College Programs
College is an important time to refine and explore your career goals. Our activities and events for college students allow you to spend time on VCU’s Health Sciences Campus where you can hear from current professors and students about our health sciences and health professions programs. Learn how to become a competitive applicant for admissions into VCU’s health sciences/health professions schools and what it takes to reach your goals.
Each program is listed by current grade level eligibility, as of September 2022 with the exception of VCU Acceleration where 12th grade students apply to participate their freshman year of college. Academic year programs have applications in the fall, and summer programs take applications in the spring. Find a program for you and apply today!
Academic year programs | |
Academic and Clinical Skills Symposium (ACSS) Open to college undergraduate and graduates who have been invited by the VCU School of Medicine. ACSS is a one-day fall semester event where participants interested in medicine receive application information and hands-on clinical skill demonstrations. Compromiso, Valores, Servicio (CVS) Open to Spanish-speaking college students 18 years and older who are interested in pharmacy. CVS is an academic year program; participants attend weekly sessions in the fall and spring semester as well as participate in off-site shadowing and student-run clinic opportunities. Open to college freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors interested in mentoring public school students. The Health Sciences Academy (HSA) Mentorship is an academic year program; Mentors participate for VCU course credit during the fall and/or spring semester. Open to 12th-grade students/rising college freshmen interested in health careers. VCUA is a month-long summer session and an academic year program-in-residence at VCU. Participants undertake math and science preparation during the summer and participate in a living-learning community during their freshman academic year. Open to college freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors who are interested in pharmacy. VCU Pharmacy Preview Day is a one-day event that takes place twice a year; once in the fall and once in the spring. Participants interested in pharmacy receive a tour, application information and hands-on skill demonstrations. |
Summer programs | |
Allied Health Career Exploration (AHCE) Open to 12th-grade students, college freshmen, sophomores and juniors interested in diverse health careers. AHCE is a two-week summer program where students explore patient counseling, clinical laboratory sciences, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nurse anesthesia, rehabilitation counseling, radiation sciences, health administration and gerontology. OT Academy is a pathway program drawing participants from underrepresented minority (URM) populations designed to promote knowledge and understanding of the profession of occupational therapy (OT) while preparing for application to OT programs. Through engagement in presentations, discussions, and hands-on opportunities, participants will gain skills required to be a competitive applicant, and a successful and professional student in a rigorous graduate program. |
Academic year programs | |
Academic and Clinical Skills Symposium (ACSS) Open to college undergraduate and graduates who have been invited by the VCU School of Medicine. ACSS is a one-day fall semester event where participants interested in medicine receive application information and hands-on clinical skill demonstrations. Compromiso, Valores, Servicio (CVS) Open to Spanish-speaking college students 18 years and older who are interested in pharmacy. CVS is an academic year program; participants attend weekly sessions in the fall and spring semester as well as participate in off-site shadowing and student-run clinic opportunities. Open to college freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors interested in mentoring public school students. The Health Sciences Academy (HSA) Mentorship is an academic year program; Mentors participate for VCU course credit during the fall and/or spring semester. Open to college freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors who are interested in pharmacy. VCU Pharmacy Preview Day is a one-day event that takes place twice a year; once in the fall and once in the spring. Participants interested in pharmacy receive a tour, application information and hands-on skill demonstrations. |
Summer programs | |
Allied Health Career Exploration (AHCE) Open to 12th-grade students, college freshmen, sophomores and juniors interested in diverse health careers. AHCE is a two-week summer program where students explore patient counseling, clinical laboratory sciences, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nurse anesthesia, rehabilitation counseling, radiation sciences, health administration and gerontology. OT Academy is a pathway program for sophomore, junior, and senior participants from underrepresented minority (URM) populations designed to promote knowledge and understanding of the profession of occupational therapy (OT) while preparing for application to OT programs. Through engagement in presentations, discussions, and hands-on opportunities, participants will gain skills required to be a competitive applicant, and a successful and professional student in a rigorous graduate program. |
Academic year programs | |
