This summer teaching role is ideal for:
- Current health professions students in medicine, PA, nursing, public health, and related fields.
- People interested in mentoring the next generation of healthcare providers.
- Teachers interested in healthcare pathways development.
Position overview
Instructors play a key role in delivering engaging, inclusive, and hands-on learning experiences for high school students exploring careers in health and medicine. This stipend-based role is ideal for current health professions students (medicine, PA, nursing, public health, or related fields)who are interested in teaching, mentorship, and healthcare pathways development.
Instructors serve as near-peer educators and mentors, leading curriculum delivery while helping students envision pathways from high school to college and into health professional training.
- Role Title: Program Instructor
- Position Type: Temporary, Stipend-Based ($6,000 flat-rate stipend)
- Dates: June 15 – July 24, 2026
- Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.– 3 p.m.
- Time: 6 weeks
- Format: In-Person
- Location: UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Campus, 3175 Bowers Ave, Santa Clara, CA 95054
- Application Deadline: March 31
- Learn more about the High School Health Pathways Summer Academy.
- Here's a downloadable PDF about the job
About the Academy
The UC Santa Cruz Premed Postbacc Program is expanding its mission to address the national and California healthcare workforce shortage by launching a six-week High School Health Pathways Summer Academy. The Academy provides early exposure to health careers, a foundational human biology course, public health advocacy, and pathways into medicine and the health professions, with a strong emphasis on equity, access, and service to underserved communities.
The Academy integrates academic instruction, hands-on clinical simulation, mentorship, career exploration, field-based experiences, and a capstone project. It is designed to strengthen the regional health professions pipeline while aligning UC Santa Cruz with statewide workforce development efforts.
Key responsibilities
- Facilitate instructional sessions aligned with academy curriculum, including:
- Public health and health advocacy topics
- Health professions career exploration
- Support hands-on learning activities, including clinical simulations and group projects
- Engage students through interactive discussions, activities, and experiential learning
- Serve as a near-peer mentor, sharing educational and career experiences in health professions
- Assist with classroom management and student engagement during daily academy hours
- Collaborate with program staff and guest speakers
- Support field trips, guest speaker sessions, and the student capstone projects
- Foster a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment that reflects UCSC’s equity-focused mission
Preferred qualifications
- Current graduate student pursuing a health-related field (medicine, PA, nursing, public health, etc.)
- Interest in health education, mentorship, or healthcare workforce development
- Experience working with high school students, tutoring, teaching, or mentoring (preferred but not required)
- Strong communication, professionalism, and teamwork skills
- Commitment to supporting students from diverse backgrounds
Time commitment | compensation
- Stipend-based position: $6,000 flat-rate stipend
- Required availability for all program dates and scheduled training/orientation sessions
- In-person participation required at the UCSC Silicon Valley Campus site
How to apply
Please email a cover letter and resume to dsnair@ucsc.edu and sharri15@ucsc.edu. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a priority deadline of March 31.