The Institute for Community Partnerships offers underrepresented minority high school students a pipeline program for those interested in a health professions career.

African Americans, Latinos, and American Indians are about one quarter of the population of the US but represent less than 10% of the workforce in the health professions of medicine, nursing, dentistry, and pharmacy. Studies show that although minorities are less likely to attend four-year colleges, they are as likely as non-minorities students to major in biological sciences.Therefore, the critical time for intervention is during primary education before high school graduation.

If pipeline programs like ours from the Institute of Community Partnerships can help encourage and prepare minorities to graduate from high school and attend college, they will be more likely to go on to pursue a career in the health sciences and more likely to return to their own communities to serve.  Many of our pipeline and community programs are run by our Community-Academic Partners in Service (CAPS) office. 

About the Discovery Program

The Discovery (formerly Summer Gateway) Program is a two-week summer program that includes speakers and activities, with an optional third week where interested students can shadow health professionals in the workplace. The program provides training in how to take the SAT, apply for financial aid, and improve study skills so students understand a college education is attainable. Speakers from all the health sciences schools at Loma Linda University offer instruction and hands-on activities for students to learn more about different health sciences career opportunities.

At LLU our mission is “to make man whole,” so our Discovery program not only offers academic and career guidance, but also includes spiritual activities, physical activity, healthy meals, and team building activities to address the needs of the whole person.

Previously, we ran three separate pipeline programs that each focused on a different ethnic group. The Loma Linda University Institute for Community Partnerships will now offer one program that brings students of different ethnicities together in an environment where we can foster understanding and collaboration amongst youth of different backgrounds.

We invite you to learn more about our Discovery Program and explore the many benefits it offers underrepresented minority students.