Menu
The BCPH Public Health Summer Institute Pre-College Program for high school students is an intensive four-day summer program designed to give you a glimpse into the dynamic and evolving world of public health and social justice. During your four days at The Boston Congress of Public Health Summer Institute, you’ll dramatically enhance your knowledge of the intersecting fields of public health, health equity, and social justice near the campuses of Harvard University, Yale University, UCLA, or Gallaudet University!
Topics include: social and political determinants of health; health policy and health management; maternal and child health; refugee and immigrant health; LGBTQ+ health; public health entrepreneurship and public health leadership; racial justice; gender equity; and much more!
Feed your intellect WITHOUT the pressure of letter grades. You will be intellectually provoked by leading public health and social justice scholars as you immerse yourself in public health and health equity, without quizzes or tests.
Successful completion of the summer institute will allow you to earn Certificates of Achievement in Public Health and Academic Journalism!
All in-person participants will also receive a free BCPH annual membership!
Uncover hidden passions and be transformed. Similar to AI and machine learning, health has been growing as a very popular and critical field. Whether you’re undecided about your future college major, have a budding interest for medicine or career in healthcare, or even oriented toward business and law – the BCPH Public Health Summer Institute will be inspiring and life-changing.
Participants of the Pre-Medical Academy will have a significant head-start on other pre-medical students! It is also great preparation for the MMI, which is the special interview utilized by many medical schools as a means of admissions.
Visit top-ranked colleges and get the inside scoop! We will have tours of the Harvard University and Harvard Medical School, Yale and Yale Medical School, and Claremont Colleges in Boston, MA, New Haven, CT, Los Angeles, CA, and Washington, D.C. respectively.
*Note: Pre-Medical Academy is the first day of each session. All sessions will be located near or on the university campuses specified.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling admissions basis. Acceptances will be sent out on a rolling basis.
*Note: courses in academic journalism, resume-writing, and interviewing will only be offered in person.
Applications Open March 15, 2023.
**Extremely late applications received in July 2023 will be considered on a case-by-case basis given space availability.**
Total fee for a 2023 Boston Congress of Public Health Summer Institute/ Pre-College Program session is as follows:
The program fee includes tuition and activity costs for the institute. The fees do not change based on location. Accommodations are not included and can be requested.
There is also a non-refundable application fee depending on early, regular, and late registration:
Application fees are as follows:
Fee Increase for non-early registration: regular registration Summer Institute $2650, Pre-Medical Academy $1650; late registration: Summer Institute $2800, Pre-Medical Academy $1800; extreme late applications: Summer Institute $2950, Pre-Medical Academy $1950)
Aid: No scholarships or fee waivers will be available for the sessions offered in summer 2023.
Discounts: High Schools that intend to send 5 or more students to the Summer Institute should inquire about discounts at communications@bcph.org. Discounts only available for early registration.
Enrollment: Sessions are subject to cancellation if low enrollment numbers.
Students will need to complete an application/registration form that includes the following information:
(a) Basic demographic information
(b) Current official or unofficial transcript
(c) Letter of Intent from teacher or high school administrator
(d) Short essays on public health, social justice, and interest in institute/pre-medical academy
BCPH Public Health Summer Institute/Pre-College Program is designed for the following: passionate, academically motivated students who are interested in:
(a) Exploring the dynamic and tantalizing fields of public health and social justice,
(b) Attaining unparalleled exposure to leading public health and social justice scholars,
(c) Getting ahead of the competition with Certificates in Public Health and Academic Journalism, and
(d) Earning a BCPH Transcript
APPLICATIONS ARE ROLLING ADMISSIONS.
Our Pre-College Program (in-person) is open to rising sophomores and seniors. The asynchronous/downloadable program is open to all high school students, including rising freshmen.
BCPH will evaluate all information submitted—including transcripts and short essays—when considering your application. Preference will be given to highly motivated and interested applicants, so showcase your passion!
Note: BCPH will be unable to provide visas or other support for international applicants. There are no fee waivers at this time for the Summer Institute. There is no GPA requirement for the Public Health Summer Institute or the Pre-Medical Academy.
The Boston Congress of Public Health Summer Institute & Pre-College Program is a four-day program during which you will experience the Harvard Campus, Yale Campus, Claremont Colleges campus, and a Washington D.C. college campus and learn about the myriad of sub-fields within public health, health equity, and social justice.
Sessions run from approximately 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Note: The Pre-Medical Academy, an optional add-on to the Summer Institute, occurs at the beginning of each session. It lasts over the course of one day, from approximately 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
The Summer Institute session schedule is as follows:
*Note: Pre-Medical Academy is the first day of each session. All sessions will be located near or on the university campuses specified.
