Undergraduate Internship

Who We are and Who is Eligible

In 2017, the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Academy expanded its summer medical research program for high school students to include additional research experiences for academy alumni currently attending college.

The expansion was funded, in part, by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF), which launched the Clinical Research Continuum: High School to College program to provide funds for eight institutions, including the Hillman Academy. The goal was to increase the diversity of the biomedical research workforce by providing hands-on experience for students who are underrepresented in biomedical sciences.

Only alumni who were stipend-eligible during their summer at the Hillman Academy and who are currently enrolled as undergraduates are eligible to apply. 

What Interns Will Do

The Undergrad Interns (UI), formerly, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Undergraduate Interns (DDCF-UIs) will be placed in a research lab under the direction of a mentor(s) for about 9-10 weeks. They will complete an authentic research project of interest to their mentor and will present their work at the end of the summer similar to Hillman Academy students. UIs will also receive academic and career development experiences including responsible conduct of research and ethics training and career spotlight talks from a diverse array of professionals.

Other Details

Tentative Dates: June 1st, 2026 – July 31st, 2026

As of 2026 this is now primarily a volunteer program. We will provide bus passes, but stipends/compensation is unlikely. We do not provide housing.

Application:

The application for the Undergraduate Interns is: Opening Early December 

Admission is not guaranteed.

If you need more time to apply, please contact the program staff.

For additional questions contact:
David Boone, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Biomedical Informatics
Director of Hillman Academy
dnb14@pitt.edu
412.648.7231