TEXOCOP Summer Program

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The University of Houston College of Optometry has conducted a Health Career Opportunities Program (HCOP) for disadvantaged students since it was first funded in 1987. The program is known as Texas Optometry Career Opportunities Program or TEXOCOP. It has been funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration, the Bureau of Health Professions, the University of Houston College of Optometry and the University of Houston.

The TEXOCOP Endowment Fund is a Foundation for Education and Research in Vision (FERV) fund established by Dr. Paul Pease to provide on-going support for TEXOCOP. FERV is chartered by the State of Texas as an official nonprofit 501(c) (3) corporation, contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Efforts are underway to grow the endowment so that the program will have guaranteed funding for the future. Please contact Dr. Pease at ppease2003@comcast.net if you are interested in contributing to this cause.

The principal goal of TEXOCOP is to add diversity to the profession of optometry. To this end, there are five specific objectives:

  1. Recruitment - specific activities for recruiting students with disadvantaged backgrounds and partnerships with other universities.
  2. Enrichment of Academic Skills and Knowledge - a six-week summer enrichment program currently for 14 students.
  3. Retention - tutorials to enhance the retention of students admitted to UHCO.
  4. Facilitation of Entry - specific activities designed to enhance qualifications for entry to the professional program including preparation for the Optometry Admission Test (OAT), counseling regarding the admission and application process, academic counseling, time management training, and test-taking/skills.
  5. Financial Aid - financial aid assistance information is given to all students enrolled in TEXOCOP including lectures, workshops and counseling.

UHCO has partnership agreements between two universities with a predominantly disadvantaged student enrollment: Texas Southern University and the University of Texas-Pan American. The universities have an active role in recruiting students, describe the pre-optometry curriculum in their catalogue, organize and support a Pre-optometry Professional Society, and facilitate arrangements for vision screenings.

TEXOCOP Summer Programs started in 1988 and since then each year has achieved a tremendous record of success. Witness the following statistics:

From 1988 though 2007 there have been 404 TEXOCOP participants: 210 which have been admitted to UHCO and 37 were admitted to post-graduate, medical, health or other optometry programs. Of the 210 admitted to UHCO, 171 or 85% have graduated and 20 are still enrolled.