Overview

Overview

Dana Sands, MD - Program Director
Jill Anderson, MBA- FL Market Education Administrator

Cleveland Clinic in Florida has a strong commitment to medical education and research. We believe that as an integral member of the community, it is important to offer students the opportunity to become familiar with different careers in medicine and the path to achieve them. The Summer Scholar Program is geared towards incoming high school seniors and college undergraduate students, providing exposure to the practice of medicine in both the hospital and clinic settings. The program runs Monday through Friday, approximately 8 hours daily with changes in times based upon the assigned rotation.

It is encouraged that any summer classes or any time off not be taken during the dates of the program.

  • High School Students (Rising Seniors): One of two (3 week) sessions will be assigned.
  • College Students (Undergraduate Students): One (4 week) session.

Program activities

Students will be exposed to many clinical areas including Internal Medicine, Radiology, Emergency Medicine, Surgery, as well as many other sub-specialties. Students will have direct interaction with staff physicians. The experience will culminate with a case presentation from each of the students during a graduation ceremony.

Program dates and schedule

  • High School Session 1: June 16, 2025 to July 4, 2025.
  • High School Session 2: July 2, 2025 to July 25, 2025.
  • College Session: June 23, 2025 to July 18, 2025.
  • Mandatory High School Orientation: June 16, 2025 for BOTH sessions.
  • Mandatory College Orientation: June 23, 2025.
  • Any student in session 2 will be required to attend orientation on June 16.
  • You must attend orientation to participate in the Summer Scholar Program. There will be no exceptions.

Student schedules will be given out at orientation. Students will be expected to be on Cleveland Clinic’s Weston campus Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. with minor changes based upon a specific rotation. We ask that all participants be able to fully commit to the program as this is a true work environment for our staff and mentors. Students who cannot commit to the schedule can cause a disruption to the work environment and affect patient care.

Eligibility

The Summer Scholar Program is a program designed to introduce rising high school senior students and college undergraduate students to the many career options available in the medical field. Local high school rising seniors should have a GPA of 3.6 or higher. They will rotate through multiple specialties within the hospital and outpatient clinic and have the opportunity to experience the various disciplines in medicine through lecture series and clinical rotations. The students will have a chance to ask questions and to explore different work environments.

Housing

No housing will be provided. Students are responsible for their own accommodations. It is mainly intended for students who live within Broward County.

Costs and stipends

No stipend will be available. You are responsible for your meals.

Cafeteria hours

Monday through Friday
Breakfast: 7 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Lunch: 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

If accepted to the Summer Scholar Program there will be an onboarding and processing fee of $100 to be paid upon acceptance into the program.

Dress code

Any student participating in the Summer Scholar Program will be required to dress in business professional attire at all times. They will be given a lab coat to use for the duration of the program that must be returned at graduation.

There will be a fee for any lab coat that is not returned.

Program goals

The goals of the program include the following:

  1. Provide an individually structured full-time learning experience at Cleveland Clinic in Florida during the summer for selected students.
  2. Introduce students to clinical medicine and foster their interest in the field.
  3. Raise consciousness about the daily tasks and responsibilities of a physician, offering real-world hospital experience.
Applications

Applications

Online application

Students interested in applying to the Summer Scholars Program may do so by completing and submitting the application and providing all supporting documents. Please be sure to read all deadline and required document information prior to submitting your application.

  • Applications must be completed and submitted by the candidate for consideration.
  • Please send all documents in one email, including recommendation letters.
  • PDF files only. Do not send Google doc links or zip files as they will not be reviewed.
    • When attaching documents please label each document: First Name, Last Name and Document Title. Example: Jon Smith- Application, Jon Smith – Transcripts, Jon Smith – Drug Screen.
  • Only completed applications will be reviewed.
  • You must email all completed application materials including recommendation letters to FLSummerScholar@ccf.org.
    • **If needed, recommendation letters can be sent directly from the reference, separately from the application.
  • Only email applications will be accepted.
  • Applicants must be responsible for submitting their own complete applications. We highly discourage parents from submitting applications on applicant’s behalf, and they will not be reviewed.

Deadline and notification of acceptance

  • We will begin to accept applications for the 2025 program on February 1, 2025 at 8 a.m.; do not submit early as it will not be viewed, and the deadline will be Sunday, March 30, 2025 at 8 p.m. with NO EXCEPTIONS.
  • All complete application materials with recommendation letters are due by: 8 p.m. on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
  • Notification of acceptance to be announced via email by week of April 28, 2025.

*Emailed applications will only be accepted.

Required documents and information

  1. Application Form.
  2. Emergency Contact Form.
  3. Personal Statement / Essay 650 words. Please put your name on your essay. What sparked your interest in the field of medicine? What do you hope to gain in your participation of the program?
  4. Two Letters of recommendation from school. Please email with the complete application documents. Letters need to be on the school's letterhead and have the appropriate signatures. Recommendation letters can be from teachers, administration or guidance counselors, coaches, etc.
  5. School transcripts with a Cumulative GPA of 3.6. Transcripts can be an unofficial printed document. If transcripts are sealed, please open and scan with application.

Things to note if you are accepted

  • If you are accepted into the program, you will need to complete Cleveland Clinic's Non-Employee onboarding program in Silkroad.
  • You will also need to provide documentation of a PPD (TB Skin Test).
  • You will need to provide Titers (evidence of immunization).
  • Drug Screen (10 Panel Urinalysis) we do not give orders. We recommend going to Any Lab Test Now.
  • Proof of health insurance.
  • A passport style photo. Photo or headshot with solid white background send in JPEG format. This will be used for your ID badge. Not a copy of passport, not glamor shots, not a cropped photo of you and a friend.
  • If you are accepted, you will be responsible for a non-refundable onboarding and processing fee of $100.
  • If ALL requirements are not met by the due date in the acceptance email, then you will be removed from the program with NO EXCEPTIONS.

*There will be no exceptions for incomplete or late submissions of Silkroad.

Contact Us

Contact Us

For more information, please contact us by email at FLSummerScholar@ccf.org

Location

The Summer Scholar Program will be held at the Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital campus.

Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital 
2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd.
Weston, FL 33331