RCSD students complete paid URMC summer internship designed to open doors to future medical careers

Rochester, New York – Rochester City School District students are beginning the new school year with more than summer memories to carry with them. Six students now have paid healthcare work experience after completing a six-week internship with the University of Rochester Medical Center’s Nex+Gen of Surgery program.

The program is a partnership between the University of Rochester Medicine Department of Surgery and EnCompass, an after-school organization that provides academic, family and career-readiness support to thousands of RCSD families each year.

The six students who recently completed the program are Catina Arbore of East High School, Nyasia Perez of School Without Walls, Sheresa McCarthy and Esperanza Tarasuk of School of the Arts, Masud Mohamed of Joseph C. Wilson Commencement Academy, and Justine Lukonde of Padilla High School.

They were selected from nearly 60 applicants and joined a 17-member group for the summer internship. Unlike a typical unpaid student program, participants were treated as formal URMC employees and placed on the health system’s payroll.

Over the six weeks, the students gained a close look at careers in surgery and healthcare. Each participant was matched with a surgery department and received guidance from surgeons. They also had opportunities to shadow medical professionals in operating rooms, giving them a firsthand look at the work carried out inside a hospital.

Read also: County Executive Bello urges Monroe County residents to take precautions as severe thunderstorms threaten the area

The experience went beyond observation. Interns took part in hands-on workshops that included surgical stitching and spinal surgery. They also completed certifications in Stop The Bleed, CPR and Narcan, adding practical emergency-response skills to their summer experience.

The program concluded with an August graduation ceremony, where students presented formal research posters based on their work. The presentations gave participants an opportunity to share what they had learned during their time at URMC.

Now in its fourth year, the Nex+Gen of Surgery program has grown considerably since its first class included only eight students. Its expansion reflects a broader effort to give Rochester students early exposure to healthcare, surgery and STEM careers.

For URMC and EnCompass, however, the program is about more than a single summer. Organizers view Nex+Gen as a long-term workforce pipeline that can help local students move from high school into healthcare and other STEM-related careers.

URMC offers entry-level positions to all students who graduate from the internship. About 60 percent of participants continue working for the health system as they pursue medical school or STEM degrees, giving them a chance to keep building professional experience while continuing their education.

Read also: RIT community invited to hear President Bill Sanders outline the university’s future at Sept. 10 address

This year’s cohort also attracted attention beyond the hospital and classroom. A local film crew followed the students during their summer experience and documented their journey for an upcoming documentary that will highlight the impact of the program.

Organizers are now looking at ways to expand the partnership even further. Future plans include developing year-round programming rather than limiting the experience to the summer, establishing direct pathways to entry-level jobs at URMC and creating additional STEM career opportunities for RCSD graduates.

As the six students return to school, the experience gives them a stronger understanding of what a future in healthcare could look like — and, importantly, a paid introduction to the field they may one day enter professionally.