UTEP Health Professions Graduates Impact Region’s Health Care Workforce
Last Updated on May 20, 2022 at 12:00 AM
Originally published May 20, 2022
By Laura L. Acosta
UTEP Marketing and Communications
As the demand for quality health professionals increases, 774 nursing, pharmacy and health sciences graduates from The University of Texas at El Paso’s class of 2022 will help to fill critical shortages in the Paso del Norte region’s health care workforce.
During the first of four Commencement ceremonies on May 14 and 15, 2022, UTEP celebrated 319 graduates from the School of Nursing, 51 Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree recipients from the School of Pharmacy and 404 graduates from the College of Health Sciences, the largest graduating class in the college’s history.
UTEP enrolls more than 4,400 students in its health professions programs, which include seven bachelor’s, eight master’s, and four doctoral degrees.
The majority of health professions graduates are El Pasoans who will remain here to practice professionally and elevate the quality of health care in the community.
The ceremony included more than 100 health-related doctoral degree recipients, many of whom will go on to academic careers and prepare future generations of health care professionals.
Regional Lifeline for Health Care Professionals
Zenia Lopez’ internship as a nurse technician at University Medical Center resulted in an offer to work as a registered nurse in the hospital’s emergency department after graduation.
Lopez, who received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, picked UTEP for its top undergraduate nursing program and community engagement opportunities. The El Paso native also wanted to remain close to home and help care for her ailing grandparents.
“At UTEP, I was able to follow my dreams while helping my family to become healthier,” said Lopez, who is pursuing an associate degree in sign language at El Paso Community College. She hopes to help improve access to health care for people who are deaf or hearing impaired.
For nearly 50 years, UTEP's nursing programs have prepared highly qualified health care professionals who are readily employed in hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities across Texas, New Mexico and the rest of the country.
The First Destination Survey, which asks graduating UTEP students about their plans after graduation, found that the Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center, Las Palmas Medical Center, Del Sol Medical Center, and the Hospitals of Providence were the top El Paso employers of UTEP health professions graduates between 2018 and 2021.
School of Nursing Dean Leslie K. Robbins, Ph.D., said the school’s 238 BSN graduates such as Lopez will play a significant role in addressing the region’s nursing shortage. The school also graduated 61 master's-prepared nurses and 20 Doctors of Nursing Practice, who will have a positive impact on health care throughout Texas and across the nation.
“Over the past 10 years, UTEP’s School of Nursing has graduated over 3,600 BSN nurses with the majority of those graduates staying in the region,” Robbins said. “We are committed to continue our plans to expand the number of students admitted into the BSN program to meet the needs of our community.”
Community Impact
Aracely Valdez was among the College of Health Sciences graduates who received a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. Valdez was the first BSW student to intern at La Familia Del Paso, which provides mental health services in El Paso, Horizon and San Antonio, Texas. She accepted a job as an assessment specialist with the organization before graduation. Valdez aims to raise awareness of El Paso’s mental health services and increase access for low-income residents.
“Some people are afraid to ask for help due to financial needs,” said Valdez, who was accepted to UTEP’s Master of Social Work Advanced Standing program. “Many programs work with the individual financially for them to obtain the services that are needed. I am a strong believer that health care should be a right, not a luxury.”
College of Health Sciences Dean William Robertson, Ph.D., said a hallmark of the college is its commitment to working with local community partners and advocating for the general health concerns of the region.
This spring, the college awarded 290 undergraduate degrees and 73 graduate degrees in a wide breadth of disciplines, including kinesiology, social work, public health, health promotion, occupational therapy, rehabilitation sciences, clinical laboratory science and speech-language pathology. The college conferred 34 Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees, and five graduates earned a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences.
“The College of Health Sciences is extremely proud to be contributing a large number of graduates to the health professions, many of whom will live and work in El Paso,” said Robertson, who estimated that 95% of undergraduate students and 93% of graduate students in the college are from the El Paso region.
Culturally Competent Health Care Workforce
In addition to strengthening the region’s health care workforce, José O. Rivera, Pharm.D., founding dean of the School of Pharmacy, lauded UTEP’s efforts to educate health care professionals with the bilingual skills and cultural competency to care for diverse populations in and outside the U.S.-Mexico border region.
“We are adding highly trained clinical pharmacists to the region to increase access to pharmacy services with the goal of improving patients’ outcomes,” Rivera said of the school’s second graduating class.
Louie Tinoco, a native El Pasoan, felt that the best way to help his community was to earn a Pharm.D. degree at UTEP. Tinoco was attracted to the school’s mission to prepare pharmacists who are eager to serve the community. He particularly liked that the school’s curriculum promoted Spanish proficiency.
“I love this community,” Tinoco said. “When people say ‘El Paso,’ the first thing I think of is UTEP, and if you're from El Paso, you know how intertwined the University is with the city. The pharmacy program itself has also made strides to implement understanding how to be of service to our community.”
