University of North Texas Health Science Center


The University of North Texas Health Science Center is a public medical school in Fort Worth, Texas. It is a graduate-level institution of the University of North Texas System. Established in 1970, UNT Health Science Center consists of five colleges with a total enrollment of 2,243 graduate students. The institution offers degrees in both osteopathic and allopathic medicine, public health, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, and biomedical sciences.
UNT Health Science Center serves as home to several NIH-funded research programs and currently leads all Texas medical and health science centers in research growth. The Health Science Center also houses laboratories for TECH Fort Worth, a non-profit biochemistry incubator.
Community and school outreach programs include Fort Worth’s annual Hispanic Wellness Fair and the annual Cowtown Marathon. The UNTHSC Pediatric Mobile Clinic provides healthcare to children in underserved areas of Fort Worth at no cost. The institution also participates in several state and federally funded programs that bring students and teachers onto campus each summer.

History

The University of North Texas Health Science Center was initially founded in 1970 as the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine. The college opened as a private, non-profit school for osteopathic medicine, located on the campus of the Fort Worth Osteopathic Hospital. It was the first osteopathic medical school in Texas and remained the only one in the state until 2015, when the University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine was established. The inaugural class of 18 students graduated in 1974, earning the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. In 1975, the college became a part of North Texas State University, after the Texas Legislature overwhelmingly passed Senate Bill 216, making TCOM a state medical school. TCOM was the second public university-affiliated osteopathic medical school to be established.
In 1990, TCOM opened the DNA Identity Laboratory, with the responsibility of assisting the state of Texas in evaluating paternity cases. In 1993, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences opened, and TCOM was renamed the University of North Texas Health Science Center. In 1997, the UNT School of Health Professions opened a physician assistant program. In 1999, the School of Public Health opened. In 2008, UNTHSC opened the TECH Fort Worth Acceleration Lab. In 2009, the UNTHSC opened a Doctor of Physical Therapy and PhD in Public Health Studies degree program’s.
In 2011, the Texas Legislature authorized the establishment of a college of pharmacy at UNTHSC. As the first pharmacy school in North Texas, the college matriculated its inaugural class of Doctor of Pharmacy students in 2013. In 2013, UNTHSC began developing an interprofessional education program, in participation with Texas Christian University. In 2014, Texas Woman's University joined the IPE partnership. In 2015, UNTHSC and TCU announced the creation of a joint MD school, which will accept its first class of students in 2018. In 2015, the physician assistant program was ranked as the number 33 graduate-level physician assistant program by U.S. News and World Report.

Academics

Through its five schools and colleges, UNTHSC offers several academic programs. Each program is graduate, and focuses on health professions and biomedical sciences. Several Doctor degrees, Master's degrees, and online programs are offered. An interprofessional education integrates each of the colleges and schools, with the goal of promoting teamwork and improved communication. UNTHSC is regionally accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Doctoral degrees include: the Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Public Health, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and Doctor of Pharmacy. Several master's degrees are offered, including: Master of Science, Master of Health Administration, and Master of Physician Assistant Studies.

Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine

Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine is a public medical school located at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, Texas. As a primary care-oriented school, TCOM trains and graduates the eighth largest number of medical students entering general practice fields in the United States. The school was continuously ranked in the top 50 for primary care from 2002 through 2014 culminating at #26 in 2012. As of 2020, the school ranks #74 for primary care and #94-122 for research by U.S. News and World Report.
TCOM also offers the following dual degree programs: D.O./M.P.H., D.O./M.S., and D.O./Ph.D. Through the Primary Care Pathways Program, motivated students may also complete a three-year, undergraduate degree at Midland College and University of North Texas before completing their undergraduate medical training at the medical school.

UNT Health

UNT Health is a division of the university where faculty members provide health care services. UNT Health consists of 230 physicians, who practice in 40 medical and surgical specialties and subspecialties, including allergy/immunology, family practice, cardiology, neurology, obstetrics & gynecology, oncology, orthopedics, psychiatry, sports medicine, and neurosurgery. In all, UNT Health serves 560,000 patient visits annually. In June 2014, the UNT System Board of Regents and the Tarrant County Hospital District approved creation of a partnership where physicians from UNT Health and the JPS Health Network will be combined under a newly formed medical group.

Campus

UNTHSC is located on a 33-acre campus in the Cultural District of Fort Worth, Texas. The Gibson D. Lewis Health Science Library's collections, including more than 20,000 journal titles and 67,000 books, provide UNTHSC students and faculty with access to the latest basic science and clinical research. The Lewis Library provides access to virtually 100 percent of the world's current medical information, including a wide variety of research databases. UNTHSC also houses the Atrium Gallery, a non-profit public art exhibition space, which holds 8 to 10 arts shows each year. The Atrium Gallery is a member of the Fort Worth Art Dealers Association.

Students

A total of 2,243 students were in attendance at UNTHSC for the 2014–15 academic year. 57% of students were female; 43 percent were male. About 46% of students are White, 21% Asian, 12% Hispanic, 8% black or African American, 1% American Indian or Alaskan Native, 2% identify as two or more ethnicities, and the remaining students were non-resident aliens or of unknown ethnicity. Because of state law regarding enrollment of Texas residents in public medical schools, each entering class is composed of at least 90% state residents. Many out-of-state residents receive competitive scholarships that make up the difference. Applications for admission are processed through the Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service.

Research

Research centers and institutes at UNTHSC include;