Pathways to Health Professions

College of Sciences students work closely with the Health Professions Office (HPO) to obtain the foundation they need to become the next dentist, nurse or medical specialist.

HPO PATHWAYS

UTSA offers several special programs to help students pursue early acceptance or joint admission with UT Health San Antonio. Several of these require or pair best with a degree from the College of Sciences. Dental Early Acceptance Program (DEAP)

The Dental Early Acceptance Program, or DEAP, provides students with conditional, early acceptance to UT Health San Antonio’s School of Dentistry. Students earn a Bachelor of Science in Biology from UTSA and a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from UT Health San Antonio in seven years.

Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP) The Joint Ad-

mission Medical Program, also known as JAMP, is a special program created by the Texas Legislature to help highly qualified, economically disadvantaged Texas resident students pursuing a medical education. JAMP is a partnership between participating Texas medical schools and 67 public and private four-year undergraduate institutions, including UTSA. It offers admitted students the chance to automatically match for admission in a JAMP-participating medical school. Joint BSN-MDST 2+2 Nursing Program (FANS)

In UTSA’s Nursing Pathway Program, also known as The Facilitated Acceptance to Nursing School (FANS), students who gain admission to the School of Nursing at UT Health San Antonio, and successfully complete the two-year BSN curriculum, will also earn a second degree in Multidisciplinary Studies from UTSA in a total of four years. This 2+2 pathway offers exceptional students a guaranteed interview with the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at UT Health San Antonio and the opportunity to receive two bachelor’s degrees in four years.

Medical Laboratory Sciences Early Acceptance Program (MLSEAP)

The Medical Laboratory Sciences Early Acceptance Program, or MLSEAP, is another great partnership between UTSA and UT Health San Antonio. Students in this program earn a Bachelor of Science degree from UTSA and a Master of Science in Medical Laboratory Sciences from UT Health San Antonio in just five years instead of six. Students in this program spend three years at UTSA, where they major in biology, chemistry, or microbiology/immunology. After completing the undergraduate requirements at UTSA, students matriculate at UT Health San Antonio’s School of Health Professions to complete a two-year, graduate-level medical laboratory sciences curriculum.

Respiratory Care Early Acceptance Program (RCEAP)

Students in the Respiratory Care Early Acceptance Program, RCEAP, earn a Bachelor of Science degree from UTSA and a Master of Science in Respiratory Care from UT Health San Antonio in just five years. Students spend three years at UTSA, where they major in biology or kinesiology with a health science concentration. After completing undergraduate requirements at UTSA, students matriculate at the School of Health Professions at UT Health San Antonio for the two-year, graduate-level respiratory care curriculum.

Physical Therapy Early Acceptance Program (PTEAP)

Students in the PTEAP program earn a Bachelor of Science degree from UTSA and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from UT Health San Antonio in just six years. Students spend three years at UTSA, where they major in biology or kinesiology with a health science concentration. After completing undergraduate requirements at UTSA, students matriculate at the School of Health Professions at UT Health San Antonio for the three-year, graduate-level physical therapy curriculum.

STUDENT HEALTH GROUPS OFFER HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE

Several student interest groups provide pre-health students with community and resources that help equip them with the specific knowledge and skills they need to succeed in graduate school and their chosen profession.

The Latino Medical Student Association–Southwest (LMSA-SW), strives to unify all Latinx medical students in our region (Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas) while addressing and raising awareness of health disparities pertinent to these Latino communities. They encourage unity among their members by fostering a spirit of “mi familia” through volunteer opportunities, social outlets and assistance in successfully completing a medical education.

UTSA’s Pre-Nursing Society is dedicated to providing a pathway for students applying to nursing programs. The organization has a variety of volunteer and social opportunities to foster the professionalism needed within the career, ultimately, to create better nurses. The society often hosts guest speakers who share presentations and are available to answer questions regarding the profession, application process, and nursing school.

The Black Health Professions Organization exists to inspire the success of African-American students who plan to pursue a career in health professions. The organization’s main focus is to address concerns in the minority community.

Women in Medicine is for pre-health profession students who seek to promote a collaborative, inclusive environment as well as provide a safe space to discuss gender, social and racial issues that exist in healthcare.

ALIGNED RESEARCH AREAS AND INSTITUTES

Center for Innovative Drug Discovery (CIDD)

CIDD provides a diverse array of core facilities and expertise to facilitate the translation of basic scientific discoveries into tangible, pre-clinical candidate drugs that can be further developed into clinical therapies for human disease.

South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID)

STCEID focuses on the study of infectious microorganisms and the host immune response to these microorganisms. The center is committed to advancing and expanding research in bacteriology, mycology, virology, parasitology and immunology while training the next generation of infectious disease researchers.

UTSA Brain Health Consortium (BHC)

The UTSA BHC is a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team committed to discovering the inner workings of the brain. It integrates researchers with expertise in neuroscience, regenerative medicine, medicinal chemistry, biomedical engineering, and data analytics, to achieve a common goal in preventing and treating neurological disorders.

Student Spotlight

Maria Gonzalez is an undergraduate student studying microbiology and immunology. She is passionate about research involving combating pathogens and autoimmune diseases. She is the director of PR for the UTSA chapter of LMSA-SW. Gonzalez says she felt immediately welcome and comfortable in the organization because many of the members and guest speakers had a background similar to her own. After graduating from UTSA, she plans to apply for medical schools and would like to obtain an M.D. in immunology or endocrinology. Gonzalez hopes to establish her own private practice.