Medical Futures Advance
Texas Tech Health El Paso, UTEP Announce Fourth MedFuture Cohort:
The Region’s Next Generation of Physicians
On June 17, Texas Tech Health El Paso and The University of Texas at El Paso recognized six accomplished high school seniors who have been selected for the fourth MedFuture cohort.
The innovative program serves as a path to medical school for talented students from West Texas. MedFuture provides the students admission to UTEP and, if they meet pre-med requirements at UTEP, they are guaranteed acceptance to Texas Tech Health El Paso’s Foster School of Medicine upon completion of their undergraduate degree.
Now in its fourth year, the program aims to identify and recruit students who will make exceptional doctors and who are committed to serving the Borderplex region.
“In recent years, UTEP has placed over 30 graduates a year in medical school,” said UTEP President Heather Wilson. “This program helps to identify and develop the best students for medical school right out of high school so that they are more likely to stay here and serve our region to a very high standard.”
The MedFuture partnership reflects a shared commitment by both institutions to strengthen the region’s future physician workforce and expand access to medical education opportunities for local students.
“We’re proud to welcome our fourth MedFuture cohort in collaboration with UTEP,” said Richard Lange, M.D., M.B.A., president of Texas Tech Health El Paso. “Through MedFuture, we are creating a pathway for talented young people to pursue their dreams of becoming physicians, while encouraging them to build their careers and serve patients here in the Borderplex. Their success will have a lasting impact on the health of our communities for generations to come.”
Meet the Fourth MedFuture Cohort:
Shayan Arabi Mianroodi – Coronado High School
Maya Flores – El Paso High School
Mandana Kargar – Montwood High School
Jazlynn Martinez – San Elizario High School
Maite Rodriguez – San Elizario High School
Catherine Whitlatch – Franklin High School
Maite Rodriguez said she was inspired to pursue a career in medicine through her school's Patient Care Technician program. The program gave her hands-on experience in phlebotomy (medical blood drawing), and she also spent nearly two months at The Hospitals of Providence East Campus assisting patients with their daily activities.
Rodriguez hopes to become a surgeon and said the opportunity for real-world experiences while preparing for medical school made MedFuture especially appealing.
"Being prepared for medical school, as well as getting hands-on experience when it comes to the healthcare field, is what drew me to MedFuture," Rodriguez said. "I like knowing that I can make an impact in a patient's life, whether it be big or small."
Jazlynn Martinez has long aspired to be a physician. She learned about Texas Tech Health El Paso while participating in the health science center’s MedVenture summer camps in middle school. In addition to gaining healthcare experience in her high school’s Patient Care Technician program, she’s completing training to become an EMT, which is strengthening her commitment to a medical career.
Martinez said having a medical school in her hometown gave her confidence that she could achieve her dream. “The idea of becoming a doctor didn’t seem as far away anymore,” she said. “Having the opportunity to go to medical school here makes that goal feel much more attainable.”
And MedFuture will be another major driver toward her success, she said.
“Sometimes it’s hard to see the bigger opportunities that are available to you, and it can be hard to believe in yourself. But when you get the opportunity to experience something like MedFuture firsthand, it pushes you forward. It’s not really a dream anymore — it becomes a reality.”
MedFuture students receive extensive pre-medical support while completing their undergraduate studies at UTEP, such as a first-year research intensive in biological sciences. They also participate in UTEP’s New Scholar Orientation and MedFuture Orientation.
This year, 63 students from 25 high schools applied for the competitive program. A joint committee from UTEP and Texas Tech Health El Paso evaluated the applications based on academic merit, commitment to medicine and potential to become exceptional doctors.
About Texas Tech Health El Paso
Texas Tech Health El Paso serves 108 counties in West Texas and is dedicated to preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals. Established as an independent university in 2013, Texas Tech Health El Paso provides medical, nursing, biomedical sciences and dental education.
Focused on excellence in healthcare education, research and clinical service, Texas Tech Health El Paso has graduated more than 2,600 professionals over the past decade. For more information, visit ttuhscepimpact.org.