Address: One Baylor Plaza, 77030 Houston, Texas, United States
Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Health Professions, Tropical Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine was founded in 1900 in Dallas as the University of Dallas Medical Department. Its charter was filed on 15 September 1900, and the school opened on 19 November 1900 with 81 students. In 1903 it allied with Baylor University in Waco and took the name Baylor University College of Medicine. In 1943 it moved to the Texas Medical Center in Houston, into a converted Sears, Roebuck and Company warehouse, with 131 students.
In 1948 Michael DeBakey joined as chair of surgery, and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences was established in 1949. The college separated from Baylor University in 1969 and became independent as Baylor College of Medicine. In 2004 it ended its affiliation with Houston Methodist Hospital. In 2014 it became joint owner of Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center with Catholic Health Initiatives. In 2020 it announced an affiliation with Baylor Scott and White for a regional campus in Temple, Texas, which has enrolled 40 students a year since the autumn of 2023.
Four schools make up the college: the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the School of Health Professions and the National School of Tropical Medicine. About 185 medical students begin each year, roughly 75 percent of them Texas residents. Postgraduate enrolment totals 1,577, with 758 in the School of Medicine, 563 in the Graduate School and 256 in the School of Health Professions. The college also trains 1,151 clinical residents, 507 clinical fellows and 552 postdoctoral fellows.
The faculty counts 6,209 members, among them 4,115 full-time, 454 part-time, 1,421 voluntary and 219 emeritus. Teaching hospitals include Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Texas Children’s Hospital, the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, Harris Health Ben Taub Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Menninger Clinic, TIRR Memorial Hermann and the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.
The college ranked 20th in funding of the National Institutes of Health in 2024. The Graduate School offers doctoral programmes in seven interdisciplinary specialisations. In July 2024 researchers developed the first mRNA vaccine for elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus, given to an Asian elephant at the Houston Zoo with Colossal Biosciences. Carl June, credited as a clinical inventor of CAR T-cell therapy, is linked to the college. Tuition differs by programme. Check the current tariff. Teaching is in English.
Domains taught:
Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Life Sciences, Microbiology and Genetics, Statistics
Diplomas*:
Certificate, Doctor, Master
Status:
Private
Partnerships:
Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Harris Health Ben Taub Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, and Baylor Scott and White Medical Center in Temple.
Research:
Biomedical research with its Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, tropical medicine, genetics and cell therapy, ranked 20th in NIH research funding in 2024.
Famous Alumnis:
Michael E. DeBakey, Carl June
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
6209
Current students***:
1577
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Located in the Texas Medical Center, many teaching hospitals, strong NIH funding, National School of Tropical Medicine.
Cons
Graduate and professional programmes only, about 75 percent of medical students are Texas residents, very selective admission.
Best For
Physicians and biomedical scientists who want to train in the Texas Medical Center with many partner hospitals.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
Think of Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science when bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering is the priority: it is also a private institution, and runs the same master's, doctoral and certificate programmes.
In terms of fields, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center is the nearest neighbour, with bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering again at the core; it is public, whereas this school is private, and also offers graduate certificate programmes.
Where this school leans on bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai does the same, and it also offers graduate certificate programmes and covers data analytics as well.
Where this institution leans on bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering, MD Anderson Cancer Center does the same, and it runs the same master's, doctoral and certificate programmes, and is public, whereas this institution is private.
Think of Albert Einstein College of Medicine when bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and life sciences is the priority: it does not run the certificate programmes found here, and is smaller, enrolling about 789 students against roughly 1,577 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Medical University of Vienna offers an international parallel to this institution, with bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering as common ground; it also offers bachelor's programmes, and is far larger, with about 8,000 students against roughly 1,577 here.
For bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and statistics outside the home country, Nanjing Medical University in China is a natural reference; it also offers bachelor's programmes, and is public, whereas this school is private.
A foreign alternative with a similar emphasis on bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering is Karolinska Institute in Sweden, and it is public, whereas this school is private, and also offers bachelor's programmes.
Seen from abroad, Hannover Medical School (Germany) is a close relative on subject matter, since bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering are central to both, and it also offers bachelor's programmes, and is larger, enrolling about 3,997 students against roughly 1,577 here.
For a study option in China with a comparable spread of bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering, Peking Union Medical College is the reference point: it is public, whereas this school is private, and does not run the certificate programmes found here.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is Baylor College of Medicine?
In the Texas Medical Center, Houston, Texas.
When was it founded?
In 1900, in Dallas, as the University of Dallas Medical Department.
When did it move to Houston?
In 1943, into a converted warehouse in the Texas Medical Center.
When did it become independent?
In 1969, when it separated from Baylor University.
Which schools does it have?
The School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the School of Health Professions and the National School of Tropical Medicine.
How many medical students begin each year?
About 185, roughly 75 percent of them Texas residents.
Where is the Temple campus?
In Temple, Texas, with Baylor Scott and White, enrolling 40 students a year since the autumn of 2023.
Which hospitals are affiliated?
Among others Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center.
How is it ranked in NIH funding?
20th in 2024.
What does it cost?
Tuition differs by programme. Check the current tariff.
Biology, Biomedical Sensors, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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