High School and Undergraduate Pre-Medical Enrichment Programs

The PhysicianTrack Program (PTP) was established as a multi-year program to empower high school students from Philadelphia who aspire to physician careers, but whose circumstances or resources make it difficult for them to achieve that goal. The program envisions novel enrichment and mentoring that supports Philadelphia high school students through their junior and senior years and their first year of college. The high school portion of the program involves two consecutive summers of a novel wilderness medicine experience after sophomore and junior years of high school, with medical student mentoring and enrichment experiences/activities during the high school years and the first year of college.

Established in 2004, the Provost’s Summer Mentorship Program (SMP) is a summer college and career preparatory experience offered to Philadelphia rising 10th and 11th-grade students. SMP participants attend an immersive, campus-based, four-week summer program that includes hands-on, experiential learning-based programming provided through creatively designed curricula that center career exploration facilitated by participating Penn Graduate and Professional School partners. In addition to hands-on experiential learning, participants gain educational enrichment in areas related to financial literacy, Study Skills, Time Management, SAT test preparation, personal statement writing, and other information and skills required to be successful in the college application process.

The Educational Pipeline Program (EPP) is dedicated to strengthening the medical education pipeline by introducing Philadelphia high school students to careers in the medical sciences. EPP is a collaborative initiative involving the Perelman School of Medicine, the School of Veterinary Medicine, Master of Public Health Program, and the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences & Management (LSM) at the University of Pennsylvania, in partnership with the Netter Center for Community Partnerships.

The program is structured around three core components: classroom enrichment, mentorship, and career exposure. Students are placed into specialized tracks that provide focused experiences, including a dedicated life sciences management track that highlights innovations at the intersection of science, technology, and business.

Throughout the program, students engage in didactic sessions on medical and life sciences topics, participate in anatomy dissection and biological sciences labs, receive one-on-one mentorship, and attend field trips to local institutions in the medical, technology, and life sciences sectors. A distinguishing feature of EPP is its 360-degree teaching model: all sessions are led by undergraduate and medical students, with support and guidance from faculty physicians and educators. This peer-led approach fosters meaningful mentorship and growth for both students and instructors.

The BOLD Penn Medicine Summer Program is a unique immersion opportunity for juniors and seniors from around the world with keen interest in the medical field to learn and interact with peers and medical professionals at a world-class facility. Modeled after first-year Perelman classes, students gain hands-on experience through simulations and demonstrations, with the potential to observe a live surgery. Students live on campus, attend engaging sessions with top doctors, and explore the diverse paths of medicine. This program offers a glimpse into the life of a medical student and helps students pursue their passion in healthcare.

For more information, visit the BOLD Summers website HERE.

The Johnson Scholars Program (JSP) is a pre-medical enrichment program that fosters the preparation and competitiveness of Penn undergraduates whose life and/or familial experiences may make it more difficult for them to achieve their goal of a career in medicine. To support student success, the JSP recruits entering first-year students interested in becoming a physician, and then provides a progressive, 4-year set of tiered mentoring, advising, and enrichment experiences with achievement milestones for continued participation in the program. Students interested in applying should contact the Career Services Office at the University of Pennsylvania.

Program Components

• Professional development seminars
• Career narratives with physicians
• Learning support
• Community engagement and service
• Leadership opportunities
• Clinical and research opportunities
• Community with like-minded pre-medical peers
• Mentorship from PSOM faculty, medical students, and admissions professionals
• AND MORE!

For more information, visit Johnson Scholars @PSOM.

With an explicit focus on opportunity, access and excellence, the Penn Access Summer Scholars (PASS) program is a pre-medical enrichment program that supports the recruitment of students to the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) with demonstrated academic success and a broad range of perspectives and experiences, who show promise of having an impactful career in medicine.

PASS scholars spend two consecutive summers of eight weeks on Penn’s campus after their sophomore and junior undergraduate years of college conducting mentored research and engaging in premedical enrichment that fosters the development of a physician identity and supports students’ transition to medical school.  Students who successfully complete the program and meet rigorous GPA and performance metrics are eligible to seek linkage admission to PSOM without taking the MCAT.

Program Components

• 8 weeks of mentored research for two consecutive summers
• Research and journal club presentations
• Career narratives from physicians
• Shadowing opportunities
• Engaging podcast and book club discussions
• Community building and engagement with a cohort of pre-medical peers
• Local community engagement and service
• Mentorship from PSOM faculty, medical students, and admissions professionals
• Research symposium

For more information, visit PASS@PSOM