A pilot program scheduled to begin in fall 2013 in San Antonio will allow students to earn a bachelor’s degree and a medical degree in seven years instead of the traditional eight.

The combined degree program is intended to permit biology students at UT-San Antonio to transfer to the UT Health Science Center in that city after three years, provided they score at least 27 on the Medical College Admission Test; 45 is a perfect score. The program has been approved by the Board of Regents and is expected to be approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, said Christi Fish, a spokeswoman for UT-San Antonio.

“Addressing the physician shortage in Texas will take many forms, and this program is an important one,” said Francisco González-Scarano, vice president for medical affairs at the Health Science Center and dean of its medical school. “This type of program has been proven at other schools to be an excellent career path. It will be a valuable option for those students who are focused on medical school as they leave high school.”

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