Distinctions

During the Growth Year (Third Year), students will have the opportunity to individualize their experiences toward long-term goals.  A nine-month Innovation, Leadership and Discovery block affords them the opportunity to complete a large, independent distinction project in one of three areas. During this nine-month period, students will be expected to meet established milestones throughout their scholarly activities with the expectation of a final presentation and written submission on a local or regional scale. Students' work will contribute to the school's pursuit of making Austin a model healthy city.

Research: Basic, Clinical or Translational

Students work with faculty to design and implement a project from multiple options spanning the spectrum of research at The University of Texas at Austin or our clinical partners. Working in a rigorous scholarly environment with a faculty mentor, they develop skills for investigation and learn how to communicate findings.

Clinical Innovation and Design

Designing meaningful solutions to the current pressing needs in health care requires a variety of complex skills, including the ability to identify meaningful problems, design thinking to find creative solutions and entrepreneurship to implement them. Students actively learn the process of medical technology and process innovation by working with biomedical engineering graduate students in a structured and mentored experience. As part of the program, students identify concrete clinical needs and address them through technology. 

Population Health

Dell Medical School students collaborate with a community-based organization on a project that will transform health by addressing social determinants of health like income disparities, institutional racism, housing instability and more. They refine leadership and partnership skills by leading an intervention or system change that benefits people in Central Texas.

Student Entrepreneur in Residence

Future physicians take a deep dive into entrepreneurship and learn how to move a health innovation idea from concept to reality. As a member of the schools Texas Health CoLab team, students gain experience in business and commercialization while working with a variety of startups and products.