Texas Medical Students Complete Safety Training
The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth requires a comprehensive course to reduce preventable medical errors.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Medical students at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth complete a mandatory two-week course centered on patient safety protocols. The curriculum prepares future doctors to address systemic risks and improve clinical outcomes.
Why it matters
The school implements this training to combat the significant number of annual preventable medical deaths in the U.S. By teaching systemic safety science, faculty hope graduates will proactively report errors and near misses.
TCOM students achieve a 92% first-time pass rate and a 98% total pass rate on the national exam. The course requires a two-week commitment with four hours of daily classroom instruction.
The players
Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
This medical school is located in Fort Worth and focuses on training physicians in osteopathic medicine.
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
This organization develops the standardized patient safety examination used to assess medical students.
Frank Filipetto
He served as the dean of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine until 2024.
The details
The curriculum combines morning self-study with intensive afternoon sessions that include simulation training on error reporting and consent procedures. Students at the Fort Worth campus learn to apply systemic safety science directly to clinical scenarios.
Timeline
Medical students participate in the two-week patient safety course during their third year.
Frank Filipetto completed his term as dean in 2024.
Culture Shift
This program reflects a broader movement within medical education to prioritize systemic safety over traditional clinical focus. It shifts the institutional culture toward active error reporting as a primary defense against the estimated 250,000 deaths per year in the U.S. linked to preventable medical errors.
Local patients in Fort Worth may experience safer care as graduates from the program enter the regional healthcare workforce. The focus on error reporting provides a practical layer of protection for those interacting with these specific medical residents and physicians.
The takeaway
Proactive safety training helps future doctors identify and mitigate risks before they harm patients. Aspiring medical professionals can implement these rigorous error-reporting protocols throughout their entire clinical careers.
Further reading
Learn more about local academic initiatives at the Secondary Education page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Dallas Morning News.
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