How 200 High Schoolers Got a Head Start on Their College Pre-Med Path

Key Takeaways

• Each summer, more than 200 students from across the country come to Outset's one-week program at UNC-Chapel Hill to explore a future in medicine.
• Getting in is competitive, through an application, interviews, and teacher references, and nearly all students arrive with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
• The days follow a clear rhythm: mornings on the pre-med path, afternoons on hands-on medical skills, and evenings spent building friendships.
• The impact shows up in alumni feedback, where the vast majority leave more interested in healthcare and clearer on how the pre-med path works.
• The curriculum was built with practicing physicians, including Outset's Chief Medical Officer, George Bugarinovic, M.D.

Outset is a one-week pre-college program where students in grades 9 to 12 explore a medical specialty, practice hands-on skills, and prepare for the college pre-med path.

Each summer, more than 200 students in grades 9 to 12 attend a one-week pre-college program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill called Outset. Outset is designed for high school students aspiring to enter the medical field.

During the week, students explore a medical career of their choice, such as surgery, pediatrics, or primary care. They also build confidence in the pre-med path through deep-dive sessions on how to succeed as a pre-med in college. Outset now operates on multiple college campuses. The results and testimonials speak for themselves, but let's look closer at why Outset is quickly becoming the program of choice for aspiring pre-medical students.

How can a high school student prepare for the pre-med path?

Build a strong academic foundation, gain clinical exposure through shadowing and volunteering, develop good study habits, and join a hands-on program.

This mirrors what the AAMC recommends for future medical students: prepare academically, gain experience, explore programs, and build the skills doctors need. Outset is built around exactly this, and our guide to medical classes in high school covers the academic side in detail.

How does Outset give you an edge?

Outset builds a head start through a structured day designed by top physicians and modeled on early medical school training.

A recent UNC-Chapel Hill cohort welcomed 204 students from across the United States, each selected through a competitive process involving applications, interviews, and teacher references. The students came from highly diverse backgrounds, with strong academics: 98% had a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Outset's curriculum is structured around three core segments of the day, morning, afternoon, and evening, each designed to address a different aspect of the medical profession. Every part of the day is crafted with the mission to prepare the next generation of American physicians and healthcare workers. Top physicians like Stanford's George Bugarinovic, M.D., the Outset Chief Medical Officer, helped design the curriculum, blending real-world experience with medical educational innovation.

What happens during a day at Outset?

Each day has three parts: morning pre-med guidance, afternoon hands-on medical skills, and evening community activities.

Mornings: Head Start on Pre-Med

Each morning, students take part in sessions that debunk common myths about the pre-med journey. Outset builds these sessions in consultation with top college pre-med advisors at leading universities. The sessions give high schoolers up-to-date and factual insights about succeeding as a pre-med, which helps students build confidence and make informed decisions about their path.

Afternoons: Hands-On Medical Skills

Afternoons are reserved for experiential learning, where students take part in simulations similar to those encountered by medical students in their early years. These sessions include activities like suturing, intubation, and ultrasound, facilitated by a team of faculty, residents, and medical students, providing a realistic glimpse into the daily life of a healthcare professional. The moment medicine clicks looks different for every student. For some it is a patient-interaction simulation, feeling for the first time what it is like to bring empathy and clinical thinking into a real scenario. For others it is a surgery video that leaves them itching to learn more, or a suturing session where they realize they are in the zone and genuinely good at it. As one UNC student told us afterward, the patient-interaction simulations gave them a realistic feel for the environments they could be learning in once they further their education.

Evenings: Building Friendships

The educational rigor of the program is balanced with evening activities that foster community and relaxation. Students enjoy local outings, sports events, and dining experiences, which play a crucial role in building lasting friendships and networking opportunities. These friendships often outlast the week. We regularly hear from alumni who are still in touch years later, some of whom end up as college roommates or study partners, and many say that support system is exactly what kept them going when pre-med coursework got hard.

