Pre-medical Surgical Internship

Program Description

The UCSF Fresno Pre-Medical Surgical Internship Program is a seven-month intensive and comprehensive program designed to prepare current pre-medical students from groups traditionally underrepresented in medicine and from disadvantaged backgrounds to successfully matriculate into medical school. This program stemmed from the obvious need for increasing the diversity of the physician workforce in the San Joaquin Valley to meet the needs for our patient population. The program offers interested pre-medical students the unique opportunity to work with the Central Valley’s highly underserved patient population and to experience medicine through UCSF Fresno’s Surgery Department. The program is designed to equip the students with skills, such as networking, professionalism, communication skills, time management, coping with stress, personal statement writing, interviewing, that will serve them well into medical school and thereafter. The program serves an opportunity for the students to build a mentorship network that will support them through their application process and beyond. The aim of the program is to enhance the students’ candidacy for medical school. All interested pre-medical students are welcome to apply. Please see location and commitment requirements. 

Applications for the 2025-2026 cohort are now closed.

Contact:

[email protected]

Program Lead

Carolina Aparicio, MD (Class of 2027)

Dr. Aparicio is a general surgery resident at UCSF Fresno. She studied Molecular Toxicology at the University of California, Berkeley and then went on to complete her medical education at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Her goal is to become an exceptional surgeon and worthy role model for the community she serves.

 

FAQs

Q: How long is the program?

The duration of the program is seven months per cohort. This will be divided into two periods. The first starts September through November. The students will have the month of December off and return January through April. The participant will be scheduled to join one of the following surgical teams every other week for a six/eight-hour shift; AM shift (6:30 a.m.- 2 p.m.), PM shift (6:30 p.m. – 2 a.m.), rounding time various based on the service:

  • Acute Care Surgery Trauma (ACS)
  • Trauma Intensive Care Unit (TICU)
  • Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU)
  • Elective Surgical Services (ESS)
  • Blue Surgery (Surgical Oncology- Hepatobiliary, Endocrine and Breast)
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Breast
  • Burns
  • Plastics
  • Colorectal Surgery
  • Overnight Team

Q: Is the program in-person or online?

The program is in-person at the UCSF Building in Fresno, CA. 

Q: Is housing provided?

No. Housing is not provided.

Q: Is parking provided?

Yes, parking is provided. Public transportation is not provided.

Q: What does the program schedule look like?

Please see the sample schedule/calendar.

Q: Is there a graduation?

Yes. A ceremony and certificate of completion is issued to graduates who successfully fulfill the program.