Texas Border Business
By Vicky Brito
BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS – AUG. 24, 2015 – As The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has its first-ever first day of classes on Aug. 31, the new university also is inaugurating a competency-based program aimed at retaining students and expediting the path to a medical degree.
The UTRGV Bio Medical Sciences program (BMed) will be a pilot for the UT System, in which entering freshman enrolled in BMed will never have to buy a traditional textbook. Instead, course materials will be delivered to them on iPads, which they will receive when orientation concludes Aug. 26.
The iPad is a key technology for this course and not only will hold all their textbooks, but also serve as the medium for submitting assignments.
BMed is hosted by the UT System Institute for Transformational Learning (ITL), which guides development of next-generation programming models, high impact, technology-enhanced pedagogies and robust data analytics.
Of the 600 students who applied to participate, 170 were selected. They will pursue a B.S. degree, with advisors and instructors to help them set academic goals and keep them on track to graduate in three years.
Amy Shackelford, director of strategic partnerships for ITL, said the program is a hybrid approach to learning.
“Students will still attend classes on campus,” she said, “but all assignments and homework will be done online, via the application TEx.”
BMed allows students to work at their own pace, and those already entering college with credits can continue the path toward acceleration. Scheduling will be set in a block schedule for students who prefer morning or afternoon class, to accommodate work scheduling.
“Overall, our goal is to increase student success, to see more students not just persist, but to continue on to medical school or into the health professions,” Shackelford said.
There is a real need for practitioners in the Rio Grande Valley, she said, and part of the goal of the CBE is to provide that.
“We know how many smart, talented, driven students there are, and we want to see more of them succeed,” Shackelford said.
Dr. Francisco Fernandez, inaugural dean of the new UTRGV School of Medicine, calls the project a groundbreaking initiative in premedical education and a game changer for aspiring physicians.
“Using elements of the competency-based approach and student services supporting creativity, determination and drive, UTRGV students are going to be better prepared to take the MCAT, enter medical school and be successful medical students,” he said. “This will result in more qualified doctors coming from the Rio Grande Valley who have the power to transform this community.”
