keeping these deadlines in mind is crucial for timely application and decision-making. SHSU-COM sends out secondary (supplemental) applications and interview invitations on a rolling basis, so early application can improve your chances of getting an interview slot. Interviews for Texas schools typically occur in the summer and fall months, with some extending into early winter. By late fall and into January, you’ll have a sense of where you stand, and the TMDSAS match and subsequent rolling admissions ensure that by spring you know your final status. Being aware of the timeline helps you prepare accordingly and reduces stress during the application process.

In conclusion, preparing for an SHSU-COM interview means being well-informed about the program’s format, ethos, and expectations. By understanding the interview structure (and practicing for both traditional questions and scenario-based discussions), aligning yourself with SHSU-COM’s mission and values, and familiarizing yourself with the program’s unique features, you can present yourself as a thoughtful and mission-ready candidate. This guide has covered everything from the school’s founding purpose and curriculum highlights to relevant healthcare issues in Texas and the logistics of the application cycle. With this knowledge, you should be equipped to engage your interviewers in a meaningful dialogue – one that not only showcases your qualifications and fit for SHSU-COM, but also your enthusiasm for joining their mission to improve healthcare in Texas.