Local Family Helps Expand Access to CHAMPS Internship Program at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland

UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland has made recent updates to the application and outreach process for its Dr. Barbara Staggers Community Health and Adolescent Mentoring Program for Success (CHAMPS), a longstanding internship that introduces high school students to careers in health care. As part of a resolution with a local parent and Pacific Legal Foundation, the hospital has ensured the program can reach a broader applicant pool of students interested in healthcare professions.

Since 2000, CHAMPS has offered students a multi-year, hospital-based experience combining mentorship, hands-on exposure to medical professions, and academic support. Through clinical shadowing and department rotations, students gain insight into a variety of health care roles while developing skills for personal and professional growth. Each internship year is composed of six- to eight-week clinical rotations in various hospital departments, selected by the students based on their specific interests. The program uses a holistic approach to provide each student with the tools, experiences, and support they need to succeed in the program and build skills that support their goals in school, career, and beyond.

For more information about CHAMPS, visit the CHAMPS webpage at https://www.ucsfbenioffchildrens.org/about/ccch/programs/champs or email [email protected].