Physician Scientist Training Program Comes To SMU

DALLAS (SMU) — Southern Methodist University, in cooperation with UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, this summer will host 106 seventh and eighth grade minority science students from the prestigious Temple University School of Medicine Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP).

Beginning Saturday, June 27, for six weeks these bright and promising young students from across the United States will live in a campus residence hall and participate in curriculum that includes chemistry, laboratory skills, cell and molecular biology, microbiology and anatomy – the latter of which includes animal dissection – and research statistics. They also will receive academic advising and learn more about biomedical careers in academia, medicine, dentistry and the pharmaceutical industry.

Headed by SMU alumnus Dr. Moses Williams, founder and director of the program, PSTP is designed to identify and recruit talented minority students beginning in the seventh grade.  The students remain in the program through postsecondary graduation into medical/dental school and graduate programs in the biomedical sciences. The program was created in 1990 as a science pipeline to increase the number of minority students in biomedical research fields.

“At SMU we are so pleased that Dr. Williams and his group are bringing the Physician Scientist Training Program to SMU and Dallas,” said Paul Ludden, SMU provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “Not only does this program provide an opportunity for SMU to participate in providing opportunities for students who might otherwise have been denied the opportunity to fulfill their potential, but it also provides an opportunity to expand our partnership with UT Southwestern and others in the academic community. This program can only benefit our institutions, Dallas, the North Texas region and our country. We look forward to seeing the students on campus in the very near future.”

Since its inception, the PSTP has evolved into the largest and most diverse biomedical research training program for students from seventh grade through medical and/or graduate school. Six students from the PSTP are attending SMU this fall.

A private university located in the heart of Dallas, SMU enrolls nearly 11,000 students who benefit from the national opportunities and international reach provided by SMU’s seven degree-granting schools.

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