National HCOP Academy to Support Careers in Osteopathic Medicine

The National HCOP Academy at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM) is a comprehensive, multi-level initiative designed to expand access to health professions education and careers for students with limited financial resources or academic preparation. Rooted in a mission to foster diversity in the healthcare workforce and to address health disparities in underserved communities, the HCOP Academy provides a continuum of programs spanning high school, undergraduate, graduate, and medical student levels. Operated by Rowan-Virtua SOM, the Academy delivers mentorship, academic and personal advising, financial support in the form of scholarships or stipends, and hands-on exposure to health professions and community partnerships. Eligibility is determined on a rolling basis and limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, with program placement tailored to participants' education levels.

For high school students the Academy offers targeted initiatives: a six-week Summer Explorers program for rising juniors and seniors combining research activities with medical student mentors, career exploration and college-readiness skill-building; a Saturday Academy consisting of 20 sessions for juniors that strengthen academics and prepare students for higher education while engaging them in community-health intervention proposals; and a National Ambassadors program for seniors involving monthly trainings and team-based, research-informed service projects addressing local health disparities. Each of these programs emphasizes experiential learning, leadership development, and exposure to social determinants of health.

Undergraduate participants engage in National Ambassadors programming that pairs them with high school and medical student ambassadors to develop research-driven projects and community partnerships. Graduate students within the Translational Biomedical Engineering and Sciences (TBES) pathway access individualized learning experiences, workshops, and advising designed to support transition into medical school. For incoming medical students, HCOP augments the standard Introduction to Medical School program with an additional week of asynchronous preparatory content, quarterly individualized advising during the first year, and monthly National Ambassadors activities that reinforce mentorship and community-engaged research. Rising second-year medical students can participate in Clinical Research, Education and Training Experiences (CREATE), further integrating clinical exposure and research learning.

Programs operate in hybrid formats: virtual sessions combined with in-person activities at the Stratford Campus, to maximize accessibility. Financial supports, including scholarships and taxable stipends distributed upon completion of program activities, are provided to mitigate economic barriers; specific stipend amounts are described during recruitment and are subject to change. Volunteers from the medical and graduate student communities serve as mentors, offering peer-to-peer support and leadership development while gaining volunteer hours and community engagement experience.

The HCOP Academy at Rowan-Virtua SOM represents a structured pathway model that aligns academic preparation, financial assistance, mentorship and community-focused research to cultivate a diverse pipeline of future healthcare professionals committed to serving underserved populations and addressing systemic health inequities.