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UH-Downtown Student Accepted to JAMP

(Houston, Texas, April 2, 2007)   UH-Downtown student Nguyen Lam is the second in his family to win acceptance to the Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP), and he plans to take advantage of every opportunity it affords him.  

JAMP, created by Senate Bill 940 of the 77 th Texas Legislature, has been in effect four years, providing services to support and encourage highly qualified, economically disadvantaged students who are pursuing a medical education.   The benefits include a scholarship of $2,000 every year beginning in the sophomore year, stipends (for travel, room and board) to attend two summer internships at the eight participating Texas medical schools, and medical school scholarships along with assured acceptance to the student's Texas medical school of choice (as long as the student meets the academic and nonacademic requirements of the JAMP program.)   Students also receive mentoring and personal assistance.

Being accepted by JAMP requires stellar performance.   Students must demonstrate the ability to handle a higher course load (Nguyen took 37 hours in his freshman year) and have a GPA of 3.25 or higher (Nguyen's GPA was 4.0). Nguyen is the fourth UHD student to achieve acceptance.   His sister Vien, a JAMP participant, paved the way with her enthusiasm for the summer programming and, of course, the financial help.

"Basically, I'm looking forward to the experience," Nguyen says.   "They get to do all these cool things like inject drugs into a manikin and then figure out how to reduce the stress on the manikin.   It will be a good experience."  

Dr. Tyra Montgomery, associate professor of Chemistry at UH-Downtown and JAMP faculty director, agrees that JAMP holds the bar high but provides wonderful experiences for participants.

"I think it's a fabulous program," Montgomery says.   "Being a part of this group, I have noticed, enables students to feel that they are part of a community.   That's a good thing."

It is a very good thing.   UHD honors Nguyen Lam's accomplishment.

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON-DOWNTOWN
UH-Downtown is a public university of nearly 12,000 students, offering a wide variety of bachelor’s degrees, as well as master’s programs in criminal justice, professional writing, security management and teaching. One of four distinct universities in the UH System, Houston’s Downtown University is nationally recognized for its student diversity, wireless campus, outstanding academic opportunities and productive community partnerships. At UHD, the emphasis is on excellence in teaching and student success.

Please use UH-Downtown, UHD or University of Houston-Downtown when referring to our university.