WHO:
This June, 73 Doctors Academy (DA) students will graduate from the UCSF Fresno Latino Center for Medical Education and Research (LaCMER) Doctors Academy programs at Caruthers, Selma, and Sunnyside high schools.
- 21 students will graduate from the program at Caruthers
- 20 students will graduate from the program at Selma
- 32 students will graduate from the program at Sunnyside High School
One hundred percent will continue their education at post-secondary institutions in the fall.
WHAT:
Awards ceremonies will be held at each Doctors Academy campus to honor the graduates.
WHEN AND WHERE:
Thursday, May 16
6 to 7:30 p.m.
Caruthers High School
Caruthers Fairgrounds
13599 S. Raider Ave, Caruthers
Wednesday, May 22
6 to 7:30 p.m.
Sunnyside High School, Theater
1019 S. Peach Avenue, Fresno
The Selma High School DA program held its awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 8.
Recipients of the following awards will be announced:
UCSF School of Medicine Merit Award: Recipients of this honor will be included among the select group of applicants who are invited for interviews with members of the UCSF School of Medicine Committee on Admissions if, upon completion of college, they meet the minimum 3.5 grade point average (GPA) in undergraduate course work, the composite score of 30 or more on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), with a score of at least 9 on each subsection, and a complete application to the UCSF School of Medicine.
UCSF School of Dentistry Merit Award: Recipients of this honor will be included among the select group of applicants who are invited for interviews with members of the UCSF School of Dentistry Committee on Admissions if, upon completion of college, they have a GPA greater than 3.60 cumulative, a greater than 3.50 science GPA, and scores of greater than 18 on the Academic Average and Total Science scores of the Dental Admissions Test, and a complete application to the UCSF School of Dentistry.
Caruthers High School Junior Doctors Academy: Caruthers High School will graduate its first ever cohort of students who started the pipeline program at Caruthers Elementary in 2014. Select students from the class of 2019 will be recognized for completing the Junior Doctors Academy (JDA) in middle school through the high school Doctors Academy.
Scholarships from Local Community Sponsors: Select Doctors Academy students will receive scholarships from local community sponsors who continue to support the Doctors Academy and its students’ academic accomplishments and service to the community.
“The dedication and commitment from our school sites and community partners allow us to offer students and their families a wide range of services and opportunities for academic excellence and clinical mentorship experiences,” said Katherine A. Flores, MD, director of the UCSF Fresno Latino Center for Medical Education and Research. “It is because of the collaboration and support from these strong partnerships that Doctors Academy students attain their academic goals and are successful applicants to colleges and universities, most with continued aspirations to enter the health professions. We are extremely proud of our students’ accomplishments and look forward to them joining the Central Valley’s health care team in the future.”
BACKGROUND:
The UCSF Fresno Latino Center for Medical Education and Research (LaCMER), in partnership with Fresno Unified School District (FUSD) and the Fresno County Office of Education, started the Sunnyside High School Doctors Academy in 1999 to encourage educationally disadvantaged students to focus on careers in health and medicine. The Sunnyside High School Doctors Academy currently has 147 students enrolled. A Fresno Unified School District Junior Doctors Academy Program was established in 2000 to encourage and support students earlier in their academic career as middle school students. The Junior Doctors Academy currently serves Kings Canyon, Sequoia and Terronez middle schools with a total of 179 enrolled.
The Doctors Academy has grown in popularity and scope in the past 17 years. In 2007, Doctors Academy programs were established at Caruthers and Selma high schools. A total of 104 students are enrolled at Caruthers High School and 100 are enrolled at Selma High School. In 2014, the Junior Doctors Academy was extended to Caruthers Elementary School where there are currently 51 students enrolled (29 eighth-grade students and 22 seventh-grade students). The first JDA cohort from Caruthers Elementary will graduate from Caruthers High School Doctors Academy in 2019. UCSF Fresno LaCMER continues to support and work closely with Caruthers, Selma and Fresno unified school districts to sustain these programs and provide academic preparation for careers in health and medicine for qualifying students.
For more information about the Doctors Academy or other UCSF Fresno LaCMER health professions programs, please call (559) 241-7670; email [email protected] or visit https://www.fresno.ucsf.edu/latino-center-for-medical-education-and-research/
