To Our Partners in the Pre-Health Community:
I am happy to announce that Dr. Joel Robles has been selected as the next Director
of the Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP) within the Texas Health Education Service.
Joel succeeds Mr. Paul Hermesmeyer, who is retiring in January after 20 years at JAMP.
Joel’s selection to the role follows a rigorous search process under the direction
of a search committee representing the JAMP Council, government relations, and other
internal and external stakeholders. I’d like to thank the search committee for their
excellent work and the time they devoted towards this process.
As the next Director of JAMP, Joel will lead and collaborate with the JAMP community
in crafting a strategy for expanding innovative outreach and recruitment initiatives,
building retention strategies, and setting organizational strategic planning to ensure
program success and compliance through a robust program assessment model.
Joel has worked as both the program coordinator and associate director of JAMP. In
these roles, he educated applicants on the admissions processes for medical school
and JAMP, implemented data-driven program participant success prediction models, fostered
outreach to JAMP alumni, and was instrumental in the adoption of internal structures
for tracking JAMP administrative processes. Additionally, Joel has been heavily involved
in research and development as part of JAMP’s improvement program assessment models
to identify opportunities to increase program persistence and has consulted in developing
business strategy for the Texas Health Education Service.
Before joining JAMP in 2016, Joel served in various roles in higher education over
a decade, including directing student success initiatives, program management, academic
advisement, and student affairs. Joel holds a doctorate in Higher Education Administration
from Texas Tech University and a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis
in Project Management. He recently completed the Advanced Data Analytics & Visualization
certificate program from McCombs School of Business at UT Austin.
This is an exciting time for JAMP in meeting its important mission for the state of
Texas — our community has significant opportunities to address barriers faced by economically
disadvantaged students in their pathway towards becoming physicians. We are all excited
to have Joel’s leadership and vision for the program as we work together to better
serve the JAMP community, support JAMP Faculty Directors and participating institutions,
encourage program persistence for current students, and drive interest in the program
among prospective students.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Joel Robles as the new JAMP Director!
Dr. Matthew Meeks
TXHES Executive Director
About the author: The Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP) is a special program created by the Texas Legislature to support and encourage highly qualified, economically disadvantaged Texas resident students pursuing a medical education.
TMA will provide fifteen $10,000 scholarships to EY 2023 incoming Texas medical students from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds. Apply today!
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The Student National Medical Association (SNMA) seeks premed and medical students as well as physicians who have the passion to lead and inspire by taking on mentees from underrepresented backgrounds.
