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UTHSC guarantees admission to eligible Southwest students

By Diana Fedinec

Southwest nursing student Max Prophete in training on the Union Avenue Campus.
Southwest nursing student Max Prophete in training
on the Union Avenue Campus.

Southwest and The University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Nursing have partnered to provide guaranteed admission to UTHSC’s nursing program for eligible Southwest students who meet requirements. 

The Partnership Enrollment Program (PEP) is offered to graduates of the Medical District High School (MDHS) which opened Aug. 9, 2021 on the Union Avenue Campus. Shelby County Schools operates the school where students can study allied health or information technology at Southwest while pursuing their high school diploma and associate's degree simultaneously. 

"A pathway from high school to Southwest to UTHSC is a phenomenal example of how community colleges serve as critical connectors in the workforce development pipeline,” said Southwest Tennessee Community College President Tracy D. Hall. “We are proud to partner with SCS and UTHSC to help MDHS students earn college credentials that not only prepare them for advanced study, but also rewarding careers."

MDHS students, who graduate with either a general studies or allied health associate degree and meet other requirements, will have guaranteed admission to UTHSC’s traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program – a four-semester option that will launch in Fall 2022 and prepares students to take the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The partnership agreement also applies to other students at Southwest who earn an associate degree. Other benefits include access to academic advising, an admission fee waiver, a guaranteed enrollment deposit waiver, and limited privileges to the UTHSC library. 

For more information about Southwest’s nursing program, contact Dean of Health and Natural Sciences, Dr. Sheila Bouie at sbouie@southwest.tn.edu.