Four Midland College Primary Care Pathway Program students gain early acceptance to Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine ProgramFebruary 21, 2024

Midland, TX: Four students from Midland College’s Primary Care Pathway Program (PCPP) have been selected for early acceptance to the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine Program at University of North Texas. Through the MC pathway students experience reduced time and reduced costs associated with becoming a physician, as well as comprehensive academic advising and guidance on their preparation for medical school. Rather than the traditional eight-year path for most pre-med students, students in this program will become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine in just seven years. The goal of the program is to foster the need for more rural physicians and provide our Midland community with physicians in a faster timeframe than a traditional path through medicine. Our students are dedicated to becoming physicians back where their journey began, Midland and the surrounding communities.

“I joined the Primary Care Pathway Program (PCPP) because I believed it was the best pathway for me to follow in order to achieve my dream of one day becoming a physician. Especially after doing some research, I learned more about this program and how it helped students who want to practice medicine in rural areas, which is something I want to do.” said student Lourdes Acosta of Alpine, Texas “My experience here at Midland College and being a part of the PCPP so far has been amazing. I have learned a lot from my professors; I had resources available to me if I needed assistance, and being a part of many extracurriculars has opened a lot of volunteering opportunities for me, which allowed me to get to know the community a bit more.”

Students take a rigorous course load of math and science at MC for two years. These classes are carefully selected and geared toward success in the field. After completing MC, students move on to one year at the University of North Texas (UNT) in Denton. Finally, the program culminates with early acceptance into medical school at the UNT Health Science Center – Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Forth Worth. There, students’ study for four years. 

Students begin the PCPP journey immediately after high school. They are required to take a minimum of 15 credit hours per semester for each semester of their undergraduate years. They are also required to completed 14 hours of courses, including courses such as Chemistry and Statistics, the summer between years 1 and 2 at MC. 

“I always love to say that I am proud of what I do in the PCPP because of who these students are,” said Joseph Schenkman, Midland College Associate Professor of Biology. “Their work ethic knows no bounds, and this cohort exemplifies what it means to be a member of the PCPP at Midland College. They embody the beliefs and culture of the program, are the best examples of what it means to be a pre-med student, and no doubt will one day become great physicians for their communities.”

Learn more about PCPP

Pictured are Midland College Primary Care Pathway Program Cohort: Lourdes Acosta, Abigail Hightower, Paula Garcia, and Alec Daye.