The program uniquely combines intensive surgical exposure and hands-on skills training with a strong emphasis on medical innovation, challenging students to develop solutions for real-world surgical challenges.
The UCI Summer Surgery Program offers high school students an intensive, real-life immersion into the world of surgery and medicine. Participants gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art surgical technologies, including the da Vinci robot and other minimally invasive devices. Students observe live surgical cases with top UCI surgeons, learning operating room protocols and identifying real-life challenges faced by surgical teams. The curriculum includes developing surgical skills in open, laparoscopic, robotic, and endoscopic techniques through small-group workshops. Students also receive CPR training and Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, learn anatomy through dissection courses (fetal pig dissection), and participate in hands-on ultrasound training. A unique aspect of the program is the medical innovation project, where students work in groups to develop solutions for surgical challenges observed during the program. The program emphasizes mentorship from medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty, providing clear insight into the daily life and aspirations of health professionals.
A typical day includes morning lectures on surgical, clinical, and research topics, followed by an anatomy course with fetal pig dissection and human anatomy lectures. Students also rotate between surgical skills training in the Department of Urology Surgical Skills Center and observing live surgeries in the UC Irvine Douglas Hospital OR.
This program is best for highly motivated, high-performing high school students (at least 16 years old with a minimum 3.5 GPA) who are interested in pursuing medicine or related fields, particularly surgery.
3800 W Chapman Ave Ste 7200, Orange, CA 92868
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