Mar 29, 2024  
2019-2020 Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Educational Programs


Educational Programs

As one of the nation’s oldest schools of its kind, the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) is unique among the state’s medical schools. The college is recognized as a leader in preparing the next generation of physicians to provide comprehensive primary care. In addition to training and research opportunities in all medical specialties leading to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree, the college offers elective tracks in rural medicine and dual degree programs allowing graduates to earn a Master of Science (MS), Master of Public Health (MPH), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) during their medical training.

TCOM holds continuing accreditation with exceptional outcome by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). Graduates of COCA accredited colleges are eligible for admission to all postdoctoral training programs (residencies) in the United States and full practice privileges in all states.

With over 4,000 alumni, the college is helping reduce the shortage of physicians in Texas communities, practicing over 50 specialties in nearly every county.

The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) offers students opportunities to earn advanced degrees in biomedical sciences in an innovative educational and research environment that supports the development of knowledge-based, skill-based and professionalism-based competencies. GSBS offers both MS and PhD level programs including the Medical Sciences program. The latter helps prepare graduates for entry to professional programs such as medical and dental school. GSBS graduates fill a wide range of positions to include those at health science centers, colleges and universities, community health centers, federal agencies, and in industry.

The School of Public Health (SPH) was founded in 1999 as a result of local efforts by community leaders and public health officials. It has grown rapidly in student enrollment and research funding since its initial accreditation with the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) in June 2002, while maintaining strong and vital links with public health professionals in the community. In 2016, SPH was re-accredited by CEPH. SPH offers the MPH, MHA, MS and PhD degrees, as well as several graduate certificates.

The School of Health Professions (SHP) was established in 2004 as the home of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, offering the Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree (MPAS), and the Department of Physical Therapy, offering the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree (DPT).  Both Physician Assistant and Physical Therapy programs currently hold full accreditation from their respective accreditation commissions, ARC-PA and CAPTE . In addition, the Department of Lifestyle Health Sciences will begin to offer a Master of Lifestyle Health Sciences and Coaching degrees in the Summer 2019 term. Students in the School of Health Professions learn and collaborate with other students at UNTHSC to become well-rounded providers of the future. All SHP programs prepare students for lifelong learning and equips them with knowledge, skills, and competencies that are imperative to serve in dynamic, professional health care careers.

The UNT System College of Pharmacy (SCP) was authorized by the Texas Legislature and approved by the UNT Board of Regents in 2011. It graduated its first class of students in May 2017. The four-year educational program leads to the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree and consists of three years of didactic coursework, laboratories, and introductory pharmacy practice experiences along with one year of advanced pharmacy practice experiences that consist of a series of clinical rotations. The program prepares graduates for entry-level positions in a wide array of pharmacy practice areas or for entry into PGY1 residency programs or other post-graduate training programs. The SCP received accreditation in July 2017.

We are partnering with TCU to develop a new MD program. For more information about the program, see the website: https://mdschool.tcu.edu/ 

Dual degrees: The five schools of UNTHSC offer numerous opportunities for a student to obtain multidisciplinary training leading to dual degrees. These unique degree programs provide the students with valuable training that further prepares them to be leaders in the interprofessional delivery of health care in the 21st century.

The original dual degree program at UNTHSC began as a partnership between TCOM and GSBS in which the DO/PhD dual degrees were offered. DO/MPH and DO/MS dual degrees have been conferred to numerous students over the past 12 years, and UNTHSC was the first and only institution to confer the MPAS/PhD dual degree. The SHP also offers dual degree programs in collaboration with SPH and GSBS, allowing graduates to earn MPAS/MPH, DPT/PhD during their clinical professional training. In collaboration with GSBS, the SCP offers the PharmD/MS and PharmD/PhD. In addition, dual-degree opportunities combining the MPH or MHA degree with any of the primary health professions degrees are being developed.

INCEDO: INCEDO, the professional and continuing education office, connects the colleges, providers, and administrators to outcomes‐driven continuing education solutions. INCEDO is the academic home for all UNTHSC graduates. It consistently discovers new ways to engage and enlighten practicing providers, researchers, and leaders in continuing education activities, community programs, and internal and external collaborations that focus on improving quality across organizations through meaningful, measurable impact. 

INCEDO plans discipline-specific and interprofessional conferences, quality improvement initiatives, online programs, and other types of continuing education for UNTHSC providers and non-affiliated health care professionals in Tarrant County and beyond. Its online learning management system provides a convenient way for students and providers to access learning, retrieve participation records, and stay connected to their academic home as they enter their professions.