Academic and Clinical Skills Symposium (ACSS) Open to college undergraduate and graduates who have been invited by the VCU School of Medicine. ACSS is a one-day fall semester event where participants interested in medicine receive application information and hands-on clinical skill demonstrations. Compromiso, Valores, Servicio (CVS) Open to Spanish-speaking college students 18 years and older who are interested in pharmacy. CVS is an academic year program; participants attend weekly sessions in the fall and spring semester as well as participate in off-site shadowing and student-run clinic opportunities. Open to college freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors interested in mentoring public school students. The Health Sciences Academy (HSA) Mentorship is an academic year program; Mentors participate for VCU course credit during the fall and/or spring semester. VCU junior and senior Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Psychology, and Interdisciplinary Sciences majors strongly encouraged. Open to college freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors who are interested in pharmacy. VCU Pharmacy Preview Day is a one-day event that takes place twice a year; once in the fall and once in the spring. Participants interested in pharmacy receive a tour, application information and hands-on skill demonstrations. |
Summer programs | |
Allied Health Career Exploration (AHCE) Open to 12th-grade students, college freshmen, sophomores and juniors interested in diverse health careers. AHCE is a two-week summer program where students explore patient counseling, clinical laboratory sciences, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nurse anesthesia, rehabilitation counseling, radiation sciences, health administration and gerontology. OT Academy is a pathway program for sophomore, junior, and senior participants from underrepresented minority (URM) populations designed to promote knowledge and understanding of the profession of occupational therapy (OT) while preparing for application to OT programs. Through engagement in presentations, discussions, and hands-on opportunities, participants will gain skills required to be a competitive applicant, and a successful and professional student in a rigorous graduate program. Summer Academic Enrichment Program (SAEP) Open to college juniors, seniors, graduates and post-baccalaureate students interested in dentistry, medicine, pharmacy or physical therapy as a health care career. SAEP is a six-week summer program where participants develop academic skills to help them become competitive for professional school admissions. |
Academic year programs | |
Academic and Clinical Skills Symposium (ACSS) Open to college undergraduate and graduates who have been invited by the VCU School of Medicine. ACSS is a one-day fall semester event where participants interested in medicine receive application information and hands-on clinical skill demonstrations. Compromiso, Valores, Servicio (CVS) Open to Spanish-speaking college students 18 years and older who are interested in pharmacy. CVS is an academic year program; participants attend weekly sessions in the fall and spring semester as well as participate in off-site shadowing and student-run clinic opportunities. Open to college freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors interested in mentoring public school students. The Health Sciences Academy (HSA) Mentorship is an academic year program; Mentors participate for VCU course credit during the fall and/or spring semester. VCU junior and senior Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Psychology, and Interdisciplinary Sciences majors strongly encouraged. Open to college freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors who are interested in pharmacy. VCU Pharmacy Preview Day is a one-day event that takes place twice a year; once in the fall and once in the spring. Participants interested in pharmacy receive a tour, application information and hands-on skill demonstrations. |
Summer programs | |
Allied Health Career Exploration (AHCE) Open to 12th-grade students, college freshmen, sophomores and juniors interested in diverse health careers. AHCE is a two-week summer program where students explore patient counseling, clinical laboratory sciences, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nurse anesthesia, rehabilitation counseling, radiation sciences, health administration and gerontology. OT Academy is a pathway program for sophomore, junior, and senior participants from underrepresented minority (URM) populations designed to promote knowledge and understanding of the profession of occupational therapy (OT) while preparing for application to OT programs. Through engagement in presentations, discussions, and hands-on opportunities, participants will gain skills required to be a competitive applicant, and a successful and professional student in a rigorous graduate program. Summer Academic Enrichment Program (SAEP) Open to college juniors, seniors, graduates and post-baccalaureate students interested in dentistry, medicine, pharmacy or physical therapy as a health care career. SAEP is a six-week summer program where participants develop academic skills to help them become competitive for professional school admissions. |
Academic year programs | |
Academic and Clinical Skills Symposium (ACSS) Open to college undergraduate and graduates who have been invited by the VCU School of Medicine. ACSS is a one-day fall semester event where participants interested in medicine receive application information and hands-on clinical skill demonstrations. |
Summer programs | |
Summer Academic Enrichment Program (SAEP) Open to college juniors, seniors, graduates and post-baccalaureate students interested in dentistry, medicine, pharmacy or physical therapy as a health care career. SAEP is a six-week summer program where participants develop academic skills to help them become competitive for professional school admissions. OT Academy is a pathway program drawing participants from underrepresented minority (URM) populations designed to promote knowledge and understanding of the profession of occupational therapy (OT) while preparing for application to OT programs. Through engagement in presentations, discussions, and hands-on opportunities, participants will gain skills required to be a competitive applicant, and a successful and professional student in a rigorous graduate program. |