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TRIUMPH

Tennessee Recruitment to Increase Under Represented Minorities into Professions of Health (TRIUMPH)

Racial and ethnic minority groups account for over 40% of the U.S. population; yet the percentages for students enrolled in the combined PT, OT, and SLP graduate health programs at UTHSC  is less than 5%.5 Diverse health professionals are essential to the reduction of health disparities. TRIUMPH will address the lack of diversity in the health professions of physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech language pathology by creating structured relationships between the University of Tennessee Knoxville and University of Tennessee Health Science Center, College of Health Profession advisors; resources to underrepresented groups to improve transparency of graduate school admissions process; opportunities to improve GRE test taking skills; advising appointments with profession-related faculty; recruitment of diverse faculty and alumni to serve as mentors during undergraduate education; financial assistance for entrance exams, application fees, and scholarships.

Our Mission

We intend to address the lack of diversity in healthcare  through the development of a program we have named TRIUMPH-  the Tennessee Recruitment to Increase Underrepresented Minorities into Professions of Health. 

This program is designed to create a UT system program that will serve as a pipeline to increase URM admissions from UT Knox into the PT, OT, and SLP programs here at UTHSC. It will offer academic, social and financial support, but most importantly mentoring as it has been found to be beneficial in the successful transition of undergraduates interested in health care into health-related graduate programs. 

Aims and Goals

Aim: Create a UT system mentoring program to serve as a pathway to increase underrepresented group admissions from the University of Tennessee Knoxville into the physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech language pathology programs at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Goals:

  1. Increase number of underrepresented group applications to the UTHSC College of Health Professions
  2. Provide mentoring to participants
  3. Provide financial assistance to participants
  4. Provide academic assistance to participants.
Financial Support
  • Assistance with GRE fees
  • Assistance with Centralized Application Services (PTCAS, OTCAS, SPLCAS) fees
Academic Support
  • GRE preparation and mock GRE
  • Interview preparation
  • Exam strategies
  • CAS application assistance
Social Support
  • Paired with a mentor in the related field
  • Education on being mentored and network mentoring
  • Monthy communication
  • Social mixer events to promote networking and interprofessional communication

 

Team Members

Dr. Shannon Hughes

Dr. Shannon Hughes

Dr. Kim Carter

Dr. Kim Carter

Dr. Carol Likens

Dr. Carol Likens

Stephanie Lancaster

Dr. Stephanie Lancaster

Erinn Finke

Dr. Erinn Finke

Dr. Myra Meekins

Dr. Myra Meekins

May 26, 2022