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Summer on the UNT Health Science Center campus is anything but quiet, as learning opportunities abound for teens and young college students.

Sixteen students from the Young Women’s Leadership Academy, a part of Fort Worth ISD, investigated  DNA identification techniques at a “CSI Camp” in July, led by the crack Applied Genetics Team at the world-renowned Institute of Applied Genetics. In addition to touring the newly opened CSI exhibit at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, the young women extracted DNA from a strawberry, learned how to fingerprint and collect buccal swabs of DNA from inside a person’s cheek, and evaluated blood spatter.

The incoming class of the Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences (TABS) spent time with faculty and Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine students touring research labs and learning how to stitch up a wound while investigating ultrasound, anatomy, neuroscience and other aspects of medicine.  They also learned to negotiate a wheelchair obstacle course designed by the Physical Therapy Department students. TABS — a partnership of the Fort Worth Independent School District, UNTHSC, University of North Texas and Tarrant County College-Trinity River — allows students to graduate high school while earning 20 hours of college credit in the biomedical sciences.

Earlier this summer, 26 of the state’s 96 incoming undergraduate students in the Joint Admission Medical Program were on campus. Their program included MCAT preparation, primary-care physician shadowing, community service and other activities to familiarize them with the medical school experience. If they continue to meet program requirements – maintaining a 3.25 grade-point average in science and scoring at least 25 on the Medical College Admission Test, the students have a guaranteed place at a Texas medical school.

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