Future Health Innovators Academy Pathway Programs

REACH Program
Research and Education for the Advancement of Compassionate Healthcare

The Carle Illinois College of Medicine REACH program is an intensive clinical research immersion summer experience for undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career in health care. In addition to this research experience, students will also gain information about preparing for medical school. REACH is designed to grow the presence of students underrepresented in the field of medicine.

SpHERES High School Research Program

Sparking High Schoolers' Excitement for Research in Engineering & Science

SpHERES  is a dynamic research program for Champaign-Urbana high school students interested in pursuing higher education, supported by the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. Participating laboratories host SpHERES students who work together under the mentorship and guidance of a research faculty member and additional mentors (graduate or undergraduate students in the lab). Multiple layers of mentoring provide students with a richer, more fulfilling research experience.

SpHERES is part of the Young Scholars Summer STEMM Research Programs, which partners with engineering departments across campus to share programming and broaden the experiences for participants.

Doctor for a Day

Doctor for a Day is an event established and led by the Carle Illinois College of Medicine chapter of the Student National Medical Association, and is aimed at encouraging students to pursue a career as a physician. CI MED students and faculty welcomed local high school students to the JUMP Simulation Center in Urbana, with workshops in medical skills, including heart and lung sounds, intubation, anatomy, and laparoscopic surgery, planned for the event. The event also included a question and answer panel over lunch with CI MED faculty and students.

Mini Med School

Future Health Innovators Academic - Mini Medical School

The Carle Illinois College of Medicine Mini Medical School (MMS) program offers fourth and fifth-grade students from participating central Illinois schools an opportunity to partake in an engaging, hands-on learning adventure. The program will allow participants to explore various health professions, and dive into their passions for science, medicine, and innovation. Sessions will be held from September 2025 to April 2026.

Health Innovation Academy

At Carle Illinois College of Medicine, medical students and faculty are re-engineering healthcare by applying engineering principles and advanced technologies to real-world medical challenges. The Health Innovation Academy offers an immersive experience that shows participants how clinicians and innovators approach and solve complex problems. Students explore a wide range of medical and health careers while developing foundational clinical, innovation, and entrepreneurship skills. They also practice technical procedures in the state-of-the-art Jump Simulation Center, a safe and high-tech environment designed for early learners.

The Health Innovation Academy is part of the Illini Summer Academies (ISA) Program.