Photo courtesy of UCSF

The UCSF Fresno Office of Health Career Pathways (OHCP) has announced that it is accepting applications for its Doctors Academy programs at Caruthers and Sunnyside high schools.

The Doctors Academy program — a four-year “school-within-a-school program” — is designed for high school students looking to enter the medical field. Students receive accelerated classes emphasizing math, science and writing, as well as personal and professional development workshops, academic counseling and more.

Applications for the academy are due Dec. 1. Caruthers High School applicants interested in the program are encouraged to reach out to Ruth Salazar, ruth.salazar@ucsf.edu, and Sunnyside High School applicants can learn more by reaching out to marisol.vargas2@ucsf.edu.

Additionally, eight-grade students interested in applying for Caruthers Doctors Academy programs who live outside the Caruthers Unified School District must obtain an inter-district transfer approval. Applications for Sunnyside Doctors Academy spots are only open to eighth grade students within Fresno Unified School District.

Transfers must be completed by the Dec. 1 deadline.

The Junior Doctors Academy provides students from economically and educationally disadvantaged communities an opportunity to broaden their experience in health studies, introducing participants to potential future careers in health care, providing students an opportunity to develop interest in the industry and continue into the Doctors Academy upon completion of the program.

More information about the Juniors Doctors Academy program, open to Eighth-grade students in Caruthers and Sunnyside, will be released in Spring of 2026.

Additional information about both programs can be found at UCSF Fresno’s website.