By: Bivins, et al. S.B. No. 940
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the establishment of the Joint Admission Medical
1-3 Program to assist certain economically disadvantaged students in
1-4 preparing for and succeeding in medical school.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-7 Subchapter V to read as follows:
1-8 SUBCHAPTER V. JOINT ADMISSION MEDICAL PROGRAM
1-9 Sec. 51.821. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-10 (1) "Council" means the Joint Admission Medical
1-11 Program Council established under this subchapter.
1-12 (2) "General academic teaching institution" means a
1-13 four-year general academic teaching institution as defined by
1-14 Section 61.003.
1-15 (3) "Private or independent institution of higher
1-16 education" means an institution as defined by Section 61.003(15)
1-17 that grants baccalaureate degrees and offers a program in
1-18 premedical education.
1-19 (4) "Participating medical school" means each of the
1-20 following entities:
1-21 (A) the medical school at The University of
1-22 Texas Health Science Center at Houston;
1-23 (B) the medical school at The University of
1-24 Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas;
1-25 (C) the medical school at The University of
2-1 Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio;
2-2 (D) the medical school at The University of
2-3 Texas Medical Branch at Galveston;
2-4 (E) the medical school at Texas Tech University
2-5 Health Sciences Center;
2-6 (F) the Baylor College of Medicine;
2-7 (G) the college of osteopathic medicine at the
2-8 University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth; and
2-9 (H) the medical school at The Texas A&M
2-10 University System Health Science Center.
2-11 (5) "Participating student" means an eligible
2-12 undergraduate student who is admitted to the program and who
2-13 maintains eligibility for continued participation in the program.
2-14 (6) "Program" means the Joint Admission Medical
2-15 Program established under this subchapter.
2-16 Sec. 51.822. JOINT ADMISSION MEDICAL PROGRAM. The Joint
2-17 Admission Medical Program is a program administered by the Joint
2-18 Admission Medical Program Council to:
2-19 (1) provide services to support and encourage highly
2-20 qualified, economically disadvantaged students pursuing a medical
2-21 education;
2-22 (2) award undergraduate and graduate scholarships and
2-23 summer stipends to those students; and
2-24 (3) guarantee the admission of those students to at
2-25 least one participating medical school, subject to the conditions
2-26 under Section 51.827 and under other provisions of this subchapter
3-1 Sec. 51.823. COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL. (a) The participating
3-2 medical schools shall jointly establish the Joint Admission Medical
3-3 Program Council consisting of one faculty member employed by and
3-4 representing each of the participating medical schools.
3-5 (b) A person may not serve on the council for more than six
3-6 consecutive years.
3-7 (c) The council shall select one of its members to serve as
3-8 council chair for a term of two years.
3-9 Sec. 51.824. COUNCIL DUTIES. (a) The council shall:
3-10 (1) recruit eligible undergraduate students for
3-11 admission to the program;
3-12 (2) establish an application process for admitting
3-13 eligible undergraduate students to the program;
3-14 (3) evaluate applications for admission to the program
3-15 according to the selection requirements of Subsection (b);
3-16 (4) monitor the implementation of the program;
3-17 (5) assist in developing services to support and
3-18 encourage the pursuit of a medical education by participating
3-19 students and, as applicable, nontraditional students described by
3-20 Section 51.832;
3-21 (6) establish a process for participating students to:
3-22 (A) be matched to an internship program as
3-23 described by Subsection (c);
3-24 (B) be matched to any required undergraduate
3-25 mentoring program as described by Subsection (d);
3-26 (C) apply for admission to participating medical
4-1 schools;
4-2 (D) be matched to a participating medical school
4-3 as described by Subsection (e); and
4-4 (E) enroll in that school;
4-5 (7) award to participating students undergraduate
4-6 scholarships and summer stipends, including a summer stipend for a
4-7 student who is required to participate in an internship program in
4-8 the summer immediately following the student's senior year;
4-9 (8) award graduate scholarships to participating
4-10 students and, as applicable, nontraditional students described by
4-11 Section 51.832;
4-12 (9) enter into an agreement with each student admitted
4-13 to the program, each participating medical school, and each general
4-14 academic teaching institution or private or independent institution
4-15 of higher education as required by this subchapter; and
4-16 (10) take any other action necessary to implement the
4-17 program.
4-18 (b) From each general academic teaching institution, the
4-19 council annually shall select for admission to the program at least
4-20 two eligible undergraduate students who are enrolled as freshmen at
4-21 that institution. The council shall allocate 10 percent of the
4-22 total program openings on a rotation basis to private or
4-23 independent institutions of higher education. The council shall
4-24 allocate the remaining program openings to general academic
4-25 teaching institutions in proportion to the average size of each
4-26 institution's entering freshman class during the four-year period
5-1 preceding the allocation.
5-2 (c) The council shall match each participating student with
5-3 appropriate internship programs offered by participating medical
5-4 schools during the summers immediately following the student's
5-5 freshman, sophomore, and junior years. A participating medical
5-6 school to which a participating student is matched under Subsection
5-7 (e) may require the student to participate in an internship program
5-8 offered by the medical school during the summer immediately
5-9 following the student's senior year.
