High School Mentorship in Academic Health Care Administration
Each time you go to the doctor’s office, you interact with an assortment of different people: a receptionist, a nurse, a doctor, maybe even a radiologist or pharmacist. But did you know that there are teams of professionals making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes?
You Don’t Have to be a Physician to Make an Impact in Health Care
Academic Health Care Administrators play a vital role in managing and coordinating operations within academic medical centers, outpatient clinics, laboratories, and clinical trials.
The Department of Surgery's mentorship program offers high school students a unique opportunity to explore the various career paths in academic health care and medical research administration.
Whether you excel at writing, math, or graphic design, you’ll be introduced to a career path that suits your skill set all while learning how to engage professionally with people of all backgrounds and experiences.
About the Program
This 4-week program is 100% virtual. Program hours are typically three hours each day, Monday to Wednesday from 8AM-11AM PDT.
Throughout the program, you will be paired with students from other high schools and will gain valuable insights into key functions such as:
- program management
- regulatory compliance,
- budgeting, human resources,
- and strategic planning.
At the conclusion of the program, mentees will work together on teams to prepare a presentation for all mentors and team leads and take a final exam.
Who Should Apply
- Students currently enrolled in high school with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. (There is no age requirement)
- Participants can be anywhere in the US and its territories, however, program sessions are live from 8AM-11AM Pacific Time.
- The program is NOT for students interested in becoming healthcare providers (doctors, nurses, etc.)
Application Requirements
- Current high school transcript
- Short Constructed Responses about your favorite classes, extracurriculars, and presentation experience.
- A one-page personal statement describing why they are interested in academic healthcare administration
- One letter of recommendation from a teacher, coach, or guidance counselor (no family members)
*The program has been suspended for the summer of 2026.
