Educational Impact

In addition to the customary measures of medical schools, such as our high rankings in primary care education and medical research, UMass Chan distinguishes itself as a leader in community engagement, particularly through its support of K-16 educational initiatives to promote careers in the health sciences.  UMass Chan and its partners carry out a myriad of programs to create opportunities for students and increase the number of under-represented and disadvantaged students entering careers in health care and biomedical research. Through mentoring, job shadowing, internships, laboratory opportunities, after-school science programs, visiting-scientist programs and academic support for students, each year hundreds of young people from our community are exposed to the excitement and opportunities that health and science careers bring.

• UMass Chan donated $1,575,000 to the City of Worcester to enable the Worcester Public Library to open four new branc libraries across the city, each located in an elementary school, and to support Worcester Technical High School's innovative health and biomedical science programs.
• UMass Chan Medical School provides 20 Worceser Public School students with an opportunity to work in a six week paid summer employment program each year.  Building Brighter Futures with Youth is a community-based initiative that exposes young people to career options in the healthcare setting.
• Led by UMass Chan, the Worcester Pipeline Collaborative (WPC) has worked with the Worcester Public Schools since 1996 to prepare, educate and train K-12 students in the school system’s North Quadrant for the region’s health care and science oriented economy, culminating in especially intensive involvement at Worcester East Middle, Worcester Technical High School and North High School.  WPC recently reached its 20th Anniversary and was presented with citations from the Massachusetts Senate and House as well as a key to the city from the Mayor of Worcester.
• In addition, the Office of Outreach Programs( the same office that runs the WPC) runs multiple tuition-free, residential summer academic programs for high school and college students from educationally and economically disadvantaged backgrounds and/or from ethnic groups underrepresented in biomedical research, biotechnology and health professions, to prepare students for further education and careers in these fields.
• The Emerging Professionals Summer Internship Program provides 8 undergraduate college students a ten-week paid internship. This “pipeline” program is designed to provide talented college students from underrepresented backgrounds with the opportunity to explore potential administrative careers in an academic health science center.