Utah Health Scholars

Program Benefits

The Utah Health Scholars Program is an enhancement program that comprehensively prepares students to apply to and enter graduate-level health programs in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, physician assisting, and mental/behavioral health. The resources offered through UHS are utilized by enrolling in and participating in our cross-listed HLOC and BIOL courses. Ideally, students will enroll in a course each semester, however, only two credits count towards your undergraduate degree. Announcements are sent to students in our courses, providing information about opportunities for service, internships, research, presentations, socials, and other activities that would significantly set you apart from other applicants.

How To Join

Become a Utah Health Scholar at Utah Tech by enrolling in HLOC 2000! Students can find our most current offering of courses on our website. Many UHS one-credit courses are offered every semester, both in-person and online. UHS will help prepare pre-health students for graduate-level programs (Medical, Dental, Pharmacy, PA, OT/PT, etc.) and those pursuing nursing and other health sciences programs (Dental Hygiene, Respiratory Therapy, Medical Laboratory Sciences, etc.).

  • Participants earn one university credit per course (up to two credits can count toward graduation) and explore diverse healthcare careers through the AHEC Core Competencies.
  • The program includes seminars covering topics like holistic medicine skills, medical ethics, dental practicum, healthcare simulations, FQHC dental shadowing, public health, test preparation, and other discipline-specific areas

Private Tutoring

Each semester Utah Health Scholars students are provided with a full tutoring list with contacts of Utah Tech students who have excelled in upper-division pre-health courses.

Healthcare Exploration Seminars

(most seminars or courses can be taken for 1 unit – either HLOC or BIOL) Presenters discuss career options, healthcare topics, test preparation and more.

Test Preparation

  • Seminar courses specific to content covered on entrance exams, such as verbal reasoning/reading comprehension and behavioural sciences
  • Free practice exams offered in a structured environment
  • Discount program with Kaplan Test Preparation Products
  • Includes assistance with the MCAT, GRE, DAT, OAT, or PCAT

Enhanced Advising

In addition to each college advisor and academic advisors, UHS offers enhanced advising geared towards the parts of a student’s application not focused on academics.

Research

UHS provides presentations about finding research projects, connection with faculty-led projects and information about the off-campus research projects.

Lending Library

A library with test preparation materials, career planning books, and application help are available in our office. Use of these materials can save students hundreds of dollars when purchasing materials to prepare for the MCAT/DAT/PCAT/OAT.

Mock Interviews

Held during the fall semester that the students will be interviewing, this experience allows students to have some feedback on their interview skills and learn to develop them.

Community Service

We keep an on-going list of medical and non-medical community service activities, including hospitals, care centers, clinics and many other options. We also post regular canvas announcements of service events on and off campus.

Cultural Immersion Experiences

Several service trips are offered each year, including a spring and winter one-week trip to the Dominican Republic. These trips expose students to culturally diverse healthcare settings and allow opportunities for unique community service. In the past, UHS students have gone to the Four Corners area to work on tribal lands and partnered with Quiet Waters to serve veterans in Montana.

Application Workshop

Applying to graduate programs is challenging and time-consuming. To help students navigate this process, we now offer an online 1 credit course dedicated each semester that guides students through their individual CAS applications. Students work in a structured setting with peer support and receive valuable input from pre-health advisors. This popular course fills up quickly, so be sure to register early!

Job Shadowing/Internships

Our community and regional connections enable us to assist students in finding meaningful job shadowing experiences, even while navigating the administrative complexities of HIPAA, OSHA, and other regulations. We have an established affiliation agreement with Intermountain Health that streamlines the process of placing students in shadowing positions. Inquire about this agreement by contacting a UHS Program Coordinator.

EARLY ACCEPTANCE PROGRAM (EAP) WITH ROCKY VISTA COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE (RVUCOM)

We have a direct partnership with RVUCOM allowing pre-medical students with high credentials to apply early for acceptance to this specific medical school which voids the MCAT requirement. EAP program applicants have the option to choose from either the Colorado or Utah campus. It is a pipeline for students interested in primary care, especially in a rural setting.

For any more information about the program, please email us at UHS@utahtech.edu