Resources

Opportunities for Undergraduate Students

Border Latino and American Indian Summer Exposure to Research (BLAISER)

Border Latino and American Indian Summer Exposure to Research (BLAISER) was created to address health disparities in Arizona’s ethnically diverse and fast-growing communities. This cutting edge 10-week, undergraduate research experience provides an extraordinary laboratory training opportunity, pairing the junior and senior level student-scholars with preeminent UA health sciences researchers. This is a premier research experience for undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds arming them with skills to make them competitive and successful in their pursuit of post-secondary education and research.

Focusing Research on the Border Area (FRONTERA)

Focusing Research on the Border Area (FRONTERA) Summer Internship provides undergraduate and graduate students with opportunities to prepare for graduate school, hands-on research experience, and an increased understanding of public health disparities in the U.S.-Mexico Border Region. Participants are matched with faculty mentors engaged in biomedical and public health research that has an impact on border communities. Participants travel to the city of Nogales, visit health care facilities and public health agencies on both sides of the US-Mexico border, and participate in service-learning activities. Concurrently, participants develop an in-depth understanding of the pathway to medical school: including study and test-taking skills; preparations for the MCAT & GRE, and drafting a personal statement. In the final week, participants present the outcome of their research on the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium (UROC) poster session.
Focusing Research on the Border Area (FRONTERA) Informational Video

Mayo Clinic – Undergraduate Plummer Scholars (UPS) Program

Expose, excite, and engage underrepresented undergraduates with high potential of pursuing a career in medicine.

Mayo Clinic – Undergraduate Plummer Scholars Plus (UPS+) Program

Offers pre-medical college sophomores access to webinars and near-peer mentorship program with medical students.

Medical Directive

Medical Directive is an organization that focuses on helping fill in the gaps at high schools and universities by supplying students with various opportunities that will help establish a strong foundation on their path towards their desired health track. We hope to do so by connecting students to mentors who can help guide them on the path, research and shadowing opportunities to expose them to the clinical and scientific side of medicine, and service learning and volunteering opportunities so that they can get a greater exposure to the vulnerable communities that they will be working with in the future. Our goal is to break any barriers students are facing on their career path and ensure that they get the full experience as a future health professional. We have branches at all the major universities (UofA, ASU, NAU, GCU), as well as community colleges and highschools around Arizona. Additionally, as a pre-health organization, we have helped pre-meds, pre-nursing, pre-pharming, pre-PA, pre-PT, pre-public health, and pre-public policy students and are expanding to even more health related fields very soon. Over the past 2 years, we have helped over 800 members throughout Arizona and we hope that these hands-on experiences will bolster the students’ understanding and perspective of health care.
https://asu.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/medical_directive

New Start

New Start is a comprehensive, six-week summer bridge program designed to help incoming freshmen succeed in the transition from high school to college. Through academic classes, college success workshops, tutoring and peer mentoring, program participants are able to experience the expectations and opportunities of being a University student in a fun and comfortable environment.

Pathway Scholars Program

The Pathway Scholars Program is for Arizona residents who desire to pursue a career in medicine. The program is designed for students who have experienced unique or greater than average challenges in preparing to become competitive medical school applicants. Consideration will be given to Arizona Residents that are:

  • Socioeconomically disadvantaged.
  • First generation college attendees.
  • From rural Arizona.
  • Members of Federally recognized American Indian Tribes

Pre-Medical Academy

The Pre-Medical Academy is a program for Arizona residents who are starting their sophomore year of their undergraduate degree and are experiencing unique or greater than average challenges in preparing to become competitive medical school applicants. Considerations will be given to Arizona Residents that are:

  • Socioeconomically disadvantaged.
  • First generation college attendees.
  • From rural Arizona.
  • Members of Federally recognized American Indian Tribes

University of Arizona Office of Equity Diversity, and Inclusion Online Resources

Offers online college pathway courses. These courses are designed to help new and aspiring health science students toward a successful pathway into their healthcare fields. Specifically, the courses help prospective and new students with common barriers that may impede student success as they begin their academic journeys. The first course is “The Path to a Successful College Journey” the subsequent course is “The Successful College Journey”.

