Dean’s Welcome

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU-COM), located in Conroe, Texas. Our university was founded in 1879 in nearby Huntsville as a teachers college and now boasts over 20,000 students across all campuses. The college of osteopathic medicine is the eighth and newest college at the university and began formal instruction in 2020. The inaugural class of student doctors graduated in May 2024. We are fortunate to have the backing, resources, and expertise of an excellent academic institution with great faculty and experienced administrators. The shared services of the university bring depth and experience as resources for our student doctors.

The mission of the COM is closely aligned with that of the university and is designed to promote primary care and improve the medical workforce in Eastern Texas, where the need is great. We take pride in our osteopathic heritage, and we teach compassionate, personalized care that includes osteopathic principles, manual manipulation, preventive care, as well as the most up-to-date evidence-based medical knowledge and skills.

The Class of 2025 achieved a 99 percent first-time pass rate on the COMLEX Level 1 exam—the highest in the nation. The Class of 2026 has a 100 percent first-time pass rate on the COMLEX Level 1 exam, which will allow SHSU-COM to maintain that top spot for board exam passage rate. Additionally, graduates who took the COMLEX Level 3 examination during the 2024 testing cycle earned a 100% pass rate for first-time test takers. These outcomes are a testament to our students’ hard work and the dedication of our faculty and staff who have developed an outstanding curriculum for the medical school.

We are pleased to have over 1,500 community-based physician preceptors and over 200 institutional affiliation agreements for clinical training in the third and fourth years. Our student doctors learn alongside incredible physicians who are providing high-quality primary care and specialty medicine to our communities in need, especially in rural and medically underserved areas. There are also opportunities for clinical training in larger medical centers in and around Houston, the third-largest metropolitan area in the nation. Additionally, we are always working closely with multiple hospital and clinic sites to develop new graduate medical education (GME) programs.

The motto of Sam Houston State University is “The measure of a Life is its Service” and we proudly carry on the legacy of our namesake and Texas’ greatest hero, General Sam Houston. Osteopathic physicians are called to join a profession with a focus on service to our patients and our communities in need. Becoming a physician is one of the best things you can do with your life, and becoming an osteopathic physician makes you unique to the practice of medicine and prepares you for a life of service to others. In my opinion, there is nothing more important and more fulfilling.

At SHSU-COM, you will be part of the osteopathic family, and we will do everything we can to ensure your success.

Thank you for your interest in our college!

Sincerely,
Thomas J. Mohr, MS, DO, MACOI, FAOGME
Dean, College of Osteopathic Medicine