The face of next generation's health care professionals is changing. The Stanford Medical Youth Science Program is providing a catalyst for this change by empowering and educating low-income minority high school students interested in careers in the health care profession.

    The five-week residential summer program exposes the students to the health care profession through science lectures and laboratory work, including cadaver dissections, hospital and clinical internships, research projects and one-on-one mentoring.

    The youth science program addresses the need for a more accurate representation of an ethnically diverse society in the health profession. It aims to increase the number of health care professionals who understand the social, cultural and physical needs of low-income and ethnic minority populations.

    According to the program's annual report, research indicates that health care professionals from underrepresented communities are more likely to serve the needs of communities that lack quality medical care.

    The program reaches out to urban and rural high schools within a 200-mile radius of campus. Students must come from financially disadvantaged homes and demonstrate a high commitment to the health and social problems within their communities. The program seeks out students who are interested in health care professions and have a strong academic record in science and math.

    Last summer's 23 participants were selected from a pool of more than 350 applicants. The youth science program was founded in 1987 by Dr. Marc Lawrence and Dr. Michael McCullough, both graduates of Stanford and current emergency room physicians at the Stanford hospital, and Dr. Marilyn Winkleby, a Stanford Senior Research Scientist.

    Winkleby, also a lecturer in the program, identified the need to "begin educating individuals who will understand the unique needs and cultural backgrounds of a diverse population."

    Previous participants in the program come from more than 20 ethnic backgrounds. The majority of past participants, 69 percent of them, are or will be the first in their families to attend college.

    "A lot of these students are told by their teachers and guidance counselors to lower their expectations [for college]. We tell them they belong at a top university, that they don't have to lower their expectations," Winkleby said. The mentoring role continues beyond the conclusion of the summer program. Mentors help the students with everything from writing letters of recommendation for internship and college applications to offering advice to the college bound students.

   Senior DeLise Cousins, a human biology major and co-director of the program, still talks regularly to program alumni. Cousins credits the science program for helping the students gain a sense of confidence in themselves and their studies when there are "not a lot of support systems for their endeavors." After two years as a mentor, Kate Lupton, class of '97, is now the program's outreach coordinator. In an effort to expand the reach of the program, Lupton is working to construct a World Wide Web page that will offer program information, college information targeting low-income students, financial aid tips, career guidance about health positions and a chat room for program alumni. "[The program] can really make the difference between a student going to college and not going to college," Lupton said.

    In order to coordinate new efforts to expand the existing program, the first full-time executive director, Mailee Ferguson, was recently hired. Having been a mentor during her undergraduate years, Ferguson is most impressed with the "dedication of the staff, participants and other individuals who want to see the program grow and continue."

    Ferguson is currently working to expand the summer program into the school year as well. The Health Careers Opportunity Program, modeled after the Stanford Medical Youth Science Program, targets low-income college sophomores, including Stanford students, who want to pursue medical careers. The HCOP Admissions Committee will select 20 students to participate in the summer program being held on campus from June 21 to July 31. The application deadline is March 13.

    For students interested in applying for a counselor or associate director position with the program this summer, applications are available at the human biology office. Applications are due January 30.