About

The Sports Medicine Summer Academy, part of UC San Diego's Research Scholars program, is a three-week commuter course for rising 11th and 12th graders interested in musculoskeletal medicine, athletic health, and clinical sports science. Running July 6–24, 2026 on the UCSD Extended Studies campus in La Jolla, the program is led by Dr. Brittany Hollenbeck and draws on UCSD's medical faculty to deliver instruction that goes meaningfully beyond what most high school health or biology courses cover. Tuition is $3,500; the program does not offer institutional financial aid, though payment plans are available.

Enrollment is open — no competitive application is required beyond a minimum 3.3 GPA — but the program fills quickly; by late January 2026 it was already 80% enrolled. Classes run Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. International students are welcome and typically attend on a B-2 tourist visa, though the program cannot sponsor F-1 visas. Students completing the course earn 6 pre-college units, which may transfer for secondary school credit at the receiving school's discretion.

The curriculum covers basic anatomy and pathology of common sports injuries, epidemiology and prevention, current concussion research, exercise science, nutrition, and mental health in athletics. Hands-on components include therapeutic taping and wrapping techniques, basic wound care, and muscle and ligamentous assessment. Students also complete an individual research project in sports medicine and use wearable technology to assess their own fitness. Career pathways in sports medicine are covered explicitly, making the program well-suited for students genuinely weighing athletic training, physical therapy, orthopedics, or sports medicine as a direction.

For a San Diego–area student seriously considering a healthcare career with an athletic focus, the Sports Medicine Summer Academy offers substantive, faculty-led instruction in a field that most high school programs don't touch.