5-10 (d) The council shall match each participating student with
5-11 any appropriate undergraduate mentoring program required of the
5-12 student by the council.
5-13 (e) During a participating student's senior year, the
5-14 council shall match the student with an appropriate participating
5-15 medical school as necessary to fill the percentage of enrollment
5-16 capacity set aside by each medical school under the program. To
5-17 the extent possible, the council shall accommodate the preferences
5-18 of participating students regarding medical school placement. A
5-19 participating medical school may not make an offer of admission to
5-20 a participating student before the student is matched by the
5-21 council to a medical school as described by this subsection.
5-22 Sec. 51.825. COUNCIL DELEGATION. The council may delegate
5-23 the performance of the council's administrative functions,
5-24 including its matching functions, to the Texas Medical and Dental
5-25 Schools Application Service operated through The University of
5-26 Texas System.
6-1 Sec. 51.826. ELIGIBILITY FOR ADMISSION TO PROGRAM. (a) To
6-2 be eligible for admission to the program, an undergraduate student
6-3 must:
6-4 (1) enroll at a general academic teaching institution
6-5 or a private or independent institution of higher education not
6-6 later than the first fall semester following the student's
6-7 graduation from high school;
6-8 (2) be a Texas resident for purposes of tuition under
6-9 Subchapter B, Chapter 54;
6-10 (3) successfully complete at least 15 semester credit
6-11 hours during the fall semester of the student's freshman year at
6-12 the general academic teaching institution or the private or
6-13 independent institution of higher education;
6-14 (4) apply for admission to the program at the
6-15 beginning of the spring semester of the student's freshman year at
6-16 the general academic teaching institution or the private or
6-17 independent institution of higher education; and
6-18 (5) meet criteria established by the council
6-19 regarding:
6-20 (A) minimum high school and undergraduate grade
6-21 point averages;
6-22 (B) financial need and any other indication of
6-23 economic disadvantage; and
6-24 (C) any other matter the council considers
6-25 appropriate.
6-26 (b) For purposes of Subsection (a)(2), a student is not a
7-1 Texas resident as described by that subdivision solely because the
7-2 student is eligible to pay tuition at the resident tuition rate.
7-3 Sec. 51.827. ELIGIBILITY TO CONTINUE PARTICIPATION IN
7-4 PROGRAM. (a) To be eligible to continue participation in the
7-5 program, an undergraduate student who is admitted to the program
7-6 must:
7-7 (1) meet criteria established by the council
7-8 regarding:
7-9 (A) courses taken and minimum grade point
7-10 average for those courses during enrollment at the general academic
7-11 teaching institution or the private or independent institution of
7-12 higher education;
7-13 (B) progress in those courses;
7-14 (C) achievement of an acceptable score on the
7-15 Medical College Admission Test or any equivalent examination taken
7-16 as a precondition for enrollment in or admission to a participating
7-17 medical school; and
7-18 (D) any other matter the council considers
7-19 appropriate;
7-20 (2) participate in:
7-21 (A) internship programs described by Section
7-22 51.824(c) in:
7-23 (i) the summers immediately following the
7-24 student's freshman, sophomore, and junior years; and
7-25 (ii) if required, the summer immediately
7-26 following the student's senior year; and
8-1 (B) any undergraduate or graduate mentoring
8-2 program required by the council; and
8-3 (3) exhibit intelligence, integrity, and personal and
8-4 emotional characteristics that are considered necessary for the
8-5 student to become an effective physician.
8-6 (b) If an undergraduate student who is admitted to the
8-7 program fails to meet the requirements of Subsection (a) without
8-8 good cause as determined by the council, the council may terminate
8-9 that student's participation in the program at the end of the
8-10 semester during which the student failed to meet the requirements
8-11 of that subsection. A student's participation in the program is
8-12 automatically terminated if the student fails to meet the
8-13 requirements of Subsection (a) for two consecutive semesters
8-14 without good cause.
8-15 Sec. 51.828. COUNCIL AGREEMENT WITH STUDENT ADMITTED TO
8-16 PROGRAM. (a) A student admitted to the program must enter into an
8-17 agreement with the council under which the student agrees to:
8-18 (1) maintain eligibility for continued participation
8-19 in the program; and
8-20 (2) repay any scholarship or stipend received under
8-21 the program if the student enrolls in a public or private medical
8-22 school in another state, other than temporary enrollment occurring
8-23 as a result of an exchange program.
8-24 (b) At the time the student enters into an agreement under
8-25 this section, the council shall provide the student with
8-26 information regarding:
9-1 (1) available program benefits, including
9-2 undergraduate and graduate scholarships and summer stipends; and
9-3 (2) repayment of scholarship and stipend benefits
9-4 received under the program.
