About

The Radiology Initiative for Scholarly Engagement (RISE) at UCSF is an eight-week paid summer research internship created in 2015 as part of a UC-wide commitment to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the field of radiology and biomedical imaging. Hosted within one of the nation’s top medical imaging departments, RISE places high-school, college, and medical students into active research groups where they work alongside faculty investigators, postdoctoral scholars, and clinical researchers. The program allows participants to engage with imaging science firsthand while gaining exposure to the research culture of a leading academic medical center.

Admissions to RISE are highly selective—especially for high-school applicants, who are competing with undergraduates and even medical students for places. Although the program is open to students across educational levels, it admits only a very small number of high-schoolers each year, making high-school selection one of the most competitive pathways in premedical and imaging-focused summer research. Applicants submit a personal statement, academic transcript, and letter of recommendation. Selection emphasizes academic readiness, motivation for imaging-centered research, and applicants should note that demonstrated alignment with the program’s diversity mission is essential. High-school interns receive a stipend of approximately $3,000; housing and health insurance are not provided.

Over the eight-week term, interns contribute to projects across imaging physics, radiological biomarkers, AI-driven image analysis, clinical-trial imaging workflows, or translational radiology studies. Work may involve data cleaning and interpretation, analysis of imaging datasets, literature review, protocol development, or abstract preparation. Participants attend research-group meetings, faculty seminars, and professional development sessions designed to build scientific communication skills. The program culminates in a final abstract and presentation, and many interns—especially at the college and medical-student levels—pursue additional scholarly output following the summer.

RISE distinguishes itself through its immersion in a top-tier radiology research environment and its focus on broadening access to imaging science for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds. For the few high-school students admitted, the program offers an unusually advanced introduction to medical imaging research and provides direct mentorship from clinician-scientists and imaging experts. Because so few high-schoolers gain access to high-level radiology research, the value of the program for those selected is substantial. Although RISE lacks the name value of some of the older and better-established research programs, its academic quality and experience is truly second to none.