Medical Students – Educational Tracks - SCORE Program

2026 Summer Clinical Otolaryngology REsearch (SCORE-Oto) Program

2026 Summer Clinical Ob/Gyn REsearch (SCORE-Ob) Program

2026 Summer Clinical ThOracic REsearch (SCORE-ThOr) Program

2026 Summer Clinical Emergency REsearch (SCORE-Em) Program

An 8+ week intensive summer opportunity to pursue clinical research and observe clinical care in either Otolaryngology – Head & Neck surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Thoracic Surgery, or Emergency Medicine.

Program Details

• Sponsored through the respective departments at Kaiser Permanente Oakland and Richmond Medical Centers & Graduate Medical Education
• Program dates: June 15, 2026, to Aug 7, 2026 (option to extend additional 1-2 weeks before or after program dates)
• Students are paired with a faculty mentor to guide them through clinical research project(s) and/or quality improvement projects. Students will be involved in a variety of activities ranging from protocol/study development, data entry and chart review, data analysis, abstract/manuscript preparation, etc.
• ~4 days per week dedicated to clinical research
• ~1 day per week in clinical setting (e.g. ambulatory clinic, operating room, emergency room)
• Available positions for 2026:
  • 3 spots available for Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery
  • 2 spots available for Ob/Gyn
  • 1 spot available for Thoracic Surgery
  • 1 spot for Emergency Medicine
• Stipend of up to $400/week

Previous Accomplishments

Click on the article and links to learn more about the projects and accomplishments of the past years’ SCORE Program and participants.

Previous Publications & Presentations by SCORE students can be reviewed here:

SCORE Scholarly Activity 2017-2025

Previous Participants

2016
Nathan Calixto, UC Irvine (HNS)
Whitney Chaio, UCSF (HNS)
David Corpman, UCSF (HNS)
Twyla Jaymes, Georgetown University (HNS)

2017
Mitchell Anderson, Tufts University (HNS)
Lap Huynh, UCLA (HNS)
Debbie Pan, University of Miami (HNS)
Melissa Socarars, University of Illinois (HNS)
Lucero Diaz, University of Illinois (OB/GYN)
Joanna Poceta, George Washington University (OB/GYN)

2018
Joshua Calton, University of Arizona (HNS)
Nicholas Cheung, USC (HNS)
Christopher Da Silva, University of Chicago (HNS)
Friederike Luetzenberg, University of Central Florida (HNS)
Isabella Silvestre, Cooper Medical School Rowan University (OB/GYN)
Reshma Varghese, George Washington University (OB/GYN)

2019
Lauren Boeckermann, University of Cincinnati (HNS)
Robert Hill, Mercer University (HNS)
Dang-Khoa Nguyen, University of Central Florida (HNS)
Mulin Xiong, Michigan State University (HNS)
Angeleque Hartt, SUNY Downstate (OB/GYN)
Nazineen Kandahari, UCSF (OB/GYN)

2020
Alyssa Ayala, Drexel University School of Medicine (HNS)
Stefan Edemobi, Eastern Virginia Medical School (HNS)
Samir Hassanin, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (HNS)
Joseph Shen, Washington State University (HNS)
Sachi Desse, Morehouse School of Medicine (OB/GYN)

2021
Lydia Briggs, Drexel University School of Medicine (HNS)
Kimberly Ramirez, University of Massachusetts Medical School (HNS)
Priyanka Singh, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (HNS)
Austin Swisher, University of California Riverside School of Medicine (HNS)
Ameisha Tutwiler, University of Toledo College of Medicine (OB/GYN)

2022
Abhishek Doshi, SUNY Upstate (HNS)
Swapnil Shah, Creighton University (HNS)
Kalena Liu, CUNY (HNS)
LaBryson Green, Mercer University (HNS)
Joncel Stephens, Mercer University Savannah Georgia (OB/GYN)

2023
Richard Pellizzari, Michigan State University (HNS)
Aida Martinez Salazar, Drexel University (HNS)
Brooke Stephanian, Indian University (HNS)
Quynh-Lam Tran, Dartmouth (HNS)
Bharathi Chinnakotla, University of Illinois Chicago (OB/GYN)
Ashley Huynh, University of California Irvine (OB/GYN)

2024
Brandon Aguilar, University of Pittsburgh (HNS)
Vivek Annadata, Hofstra University School of Medicine (HNS)
Emmi Deckard, University of California Riverside School of Medicine (HNS)
Sacha Moufarrej, University of California San Diego School of Medicine (HNS)
Ameek Bindra, Carle Illinois College of Medicine (OB/GYN)
Jeitzel Torrez-Rodriguez, Ponce Health Sciences University (OB/GYN)

2025
Sherifa Akinniyi, Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science (HNS)
Nickolas Pudik, Jefferson Medical College (HNS)
Alisha Suri, University of Hawaii School of Medicine (HNS)
Jesse Brewer, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine (OB/GYN)
Maliha Khan, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (OB/GYN)
Sriha Srinivasan, George Washington School of Medicine (OB/GYN)
Elaine Liang, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine (Thoracic)

How to apply

Complete the following by January 25, 2026:

Complete the application below

• Attach your Curriculum Vitae as a PDF file
• Attach your Personal Statement (700-word limit, 12pt font, double-space) as a PDF file: Tell us about yourself; discuss your interest in this program, your interest in the specialty, and your career goals.
• 1 Letter of Recommendation to be sent to Symone Gilliam (symone.r.gilliam@kp.org) by the deadline. This can be from a current or previous mentor, professor, supervisor, employer, etc, who knows you well and can comment on your academic potential. IMPORTANT: Please instruct your letter writer to title the correspondence email as “SCORE 2026 LOR for [Applicant Last Name, First Name]” and attach the letter as a PDF or Word file.

KPNC believes that a diverse faculty, workforce, and student body is essential to our long-term success in medicine. We strongly encourage applications from minority candidates who are under-represented in our specialty, and those interested in health care disparity research.

FAQs:

Can I apply for multiple SCORE programs?

You can only apply for ONE program, NOT multiple programs (e.g. you cannot apply for both SCORE-Oto and SCORE-OB/GYN).

I do not attend an accredited U.S. Medical School.  Can I still apply for this program?

No.  We do not accept pre-medical student, students not attending an accredited U.S. medical school, international students (except those who are attending an accredited U.S. medical school), or any foreign medical school graduates.

How flexible are you with the start and end dates and program duration?

We allow up to 2 weeks flexibility (before and after) around the start and end dates.  We ask for a minimum of 6-8 week commitment for your participation in the program.  At least 6 of the 8 weeks must be in-person/on-site participation.  This is to ensure maximum benefit for each student from the program.

What is the stipend?  Is housing provided?

Students will get $400/week for in-person/on-site program participation.  No stipend is provided for virtual/off-site participation.  This stipend is intended to cover travel and housing during the program.  The program does not provide housing for participants.

When will I be notified of the application status?

Students will be notified in mid to late February of the application status.  Students may be rejected, wait-listed, or accepted directly into the program.