OHACE
PULSE Program
PULSE is a semester-long educational outreach program for high school students (grades 9-12) who are passionate about healthcare health science and research. It was established in 2008, becoming an official pathway program run by the College of Medicine in 2018 with involvement from the medical student interest group by the same name.
The PULSE program aims to cultivate interest in medicine, health care and research by introducing passionate high school learners to current College of Medicine students and trainees.
Mission
To supplement student science education with a quality, 12-week longitudinal curriculum
To foster the interests of high school students from surrounding communities through interactive lectures, problem-based learning sessions and mentorship.
To enrich high school students’ current approaches in acquiring knowledge in scientific endeavors.
To enhance critical thinking skills and foster independence.
To provide important information for educational options and career paths in health care.
College of Medicine students
The PULSE student organization remains active throughout the year and encourages involvement of medical, PA, nursing and graduate students. Penn State College of Medicine students who would like to learn more about the organization or get involved, should contact PULSE leaders.
General information
Image description: PULSE 2026 - Neuroscience and Behavioral Health. Join current medical students for a hands-on, interactive learning experience exploring cases about neuroscience and behavioral health! In small groups led by medical students, you will learn about relevant anatomy, brain development, memory, understand common disorders, and more. There will also be mentoring opportunities to ask any questions you have!
Current medical student volunteers provide an interactive learning experience exploring various topics in medicine – key anatomy and terminology, common conditions and disorders, and how these vital systems work. The live virtual sessions are held Monday evenings, September through December, typically from 6-7 p.m. There may also be optional in-person opportunities offered by the College of Medicine. Space is limited and instructions for PULSE participants to sign up are provided ahead of the event.
Program Details
Virtual experience with in-person opportunity (limited transportation assistance may be available from designated pick-up points around Harrisburg.)
Live Zoom sessions focus on interactive discussions about the lecture material, including problem-based learning activities
Mentorship is incorporated into each Zoom session
Structure
Recorded lectures are sent out ahead of the scheduled session – participants are expected to watch the video prior to the Monday sessions
Interactive discussion about the lecture material
Problem-based learning session
Longitudinal mentorship session
Typical activities include:
Small group learning opportunities
Discussions about college and career preparation:
College selection process, SAT/ACT and essay tips, science major information, etc.
Location
Weekly sessions will take place on Zoom
Optional in-person activities will take place at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa.
Attendance and participation are important. If selected for the program, participants will be expected to attend and actively participate in all weekly sessions. This means watching the recorded lecture prior to the virtual session, arriving on time and staying until the end of the session, providing comments and asking/answering questions about the content, and engaging in the mentorship opportunity.
Absences
There will be no exceptions allowed for late arrivals or early dismissals for any reason other than illness or emergency.
Consideration for excused absences will be given in cases of illness, emergency, and other unique circumstances.
If you are an athlete and your game or practice schedule overlaps with PULSE, then you should discuss this with your coach.
Participants will not receive a certificate of attendance if they miss more than three (3) sessions (regardless whether the absences are excused or unexcused).
[The PULSE application typically opens in mid- to late-March and closes in late-April each year. The link will appear here when it is open, so check back frequently throughout March!]
Any student interested in science/medicine who will be in grades 9-12 at the start of the program can apply to PULSE.
Students currently in 8th grade may apply because they will be in 9th grade when the program begins.
Students who are currently seniors in high school cannot apply because they will have graduated when the program begins.
Review the following information, then click the link to apply.
Application Essays
The PULSE program typically receives 150+ applications. Your responses to the short essay questions are central to the review process and should help you stand out. We are looking for students who convey a strong interest in medicine, health science and research. Because the essays are the central part of the application, your writing is important! Allow your responses to show us who you are, how participating in PULSE could support your career goals, and how you will take advantage of the opportunity, if selected.
Here are the 2026 essay questions and tips:
Questions:
Why are you interested in participating in PULSE, and what do you hope to gain from the experience? (max 300 words)
How will your unique background and experiences contribute to your involvement in PULSE, or to your community in general? (max 150 words)
What three (3) words best describe you? Use 1-2 sentences to explain each word.
Tips:
Prepare your responses ahead of time in a Word document or PDF. You will be asked to upload your essays in order to complete & submit your application form.
Use of ChatGPT or other AI programs is strictly prohibited. Your application could be disqualified for using these programs. We want to know what you think and how you express yourself!
Do not include identifying information (name, school, family’s names, etc) – this helps us remain unbiased during application review.
Application Evaluation
Any identifying information on the application is removed and short essays are scored by reviewers on a scale of 1 to 10. Points are tallied for each student and the slots are filled in order of total scores. In the event of a tie for the final remaining slots, students who have never participated in PULSE and/or are entering their final two years of high school or are entering their first two years of high school will be prioritized in order for students to have the opportunity to participate. Students who are not accepted but have comparable scores will be placed on a waitlist and may be offered a spot in the event that some accepted students are unable to participate in the program. To allow as many students as possible to participate, students who have participated in two prior PULSE cycles are not eligible for participation.
Will PULSE be held in-person or virtually?
This year, PULSE is offering the program in a hybrid format. There will be several optional in-person sessions at Penn State College of Medicine. Space for these sessions will be limited, depending on amount of interest in attending. More information on this will be provided when acceptance offers are extended. There may be limited transportation support for students in the Harrisburg area.
How will my application be evaluated?
PULSE is a competitive program. Applications will be evaluated on your responses to the short essay questions. Identifying information from the application is removed and short essays are scored by reviewers on a scale of 1 to 10. Points are tallied for each student. If students are tied in score near the acceptance maximum, students who have never participated in PULSE and are entering their final two years of high school will be prioritized over applicants who have previously participated in PULSE or are entering their first two years of high school. There is a waitlist in the event that some accepted students choose not to participate in the program. To allow as many students as possible to participate, students who have participated in two prior PULSE cycles are not eligible for participation.
When is the deadline to apply to PULSE, and when will I find out if I was accepted?
The application deadline is typically the end of April, with no exceptions for late submissions. Decisions are made after thorough review of all applications and based on how many students we can accommodate within the small group, mentorship-focused structure of the program. Application decisions are typically sent via email in late May.
PULSE will generally meet on Mondays from 6 to 7 p.m beginning the Monday after Labor Day and ending the second week in December, and 6-7:30 p.m. when there are quiz bowls. There is no class on Indigenous People’s Day (or noted as Columbus Day on many school calendars), or the Monday before Thanksgiving. Attendance and participation are important – participants should aim to be present for all sessions.
Program Director and Advisor: Sonnya Nieves (snieves@pennstatehealth.psu.edu)