This fall, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s Office of Student Affairs and Community Engagement (SACE) is launching the Pre-Health Scholars Program, aimed at increasing diversity in health professions by working with underrepresented students who have an interest in a professional career in health care.
“We are excited to launch this program, as it is extremely valuable for UTHSC to work with more intention to prepare underrepresented students to become competitive applicants for professional programs within the health professions,” said Kamaria Robinson, assistant director of SACE Health Career Programs.
The Pre-Health Scholars Program (PSP) is designed to be cohort based. Accepted applicants will first start the PSP Internship Program, then move into the PSP Internship PLUS Program.
Participants will engage in a summer internship, weekly on-campus seminar sessions, clinical simulation experiences, and have access to academic support services in addition to social events, including dinners with their cohort, and more. Once participants are in the PSP Internship PLUS Program, they can be considered for the UTHSC Pre-Health Scholars Test Prep Bootcamp, which includes GRE and MCAT prep.
The target audience includes college freshmen and sophomore students who are Tennessee residents enrolled at a Tennessee undergraduate institution and are considering a career in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, or other health care profession.
“This program adopts national best practices in increasing the number of students from underrepresented backgrounds that are recruited and retained in health professions programs,” said Charles Snyder, PhD, MPH, EdM, associate professor, director of SACE, and chief Student Affairs Officer. “We have never been in a better position to maximize our impact by simultaneously supporting students along their pre-health journey, while also leveraging partnerships with community partners and health professions programs across UTHSC to facilitate matriculation for program participants.”
Dr. Snyder said the Pre-Health Scholars Program is an essential path towards improving health equity, because the root causes of health inequities lie in the social determinants of health, which include access to high-quality education, employment opportunities, economic security, and health care providers who represent the communities in which they serve.
Students can apply for the UTHSC Pre-Health Scholars Program starting November 1.
Interested applicants are required to have a minimum 3.0 GPA and must have completed at least one semester of college. The Pre-Health Scholars Program will accept 25 to 30 students for Summer 2021 participation.
For more information or to apply, please visit the Pre-Health Scholars Program website.