SUMMER SCHOLARS

The Summer Scholar Program at Ventura County Medical Center is a unique summer internship designed to expose undergraduate college students to the many careers within the healthcare field by immersing them in a professional medical environment.  For nearly 50 years, this competitive program has introduced students to both clinical medicine and hospital-based research by working alongside VCMC medical faculty and the residents of the nationally recognized Ventura Family Medicine Residency Program. We look forward to selecting 5 undergraduate students to participate in this full-time, intensive 8-week opportunity (Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm).  We pride ourselves on accepting participants who are responsible, mature, and committed.  We aim to promote each student’s interest in becoming a healthcare professional, one we hope will eventually return to serve our community.  To this end, priority is given to residents of Ventura County. We also encourage students from underrepresented groups in health care to apply.

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Description

Summer Scholars are placed with faculty preceptors who coordinate opportunities for the students to observe and participate in a variety of patient care settings.  Student Scholars attend teaching conferences at the Medical Center, make rounds with medical staff and observe patient interactions and procedures as appropriate. Program participants will experience emergency room visits, trauma resuscitations, live births, surgeries, autopsies and more.  In addition to shadowing both primary care and specialist physicians, Scholars spend time with physical therapists, dietitians, clinical lab specialists, substance abuse counselors and other health care professionals.  Each Student Scholar will also participate in a quality improvement or clinical research project and present their findings at the end of the program. A few Summer Scholars have had their research published or been invited to present their research at an annual Family Medicine Research Forum.  

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Many of our former Scholars cite this experience as a formative one in their pursuit of a career in health care. We have even welcomed graduates of the Scholars' internship into our residency program here at VCMC!

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Stipend

We are pleased to be able to offer each Scholar a stipend of $3,000 for the summer.

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Important Dates

• The 2024 Summer Scholar Program begins Monday, June 17, and ends Friday, August 9, 2024.   

• The application deadline is March 22, 2024

• Phone interviews:  March 25 - April 12, 2024.

• Decision letters emailed:  Friday, April 26, 2024.​