Incarnate Word By Adam V. Ratner, MD, FACR and Amanda Galán-Davila, PhD

The Direct Admit Program at The University of the Incarnate Word:

A Direct Track for High School Seniors into Medicine and Other Health Professions

By Adam V. Ratner, MD, FACR and Amanda Galán-Davila, PhD

The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) serves learners from around the world but focuses on those from central and south Texas. Arising from the founders’ healing mission, UIW has established health professional schools offering degrees in nursing, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, and, most recently, osteopathic medicine.

To encourage highly qualified and motivated high school graduates to pursue careers in these professions, UIW has established a Direct Admit program to allow select learners a more straightforward admission process to obtain advanced degrees from the UIW schools of optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy and osteopathic medicine. The Direct Admit program was launched in 2016, one year prior to the DO inaugural class. UIW continues to focus on building pipeline programs which identify future healthcare professionals, and supporting their progression from high school to professional school.

To be admitted into the UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine (UIWSOM) Direct Admit program, high school seniors dedicated to becoming physicians must be admitted to the UIW undergraduate school with a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.7, four years of math and science with a minimum GPA of 3.7 and demonstrate community service involvement. Candidates must also successfully interview with UIWSOM faculty.

Once admitted to the program, Direct Admit learners are awarded conditional acceptance to UIWSOM. Learners must maintain a 3.5 GPA each academic year, maintain a math and science GPA of 3.5 and successfully complete medically relevant upper division electives.

During their undergraduate education, Direct Admit learners are supported by UIWSOM faculty, staff and learners through a variety of experiences to prepare them for medical school and foster the development of their career skills. Workshops are offered yearly to develop skills related to academic and career success such as resume and professional statement writing, collaboration strategies in the classroom and professional environment, and public speaking. Direct Admit learners also experience components of the DO curriculum including participating in simulations at the UIWSOM Center for Interprofessional Experiential Learning and Observation (CIELO) simulation laboratory and osteopathic manual manipulation/technique (OMM/OMT) demonstrations.

Learners enroll in a professional development seminar which addresses issues related to medicine and the transition to medical school. In addition, they must complete the UIW community service requirement with a focus on health education. These curricular activities contribute to the well-rounded academic experience and prepare the learners for successful matriculation into the DO program.

Finally, as seniors, Direct Admit applicants must successfully interview with SOM faculty. This pathway allows pre-medical learners to avoid the pain of taking the MCAT and filling out more than one medical school application.

Because the UIWSOM Direct Admit program is relatively new, the most advanced learners are now finishing their second year of medical school. This program is not for all smart and driven high school seniors. For the select few who know this early in life that they want to become osteopathic physicians, this program offers a straightforward and supportive pathway toward this professional career.

Adam V. Ratner, MD, FACR, is Professor of Radiology, Health Policy, and Medical Humanities and Assistant Dean of Strategic Initiatives at UIWSOM. He is the 2019 Past President of the BCMS. He is also an active member of the BCMS Publications Committee.

Amanda Galán-Davila, PhD is Assistant Professor of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine and serves as the faculty advisor for the UIWSOM Direct Admit learners.