O & P Program Admissions Requirements

To be considered for admission into the O&P Program, you must possess the following:

• Baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or an internationally recognized equivalent
• Minimum cumulative, overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4-point scale when you submit your application
• Applicants are required to have observation hours. Strong applicants will have at least 150 hours of observation, volunteering with a certified orthotist/prosthetist, the majority of which should be completed prior to submitting your application.
• Letters of recommendation from three individuals who can attest to the applicant’s qualifications. At least one letter must be authored by an O&P clinician.
• Personal essay
• Official transcripts from all schools attended, with evidence of successful completion of all prerequisites. Mail transcripts to OPCAS: Transcript Department P.O. Box 9125 Watertown, MA 02471.
• If accepted to the program, you will need to mail official transcripts to Baylor College of Medicine before June 1. Mail to: BCM-O&P Program, MS: BCM115, Houston, TX, 77030.
• Completed application, including all supporting documentation, by published deadlines.
• Eligibility for licensure to practice under the guidelines established by state law and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Completion of the following undergraduate courses with a grade of C or better and a minimum of 3 credit hours is required:

• Biology/Life Sciences
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Anatomy & Physiology I and II or Human Anatomy and Human Physiology
• Psychology
• Statistics
• College Algebra or higher math

We welcome international applicants or domestic applicants with coursework from abroad. However, if international coursework is to be considered, applicants must submit the transcript(s) for translation (if applicable) and evaluation by an approved educational credential evaluation service as listed on the OPCAS website, such as World Education Service or WES. These translated and evaluated transcripts are used to objectively verify satisfactory completion of academic pre-requisites.

International applicants whose native language is not English must achieve satisfactory scores on the Test of English as a Foreign language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Satisfactory TOEFL performances are: [1] a total score of 80 with at least a score of 20 on each section of the Internet-based test, or [2] a total score of 213 with a score of at least 21 on the Listening Comprehensive section of the computer-based test. Satisfactory IELTS performance requires scoring 6.5 or higher on the total band score. Information about the TOEFL, including testing dates and locations, can be obtained from the Educational Testing Services (ETS).  Completed evaluations and TOEFL/IELTS scores should be sent directly to Baylor College of Medicine’s O & P Program offices.

Due to these additional requirements, applicants with any coursework from outside the U.S. are strongly encouraged to submit all application materials at least 1 month prior each deadline listed on our admission website to allow for additional processing time. International applications received after Dec. 1 may not be fully processed and received prior to the deadline.

International applicants who have accepted an offer of admission will need to contact the ISO (include the contact phone number and email) to start the process of securing a Visa in adequate time to matriculate in the program. 

The State of Texas requires students in health care related professions to have been immunized against certain diseases. The specific immunization requirements are based on Texas Department of State Health Services, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and Centers for Disease Control recommendations. See the requirements on the Baylor Occupational Health Program site. All students enrolling in Baylor health-related training programs, to include the O & P Program, are required to have undergone meningitis vaccination within the last five years and no later than 10 days before their date of enrollment. The form for documenting meningitis vaccination can be downloaded from the “Incoming Students” page on the OHP website.

A background check is completed on each applicant offered admission into the O & P Program. The rationale for performing a criminal background check is based upon a number of issues, including the need to ensure the safety and well-being of patients and bolster the public’s trust in the O & P profession, and to ascertain the ability of accepted applicants to eventually become licensed Orthotists and Prosthetists. Rules and regulations issued by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) govern eligibility of resident/student licensees. Because the clinical residency is integrated into the program, all program applicants must also be eligible for resident/student licensing by the TDLR.