Grant will provide an undergraduate pre-health program
The Office of Diversity has received a grant for $132,950 from the State of Colorado Office of Health Disparities to provide an Undergraduate Pre-Health Program (UPP).
The UPP is modeled after the successful Pre-Collegiate Development Program for high school, first generation and/or ethnic minority students. The Pre-Collegiate Development Program in the University of Colorado system has been effective in increasing the number of first-generation and under-represented high school students graduating and attending college. Approximately 97 percent of the participants in this program have attended college.
The Undergraduate Pre-Health Program was created to address health disparities and the declining numbers of first generation and underrepresented students entering the health professions. It will provide similar support to undergraduate students as the Pre-Collegiate program does for high school students.
Participants in the Undergraduate Pre-Health Program will meet monthly for Saturday Academies that include developmental workshops with topics ranging from health disparities to study skills. All participants will be required to take one of the prep-courses and tests necessary to apply to medical, pharmacy, nursing, dental or other health professional schools (e.g., DAT, MCAT, GRE). Need-based financial assistance will be provided to participants to take the prep-courses and tests.
An eight-week summer institute will be held for all participants. During the summer, institute participants will shadow medical professionals, learn about health disparities, conduct research and complete personal statements and application to apply to health professional schools. The curriculum of the summer program will focus on diseases that disproportionately affect underserved communities: cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, HIV infection, child and adult immunizations, and drug addiction.
By participating in this program students will be prepared to attend a health professions school thus increasing the number of highly qualified students in the applicant pool from underrepresented groups in health care.
For more information, contact the Office of Diversity at 303-315-8558.
