Pre-Professional Certificate
Admission Requirements
Admission to the pre-professional program will be selective, and applicants’ prior records will be evaluated according to of the program's requirements. Applicants must hold U.S. citizenship or have U.S. permanent resident status. All applicants must submit the following information for their application to be considered by the program admissions committee:
- A completed online application.
- Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. At the time of matriculation into the program, applicants must have a baccalaureate degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. chemistry, physics, psychology, biomedical engineering), one year each of General Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Physics, with accompanying labs, with a grade “B” or better, and a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. College seniors may apply and be offered admission to the program before they have earned their degrees. However, a final transcript must be submitted to the program upon graduation before any student can matriculate into the program. Unofficial PDF copies of transcripts can be submitted with the application; however, official copies are required to be submitted for registration in the program. Transcripts from institutions outside the United States must be submitted in the original language and must be accompanied by an acceptable evaluation agency translation for each course from NACES® members.
- A curriculum vitae/resume documenting educational background, volunteering, and work experience.
- A statement of purpose (Personal Statement) (1-2 pages) submitted with the on-line application that includes a brief description of the applicant’s background, motivation for becoming a physician, and how this program fits into the applicant’s career objectives. Any relevant past activities such as volunteering or shadowing and their effect on the applicant may be mentioned in this statement.
- One essay (up to 2500 characters with spaces) based on topic stated on the application form.
- Three letters of recommendation from science or math college-level faculty or health professionals qualified to judge the student’s academic and professional potential and are knowledgeable about the quality of the applicant’s scholarly activities and/or work experiences. The letters must attest to the applicant's readiness for graduate-level studies. Recommenders must have taught the applicant for at least one semester-long didactic undergraduate/graduate-level course or served as a mentor/preceptor. All letters should be received before the deadline.
It is the responsibility of the applicants to ensure timely submission of documentation during the application process and, after acceptance, to the Registrar’s office.
In addition, competitive applicants will have demonstrated motivation to apply to and attend medical school evidenced by past activities (e.g., volunteering or shadowing in a healthcare-related setting). The applicant must be willing to submit additional information as requested by the program.
On a case-by-case basis, specific admission requirements may be waived by the Graduate Faculty Council.
Certificate Requirements
The graduate certificate program consists of nine courses (21 semester credit hours). Students must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 to receive a program certificate. Starting in the Fall 2025 semester, any student receiving a “D” and/or “F” grade will be dismissed from the program.
Sample Plan of Study
The Pre-Professional (PP) Graduate Certificate Program provides advanced preparation in two core areas. The first is graduate-level coursework in subjects that are relevant to the medical school curriculum and that provide fundamental understanding of the function of the human body during normal and disease states. These include gross anatomy, neuroanatomy, histology, physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology. Students must complete all 21 credit hours of course work as approved by the program’s oversight committee (i.e., Committee on Graduate Studies); there are no electives. The second core area involves preparation for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). In addition to the coursework, the plan of study includes a preparatory course for the MCAT. Non-credit activities will include workshops on applying to medical schools, enhancing learning skills, alternate healthcare professional and biomedical research careers, as well as academic advising.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| PHYL 5028 | Fundamentals of Physiology | 2 |
| CSAT 5041 | Neuroanatomy | 2.5 |
| CSAT 5045 | Pre-Medical Biochemistry | 2.5 |
| MICR 5051 | Intro To Immunology | 2 |
| CSAT 5046 | Clinical Seminars | 1 |
| Spring | ||
| CSAT 5022 | Clinically-Oriented Human Anatomy | 5.5 |
| CSAT 5060 | Human Histology | 2.5 |
| PHAR 6021 | Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics | 1 |
| CSAT 5070 | Introduction to Mechanisms of Disease | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 21.0 | |
Objectives/Program Outcomes
The objectives of the program include:
- Demonstration of an in-depth understanding of the biological basis of health and disease.
- Preparation for achieving minimum standards on the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test).
- Provision of access to one-on-one advisement on applying to medical school and the medical profession as a career.
- Participation in learning outside the classroom through extracurricular activities including workshops and volunteer opportunities.
Three student learning outcomes have been established to identify and develop direct measures of student assessment. Students will be expected to:
- Acquire a fundamental understanding of the function of the human body during normal and disease states.
- Achieve national average standards on the MCAT.
- Develop a personal statement that clearly delineates rationale/interest in attending medical school.
Courses
CSAT 5022. Clinically-Oriented Human Anatomy. 5.5 Credit Hours.
This course is designed to provide students with an in-depth understanding of whole-body human anatomy as it applies to clinical practice. This course teaches foundational anatomical relationships and common variations following a regional approach, with select topics receiving regional systemic emphasis. This includes correlating anatomy with clinical pathologies, procedures, and imaging through didactic lectures, gross anatomy prosection laboratory, and active learning sessions. Clinical cases will be incorporated in lecture and in laboratory to foster critical thinking skills necessary for students to use their anatomical knowledge to solve clinical problems. Humanism and professionalism, including compassion and empathy, are integrated into the course to help students form a healthy professional identity in the medical field. Course fees: Cadaver Fee $843, Lab Fee $30, Technology Fee $50.
