Five UTRGV graduates enter medical school through JAMP

Five University of Texas Rio Grande Valley graduates are starting medical school this fall after finishing the state’s Joint Admission Medical Program, adding to Texas’ physician pipeline. The new class includes three students at UTRGV’s medical school and two at other Texas institutions.

Why it matters: - Texas continues to face a physician shortage, and JAMP is designed to help fill that gap by moving economically disadvantaged students into medical school. - UTRGV’s results show how pathway programs can keep more South Texas students in the Texas health care pipeline. - The new class adds future doctors with ties to the Rio Grande Valley, El Paso, Brownsville and Mission.

What happened: - Five UTRGV graduates began medical school this fall after completing JAMP. - Three of the five — Claudia Hernandez, Tristan Solis and Jarrett Quezada — joined the UTRGV School of Medicine Class of 2030. - Luis Aguillon entered Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine in El Paso. - Juan Carlos Mejia-Chevaili enrolled at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.

The details: - JAMP is a statewide program created by the Texas Legislature to address physician shortages in Texas. - The program supports highly qualified, economically disadvantaged students pursuing medicine. - JAMP provides scholarships, faculty mentoring, physician shadowing, summer medical school internships, MCAT preparation and a pathway to admission at participating Texas medical schools. - At UTRGV, the Office for Pre-Professional Development administers JAMP. - Gabby Allen, program manager for the UTRGV Office for Pre-Professional Development, said JAMP removes barriers that can keep talented students from pursuing medicine. - Since 2021, 22 UTRGV JAMP scholars have matriculated into the UTRGV School of Medicine. - Seven additional UTRGV undergraduates were recently selected as the university’s newest JAMP scholars. - Solis is from Rio Grande City and previously competed in UTRGV track and field. - Solis earned a bachelor’s degree in biology. - Quezada graduated in biomedical sciences and is from El Paso. - Quezada wants to become an endocrinologist and eventually practice in the Rio Grande Valley. - Aguillon is from Brownsville. - Mejia-Chevaili is from Mission. - Hernandez, Solis and Quezada joined a UTRGV School of Medicine Class of 2030 that has 56 students. - Thirty-four students in that class are from the Rio Grande Valley, or 62% of the class. - UTRGV said that makes it the most Rio Grande Valley represented class in the school’s history. - UTRGV’s Office for Pre-Professional Development also supports students preparing for careers in dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, law and other professional fields.

Between the lines: - The numbers suggest UTRGV is building a stronger local pipeline into medicine, not just sending students to medical schools elsewhere. - Students from the Rio Grande Valley are more likely to train and potentially practice in communities with persistent health care staffing needs. - JAMP’s mix of financial support and mentoring targets the most common barriers to medical school access.

What's next: - UTRGV is continuing to recruit new JAMP scholars, with seven more undergraduates already selected. - The five new medical students will continue training at their respective schools as they progress toward future physician careers. - UTRGV points readers to the original newsroom story for complete scholar profiles and more JAMP details.

The bottom line: - UTRGV’s JAMP pipeline is sending more South Texas students into medical school and helping Texas grow its future physician workforce.