Dr. David J. Jones, Professor of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology at the University of Texas School of Medicine, will be the featured speaker at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 26. Dr. Jones will be presenting “Personal Characteristics that Predict Success as a Health Care Provider,” as part of the Carolyn and Paxton Howard Lecture in the Humanities. The program is part of the College of Humanities Lecture Series. The program will be held in the Lord Conference Center in the Parker Academic Center and is free and open to the public.

Although Dr. Jones was born in Cheshire, England, he grew up in Dallas, Texas, and attended the University of Texas at Austin. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy, and a Master of Science degree. He taught a year at the University of Texas College of Pharmacy and then attended graduate school at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, where he earned a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and joined the faculty in the Departments of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology. Actively involved in teaching, Dr. Jones presents lectures to medical students and residents. He has been recognized by receiving the UTHSCSA Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching and has been selected three times as an “Outstanding Professor” by the senior class.

Dr. Jones who also serves as the Associate Dean for School of Medicine Admissions and Executive Director for Health Science Pipeline Programs at UT-Austin has been involved in medical school and nursing school admissions for over ten years, being appointed Associate Dean for School of Medicine Admissions in 1997. He previously served as the chair of the underrepresented minority subcommittee of the admissions committee and as the coordinator for the AAMC Project 3000 by 2000. He has served as the chair of the Joint Admissions Medical Program Council which is responsible for a pipeline program for facilitated admission of economically disadvantaged students to Texas medical schools. Dr. Jones also directs the Med Ed Program, which is a pipeline program for high school and college students in the health sciences. The program has offices in Laredo and McAllen serving students throughout South Texas.

The admissions programs at the University of Texas School of Medicine have been recognized nationally for their unique approach to student selection. The selection process focuses on academic excellence and especially non-cognitive factors including personal characteristics that predict success as a physician and life-time caregiver. Students’ appreciation of the humanities and related fields, as well as one’s professionalism, is increasingly considered in the admission process. Dr. Jones’ lecture will highlight these and other admissions considerations in health care learning institutions.

The Carolyn and Paxton Howard Humanities Lectures brings annually to the UMHB campus an outstanding teacher/scholar who presents a lecture to the faculty, students and friends of the university. Carolyn Howard is a 1983 graduate of UMHB with a Bachelor of Science degree with emphasis in English, history and education. Paxton Howard, Jr. is a Temple physician who received the UMHB Distinguished Service Award in 1995.