TYLER, Texas — The University of Texas at Tyler has announced it will launch the new UT Tyler Pre-Med Academy this fall to help students succeed in getting admitted to and being well-prepared for top medical schools across the nation.
The new program will also focus on encouraging East Texas high school students to consider careers in medicine.
"The UT Tyler Pre-Med Academy builds upon the historic strengths of our healthcare related programs and the region's growing healthcare industry," said Dr. Michael Tidwell, UT Tyler president. "The Pre-Med Academy is the embodiment of our passion to help students succeed on their journey from high school to UT Tyler and from UT Tyler on to medical school."
The UT Tyler Pre-Med Academy will operate through the College of Arts and Sciences under the direction of Dr. Neil Gray, dean and professor of chemistry.
"We've always had strong pre-med students at UT Tyler, many of whom are practicing medicine today in anesthesiology, surgery, neurosciences, radiology and pediatric care," said Gray. "The UT Tyler Pre-Med Academy will help us increase the number of students going to medical school and improve quality of readiness for those students."
UT Tyler Pre-Med Academy has identified four operational goals:
- To deliver programs and workshops that encourage East Texas high school students to study medicine,
- To deliver special symposia for UT Tyler pre-med students focused on developing the personal characteristics needed for medical school including personal responsibility, altruism, empathy and ethics,
- To facilitate for UT Tyler pre-med students job shadowing with medical professionals and research opportunities on campus, both critical for medical school acceptance,
- To provide UT Tyler pre-med students dedicated advising and support from start to MCAT to medical school acceptance, helping students get into the medical school of their choice.
Leaders of the East Texas medical community expressed support for the UT Tyler Pre-Med Academy.
"We're looking forward to working with UT Tyler in the critical development of new medical talent in East Texas," said Moody Chisholm, president and CEO of UT Health East Texas. "The greater Tyler area has developed a reputation for healthcare excellence, with exceptional quality physicians concentrated in our community. Still, there remains a great deal of need to serve the growing and aging population, and it takes a team effort to make sure we have the medical teams we need to be ready for the future needs of East Texas."
"It is important that we educate and assist students in pursuing a career path in medicine," said Dr. Kirk Calhoun, president of UT Health Science Center at Tyler. "I'm excited about the efforts to recruit and train the next generation of physicians. We are equally honored that we are able to share the advice and expertise of our faculty physicians to help mentor and prepare pre-med students at the UT Tyler Pre-Med Academy."
"Physicians must possess both medical skill and strong ethical foundations," said Chris Glenney, FACHE, CEO of CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System and senior vice president of group operations of CHRISTUS Health in Northeast Texas. "We're pleased to partner with UT Tyler in providing highly qualified and deeply caring healthcare professionals to serve the medical needs of East Texas."
The UT Tyler Pre-Med Academy is the latest addition to the university's portfolio of medical-related programs, which include the nationally ranked School of Nursing, the Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy and Department of Health and Kinesiology.