Opportunities & Enrichment

Use these options to build hands-on clinical experience and certifications while you are completing your transfer coursework.

• Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy — City of Hope
  Summer research experience in cancer and biomedical sciences at City of Hope.
• COPE Health Scholars
  Structured clinical volunteer program that lets you work alongside nurses and other providers.
• EMT Certification
  Emergency Medical Technician training that can lead to entry-level clinical jobs and experience.
• CNA Certification
  Certified Nursing Assistant program that can help you get bedside experience while in school.
• Medical Assistant (MA) Certification
  Training for work as a medical assistant in clinics or physician offices.
• Phlebotomy Certification
  Program focused on blood draws and basic clinical lab assistant skills.
• CPR / BLS Certification
  Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR training that many clinical roles require.
• Shadowing local doctors or RNs
  Ask clinics, hospitals, or providers you know if they allow student observers; start with your own doctor or local community clinics.
• Join clubs!
  Look for pre-med, pre-health, or service clubs on campus to find peers and additional opportunities.

Programs and ideas for students interested in biomedical engineering, medical devices, or research.

• CHOC Mi4 Summer Internship
  Innovation and research experience at CHOC (Children's Hospital of Orange County).
• University Lab Partners (ULP)
  Wet-lab and medtech coworking space; look for internships, events, or programs for community college students.
• IVC Research Symposium
  Present or explore research projects led by community college students and faculty.
• Cold email research
  Reach out directly to professors or labs whose work interests you; briefly share your background and why you want to help.
• Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy — City of Hope
  Also a strong option if you are interested in biomedical engineering or translational research.
• Join clubs!
  Look for engineering clubs, robotics teams, or design competitions at your college.

Search these program names online to find current deadlines and eligibility; many welcome or explicitly support community college students.

• CalTech SURF — Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships at Caltech.
• Project RAISE at CSUF — Research and support for STEM students at CSU Fullerton.
• Stanford SURF — Summer research program for aspiring researchers at Stanford.
• Stanford SURGE — Summer Undergraduate Research in Geoscience and Engineering.
• UCI PRIME Program — Community-focused medical education track at UC Irvine; explore outreach and pipeline opportunities as a CC student.
• NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) — Online and in-person NASA experience for community college students.
• NASA Lucy Mission Internship — Opportunities related to NASA's Lucy mission.
• NASA L'SPACE — Online academy that simulates NASA mission design and teamwork.
• Join clubs! — CS, engineering, robotics, and hackathon clubs are great ways to build projects and find teammates.