Yesterday marked a significant occasion as Texas Tech Health El Paso and The University of Texas at El Paso publicly named the six high school seniors forming their third MedFuture cohort. This initiative, which was crafted to both celebrate and encourage young aspiring medical professionals from West Texas, ensures that brilliant students have the opportunity to sequentially attend UTEP for their undergrad before moving directly to medical school at Texas Tech's Foster School of Medicine. "We're proud to welcome our third MedFuture cohort in collaboration with UTEP," President of Texas Tech Health El Paso, Richard Lange, M.D., M.B.A., said, as per UTEP Newsfeed.
Among the selected students is Jovanna Gomez, a product of Clint Early College Academy, who looks to continue to rapidly grow her medical career, starting this summer at the Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation High School Summer Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center. "This experience will give me hands-on exposure to diagnostic tools like mammography, ultrasound and MRI — skills that are essential in women's health," Gomez explained, as obtained by UTEP Newsfeed. Her efforts align with the overarching goal of MedFuture to increase future healthcare professionals in the Borderplex.
Meanwhile, UTEP President Heather Wilson expressed the benefit of the joint program, offering students a unique advantage in their educational pursuit: "By working together, we can identify and develop exceptional students and educate doctors who want to serve the region," she stated, as noted by UTEP Newsfeed. The program seems to be serving its purpose effectively, having already seen members of its first cohort like Makena Piñon and Max Serrano obtain spots in the Texas Joint Admission Medical Program, and the second cohort starting their research internships this summer.
