Stanford Summer Community College Premedical Program (SSCCPP) FAQs

SSCCPP is an intensive six-week in-residence academic and personal enrichment program targeting San Francisco Bay Area community college students who have experienced academic or economic barriers in pursuing their postsecondary education. The program guides participants through a six-week summer experience on Stanford University’s medical school campus. Although a range of health professions will be presented, emphasis is placed upon students interested in pursuing careers as physicians. Participants will receive instruction in science strategies, research methodology, and topics in health care including health disparities, civic activism, community engagement, and leadership. Formal and informal mentorship is delivered through our network of medical students, guest lecturers, and other members of the community regarding careers in medicine and public health. SSCCPP participants receive individual and group advising and guidance on a variety of topics from preparing for the medical school admissions process to career choices and study strategies.

SSCCPP offers students an intense and rewarding social and educational experience. Guest lectures have included relevant topics such as Health Disparities, Research Methodology, Health Risk Factors, Ethics in Medicine, and Careers in the Health Professions. The atmosphere is challenging without emphasis on exam outcomes or competition, though each participant is evaluated and receives performance feedback. SSCCPP follows a collaborative approach to learning and encourages peer education and leadership. 

The Office of Diversity in Medical Education (ODME) offers a full scholarship to cover all program expenses including books, and classroom fees for participants who are eligible and remain in good standing through the end of the program.  

The in-person program typically offers one clinical activity each week and students view health care through a variety of lenses from public policy to healthcare administration and clinical treatment. 

All eligible students are encouraged to apply to SSCCPP. Preference is given to San Francisco Bay and surrounding area community college students in order to facilitate lasting ties to Stanford School of Medicine and other affiliate institutions through long-term mentoring and personal, academic, and career development. Participants who successfully complete the program become SSCCPP scholars and receive ongoing advising. They are invited to return to Stanford for additional support, events, resources, career and academic advice. SSCCPP Scholars participate in annual program surveys, provide academic and career updates, and are featured in ODME newsletters.  Resources for SSCCPP scholars as alumni are accessible on the ODME web site and through summer program alumni workshops and activities offered throughout the academic year.

SSCCPP participants forge friendships of a lifetime and build connectedness to the ODME and SSCCPP staff for ongoing support including educational and professional recommendations, scholarship and employment resources, and opportunities to give back by serving as SSCCPP staff and guest presenters. 

The SSCCPP Program is open to undergraduate community college students interested in pursuing careers in medicine. To achieve its goal of developing future physicians who will serve the diverse populations in the San Francisco Bay Area, the selection committee actively seeks applicants from community colleges in the following California counties: Alameda, Monterey, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz. This program does not include university students or those who have completed an undergraduate degree.

This program is restricted to community college students. Dual-enrolled high school students (middle college or otherwise), post-baccalaureate, and university students are not eligible to apply. Students must be current community college students who have not yet begun study at a university whether domestic or foreign. Applicants who have completed their undergraduate coursework whether inside or outside of the US or who have already transferred to university are ineligible. 

There are a variety of programs offered at Stanford from elementary to graduate school. For a list of science-based opportunities, please visit: http://oso.stanford.edu/ to learn more. 

Tentative dates: June 23-August 3, 2024

Students must be able to attend the entire duration of the program to maintain eligibility and attend the program at no cost. If the program is offered in-person, students are required to live in residence on the Stanford campus the entire time, and are expected to participate in all planned activities.

There are 20 guaranteed spaces in the 2024 cohort, however  up to 25 participants may be admitted, funding and space permitting.

The program recognizes that certain circumstances often prevent some students from demonstrating their full academic potential. There is no minimum GPA requirement, however applicants must:

• demonstrate academic or economic barriers in pursuit of their postsecondary education, as described in the application, in order to meet eligibility.
• provide identity documentation at the request of the program (AB540, DACA and undocumented students will be considered on a limited basis with appropriate documentation)
• be in good academic standing at their college (typically above a 2.0 GPA)
• be a community college student at the time of application 
• not be in post-baccalaureate status having received a degree in the US or other country in any field

Apply here after December 1st, 11:59 p.m. through 11:59pm on March 1st to complete the online application.

Application review begins after March 1st. It is recommended that you print your application responses. Applications are only accepted online. Application review begins after the March 1 deadline and continues throughout the month of March.  

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee. Students selected for the next round of the process will be invited to interview. ALL students will receive an application status email on or before April 1st. The selection committee expects to receive several hundred applications. It is recommended that you await notification and email for status ONLY if you have not received an update on your application by April 30th. All applicants should expect to receive final notifications no later than May 15th. A small number of applicants will be invited to interview, and a smaller number of applicants will be waitlisted. Those who receive an offer to participate must notify the program of their acceptance by May 31sr. Selectees who accept an offer of admission will be required to attend a pre-program two workshop - in June and attend a pre-program orientation.

There are a number of programs for students considering careers in the health professions and needing experience for exposure to career options in the health professions. Click here to learn about the Health Career Connection internship. You may also visit the Stanford office of science education and outreach for additional opportunities. 

The Office of Science Outreach at Stanford offers a listing of programs for students considering medicine and other sciences. Click here for more information.

Please visit the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) website for a list of programs throughout the United States, or the National Institutes of Health Summer Internship Program website.

Applicants who are invited to interview should notify program staff immediately. In the past, the program has been able to accommodate one-time, mandated events and activities associated with the college admission and transition process. 

You will need to gather all of your materials and submit your application all at once. The best strategy is to download the application questions (a pdf is provided at the beginning of the applications), complete your essays in a word processing document, then copy and paste into the application all at once. 

Email us at coeoutreach@stanford.edu with "Withdraw Application" in  the subject line

Please upload your files as Word (2004 or earlier - no *.docx files) or .pdf formats. You may submit your unofficial transcripts ONLY as .jpeg. We will not review files in other formats.

You are required to upload an unofficial transcript either as a pdf, or by copying and pasting your transcripts into a word document. If you paste into word, be sure that the tables are aligned for proper viewing or your application will be considered incomplete. Upon acceptance, official college transcripts will be required and can be sent by mail. The selection committee will not accept or review high school transcripts.

You will enter the name, title and email address of your letter writer when you submit your application. They will automatically receive a request for letter of recommendation and instructions for submitting a letter. It is important that you notify your letter writer ahead of time to expect the email request. Advise them to check their spam,  junk and trash folders if they are unable to locate the email or they may contact us for assistance. 

No, however your recommender must submit their letter on your behalf from a .edu or organizational account (not a gmail, yahoo, etc. email address). Once submitted, a summary of the recommendation will be available to your recommender as evidence that they have submitted the recommendation form.

Questions should be directed to: coeoutreach@stanford.edu