The National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine is the only school of tropical medicine in the United States solely committed to addressing the world's most pressing tropical diseases that disproportionately afflict "the bottom billion," the world's poorest people who live below the World Bank poverty level.
NSTM has created an introductory course designed to help undergraduates determine if tropical medicine is right for them. This intensive two-week course, held on NSTM's campus in Houston at the heart of the Texas Medical Center introduces students to tropical medicine through explorations of global health, epidemiology, public health, infectious diseases, parasitic diseases, and neglected tropical diseases. Over the course, students participate in seminars with leading experts in these fields, gain hands-on laboratory experience, and visit research centers and facilities.
Note: The Summer Institute is now open to undergraduate students.
Curriculum
The faculty of NSTM, Baylor College of Medicine and affiliated institutions within the Texas Medical Center possess a wealth of knowledge and experience. The Tropical Medicine Summer Institute program has been structured to give students a broad overview of tropical medicine, touching on all crucial topics including:
- Infectious Diseases: diarrheal diseases, water and food borne diseases, airborne diseases (TB, Influenza, SARS), blood borne and STDs (Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, HPV)
- Neglected Tropical Diseases
- Parasitic Diseases
- Nutritional Diseases
- Cancer and Tropical Infections
- Immunity and Vaccines
- Public/Environmental Health: epidemiology, global health policy, community health promotion, waste management
- Cast Studies
- Parasitology Laboratory
- Career Counseling
Objectives
Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Recognize the role of epidemiology in identifying the distribution, patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in defined populations, and informing public health policy.
- Describe the role of health education, water and sanitation management in the control of tropical diseases.
- Describe the link between neglected tropical diseases and poverty.
- Appreciate the relationship between health policy and control programs.
- Identify the basics of biotechnology/biopharmaceutical development (i.e. vaccines, drugs and diagnostics).
- Describe the basic pathogenesis of tropical and infectious diseases.
- Describe the role of vector biology and animal health involved in the transmission of certain pathogens.
- Perform basic diagnostic procedures and identify the organisms that cause illnesses.
Admissions
2026 Summer Institute Dates: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, June 1 – June 12.
Application
There is no fee for this application.
We begin accepting applications for the 2026 Summer Institute program on Jan. 1, 2026. The deadline for the 2026 session is 11:59 p.m. on March. 11, 2026. The online application and all supporting documentation (e.g. official transcripts, letters of support) must be submitted by the due date.
Online Application (Please use Chrome on a Windows-based PC): Applicants need to complete the online application for the Summer Institute program. The online application should only take five minutes to complete. Student attending Baylor University, Texas A&M McAllen, and Houston City College – Coleman must apply directly through institution, not link listed here.
- Applicants need to provide a short personal statement (200 words or less) explaining the reason for pursuing the Summer Institute program and must have at least a 3.0 GPA (scale is 4.0).
- One Letter of Support (faculty only) is required. No personal letters of support will be accepted.
- Unofficial transcripts are required for admissions. If accepted, official transcripts will be required.
- Applicants will be notified of their admission status by mid-March or early April. 48 students are accepted yearly.
Note: 50 percent of tuition is due upon being notified of acceptance into program. See more information regarding payment, drops and refunds.
Submit documents to:
Email Tropmed@bcm.edu
Or mail to:
Academic Coordinator
National School of Tropical Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine
One Baylor Plaza - BCM 113
Houston, TX 77030
Tuition and Fees
The Cost of Attendance is a flat rate of $1,938.75 billed to you by Baylor College of Medicine*. Students are currently not charged based on residency status. Due to this program being non-credit granting, students do not qualify for financial aid through Baylor College of Medicine.
50% of tuition is due upon being notified of acceptance into program. The refund and payment schedule are listed below:
- March 15 - 50 percent due upon acceptance
- April 15 – last day to drop for 100 percent refund
- April 16 - Lose 50 percent of deposit
- June 1 – Remaining balance due (No refunds given)
*Billing policy not applicable to students applying through institution (e.g. Baylor University, TAMU McAllen, or Houston City College – Coleman)
Housing
Baylor College of Medicine does not offer on-campus or off-campus housing. The cost of living in Houston is 25.9 percent below the average cost of living in the 20 most populous U.S. cities. There are abundant options for affordable housing options and entertainment. Cost of living calculators are available to help you project your living expenses in America's fourth-largest city.
Transportation
The Summer Institute program does not provide transportation or parking for participants. There are two airports in Houston, Hobby and Intercontinental. Hobby is the closest airport to the Baylor complex. Participants should arrange personal transportation to and from the airport. You can take a taxi, uber or a more reasonably priced shuttle to travel within the metropolitan area. You can also take advantage of Metro, our Houston area bus system.
Baylor is located in the Texas Medical Center. You might want to bring your own car. We are a spread-out city and there are great places to take weekend road trips - the beach at Galveston (50 miles), the Hill Country, Austin, San Antonio and Padre Island. Houston has extensive bus transit. A light rail line connects the Medical Center to some areas of Houston. You will need to contact the Texas Medical Center’s Parking and Transportation Office for information about daily or monthly parking options and rates.