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Message From the Program Team


Welcome to the Health Sciences Scholars Program!

Our unique Michigan Learning Community is built for students who have an interest in exploring professions related to health and health care. Our primary goal is to support your transition to the University of Michigan in a diverse, academically supportive, and friendly community. The Health Sciences Scholars Program (HSSP) allows us to achieve these goals through both academic and residential aspects of our community.

The academic component consists of a course taken by all first-year HSSP students in the fall and winter terms where we will explore many important aspects of health care such as health policy, health disparities, the opioid epidemic, and more. The course is taught by the Academic Director, but to demonstrate the breadth and wealth of knowledge within health and health care, many lectures are given by guest speakers who are leaders in their fields. You will also have the extraordinary opportunity to see professionals “in action” as you observe them at their jobs. Outside of the course, we look forward to academically engaging with you through exciting programming and opportunities.

All HSSP first-year students live together in a residential community in Couzens Hall. The community is supported by HSSP sophomore Peer Advisors, and junior and senior Resident Advisors who live in the community as well. HSSP professional staff and faculty offer guidance, advising, teaching, and support through the central office also located in Couzens Hall. There is even a dedicated pre-health advisor who is available to help you with course planning, life planning, graduate school applications, and more.

In HSSP, you will participate in a wide variety of community service, multicultural, community building, identity exploration and awareness, educational, and wellness events intended to make your experience well rounded and engaging. We strive to not only expose you to health-related issues and professions, but to also nurture you in the virtues common to all health professions: empathy, compassion, altruism, responsibility, integrity, and service- above-self. HSSP seeks to provide a firm footing in the earliest steps of pursuing a field in the health professions through its academic, cultural, mentoring, and advising activities.

We hope that all of us in the Health Sciences Scholars Program have the opportunity to meet and assist you in the exploration of the health professions.

Sincerely,
The HSSP Program Team 

Kyle Walton

Director of Student & Community Development

Joyce Sutton

Coordinator of Pre-Professional Advising

Sarah Stachura

Program Assistant

Lisa Harris

Academic Director