Midwestern University Supports Rural High Schoolers Interested in Healthcare Careers

Midwestern University's annual eight-day Health Careers Institute for High School Students (HCI) in July is a free hands-on experience for Arizona high school students to explore careers in the health sciences. Now, thanks to a partnership with the H.S. Lopez Family Foundation, select high school students from rural areas in Arizona can attend the HCI with financial assistance from Midwestern.

The partnership between the H.S. Lopez Family Foundation and Midwestern supports high-achieving, under-represented students in rural areas who have no other means to attend this unique summer program. The partnership provides scholarship funds for six exceptional high school students from rural Arizona to cover housing, meals, transportation, and related costs (as well as for a family member if the student is under 18 years old) to visit the University's Glendale Campus and attend the Health Careers Institute. The HCI is a highly competitive program that selects 64 of the top-performing high school students from around Arizona and provides a free, hands-on summer program full of interactive experiences, presentations, mentoring, and learning about healthcare careers from faculty and student volunteers representing Midwestern's 25 graduate-level programs.

Cristal Reyes from Wellton, AZ, attended the Health Careers Institute in 2024 via the H.S. Lopez Family Foundation scholarship. "I truly believe the HCI has been one of the best experiences I’ve had the chance to experience.  I got to learn about so many careers. Before this experience, I was worried I might at some point regret my choice of wanting to pursue a career in the medical field.  But once I saw the opportunities available to me, I instantly knew that life was for me. I loved all of the hands-on experiences!"

"I absolutely loved the program and I truly miss it so much," says Azul Rangel from Tucson, AZ, who also attended last year's HCI. "I am infinitely grateful to the H.S. Lopez Family Foundation for giving me the opportunity to make this happen. This program helped me get more of a feel for different medical careers and really educated me on the process for undergraduate, graduate, and even residency."

Students interested in attending the Health Careers Institute must be current sophomores, juniors, or seniors and must submit an application including short essays and a current transcript by April 1st.

Registration Dates and Information

Health Careers Institute for High School Students
July 10 - July 19, 2025, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Application Deadline: April 1, 2025 
(Must be current sophomore, junior, or senior in high school)
Contact: 623-572-3781, azevents@midwestern.edu