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 is 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.