  • Mental Health Wellness Support
  • Financial Aid and Literacy
  • Workshop on Savings and Investment
  • Learning Support Services
  • Bilingual Opportunities
  • Financial Support Available and how to find it
  • Goal Setting
  • Panel of students in health professions to speak with the students

Opportunities for High School Students

Arizona State University: Summer Health Institute

The Summer Health Institute at ASU’s College of Health Solutions is a unique opportunity for students who have completed their junior year of high school to engage virtually in two weeks of health-related experiences. The online program includes interprofessional activities, simulations, interactions with members of the health care team and medical students, and interactive modules where students explore and learn about different diseases. Because of generous support from community partners, there is no cost to participants in the Summer Health Institute.

Association of American Medical Colleges: Medical Careers Resource Page

The Association of American Medical Colleges has a resource page to help direct future medical students. This resource page has resources that can help students decide if medicine is for them, inspiring stories of current medical students, and resources for students who are applying to medical school.

Basic Medical Sciences Summer Internship Program

The Basic Medical Sciences (BMS) summer internship program offers high school students an opportunity to participate in hypothesis-driven research and to interact with graduate students, postdoctoral associates and faculty in the Department of BMS. Students work in an interdisciplinary environment that fosters critical and analytical thinking and intellectual adventure. In addition, students are encouraged to explore their career goals and will be guided in ways to achieve them.

Connect2Mentors

In an effort to inspire, enrich and engage underrepresented students to pursue careers in the allied health sciences, Connect2Mentors invites high school students — from all grades — to attend a one-day experience with professional student mentors, helping to pave a path toward their future career. Participants have the opportunity to: Speed network with health professions students and attend a one-hour workshop on writing a personal statement for college admissions.

Creighton University School of Medicine’s Mini Medical School Program

The Creighton School of Medicine’s Mini-Medical School (MMS) is focused on 7-9th grade First Generation diverse students. “First Generation” refers to disadvantaged, Underrepresented in Medicine (URMs), and Underserved (rural) students whose parents have never completed a four-year degree at an American accredited institution of higher education. This program consists of 32 hours of contact spanning eight Saturday (7-11 AM) sessions. The program is offered once a year roughly from March till June.

Dignity Health Summer Volunteen Program

The Dignity Health Summer Volunteen Program at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center is for students between the ages of 14 and 18 years old. The program provides an opportunity for teens to get an inside look at what it’s like to work in the health care industry, while at the same time having an important positive impact on our patient, staff, and visitors.

ExploreHealthCareers.org

ExploreHealthCareers.org is a collaboration between today’s health professionals and leading health care associations designed to help people start down the road toward a career in health. Here you’ll find the latest health career information and tools to guide you as you prepare for a future in health care.

Future Health Leaders Camp

Future Health Leaders is a week-long summer camp that brings together high school students from across Arizona and provides opportunities for students to interact with professionals from a wide range of health careers.

Helios Scholars at Tgen

Helios Scholars at TGen is a paid, eight-week summer internship program in biomedical research open to incoming and continuing undergraduate, graduate, and medical school students who have studied at an Arizona high school, college, or university. Interns work full-time on a research project under the mentorship of a TGen scientist to unravel the genetic components of diabetes, neurological disease and cancer. At TGen North in Flagstaff, interns focus their summer research on public health and pathogens such as Valley Fever and antibiotic resistant bacteria. Recruitment Flyer: Helios Scholars at TGen

INSPIRE

INSPIRE is a no-cost, college readiness program for American Indian high school students from Tribal Nations in Arizona. During the week, students develop academic and personal success behaviors through culturally relevant, project-based learning while connecting with ASU American Indian students, staff and faculty.

Keep Engaging Youth in Science (KEYS)

Keep Engaging Youth in Science (KEYS) provides highly achieving Arizona high school students from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to participate in a greatly rewarding internship experience that shapes their lives forever.

Mayo Clinic – Med School 101

Each year, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine offers Med School 101, a free public seminar that provides valuable information and tips about applying to medical schools.

Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences Open House

Each fall, Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences hosts an open house to give prospective students an inside look at a variety of health care careers.

Mayo Clinic CARES (Arizona)

Introduce, prepare, and inspire high school students of various backgrounds and potentials for a career in the health care industry in a summer program with continuing, longitudinal mentorship.

Medical Directive

Medical Directive is an organization that focuses on helping fill in the gaps at high schools and universities by supplying students with various opportunities that will help establish a strong foundation on their path towards their desired health track. We hope to do so by connecting students to mentors who can help guide them on the path, research and shadowing opportunities to expose them to the clinical and scientific side of medicine, and service learning and volunteering opportunities so that they can get a greater exposure to the vulnerable communities that they will be working with in the future. Our goal is to break any barriers students are facing on their career path and ensure that they get the full experience as a future health professional. We have branches at all the major universities (UofA, ASU, NAU, GCU), as well as community colleges and highschools around Arizona. Additionally, as a pre-health organization, we have helped pre-meds, pre-nursing, pre-pharming, pre-PA, pre-PT, pre-public health, and pre-public policy students and are expanding to even more health related fields very soon. Over the past 2 years, we have helped over 800 members throughout Arizona and we hope that these hands-on experiences will bolster the students’ understanding and perspective of health care.
https://uamedicaldirective.wixsite.com/ua-md
https://asu.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/medical_directive

Med-Start

Med-Start is a summer academic enrichment program for any 11th grade Arizona high school student interested in a health career. Students participate in the program during the summer between their junior and senior years. Med-Start, sponsored by the University of Arizona Health Sciences Office of Diversity and Inclusion, was created in 1969 to help improve healthcare in rural, reservation, and economically disadvantaged areas through the recruitment and training of students from these regions.
Recommendation Form
Extracurricular Activities Form

Midwestern University Health Careers Institute

Midwestern University Health Careers Institute for high school students is a free educational opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to explore a variety of health professions.

National Institutes of Health Virtual Summer Internship Program

The National Institutes of Health Summer Internship Program (SIP) is an entirely virtual experience that aims to provide students with a full-time biomedical research experience. Students main focus is research, however throughout the camp there are career development activities for students to participate in. NIH Summer Handbook

Scrubs Academy: InstaMed

InstaMed is a project created by medical students interested in offering interactive, virtual mini-medical school activities for high school students of Arizona. We want to help students pursue their interest in medicine, and with a virtual platform, we are able to reach more students than ever before. Our goal is to inspire passion for health care careers by introducing high school students to a wide range of health-related topics.

Scrubs Academy: Saturday Scrubs

Saturday Scrubs is a free program designed to encourage and inspire Arizona high school students to explore their existing interest in becoming a physician. Each Saturday Scrubs event is intended to introduce participants to a variety of topics related to medicine and the human body. Every session includes lectures by medical professionals and hands-on/interactive activities.

Scrubs Academy: Summer Scrubs

Summer Scrubs is an enrichment program organized by the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. This program is designed to encourage and inspire Arizona high school students to explore their interest in the health care professions. Each Summer Scrubs session includes hands-on activities, field trips, simulation, and related lab experiences, as well as interactive lectures from medical students, healthcare providers, faculty, and community members.

The Irene H. Bailey Cardiology Academy

The goal of the Irene H. Bailey Cardiology Academy (IBCA) is to provide underrepresented/lower socioeconomic status high school students who have an interest in science with the opportunity to:

  • Learn and apply science concepts and inquiry skills by doing hands-on laboratory and clinical activities.
  • Explore the variety of academic programs and career choices in the fields of science and medicine.
  • Develop mentoring relationships with graduate and medical school students, scientists, clinicians and other health care professional.

The Perry Initiative

The Perry Outreach Initiative Program is a free, one-day, hands-on experience for high school women who are interested in pursuing careers in medicine and engineering. Students will hear from women leaders in these fields and try it for themselves by performing mock orthopedic surgeries and biomechanics experiments. Participants should be women in grades 10 and up with an expressed interest in science, medicine and/or engineering.