Anatomy Enrichment Program

UT Houston Medical School is dedicated to serving our community and fostering high school student's interest in the medical field. Thus, each spring, we open our doors to high school classes and invite them to our Anatomy Enrichment Program (AEP) and the AEP-EXTREME!

Two, sometimes three times per week, groups come and dive head first into the world of medicine. Initially, they talk with first and second year medical students who provide insight into the health professions and the path to medical school. They learn about the MCAT, classes needed to be pre-med, and other useful tips for college success. Then, the group heads to the anatomy lab for an unforgettable learning experience. Students don gloves and aprons and are allowed to touch and hold organs such as the kidney, liver, lung, spleen, and heart. Additionally, they have the opportunity to examine the abdominal cavity of a cadaver. All the while, they are guided through this experience by medical students eager to teach. The Anatomy Enrichment Program is an unforgettable experience that quite possibly could be the corner-stone of a student’s interest and pursuit of medicine.

AEP-Extreme! is a new offering for high school students. It has the same lessons as the AEP described above with an exciting addition. After the session in our state-of-the-art anatomy lab, the students move to the fantastic new SCSC — the Surgical and Clinical Skills Center. This center is like no other in the world, and is home to all that modern technology has to offer to medical education. During this part of the day, we will fire up our “Bionic Man” — a fully functional mannekin, computerized to demonstrate cardiovascular arrest and other abnormalities. The students will be taught CPR and actually practice their new skills on the “Bionic Man.”

At the end of both programs, the student earns a certificate, documenting their experience at UTMSH.