Skip to main content.

Summer Teacher Externship

The Summer Teacher Externship is a multi-day experience in which health science teachers can experience health career programs at KU Medical Center.

What is Summer Teacher Externship?

The Summer Teacher Externship is an annual event offered at no cost for Kansas health science teachers to gain first-hand experience with health career programs at KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. The event is held in the summer and consists of three days of immersion in various departments within the KU Medical Center.

Each year, the KU AHEC will open up registration for the event. We accept a maximum of 16 health science teachers from across Kansas each year and spots are assigned on a first-come-first-served basis.

Image link to summer teacher externship 2023 photo album

Our Goals

The goals of the Summer Teacher Externship are:

  • Increase understanding of the academic preparation, admission requirements, and selection procedures for health professions programs
  • Increase effective transmission of relevant information from post-secondary health professions programs and the healthcare industry to the secondary health science classroom
  • Provide health science teachers contact with current students in health professions programs
  • Develop relationships with Kansas State Department of Education, KU Medical Center, the Area Health Education Centers and Kansas high schools

Externship Activities

The Summer Teacher Externship provides three days of hands-on educational activities. The day will typically begin with an info session then proceed to various departments across the KU Medical Center Campus. Activities from previous years have included:

History

The KU Medical Center Area Health Education Center developed the Summer Teacher Externship to provide an opportunity for health career cluster teachers to obtain continuing education hours in accordance with the Kansas State Department of Education's approval process for implementation or continuation of the Health Science Career Pathway/Cluster curriculum.

The externship was piloted in 2009 with 3 teachers from the Kansas City Kansas School District. It was expanded in 2012, offering the externship to approximately 12 health science teachers from across Kansas. 

For More Information

For more information about the Summer Teacher Externship, please contact Tina Goosz by email at tgoosz@gmail.com or by phone at 620-235-4040.

    Community Engagement

    University of Kansas Medical Center
    KU Area Health Education Center
    1501 S. Joplin
    4th Floor, Shirk Hall
    Pittsburg, KS 66762
    Phone: 620-235-4040