CSAT 5041. Neuroanatomy. 2.5 Credit Hours.
This neuroanatomy course builds the foundation required for students to learn neuroanatomy through didactic lectures, small group learning activities, and laboratory sessions. The course will look at the components of the nervous system and their integration into a functional system. Application of neuroanatomy concepts will be gained through hands-on laboratory sessions, drawing activities, and clinical cases. Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.
CSAT 5045. Pre-Medical Biochemistry. 2.5 Credit Hours.
This course will introduce students to fundamental concepts in biochemistry and, importantly, discuss the application of biochemical principles in the clinical context. Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.
CSAT 5046. Clinical Seminars. 1 Credit Hour.
The clinical seminars course will feature presentations from physicians practicing in several specialties at UT Health San Antonio, including faculty from General Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Family and Community Medicine, Pediatrics, Urology, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, OB-Gyn, Endocrinology, Cardiology, Dermatology, Rheumatology, Anesthesiology and others. The presentation would inform students about their interests that lead them to select their specialty, their schedule, what they like about your position as well as time commitments and challenges that entail that position, and any other information they would like to share with the students. The experience should give the students an understanding of future expectations, rationales for pursuing a medical degree, strategies used to matriculate into medical schools, and the different paths followed to specialize in different specialties.
CSAT 5060. Human Histology. 2.5 Credit Hours.
This course will examine the microscopic architecture of the human body, beginning with tissues, and then organs and their higher-level organization into systems performing specific functions. Topics covered will include basic tissues, the integumentary, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine, urinary, and male and female reproductive systems. The goal of this course is to enable students to acquire knowledge of the normal histological structure of organs and organ systems using light and electron microscopy, thereby providing a strong basis for a sound understanding of cell and tissue morphology in health and disease. The course will include lecture, laboratory, and self-directed as well as independent student learning. This course is restricted to students in the Cell Systems & Anatomy Pre-Professional and MS programs.
CSAT 6077. Eucaryotic Cell Biology. 2 Credit Hours.
This 8-week didactic course will introduce the student to the fundamentals of cell biology, familiarize the student with current techniques used to manipulate cells, describe the higher order integration of cells to tissues and thereby the development of multicellular organisms.
CSAT 5070. Introduction to Mechanisms of Disease. 2 Credit Hours.
This course will introduce learners to the general mechanisms of disease with an emphasis on differentiation between healthy and disease tissues and the underlying mechanisms which lead to various pathologies. The course will emphasize case-based studies and application exercises to reinforce the didactic material.
MICR 5051. Intro To Immunology. 2 Credit Hours.
This course is a study of immune responses with emphasis on experimental strategies for elucidating cellular and molecular mechanisms. Three phases of study: (1) immunochemistry and molecular biology of antibodies, lymphocyte receptors, and products of the major histocompatibility complex; (2) cellular interactions and immuno-regulation; and (3) immunopathologies (hypersensitivity, autoimmunity, immunodeficiency, transplantation rejection, and tumor immunology).
Prerequisites: consent of instructor, courses in General Biology and Genetics recommended.
PHAR 6021. Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 1 Credit Hour.
The course provides students with an understanding of how pharmacological knowledge is applied in rational therapeutics. The course begins with principles of drug effect and disposition that apply to all medications, so that student will be able to develop an understanding of the pharmacological basis of therapeutics. Using specific disease states as examples, the course will address major classes of pharmacological agents affecting the cardiovascular and the central nervous systems. Other pharmacological areas covered include medications affecting the autonomic nervous system and treating cancer. Classical (adverse drug reactions) and more recent (pharmacogenomics) pharmacological topics will also be covered.
PHYL 5028. Fundamentals of Physiology. 2 Credit Hours.
Fundamentals of Physiology is a 2 credit hour course designed to provide students with a basic understanding of mammalian physiology. Students will be exposed to overarching concepts and contemporary perspectives regarding the normal function (physiology) of the organs and systems of organs of the human body. Lectures will focus on fundamental functions of the cardiovascular, renal, respiratory, gastrointestinal and endocrine systems. This course aims to blend targeted student learning outcomes with critical thinking skills to enhance student understanding of integrative systems biology as an aid to success in the field of biomedical research. Upon successful completion of this course, students will have knowledge of physiological principles of individual organs and systems and a basic appreciation for how interactions between these systems integrate to subserve healthy function. This course is centered on the principle that doctoral students must take personal responsibility for their own learning. As an upper level course, all lectures will be interactive. Lectures will be built around assigned readings. Therefore, each student will be expected to actively engage with faculty and fellow students during lectures to facilitate and enhance the learning experience.
Prerequisite: IBMS 5000 or at the discretion of the course directors.