Mentor a High School Student in Winter 2024
The Medical Alumni Association (MAA) is piloting an internship program to connect San Francisco and Oakland high school students underrepresented in medicine with local UCSF alumni for mentoring and career exploration in health professions.
Using the existing support and infrastructure of the UCSF Center for Science, Education, and Outreach (CSEO), the MAA is seeking five alumni mentors in San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and Emeryville to sponsor a three-month paid internship for five high school students (age 16+) to spend up to five hours a week in their workplace and the community. As a result, local high school students underrepresented in medicine will gain experience and mentorship in health profession careers.
Timeline
September 4-October 27, 2023: Mentor recruitment
October 27, 2023: Mentor applications of interest due
November 10-December 10, 2023: Mentors will be provided with an online orientation and individual training by CSEO staff to develop meaningful projects and opportunities for students. Alumni mentors will design internship opportunities such as job shadowing, administrative work, research projects, lab training and tasks, or any combination of these elements with support from CSEO staff.
December 10, 2023-January 9, 2024: A student from a high school near each mentor’s workplace will be identified and matched with their mentor during the month before the internship begins.
January 10-April 10, 2024: Internships will run for 12 weeks, a minimum of five hours in person each week. Exact days and times will be determined with each mentor, but students will generally be scheduled to participate on weekdays between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
April 2024: A celebratory event bringing all mentors and students together with the alumni community and CSEO staff will be held.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifications do alumni mentors need?
- A desire to serve as a mentor, contribute to student development, and work with CSEO staff to develop an individual curriculum for the host's site.
- A work location such as an office, practice, or lab in San Francisco or Oakland (Emeryville and Berkeley also may be possibilities).
Why an internship program for high school students?
The MAA board is interested in finding a sustainable way to engage the alumni network to support pipeline and pathway programs to health profession careers, especially for students underrepresented in medicine. The MAA internship pilot program would engage UCSF School of Medicine alumni in practices, clinics, or labs in the Bay Area using the existing CSEO infrastructure to support alumni mentors and high school students.
What is the Center for Science Education and Outreach (CSEO)?
Since 1999, the CSEO has provided programs and services that lead to student academic success, increased college-attendance rates, and exploration of various science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers for Bay Area students, schools, and partner districts. The CSEO has an existing program structure working with UCSF faculty volunteers in campus labs and clinical settings to onboard high school students from local school districts to gain experience in health education and STEM careers. The CSEO needs to expand opportunities for students in the community by partnering with UCSF alumni.
What will students do?
Once CSEO staff members help alumni mentors devise an internship plan to guide how individual internships will be structured, alumni mentors will design opportunities such as job shadowing, administrative work, research projects, laboratory training and tasks, or any combination of these elements with support from CSEO staff. This will highlight the expertise of the alumni and connect them with a student in their neighborhood. The students can then help craft the scope and sequence of the internship and share experiences from previous mentors from other successful opportunities.
How will students be selected and matched to mentors?
The CSEO has relationships with high schools throughout San Francisco and Oakland. Based on the location of the alum’s internship opportunity, a student will be identified and matched in the month before the internship begins. Other student criteria will be determined based on discussions between mentors and CSEO staff members.
Student participants will be 16-18 years old. The CSEO will facilitate the intern onboarding process with the UCSF Occupational Health Office/Vaccine Responsible Office regarding COVID-19, flu, TB, and other required university vaccinations. CSEO is the custodian of student records.
Will students be paid?
Yes, students will be paid a stipend through the CSEO. The MAA will cover the costs for student stipends (approximately $1,200 per student) and the overall program. Alumni who would like to help support the internship program costs can reach out to [email protected] for more information.