School of Medicine

Pathway & Enrichment Programs

The Pathway and Enrichment Programs at Tufts University School of Medicine and the Tufts Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences serve students interested in the fields of medicine and biomedical sciences.

Our programs begin with youth in middle school and high school by providing interesting and informative courses for those who take an early interest in medicine or biomedical sciences. If students choose to pursue these fields, support and services continue through college and post undergraduate studies.

Many students then choose to give back by mentoring or teaching pipeline courses of their own to the next generation of pipeline students.

Pathway Programs

trainee at the microscope

Tufts IRACDA

An opportunity for postdoctoral fellows who want to balance their research with teaching

Enrichment Programs

High school students participate in the Lab Science Investigations summer program at Tufts.

Lab Science Investigations

A laboratory-based experience where high school students contribute to a research project that studies a critical societal challenge.

Past Pathway Initiatives

For more than three decades, the Teachers and High School Students (TAHSS) Program played a pivotal role in expanding access to health and science career pathways for students across Greater Boston. Founded in 1989, TAHSS was created with a clear mission: to expose high school students from diverse backgrounds to health care and related professions, while supporting their academic growth, personal development, and long-term success.

The program’s roots stretch back to two groundbreaking initiatives launched by Tufts University School of Medicine in 1989—the Minority High School Tutorial PLUS Program and the Minority High School Research Apprenticeship Program. Together, these early efforts provided local minority and disadvantaged students with academic tutoring, mentorship from medical students, and immersive research experiences funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In 1999, the program evolved further into a combined initiative with the NIH-supported National Center for Resources Minority Initiative: K–12 Teachers and High School Students, deepening its reach and impact.

Over the years, TAHSS continued to evolve, always grounded in its mission to expand access, nurture curiosity, and support students’ academic and personal growth.

In 2023, the Office for Multicultural Affairs (OMA) and the Center for Science Education (CSE) united the strengths of TAHSS with the CSE’s Mini Med Connect program to launch STEM+M CONNECT. This new collaboration expands opportunities for Boston-area students through residential learning, hands-on exploration, and multi-tiered mentoring.

The legacy of TAHSS lives on in STEM+M CONNECT, shaping a new generation of students as they discover their pathways in STEM and medicine.

At every step, I am reminded how fortunate I am to have had programs like TAHSS that encouraged me to dream boldly and believe in my potential.

2018 TAHSS Student

You’ve given me the gift of knowledge and also of confidence in myself and in my future. For that I’ll be forever grateful.

2022 TAHSS Student