Summer Health Professions Education Program -- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2018

The Summer Health Professions Education Program is a free, six-week academic enrichment program for rising sophomore and junior college students from backgrounds underrepresented in the health professions and who are interested in pursuing health-related careers. The program seeks to strengthen the academic proficiency and career development of participants to increase the application and acceptance rates of a diverse group of students to health professions schools. The grantee will be required to provide program activities for selected scholars structured around a set of core operational and programmatic principles: (1) introduction to interprofessional education, dentistry, medicine, and other health professions; (2) basic sciences (organic chemistry, physics, biology and quantitative topics); (3) courses in communications, learning skills, career development, and clinical experience; and (4) workshops in financial literacy and planning, health policy seminars and social activities. The grantee will be expected to provide each scholar with a six-week experience during the summer of 2017 including: (1) room and board (including three meals a day during the six weeks); (2) travel support up to $500 for travel to and from the program site; and (3) a standardized stipend of $600. This program site will be a partnership between Columbia University's medical, dental, nursing, public health, physical therapy, occupational therapy and nutrition schools/programs. Each program site will select 80 scholars from medicine, dentistry and other health professions designated by the site. In selecting scholars, the grantee is required to use the application process and follow the eligibility rules as set for the by the National Program Office.