9-5 Sec. 51.829. COUNCIL AGREEMENT WITH PARTICIPATING MEDICAL
9-6 SCHOOL. (a) Each participating medical school must enter into an
9-7 agreement with the council under which the medical school agrees
9-8 to:
9-9 (1) select a faculty member employed by the medical
9-10 school to serve on the council;
9-11 (2) commit faculty and administrative resources to the
9-12 program;
9-13 (3) set aside for participating students or, if
9-14 necessary, nontraditional students described by Section 51.831 at
9-15 least 10 percent of the medical school's enrollment capacity for
9-16 each entering class, except as provided by Subsection (b);
9-17 (4) admit participating students who are matched to
9-18 the medical school under the program;
9-19 (5) provide internship programs for participating
9-20 students who have been matched to or are required to participate in
9-21 those programs as described by Section 51.824(c) and coordinate the
9-22 administration of those programs with general academic teaching
9-23 institutions or private or independent institutions of higher
9-24 education as necessary;
9-25 (6) provide for participating students any mentoring
9-26 programs required by the council at the undergraduate level and
10-1 coordinate the administration of those programs with general
10-2 academic teaching institutions or private or independent
10-3 institutions of higher education as necessary; and
10-4 (7) provide support services, including
10-5 postbaccalaureate mentoring programs required by the council, to
10-6 participating students and, as applicable, nontraditional students
10-7 described by Section 51.832 who enroll in the medical school.
10-8 (b) The Baylor College of Medicine must agree under
10-9 Subsection (a) to set aside under Subsection (a)(3) not less than
10-10 10 percent of its enrollment capacity set aside for students who
10-11 are entitled to pay tuition at the rate provided by Chapter 54 for
10-12 resident students.
10-13 Sec. 51.830. COUNCIL AGREEMENT WITH GENERAL ACADEMIC
10-14 TEACHING INSTITUTION. Each general academic teaching institution
10-15 must enter into an agreement with the council under which the
10-16 institution agrees to:
10-17 (1) provide academic counseling to a participating
10-18 student enrolled at that institution;
10-19 (2) as soon as practicable, implement or expand
10-20 appropriate degree programs as necessary to provide participating
10-21 students with sufficient preparation for enrollment in
10-22 participating medical schools; and
10-23 (3) select a faculty director to assist in
10-24 implementing the program at the institution and in implementing or
10-25 expanding the institution's degree programs as necessary under
10-26 Subdivision (2).
11-1 Sec. 51.831. COUNCIL AGREEMENT WITH PRIVATE OR INDEPENDENT
11-2 INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION. Each private or independent
11-3 institution of higher education must enter into an agreement with
11-4 the council under which the institution agrees to:
11-5 (1) provide academic counseling to a participating
11-6 student enrolled at the institution;
11-7 (2) as soon as practicable, implement or expand
11-8 appropriate degree programs as necessary to provide participating
11-9 students with sufficient preparation for enrollment in
11-10 participating medical schools;
11-11 (3) select a faculty director to assist in
11-12 implementing the program at the institution and in implementing or
11-13 expanding the institution's degree programs as necessary under
11-14 Subdivision (2); and
11-15 (4) provide a scholarship to a participating student
11-16 in the amount required for a participating student attending a
11-17 general academic teaching institution, but not to exceed the amount
11-18 of tuition and fees that the student is charged.
11-19 Sec. 51.832. NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS. (a) If for any
11-20 reason a participating medical school does not fill the percentage
11-21 of enrollment capacity set aside for participating students under
11-22 the program, the medical school shall fill the remaining openings
11-23 with economically disadvantaged students who:
11-24 (1) are 25 years of age or older;
11-25 (2) have been admitted to the medical school
11-26 independently of the program;
12-1 (3) are referred by the medical school to the council
12-2 and admitted to the program by the council; and
12-3 (4) are entitled to pay tuition at the rate provided
12-4 by Chapter 54 for resident students.
12-5 (b) Nontraditional students admitted to the program under
12-6 this section are subject only to the program benefits and
12-7 requirements applicable to participating students after their
12-8 enrollment in a participating medical school and must sign an
12-9 agreement to that effect.
12-10 Sec. 51.833. FUNDING. (a) The council may solicit and
12-11 accept gifts and grants from any public or private source for the
12-12 purposes of this subchapter.
12-13 (b) The legislature may appropriate money for the purposes
12-14 of this subchapter.
12-15 Sec. 51.834. REPORT. (a) The council shall deliver a
12-16 report on the program to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and
12-17 the speaker of the house of representatives not later than December
12-18 31 of each even-numbered year.
12-19 (b) The report must contain detailed information regarding:
12-20 (1) any problems the council identifies in
12-21 implementing the program, with recommended solutions for those
12-22 problems;
12-23 (2) the expenditure of any money received under this
12-24 subchapter, including legislative appropriations; and
12-25 (3) the number of students who are admitted to the
12-26 program and who are enrolled in each year of a baccalaureate,
13-1 graduate, or professional degree program offered by a general
13-2 academic teaching institution, a private or independent institution
13-3 of higher education, or a participating medical school, as
13-4 applicable.
13-5 SECTION 2. The Joint Admission Medical Program Council is
13-6 required to implement this Act only if the legislature appropriates
13-7 money specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not
13-8 appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the council may,
13-9 but is not required to, implement this Act using other
13-10 appropriations available for the purpose.
13-11 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
13-12 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
13-13 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
13-14 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
13-15 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.