Health Sciences Scholars Program

Thank you for your interest in being part of the Health Sciences Scholars Program (HSSP). HSSP is replacing HS LEAP in the fall of 2025 and it is driven by the following goals:

Professional Portfolio Development

Creating a comprehensive portfolio that reflects their skills, experiences, and academic achievements, aligning with the mission of workforce excellence.

Honors Designation

Committed to achieving academic excellence and recognition within the healthcare field.

Research Scholar Recognition

Aiming to be acknowledged for significant contributions to healthcare research.

Career Development

Fall

Health Sciences Career Development (HSCD)

In the fall semester, this class is aimed to secure a position in a research lab, a critical step toward their academic and professional growth. They actively pursued volunteering opportunities, gaining valuable community exposure while building a robust resume. By focusing on personal branding and crafting impactful personal statements, aligned with their academic pursuits with career aspirations in healthcare and research. Throughout this journey, they emphasized professionalism and developed essential writing skills crucial for effective communication in the academic and healthcare sectors.

Lab Exploration

Spring

Health Sciences Lab Exploration (HSLE)

During the spring semester, the course is concentrated on integrating research into their academic degree. This involved strategically enhancing their profile and identifying labs where they could contribute meaningfully to ongoing projects. Their participation in the Undergraduate Research Symposium allowed them to engage with the research community, reflect on their experiences, and deepen their understanding of the healthcare research landscape.

After completing HSCD and HSLE courses, students will be able to achieve the Professional Portfolio Development designation by creating a comprehensive portfolio that reflects their skills, experiences, and academic achievements, aligning with the mission of workforce excellence.

Intro to Labs

Summer

Summer Introduction to Labs

The summer was dedicated to exploring lab opportunities through three distinct designations:

NIH Grant: Focusing on specific labs and populations relevant to current healthcare research initiatives.
SPUR: Meeting established requirements for undergraduate research involvement.
Regular Labs: Gaining hands-on experience across various research settings, contributing to workforce excellence.

Research I

Fall

Research I

In their second year of HSSP, students achieved a significant milestone by publishing an abstract. This accomplishment was further highlighted by an abstract presentation at the Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS), where they shared their research findings and engaged in meaningful discussions with peers and faculty, fostering collaboration and innovation.

Research II

Spring

Research II

Students delved into various research methodologies, including:

Qualitative
Quantitative
Mixed Methods

Each methodology provided a framework for analyzing diverse aspects of their research questions, focusing on sample populations, experimental design, and methodological rigor, all crucial for advancing healthcare knowledge.