The Summer Health Care Experience (SHE) in Oncology Program is sponsored by the American Cancer Society and seeks to increase the participation of women in biomedical fields, especially cancer research and medicine. The SHE program provides a two-week virtual experience for students going into their sophomore or junior year of high school who identify as female. The program includes a series of virtual workshops, panels, and hands-on research activities using a laboratory science kit, which will be sent directly to the participant’s home.
Through community partnerships, student volunteerism, and institutional support the Saturday Academies develop and enhance diversity, build and promote an inclusive campus environment, and populate a strong applicant pool for admission into multiple health science fields with historically marginalized and underrepresented populations by providing a mentored pathway to higher education and specifically focused on education in the health sciences. Participants from across Utah converge on the Eccles Health Science and Education Building (EHSEB) on the University of Utah's Medical campus to participate in interactive science activities organized and led by Health Sciences students from all disciplines within University of Utah's health and sciences catalog.
ENIGMA-U is a free online school focused on neuroscience, neuroimaging, neuropsychology, and basic science literacy. It is geared towards advanced high school and entry-level college and university students who are interested in neuroscience and want additional preparation and mentoring. It is open to anyone with internet access.
Refugees Exploring the Foundations of UnderGraduate Education in Science (REFUGES) is an after school/summer program which collaborates with community organizations, schools, and parents to support underrepresented 7th-12th grade students with their education. Students who attend the program are provided valuable resources and support - such as one-on-one tutoring and mentoring, college and career readiness resources, financial aid workshops, hands-on STEAM curriculum, and field trips.
Latinos In Action (LIA) offers an asset-based approach to bridging the graduation and opportunity gap for Latino students, working from within the educational system to create positive change, and to empower Latino youth to lead & strengthen their communities through college and career readiness. The program operates as a year-long elective course taught by a highly-qualified teacher at the middle school, junior high, and high school level.
The PathMaker Scholars Summer Research Program at Huntsman Cancer Institute seeks to increase the participation of underrepresented students in biomedical cancer research and to encourage students to prepare for careers in research, medicine, and education.
The program sponsors students for a 10-week residential summer research experience, where they will live on campus, learn laboratory training techniques, and work on a project as indicated by a principal investigator in a university laboratory setting. Accepted students who successfully complete the program will automatically be accepted into the following year’s summer program without reapplying.
The Rural & Underserved Utah Training Experience (RUUTE) program is a unique opportunity for medical students, providers, and the Utah community. RUUTE's learning experiences range from community outreach, becoming a preceptor, to learning experiences for medical students and residents. RUUTE also supports medical students and residents with wellness, housing and mileage reimbursement, application support and more.
The RUUTE program has developed a K-12 outreach pipeline where the RUUTE team visits K-12 schools in rural and/or underserved areas of Utah to help young students gain interest in the health sciences and provide them with learning experiences they may otherwise not have. One of the biggest goals this program is to help kids interested in the health sciences nurture and cultivate their interests wherever it may take them, showing the many opportunities out there for them within the health sciences.
The Utah Rural Outreach Program (UROP) is a student-run organization that delivers health science learning experiences to K-12 students around Utah. This opportunity allows medical students to practice teaching, provide hands-on instruction to students with dissections, and provide insight on the pathway to being in medical school. Trips occur during winter and spring breaks.