Philosophy
The
Premedical Honors College (PHC) was established in 1994
as a partnership between The University of Texas-Pan
American (UTPA) and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM)
to increase the number of physicians serving the medically
underserved region of South Texas. The PHC, located
at UTPA in Edinburg, provides rigorous and varied undergraduate
educational experiences to assure that students receive
the academic preparation for medical school. Students
receive conditional acceptance to BCM upon acceptance
into the PHC. Those who successfully complete all PHC
requirements and BCM prerequisites will be accepted
into BCM upon graduation from UTPA.
Program Success
The number of UTPA students applying to medical
school, and the percentage accepted, has increased dramatically
since the inception of the PHC. By averaging almost
12 medical school matriculants over each of the past
ten years, the PHC has achieved over a 300% increase
in the number of South Texas students who enter Texas
medical schools annually (compared to the four matriculants
from South Texas in 1996). Of the 2008 UTPA graduates,
61% of those who applied to medical school were accepted.
This compares to a state average of 31%. The PHC produced
its first seven medical school matriculants in 1998.
Overall, 135 program graduates (81% of whom are Hispanic)
have matriculated to medical school, and 65 of these
students (90% Hispanic) already have earned their medical
degrees. Fifty-two program students currently are enrolled
in medical school (40 at BCM and 12 at other Texas medical
schools) and 49 undergraduate PHC participants are enrolled
at UTPA.
Application and Selection
High school seniors applying to UTPA and desiring to
enter the PHC must complete the UTPA application and
a PHC application. Program selection criteria include:
residence in South Texas; strong academic performance;
above-average standardized test scores (students must
take the SAT to be considered for entrance into the
PHC); letters of recommendation from high school teachers,
counselors or administrators; interviews with UTPA and
BCM faculty and staff; maturity; motivation and other
attributes reflecting exceptional achievement among
high school students. Students who have already graduated
from high school, or those who will receive their high
school diplomas during or at the end of their freshmen
year of college, are not eligible for the program. Application
deadline for entering Fall 2009 entering freshmen was
February 1, 2009.
Program Coursework
As part of their undergraduate studies at UTPA, PHC
students have been required to major in either biology
or chemistry. Students who major in biology are required
to minor in chemistry, and vice versa. Beginning Fall
2009, entering PHC students will have the option of
majoring in biochemistry. All students must complete
the following BCM premedical requirements by the end
of their junior year: one year of English and one year
of physics (including laboratory), with no grade lower
than a C. Students are also required to maintain a minimum
science grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 and minimum
overall GPA of 3.4, based on a 4.0 system, and to earn
a total Medical College Admissions Test score of 28,
with no section (verbal reasoning, physical sciences,
biological sciences) lower than a 7.0. Specific academic
and counseling support systems are in place at UTPA
and BCM to help assure students' completion of the baccalaureate
and M.D. degrees.
To download your application forms