Yes, applicants can apply to just the Pre-medical academy or Public Health Institute. Alternatively, they can apply to BOTH programs. If the applicant does the in-person session, they DO NOT need to purchase a downloadable session, as this will be available for them after the session for a limited period of time.
At BCPH’s Public Health/Pre-College Program for high school students allows you the following:
● Matchless opportunity to learn about public health, health equity, and social justice for leading scholars educated at Harvard, Yale, Oxford University and more!
● Opportunity for in-depth TOUR of Harvard, Yale, Claremont Colleges, and Washington D.C. college campuses
● A FREE annual Boston Congress of Public Health Annual Membership. See membership benefits here: https://bcph.org/membership/
● A Certificate of Achievement in Public Health from the Boston Congress of Public Health
● A Certificate of Achievement in Academic Journalism from the Boston Congress of Public Health
● An Academic Transcript of Public Health Courses Completed (optional) from The Boston Congress of Public Health
● Training in writing exceptional resumes and learning top interviewing skills
The Pre-medical Academy is offered over the course of one day, from 9 AM to 6 PM. It covers ALL of the pre-medical knowledge not typically covered in standard pre-medical courses. Thus, you will not receive instruction on general biology, general chemistry, physics, organic chemistry, or biochemistry. Instead, you will learn everything else that future physicians are expected to know, such as trends in healthcare technology, organ transplantation, procedures for brain death and cardiac death, telemedicine, personalized medicine, and more.
The Public Health Institute covers all sub-topics within public health, such as infectious disease and epidemiology; public health entrepreneurship and leadership; health policy and health management; maternal and child health; occupational health; LGBTQ+ health; immigrant and refugee health; disability rights; racial justice; and more.
The Pre-medical academy is separate from the Summer Institute in content. However, the Pre-Medical Academy is jointly offered by The Boston Congress of Public Health and Infinity Ivy Consulting. The Summer Institute is offered solely by The Boston Congress of Public Health.
All participants who attend the summer institute – in person OR virtual/asynchronous – will receive a Certificate of Achievement in Public Health from The Boston Congress of Public Health.
All participants who attend the summer institute – in person OR virtual/asynchronous – will receive a Certificate of Achievement in Academic Journalism from The Boston Congress of Public Health.
Participants who attend the summer institute in person can OPT-IN to receive an Academic Transcript of their courses in public health. These will be designated Honors/Pass/Fail. While these may not be used as college credit in the future, they will detail all of the courses you’ve taken and allow you to showcase your growing knowledge in these fields.
There will be specialized and short multiple choice questions for each lecture presented during the summer institute. A percentage of 90% or greater on these tests will constitute honors for the lecture/course.
The BCPH Pre-College Program courses are introductory, but nonetheless rigorous. During the four-day sessions, participants will be in class from 9 AM to 6 PM, and take over 25 courses during the session. However, participants are given time for a 90-minute lunch break and multiple coffee breaks throughout the sessions.
Participation in a Pre-College Program with The Boston Congress of Public Health can help with college admissions in a few important ways:
BCPH’s Pre-College Program and Pre-Medical Academy will proffer an unparalleled experience. You will not find this unique and dynamic curriculum offered anywhere else. We challenge you to look: Where can you spend less than a week in intensive, immersive programming and receive a FREE annual membership to a professional public health society, a certificate of achievement in public health, a certificate of achievement in academic journalism, and an academic transcript?
Yes, just doing a downloadable version of the Public Health Summer Institute and Pre-Medical Academy will require that you complete an application/registration form. Early, regular, late, and extreme late registration fees will still be applicable.
The Boston Congress of Public Health (BCPH) is a dynamic, international, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that seeks to democratize public health through the lens of social justice. BCPH realizes this mission through its BCPH Studio, BCPH Academy, and BCPH Policy and Advocacy arms, which transcend the traditional boundaries of academia and medicine, and support the next generation of public health thought leaders committed to social justice.
BCPH was established in August 2021 by Co-Chief Executive Officers Dr. Candice Carpenter and Dr. Circe Gray Le Compte, alumni of the Harvard Chan School of Public Health. In Fall 2021, BCPH’s mission, vision, and activities were crystalized by a cohort of public health advocates deeply passionate about public health, social justice, and health equity. These founders represent a diverse and elite swathe of individuals who are Harvard and Oxford alumni, physicians and nurses, scientists and researchers, consultants, and activists and practitioners of public health from around the world.
The Boston Congress of Public Health is an independent and privately owned organization that is not directly affiliated with any of the universities mentioned in this programming.
