With nearly 3,000 publications in five years, TCOM leads the nation among osteopathic schools
A recently released survey by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic
Medicine and the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation showed that UNT Health Fort Worth’s
Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine had the most publications from 2020 to 2025
among all osteopathic medical schools. Faculty and staff from TCOM had 2,995 academic
publications that were cited 35,031 times during those five years.
The Osteopathic Research Inventory 2025 survey was a landmark initiative to create
the first-ever national inventory of extramurally funded osteopathic research. The
survey was designed to capture an institution’s current externally funded research
portfolio, including: Active research grants and contracts (federal, private, industry,
and foundation funding); principal investigators leading funded projects; and research
focus areas and brief project descriptions.
“Being No. 1 in publications places TCOM at the very top of the osteopathic research
ecosystem, and that we are not just keeping pace with national trends but shaping
them,” said Dr. Rita Patterson, associate dean for research at TCOM. “It speaks volumes
about research quality, not just quantity, and that TCOM’s faculty aren’t just publishing
more—they’re publishing work that matters.
The survey, which received responses from 30 of the 42 osteopathic medical schools
nationwide, showed that TCOM accounted for 9.1% of total academic publications from
2020 to 2025. The mean number of citations for TCOM publications was 11.70, which
is the fifth highest total.
The top research topics by publications and citations were neuroscience, neurology
and cognitive disorders, medical technology and innovation, and infectious diseases
and immunology.
In addition, the survey analyzed the National Institutes of Health grant application
and award activity. From 2020 to 2025, TCOM received 46 NIH Awards totaling $137.46 million. TCOM ranked
in the top five among all osteopathic schools for NIH research grants. During that
time, TCOM has received grants from 13 different NIH Institutes, including the National
Institute on Aging and the National Eye Institute.
“I have been at TCOM for 19 years and, during that time, I’ve witnessed significant
and intentional growth—not only physically, with the addition of new buildings, but
also institutionally, as UNT Health has evolved into a thriving health science center
with an expanding array of health science programs,” Patterson said. “Throughout this
evolution, TCOM has remained a consistent leader in medical education and research
in Texas, and I am proud to be part of an institution that continues to set a high
standard for excellence, innovation and impact."
The survey made three recommendations organized into three domains: policy and advocacy, institutional action and future research. You can read the entire report here.