A Long Way

A&M path to medical school shows how far Texarkana has come

There was a time when Texarkana high school graduates seeking higher education had just two choices— Texarkana College or leaving town.

Many chose to start at TC, transferring to another school for the last two years. Then, East Texas State University—now Texas A&M University-Texarkana—came to town, setting up on the TC campus and providing a smooth transition to a bachelor’s degree.

Who would have imagined just a few years ago that local students would have a path all the way to medical school?

Well, thanks to the Joint Admission Medical Program, they have one.

Established by the Texas Legislature, the program is a partnership between 67 colleges and universities and the state’s nine medical schools. JAMP provides scholarships and other support to help qualified, underprivileged students complete their undergraduate and medical degrees.

A&M-Texarkana has been part of JAMP since 2014. So far, two of its students have been selected for one of the 100 places available yearly. Considering that a lot of larger schools are involved, that’s a pretty good success rate.

Interested students have until Sept. 29 to apply for the JAMP program at A&MTexarkana. You can get more information by calling Dr. Nurul Alam at 903-3346671.

From having one junior college to having a pathway to a medical degree. Texarkana truly has come a long way.