December 2024 Commencement
Read about our December 2024 Commencement and the celebratory events that led up to the special day.
2022 – 2023 Annual Report
Our annual report highlights our programs, including groundbreaking research, significant accomplishments and impactful engagements throughout the 2022 – 2023 academic year.
2023 – 2028 Strategic Plan
Become informed on our strategic plan which is a meticulously crafted roadmap that details our school's intended journey over the next five years. This plan is a testament to our shared aspirations and outlines what we believe is a compelling vision for the growth and evolution of our school.
Our Programs
Doctor of Nursing Practice – Nurse Anesthesia
As anesthesia specialists, CRNAs provide care to patients before, during, and after surgical, obstetrical, and diagnostic procedures. Baylor College of Medicine is ranked second in the nation for nurse anesthesia programs by U.S. News & World Report. For RNs with a BSN degree or higher, the curriculum is 36 months in length. Master’s prepared CRNAs who are granted advanced standing can complete the curriculum in 24 months, most of it online with limited on-campus time required. The application process begins each year in February. All applications must be submitted no later than June 1.
Physician Assistant Program
PAs are important members of the care team in the full range of healthcare settings. Baylor College of Medicine is ranked first in Texas and second in the nation for physician assistant programs by U.S. News & World Report. Our students have consistently outperformed the national mean score and first-time pass rates on the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam since 1973. Our location in the heart of the world’s largest medical center affords the opportunity for students to train in a mix of public and private institutions and community-based facilities with rich exposure to patients and families from many cultures and ethnic groups.
Orthotics and Prosthetics Program
Orthotists and prosthetists are members of the rehabilitation team, and are instrumental in assessing mobility challenges and providing solutions. This process often includes the hands on creation and fitting of a specialized prosthesis or orthosis to support or replace the portion of the body that has been compromised. Ours is the only program in the country with an integrated residency. With over 90 clinical training sites, the diversity of training opportunities and patient populations our students have access to allows a breadth of experience that is unique to Baylor.
Genetic Counseling Program
Genetic counselors provide risk assessment, education, and support to individuals and families at risk for, or diagnosed with, a variety of inherited conditions. As part of the healthcare team, genetic counselors also interpret genetic testing results, provide supportive counseling, and serve as patient advocates. Baylor College of Medicine’s combined track record in exceptional training programs for health professionals and in genetics clinical care and research uniquely position our program to offer students experiential learning opportunities not available at other genetic counseling training programs.
Baylor College of Medicine School of Health Professions
Mission: The School of Health Professions administers exemplary educational programs driven by continuous quality improvement to deliver an exceptionally prepared healthcare workforce grounded in evidence-based care and competent interprofessional practice.
Vision: The BCM School of Health Professions will be the leader in developing a diverse workforce that will transform healthcare through science, scholarship, and innovation.
Clinical Care
Baylor College of Medicine is the heart of the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest medical complex. At Baylor, you will train in some of the country’s best hospitals, and many are conveniently located near each other in the Texas Medical Center. These facilities represent a variety of settings and patient populations, giving you exposure to a wide range of experiences.
Houston, the nation’s fourth-largest city, has no dominant ethnicity. The diversity of the population is reflected in patients at our clinical facilities. Rich exposure to patients and families from many cultures and ethnic groups will prepare you to work anywhere in the world. Students have the opportunity to learn first-hand how health beliefs and practices are influenced by culture.
Research
Evidence-based practice is the standard by which providers are expected to deliver healthcare. Training at one of the nation’s leading centers for biomedical research (Baylor is ranked among the top in the nation in funding from the National Institutes of Health), you will learn from faculty with the expertise and resources to help you identify questions to be answered through investigation and properly convey your findings to others.
Throughout the curriculum you will complete a research or development project and have the opportunity to gain expertise in evaluating the quality of published literature. Students gain valuable presentation experience sharing their work with peers and faculty at events such as the annual Health Professions Student Research Day. View information about Health Professions awards.
Explore our faculty’s research interests. Go to the VIICTR profiles system and select “School of Health Professions" from the “Departments” drop-down list on the search page to see a full list of our faculty and their scholarly publications.
Interdisciplinary Learning
Long gone are the days of the solo practitioner. Contemporary healthcare is a team endeavor. Training with and learning from individuals specializing in diverse healthcare specialties is a necessary prerequisite to career success in the health professions. Sharing a campus as well as clinical training sites with medical students, graduate students, residents, and other trainees, ensures our students interact on a regular basis with others training to fill various roles on the healthcare team. Health professions students have the opportunity to take classes with students from various programs, have teachers with diverse backgrounds, and train as part of cooperative healthcare teams.
Student Services
Academic and support services to help students and trainees succeed throughout their education and in their future careers. Career development, student handbooks, library services, curriculum catalogs, wellness services, financial aid, registrar and more.
Diversity and Inclusion
Baylor College of Medicine fosters diversity among its students, trainees, faculty and staff as a prerequisite to accomplishing our institutional mission, and setting standards for excellence in training healthcare providers. Learn about our commitment to diversity and inclusion and the actions we take to fulfill this commitment.
Structural racism directly impacts all communities, including the healthcare community. As a leading biomedical institution in one of the largest, most diverse cities in the United States, Baylor College of Medicine is committed to protecting and promoting the health of all individuals, to working toward a more just healthcare system, and to demonstrating leadership in the advancement of diversity, inclusion and equity.
Read the College’s position statement on Racial Justice to Improve Public Health.
Successful Completion to Degrees
- Successful completion of the Physician Assistant Program leads to a Master of Science degree.
- Successful completion of the Nurse Anesthesia Program leads to a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.
- Successful completion of the Orthotics and Prosthetics Program leads to a Master of Science degree.
- Successful completion of the Genetic Counseling Program leads to a Master of Science degree.
- Graduates from all programs are eligible for national certification and state licensure.
Accreditation
The following national accrediting agencies review our programs:
- Council on Accreditation (COA) of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
- Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA)
- National Commission on Prosthetic and Orthotic Education (NCOPE)
- Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP)
- Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC)
Baylor College of Medicine is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award masters and doctorate degrees. Questions about the accreditation of Baylor College of Medicine may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).
Education Grand Rounds
Baylor College of Medicine conducts an Education Grand Rounds sponsored by the School of Health Professions in collaboration with the Office of Faculty Development. This quarterly series of interactive development sessions is for faculty, staff, and learners across all Baylor departments, schools, and academic centers, who are interested in the teaching and learning process.
Support the School of Health Professions
We prepare health professionals to be collaborative members of the healthcare team, dedicated to providing comprehensive, patient-focused care. Learn more about our programs and view the ways in which you can support our initiatives.
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