Paul L. Foster School of Medicine

Mission Statement: Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
The mission of the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso is to provide exceptional opportunities for students, trainees, and physicians; to advance knowledge through innovative scholarship and research in medicine with a focus on international health and health care disparities; and to provide exemplary patient care and service to the entire El Paso Community and beyond.

About our school
Education Beyond Borders
The TTUHSC PLFSOM received more than 2,500 applications for its charter class. On July 9, 2009, the 40 students chosen from the applicant pool took their place in history. These students were selected not only for their high intellectual ability and strong record of scholastic achievement, but also for their varied backgrounds, interests, life experiences and qualities indicative of academic success. These students undergraduate universities included Texas Tech University, The University of Texas (Austin, El Paso, San Antonio, Dallas, Arlington, Brownsville, Permian Basin), Sul Ross University and the University of Houston. Also represented in the TTUHSC PLFSOM inaugural class were the University of Michigan, Rensselaer, Princeton, Baylor, Emory, Rice, Johns Hopkins and Harvard.

Medical students from the TTUHSC School of Medicine in Lubbock have been training on the El Paso campus for their third- and fourth-year for more than 38 years. Once the inaugural class begins their third year in July 2011, these TTUHSC-Lubbock students will no longer train in El Paso.

Integration is the key to the curriculum of the TTUHSC PLFSOM. Unlike a traditional medical school, which requires students to wait until their third year of studies before they are introduced to the clinical sciences, students at the PLFSOM are immersed into the basic and clinical sciences in their first year. Students learn anatomy, biochemistry, physiology and other basic science concepts and content needed to understand specific clinical presentations (e.g., the patient with chest discomfort).

From the first day of medical school, students are taught to think like a doctor. Active learning comes into play when students interact with highly complex mannequins that simulate everything from cardiac arrest to a vaginal birth in our Advanced Teaching and Assessment in Clinical Simulation Center. Standardized patients, individuals trained to act out symptoms of certain conditions, help students learn how to diagnose specific conditions while also developing their people skills.

Not only is the curriculum integrative, but students are also integrated into the community. At the only four-year medical school on the U.S./Mexico border, students interact with their diverse community through the Society, Community and Individual Course. The course integrates medicine and public health by providing an arena that enhances Spanish language skills, provides an opportunity to experience community medicine and home visits while interacting with members of a healthcare team, and gives students the chance to experience culturally diverse populations.

The location of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine provides students with insight to afflictions and circumstances known in developing countries, while still living in the United States. In the final two years of medical school, students interact with actual patients and gain knowledge in ways that no textbook or simulated situation could ever teach. These experiences provide students with the background to lead the nation in medical care and prevention upon graduation.

Faculty Recognition Banquet - This year we took the annual Faculty Recognition Banquet to the El Paso Museum of Art with the theme "The Art of Medicine." Dean's Excellence Awards were presented to five faculty members. Five others were recognized for their promotions. This year, in addition to selecting the faculty of the year, we also selected a community faculty member of the year. I would like to thank the many people who help make this event possible every year. Please read more on the banquet below.

Tom Lea Unveiling - On Tuesday we were honored to have Dr. Ron and Mary Ann Gum, and other friends of Texas Tech at the unveiling of Tom Lea's "The First Recorded Surgical Operation in North America: Cabeza de Vaca, 1535." The Gums made the generous donation of his preparatory encaustic drawing artwork which now hangs in the ATACS center on the third floor of the MEB demonstrating 500 years of progress in medicine. The painting depicts Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca - the Spanish Explorer who survived the ill-starred Narvaez expedition, becoming the first non-Native American to set foot on Texas soil-removing an arrowhead from a Native American's chest, an event chronicled in his Relacion published in Spain in 1542. His successful surgery astounded the Native Americans, causing them to come from many places to be cured.

SECC - We are in the final week of the State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC). We are only halfway to meeting last year's amount in contributions. Please contact your SECC coordinator for a form and donate with your heart to any organization of your choice listed in the brochure.

Welcome to the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso website - and the link to the TTUHSC Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. For over 35 years, we've made it our mission to serve the people of El Paso and the outlying region. Today, technology has given us the opportunity to reach further - providing you with valuable information at your fingertips. By searching our site, you can become familiar with our administration, admissions, faculty and staff, residency programs, and El Paso clinics. Continue searching and find alumni sites, campus maps, and state-wide job opportunities.

We are proud to integrate a separate link to our new school, the TTUHSC Paul L. Foster School of Medicine.

As the only four-year medical school on the U.S./Mexico border, we are privileged to concentrate our efforts on medical issues that affect our region. Whether it's teaching our medical students the intricacies of the border, researching diseases prevalent in our area, or providing the best medical care possible for those who would otherwise not receive care - we care about the dynamics of our border region.

Our website is yet another tool to provide you with the latest information available in the areas of research, patient care, and education. Thank you for your interest in Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and the TTUHSC Paul L. Foster School of Medicine.

Office of the President
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Web site. Our university is committed to the noble mission of improving the health of people by providing high quality educational opportunities to students and health care professionals, advancing knowledge through scholarship and research, and providing patient care and service. It is in the context of this tri-part mission and through the work of our Schools of Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, Pharmacy, Graduate Biomedical Sciences, and our Medical Schools in El Paso and Lubbock that we strive passionately to improve the wellbeing and health in the communities we serve.

In a real sense, our multi-campus institution is fully committed to serving the people of Texas and the borderland, a fact that is demonstrated by the buzz of activity that is evident on our campuses in Lubbock, El Paso, Dallas, Amarillo, Abilene, Midland, Odessa, and Marble Falls. El Paso, long a part of the TTUHSC family, is now emerging as a major, research-intensive flagship medical school on the border, but every one of our campuses is vibrant and focused on the discovery of knowledge. We are proud to welcome you and show you what we are doing to advance the state of knowledge in the health sciences, to care for patients, and to transform the lives of our many students of many ages and backgrounds, who have chosen careers to serve others.

Libraries:
The TTUHSC Delia Montes-Gallo Library of El Paso serves the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine and the Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing. The Library also serves health professionals throughout the area, and on the U.S. - Mexico border.

The library is located in two buildings: The Academic Education Center (AEC) houses Clinical Sciences materials, while The Medical Education Building (MEB) houses Basic Science materials.

Checkout privileges are available to TTUHSC faculty, staff and students. On-site use of the collection is also available to the public.

A Look at the TTUHSC School of Medicine

Mission
Founded in 1969, the TTUHSC School of Medicine has continually worked to address the shortage of physicians in West Texas by providing innovative educational opportunities to medical student and residents that are intended to supply competent and compassionate medical professionals for a geographically expansive area. The medical education program provides sound inter-disciplinary training that integrates basic sciences knowledge and clinical skill and focuses on high standards and comprehensive evaluation.

The research strategy of the school concentrates on collaborative efforts that enhance the clinical programs relevant to the region and provide advanced training opportunities for students and residents. Centers of excellence guide research endeavors in many areas giving special attention to cancer treatment, women's health, aging, addiction, and other disease processes. The clinical practice strives to utilize state-of-the-art technology to effectively meet the growing needs of a diverse and largely rural patient population through strong partnerships with clinical affiliates.

Paul L. Foster School of Medicine Degree Programs :

Medicine

Nursing

Pharmacy

Allied Health Science

Video Presentation

Endoscopic Ultrasound