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James Scott Wright, EdD

Former Director of Admissions

Dr. Scott Wright has worked in medical education for almost 30 years. He served as Director of Admissions at UT Southwestern Medical School, as Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education, and as Director of the Health Professions Advising Center for the University of Texas at Dallas. He also served as executive director of the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service and editor-in-chief of APPLY Magazine. Listen to his Q&A session surrounding his work as a director of admissions and director of TMDSAS on The Premed Years Podcast Episode 431.

As an advisor, Dr. Wright enjoys working with students who are engaged, motivated, and excited about their path toward medical school. He believes that education has the ability to ignite a passion within students that can be carried across their lifetime to support others. Students appreciate Dr. Wright’s thoughtful approach to listening and hearing their stories in a way that they can translate into their application. While Dr. Wright has much to offer any student, he particularly enjoys working with students that identify as nontraditional, LGBTQ+, and those interested in thinking about larger global contexts of health and medicine.

Dr. Wright has a very broad educational background that weaves across disciplinary boundaries. He has an undergraduate and master’s degree in history and a doctorate in Education (Ed.D.). Dr. Wright is very interested in using his educational training to think deeply about how the humanities can support science and medicine. Because he is passionate about education and identifies as a life-long learner, Dr. Wright has returned to school and is currently pursuing additional education to become a hospital chaplain. His interest in chaplaincy comes from a place of wanting to address the needs of marginalized communities within modern society.

Education

  • Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.)

Positions Held

  • Director of Admissions at UT Southwestern Medical School
  • Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education
  • Director of the Health Professions Advising Center for the University of Texas at Dallas

Hobbies

  • Learning music,
  • Spending time with family (especially his twin granddaughters) and friends, and his adorable 12-year-old Pomeranian

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Advisor Preference

Thank you for the info! Knowing if you have advisor preferences and who they are helps us make sure we have the proper resources to take care of every student who wants to work with us! This is not your official selection. After you sign up, you'll be sent a form to fill out!

Every one of our advisors were hand-picked by Dr. Gray and are all experts dedicated to helping you get into medical school. When you sign up, you'll receive an email to complete your official request about who you prefer and who might be a good fit. After you fill out that form, we'll get you set up!

Right now, Carlos Tapia, former Director of Admissions at TCU and former Director of Student Affairs at Icahn Mount Sinai, and Courtney Lewis, former Director of Admissions at Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine are the two advisor who have remaining availability. Both are experts at helping their students get into great medical schools across the country, both MD and DO! Dr. Crispen and Deana Golini are available on a case-by-case basis for 20-hour package students. Remember, we're a small team and everyone on the team has amazing admissions experience and a proven track record of getting students into med schools across the country!