Applications Are Now Open for the 2026 Healthcare Immersion Program

If you know a college student with an interest in healthcare, now is a good time to encourage them to apply for the 2026 Healthcare Immersion Program (HIP).

Our 2026 program runs from July 7 to July 31, and applications are now open. The deadline to apply is Monday, June 8, 2026.

Learn more and apply

About the program

Many students are interested in careers such as nursing, medicine, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, or occupational therapy, but have limited opportunities to see what those paths actually look like in day-to-day practice. The Healthcare Immersion Program helps bridge that gap through structured shadowing, mentorship, and guided reflection.

HIP is a four-week summer program that allows participants to learn directly from licensed clinicians in real care settings, observe a range of clinical roles, and gain greater clarity and confidence about their future direction.

What makes HIP different

HIP is not a classroom simulation. It is real clinical exposure in real care settings.

Students in the program have the opportunity to:

• Shadow licensed clinicians (preceptors) as they care for patients
  
• Observe different healthcare roles, not just one pathway
• Learn directly from professionals who enjoy mentoring students
• Build clarity and confidence about their future direction
• Reflect on what they are seeing through weekly clinical conferences

Many students describe HIP as the moment when healthcare stops feeling abstract and starts to feel possible.

How the program works

HIP is designed to provide substantial clinical exposure while remaining flexible enough to fit around summer work, classes, and other commitments.

During the four-week program, students typically:

• Complete shadowing in 4-hour blocks during standard weekday hours
  
• Participate in at least two shadowing sessions per week, with opportunities to do more
• Join weekly clinical conferences for guided reflection and learning
• Take part in surgery observation later in the program
• Log approximately 80 to 100 total hours

Students share their availability at the start of the program, and schedules are coordinated accordingly.

Who should apply?

HIP is open to college students who:

• Have completed at least one year of college
  
• Are interested in exploring a healthcare career
• Are curious, reliable, and ready to learn
  

This program is ideal for students who want more than general advice or online research. It is for students who are ready to gain firsthand exposure to healthcare settings and begin making more informed decisions about their future.

Application requirements

Students applying to HIP will need to submit:

• High school transcripts
• College or university transcripts to date
• Letter or letters of recommendation
• A personal statement
• A copy of photo ID
• Vaccination record

If selected for the program, students may also be required to receive additional vaccinations as required by Jackson Orthopedic Foundation’s clinical partners.

Program fee and scholarships
The program fee for HIP is $500. Scholarships are available for students with financial need. 

Learn more and apply

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Want to support HIP?

By supporting the Healthcare Immersion Program, you help more students access early clinical learning, mentorship, and the kind of real-world experience that can shape a future in healthcare. Your gift helps build a stronger, more prepared healthcare workforce.

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