About TTUHSC El Paso

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso (TTUHSC El Paso) is the only health sciences center along the U.S.-Mexico border that provides the opportunities and environment for direct intellectual and interpersonal exchanges among nursing, medical, dental and graduate research students on one campus.

It is the fourth of five universities in the Texas Tech University System and is comprised of four schools: the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, the Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing, the L. Frederick Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine.

Our physicians, clinics and partnering hospitals provide over $33 million in uncompensated health care services to the El Paso community every year.

The Paul L. Foster School of Medicine is the only medical school on the U.S.-Mexico border and was one of the first medical schools in the nation to require its students to learn medical Spanish. Unlike a traditional medical school, which requires students to wait until their third year of studies before they are introduced to the clinical sciences, students at the Foster School of Medicine are immersed into the basic and clinical sciences in their first year.

The Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing was established to counteract a long-term shortage of nurses who provide care to this medically underserved area. The school prepares its nursing students to meet the challenges of today’s complex health care environment by providing the unique experience of interdisciplinary teamwork. Our graduates also are experts in caring for patients not only at the bedside but in the community where the focus is on health and prevention of illness and disease.

The L. Frederick Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences provides a wealth of opportunities for students to develop and enhance their scientific interests and to prepare a base of knowledge and experience to pursue successful careers in biomedical research and related fields. Our formula for success includes comprehensive coursework, sustained laboratory experiences, and training in scholarship and inter-professional teamwork while in school, so that our students are prepared for their professional futures.

The Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine is the only dental school on the U.S.-Mexico border, and the first to open in Texas in more than 50 years. The dental school offers the most innovative curriculum in the country, preparing students for the future of dentistry with high-tech simulation and an advanced fabrication laboratory. A first for any dental school in the nation, students begin clinical training and patient interaction during their first semester. It's also the only dental school in the nation that requires Spanish language courses, preparing students to provide compassionate, culturally competent care.  

Our unique border community provides researchers an opportunity to improve the nation's future well-being by addressing health problems among the Hispanic population today. TTUHSC El Paso’s four Centers of Emphasis focus on research in cancer, diabetes and metabolism, infectious diseases and neurosciences.