Health Leadership Apprentice Program
The Health Leadership Apprentice Program is Dell Medical School’s undergraduate experiential learning program for aspiring health leaders studying within any school and discipline at The University of Texas at Austin.
The HLA program’s mission is to prepare program members with skills to achieve Dell Med’s vision of defining the future of health. The program accomplishes its mission by organizing health leadership development opportunities, including projects that improve health and health care in Texas.
About the Program
Health Leadership Apprentice Program members participate in one or more experiential learning opportunities during their time in the program. At the end of the year, members present their work at the program’s showcase event, highlighting their contributions to advancing Dell Med’s mission and vision.
Upon acceptance, HLA program members work in Canvas to complete research and leadership training modules, as well as Dell Med volunteer onboarding tasks.
- For every track, members are required to complete accountability procedures, including learning agreements, biweekly project update surveys and more.
- Every semester, members are required to participate in community service, social and educational events organized by HLA program leaders. These intimate settings foster an environment where members can engage with the community, build rapport with fellow members and gain profound insights into the transformative landscape of health care in Central Texas.
- Every year, members are required to help review and score membership applications for the next cohort.
Program Tracks
Track A: Community-Driven Initiatives
Students in Track A are assigned to one of several “houses” in which they collaborate with community organizations on health-related projects through Dell Med’s Community-Driven Initiatives program.
Students engage in a variety of capacity-building projects, including enhancing existing community organizations, promoting organizational growth, analyzing quality improvement data, developing their own outreach projects through community partners, and more.
Track A members have the opportunity to receive course credit in the spring term upon successful completion of program requirements in the fall term. Students also have the opportunity to publish a blog post.
The time commitment for Track A ranges from approximately three to five hours per week, including regularly planning with team members, completing individual projects tasks and meeting with HLA faculty, staff and partnering organizational leaders to receive mentorship and guidance on projects.
Track B: Opportunity Pool
Students in Track B have the opportunity to partner with Dell Med’s esteemed faculty, staff and community partners on research and health projects aimed at transforming health care. Opportunities are posted exclusively for HLA program members, allowing them to apply to and work on projects of their interest.
This track provides a platform for students to gain valuable experience and contribute to impactful health care initiatives with their host site.
The time commitment for Track B ranges from approximately two to 10 hours per week, including regularly planning with host site team members, completing individual project tasks and meeting with host site leaders to receive mentorship and guidance on projects.
Track C: Self-Initiated Projects
Track C allows students who have completed at least one semester in the HLA program to propose and implement community health and research projects of interest. Students can work on individual self-initiated projects or work with HLA staff to identify peers interested in working on group self-initiated projects.
After conducting preliminary research and completing a project presentation to HLA faculty, staff and peers, students are connected to Dell Med’s faculty, staff and community partners.
These projects allow students to build on their house project, engage with faculty/staff opportunities or explore original ideas. Track C provides a platform for students to drive meaningful change and innovation in health care, leveraging their experience and creativity. Track C members also have the opportunity to receive course credit for their projects and the opportunity to publish a blog post upon completion of the course.
Program Leadership
Students also receive the experiential learning opportunity to learn how to and practice effectively running a program serving 100 members. Program leadership roles range from co-presidents, co-directors and committee members.
These roles encompass a variety of responsibilities, including organizing programming, planning student events, coordinating fundraising efforts and managing other key initiatives. Through these leadership opportunities, students can hone their teamwork skills, gain valuable experience in project management and make meaningful contributions to the HLA community.
The time commitment for program leadership ranges from approximately two to five hours per week, including regularly planning with project team members, completing individual project tasks and receiving regular high-level mentorship and guidance from HLA faculty and staff, as well as leaders from Dell Med’s development, communications and human resources offices.
Areas of Impact
To support the HLA program and its following areas of impact, make a gift ».
Apprentices learn how to take their ideas from the drawing board to the streets of Austin in support of Dell Med’s work to improve health in the local community as a model for the nation.
Apprentices build their leadership skills by attending workshops, participating in volunteer activities and gaining insights during staff office hours.