The Honors College provides an excellent environment for students interested in the health professions, including m
edicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and optometry. To prepare for any of these fields, students need to develop effective skills in communication and critical reasoning and to obtain rigorous training in the sciences, including biology. Students also need direct experience in the health professions, for instance by volunteering or shadowing practitioners in the field. The strengths of The Honors College in these areas are described below.
The Human Situation, which is at the heart of The Honors College curriculum, entails intensive oral and written communication as well as a critical approach to the great texts. Honors biology courses are similarly interactive and focused on the development of critical reasoning skills. These courses include writing assignments that are designed to stimulate in-depth analysis of some of the topics covered.
The Medicine & Society Program at Houston, based out of The Honors College, is open to students throughout the university who may wish to enroll in The Medicine & Society minor. The Program promotes an interdisciplinary understanding of health and health care through academic courses, research, fieldwork (including domestic travel and study abroad), student internships, scholarly and public conferences, visiting speakers, and an electronic portal with online information and materials. Affiliated faculty from the University of Houston, the University of Texas Health Science Center, local research hospitals, and other health care institutions regularly participate in these activities.