Living on Campus

Living on a college campus for the week turns pre-med from an abstract idea into something concrete. Students are not just hearing about the path in a lecture, they are sleeping in a dorm, eating in a dining hall, and walking the same paths that current pre-med students walk every day, which makes the years ahead feel real and doable instead of distant. That shift, from imagining college to picturing themselves in it, is a big part of why the campus setting matters as much as the curriculum.

What results do Outset students report?

Alumni report strong gains: 86% left more interested in a healthcare career, and 98% came away with a better understanding of the pre-med path.

Outset's impact shows up clearly in alumni feedback. Here are a few figures drawn from student surveys:

Behind those numbers is a shift in confidence. Students often walk in curious or generally interested in medicine and walk out with real clarity of purpose, able to say specifically what part of the field excites them and why. As one UNC student put it after their week, "It removed my doubts and made me more confident about having an occupation in the medical field." You can read more student testimonials on Trustpilot.

Why should 9th to 12th graders consider Outset?

For high school students exploring a future in medicine, Outset offers an invaluable preview into the medical field that goes beyond traditional education. It provides real-world medical skills through simulations and hands-on activities, career clarity that helps students make informed decisions, and networking opportunities that connect students with professionals and like-minded peers.

It is also worth saying that the week is genuinely fun, not all academics, with real time built in for friendship and rest. The academic side is designed to help students succeed and get a realistic view of the path ahead, not to test or judge them, and the whole team is rooting for every student no matter what they walk away with. Whether a student finishes the week certain that medicine is their calling or certain that it is not, that clarity is a win.

Outset is more than just a summer program, it is a stepping stone to a promising future in healthcare. The program's blend of educational rigor, hands-on experience, and exciting activities makes it a great investment for any high school student serious about a career in medicine. Outset continues to offer financial aid, including full scholarships for academically promising students who demonstrate financial need. If you are organizing peers, our guide on how to start a pre-med club is a useful next step. Start your application to take the first step.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can high school students prepare for the pre-med path?

Build a strong academic foundation in science and math, gain clinical exposure through shadowing and volunteering, develop good study habits, join HOSA or a pre-med club, and attend a hands-on program like Outset. This matches the AAMC's guidance for future medical students.

What hands-on medical activities can high school students do?

In the right setting, students can practice suturing, take vitals, learn basic ultrasound, run mock patient scenarios, and earn CPR certification. Outset offers these in clinical simulation labs.

Where does the Outset program take place?

Outset began at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and now runs on multiple college campuses across the country.

Who can attend Outset?

Students in grades 9 to 12 who apply and are selected through interviews and teacher references.

Does a summer program actually help with pre-med?

It can. After one week at Outset, 98% of alumni reported a better understanding of the pre-med path and 86% said it increased their interest in a healthcare career.

What do students gain from living on campus during the program?

Living on campus makes the pre-med path concrete. Instead of just hearing about it, students sleep in a dorm, eat in a dining hall, and walk the same paths current pre-med students walk, which helps them picture themselves in college rather than just imagining it.

Is financial aid available for Outset?

Yes. Outset offers financial aid, including full scholarships for academically promising students who show financial need.

Ready to explore medicine?

Outset is a one-week summer Program for students in grades 9 to 12 who want hands-on medical experience with practicing physicians. Start your application or explore Programs and campuses.

Related Outset Reading

• How to Start a Pre-Med Club in High School
• Medical Classes in High School: Best Classes for Future Doctors
• The 10 Best Summer 2026 Medical Programs for Teens

Sources

• AAMC, Four Things a High School Student Can Do to Prepare for Medical School. https://students-residents.aamc.org/resources-k-12-students/four-things-high-school-student-can-do-prepare-medical-school
• Outset alumni reviews (Trustpilot). https://www.trustpilot.com/review/joinoutset.com
• Mentorship and interest in medical careers (Health Equity). https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/heq.2020.0060