West Texas faces a shortage of healthcare practitioners, a challenge that two Midland College students, Lourdes Acosta and Abigail Hightower, aim to address. Both students will graduate with an Associate of Science degree on May 10 and have been accepted into the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) after completing a year at the University of North Texas (UNT).
Acosta and Hightower participated in the Primary Care Pathway Program (PCPP), a collaboration between Midland College, UNT, TCOM, and Midland Health. This program allows students to bypass the MCAT based on academic performance and interviews.
“I have wanted to be a doctor since I was a little girl,” Acosta said. Her experiences growing up in Alpine influenced her career choice. She plans to specialize in obstetrics/gynecology and return to Alpine to serve her community.
Hightower has been involved in health-related courses since high school. “I loved every single minute that I was in the healthcare classes,” she stated. Her goal is to specialize in pediatrics, inspired by her younger brother with special needs.
Both students have engaged with rural healthcare through TCOM’s Rural Osteopathic Medical Education program. “There’s such a tremendous need for healthcare in these areas,” Hightower noted.
Acosta and Hightower became friends at Midland College and plan to continue living together while attending UNT. They both maintain high academic standards and are active in college societies.
Their commitment to serving West Texas communities remains strong as they progress toward their medical degrees.