SMA Application Process

The Summer Medical Academy (SMA) is for students who have an interest in pursuing a career in healthcare. Highly motivated and enthusiastic students who will be between 15-19 years old in June of the program year AND have completed 9th grade (up until the summer after graduating 12th grade) are eligible to apply. Eligibility does not guarantee acceptance to the program. SMA Students are accepted with the following key application criteria in mind: unique short answer responses; enthusiasm for healthcare; academic success; extracurricular involvement and service; teacher recommendation. Consideration will also be given to the following: geographic proximity to San Diego, last grade completed in school, and affiliation with RCHSD. Details and payment instructions will be included in acceptance letters. Proceeds from the Medical Academy program can be used to benefit the FACES for the Future-San Diego program at Rady Children’s

Learning, Doing, Sharing – The application and enrollment period for the 2024 Summer Medical Academy has closed. 

Summer Medical Academy Application 

Applications are closed for this year and will reopen in early December 2024 for the 2025 cohort. 

Please download and send this form to your academic recommender. Forms must be returned to awood@rchsd.org directly from the recommender no later than TBD.

SMA Application_AcademicRecommendation2024

2025 PROGRAM DATES:
Session 1: June 16-27; Session 2: July 7-18, 2025

Cost covers all course, lab, and program materials; t-shirts and scrub pants; and daily lunch. Parking at Rady Children’s is included, but other locations are TBD.

*Please note transportation, accommodations, and visa applications are not provided or coordinated by our program.

Are there scholarships available?

Summer Medical Academy scholarships are only available through the generosity of donors to the RCHSD Foundation. We are actively seeking donations and currently have limited funding available.

Beginning with the 2019 Summer Medical Academy, only students who participate in a Health Career Pathway program from the following Title I San Diego County high schools (with their corresponding school district) are eligible to apply for the MA scholarships, when available.

San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD)

  • Hoover High School
  • Crawford High School
  • Kearny High School
  • Clairemont High School
  • Mira Mesa High School
  • San Diego Science and Technology School

Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD)

  • Hilltop High School
  • San Ysidro High School
  • Southwest High School

Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD)

  • El Cajon Valley High School
  • El Capitan High School
  • Granite Hills High School
  • Monte Vista High School
  • Grossmont High School
  • Santana High School
  • West Hills High School

Oceanside Unified School District (OUSD)

  • Oceanside High School

Charter Schools

  • Health Sciences High and Middle College

Students who do not attend one of the above-mentioned schools but are in financial need are welcome to apply for funds from private donors, foundations, or other organizations. Private scholarships will be accepted* and credited towards the tuition cost in the same way as a personal payment.

*Please note that secured financial assistance does not mean automatic acceptance into the RCHSD Summer Medical Academy.