The Medicina Academy Apprentices Program

• In Event: 29.036 - Building the Latino Pipeline for Medical Careers: The Hispanic Center of Excellence Experience

Abstract

The Medicina Academy is designed to motivate Latino high school students in metropolitan Chicago to prepare for future careers in medicine and other health professions. The program objectives are to: 1) Prepare students in the sciences and expose them to medicine and health careers pathways; 2) Invest in the personal development and academic preparation of students; and 3) Assist with their successful transition to higher education and pursuit of a health career.

The Academy is a four-year program that spans the four years of high school. However, each year of the Academy is self-contained to the greatest possible extent. Each one-year module involves bi-weekly meetings at the medical school. The program modules are:
• Module 1 (freshman year): Foundations;
• Module 2 (sophomore year): Awareness;
• Module 3 (junior year): Preparation; and
• Module 4 (senior year): Transition.

Thus, through the modular structure, participants make a one-year pledge and provides for them to be assessed at the end of each year for their suitability and commitment to the rest of the program. Students are recruited from partner schools (Benito Juarez Community Academy, UIC College Prep, Instituto Health Science Career Academy, and ASPIRA high school system); other Chicago Public high schools; and surrounding suburban secondary schools. During each module, students attend the university on a bi-weekly basis and take part in a four-part professional development seminar:

• Career development;
• Higher education;
• Interpersonal development; and
• Medicine.

College-level mentors are included for panel discussions and group mentoring during lunch hours. As well, during each semester parents are invited to take part in a session with HCOE staff and parent participants in the Academia de Padres Leadership Institute. In these sessions, HCOE staff address the progression of the student within the modules and provide them with additional opportunities for support and development of their child.

Author

• Kendy Olaguez, University of Illinois at Chicago