SLU, Collegiate Strengthen High School-to-Medical School Pathway

SLU, Collegiate Strengthen High School-to-Medical School Pathway

ST. LOUIS - A partnership between Saint Louis University's School of Medicine and local high school Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience serves as a model for how early exposure and mentorship can transform lives-and communities- as SLU invests in future physicians.

The internship program is designed to build a direct pathway from high school to medical careers. SLU's Office of Ignatian Mission in Medicine and Collegiate has collaborated to offer senior students immersive, hands-on experiences in clinical and research environments for over a decade.

This initiative reflects SLU's commitment to educational equity, community engagement, and the development of future health care professionals.

"The students from Collegiate stand out for their impeccable preparation," said Tim Murrell, Ed.D., program director for pathway development, student engagement and retention at SLU's School of Medicine. "They undergo rigorous mock interviews and professional skills training, ensuring they are well-equipped for the demands of the internship."

From January through April, students intern at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital every Tuesday and Thursday, rotating through departments such as surgery, internal medicine, and basic sciences at SLU's Doisy Research Center. These experiences provide early exposure to the medical field, helping students envision and pursue careers in healthcare.

Clinicians regularly highlight the students' maturity, knowledge, and eagerness to learn-many even express a wish that similar opportunities had been available during their own high school years.

The program's impact is already evident. Many alumni have gone on to pursue health care professions, with several currently enrolled at SLU's School of Medicine and others serving as neurology residents, nurses, and researchers. The program exemplifies the powerful pathway SLU has built between high school and professional medical education.

With 100% of students classified as economically disadvantaged and 61% identifying as minorities, Collegiate's success underscores the transformative impact of mentorship, opportunity, and mission-driven education.

"This partnership is more than an internship - it's a calling," said Samantha Moyerman, bioscience internship coordinator at Collegiate. "We look for students who not only excel academically but who also demonstrate a deep commitment to service and compassion."

From Interns to Medical Students

Abdul-Haq Alli, a former Collegiate intern and graduate who is now a first-year medical student at SLU's School of Medicine, credits his internship experience as a pivotal moment in shaping his journey toward medicine. From assisting at the nurses' station to exploring various specialties, he vividly remembers the experiences that left a lasting impact.

"Shadowing spine surgery and joining the ophthalmology team gave me hands-on insight and a real sense of belonging," Alli shared. "The interns' camaraderie and the supportive environment made success feel possible. I'm deeply grateful - that experience shaped my path."

This partnership exemplifies SLU's mission of cura personalis-care for the whole person-by instilling values of empathy, service, and academic excellence. Students are encouraged to think beyond personal success and embrace a calling to serve others through medicine.

"The SLU and Collegiate partnership gave me early exposure, mentors, and real responsibility," said Alli, an aspiring neurosurgeon. "It turned medicine from an abstract idea into something I could see myself doing. It did not just make me want to be a physician. It helped me believe I could be one."

About Saint Louis University

Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious Catholic research institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 13,300 students a rigorous, transformative education that challenges and prepares them to make the world a better place. As a nationally recognized leader in research and innovation, SLU is an R1 research university, advancing groundbreaking, life-changing discoveries that promote the greater good.

About SLU School of Medicine

Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River. The school educates physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health care on a local, national and international level. Research at the school seeks new cures and treatments in five key areas: infectious disease, liver disease, cancer, heart/lung disease, and aging and brain disorders.