Pipeline Dreams: High School
Program Overview
Pipeline Dreams: High School is 12-week hybrid program designed to prepare high school juniors and seniors for future careers in medicine, healthcare, and public health. The program combines interactive online sessions with immersive in-person experiences, providing students with both academic enrichment and professional exposure.
Through a curriculum grounded in health equity and racial justice, students explore over 15 medical and allied health careers while working closely with undergraduate peer mentors.
Weekly online sessions feature Black and brown healthcare professionals across a range of specialties, offering students representation while they begin building their professional network.
In small groups, students learn key public health concepts and collaborate on research proposals that examine racial and ethnic health disparities.
To complement the virtual curriculum, students participate in three in-person experiences: a medical education conference, a Hands-on Healthcare Experience (a full-day clinical simulation event), and the culminating Student Research Expo. Together, these opportunities provide both academic skill-building and insight into the educational and professional pathways that lead to careers in medicine and healthcare.
This initiative directly advances the first pillar of PRW’s mission to increase the pipeline of minority clinicians.
2026 Program Dates
Online Program Sessions: January 20, 2026-April 11, 2026
Week 1: Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Week 2: Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Week 3: Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Week 4: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Week 5: Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Week 6: Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Week 7: Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Week 8: Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Week 9: Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Week 10: Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Week 11: Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Week 12: Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Students photographed at Saint Joesph’s of Lancaster healthcare after a day at their simulation labs for the Hands-on Healthcare Experience including 5 various clinical stations like Suturing, Intubation, Ultra-Sound, EKG, OR Procedure and more! (Feb 2023)
In-Person Experiences
Opening Ceremony
PA Cohort: Thursday, January 15, 2026 - PRW HQ @ Southern Market
MA Cohort: Tuesday, January 13, 2026 - UMass Chan Medical School
Hands-On Healthcare Experience
PA Cohort: 1-5pm Saturday, February 7, 2026 - Saint Joseph’s University in Lancaster
MA Cohort: 9am-1pm Saturday, February 7, 2026 - UMass Chan Medical School
Medical School Campus Tour
PA Cohort 8-2pm Saturday, March 7th, 2026 - Penn State College of Medicine
MA Cohort 9am-12pm Saturday, March 7th 2026 - UMass Chan Medical School
Student Research Expo
PA Cohort: 6-8pm Thursday, April 9, 2026 - PRW HQ @ Southern Market
MA Cohort: 6-8pm Thursday, April 9, 2026 - UMass Chan Medical School
Important Note: In 2026, Pipeline Dreams: High School will continue to serve two cohorts: our flagship program in Lancaster, PA, and a cohort in Worcester, MA. Each cohort will have separate in-person experience dates and locations.
2026 Student Research Expo Projects
Scroll through the nine Research Proposals presented by high school juniors and seniors from our 2026 Cohort below.
Program Admission
The Pipeline Dreams: High School application process is designed to give students ample time to understand the expectations of the program and meaningfully demonstrate their interest in pursuing a career in medicine or healthcare.
12-Week Spring Program
Pipeline Dreams: High School 2026
Tuesdays, 6PM-8PM EST
Applications Due 12/1/2025
Application Timeline: Important Dates
Please review the important dates below to ensure you remain on track throughout the admissions process:
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Once application is live, we encourage all students to review all program eligibility requirements below:
Current enrollment in 11th or 12th grade
Availability for all online sessions (Tuesdays, 6-8pm EST, January-April 2026)
Demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in medicine, research, or an allied health profession
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Register online for one of our upcoming sessions.
Lancaster-based students are encouraged to attend in-person at the PRW Headquarters 100 S Queen St. Lancaster PA 17603.
Students seeking to apply to join the the MA cohort or in the greater northeast region may join via Zoom; meeting credentials will be provided after registration.
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All application materials, including transcripts and short answer responses, must be submitted by Wednesday, December 1, 2025 at 11:59 PM ESt. Late submissions will not be considered.
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Selected applicants will be invited to participate in interviews between December 8 and December 23, 2025. Interviews allow our program team to learn more about each student’s academic interests, career aspirations, and motivation to participate in the program.
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The official list of students accepted into the 2026 Pipeline Dreams: High School cohort will be released on Monday, January 5, 2026.
Accepted students will receive additional instructions to complete the intake process and an invitation to the Program Opening Ceremony for their cohort.
Students placed on the waitlist will be notified of their acceptance by January 13, 2025.
Student will have one week between January 5 throughJanuary 12, 2026 to accept their spot in the program. If they have not accepted their spot by January 12, 2025 their spot will be given to a student on the waitlist.
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Students will either accept or deny their admission and attend their cohort’s Opening Ceremony event
PA Cohort: Thursday, January 15, 2026
MA Cohort: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
During the ceremony, students will meet program leaders, mentors, peers, and receive their official Pipeline Dreams Welcome Box with program materials.
We are so excited for you to start this journey with us. Patients R Waiting for you!
Karisa Augustine, Director of Pipeline Programs
karisa@patientsrwaiting.com