California Medicine Scholars Program

A new pathway for the next generation of California’s doctors

From 2016 to 2021 CMC convened health and higher education leaders and advocates seeking solutions to broaden access to the physician training pathway for Californians. These convenings led to the design and launch of the California Medicine Scholars Program, the first statewide initiative to support community college students on the path to medical school. 

With sponsorship from California State Senator Melissa Hurtado, CMC secured $10.5 million in the 2021 State Budget Bill to establish the program across four Regional Hubs of Healthcare Opportunity. The California Wellness Foundation, The California Endowment, The California Health Foundation, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s

Now administered through the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI), CMSP is operated through a central office in the Foundation for California Community Colleges. The four RHHOs are collaboratives of community colleges, four-year institutions, medical schools, and local health organizations that each support URiM community college students to transfer and become competitive applicants to medical school.

Regional Hubs of Healthcare Opportunity

A partner medical school for the region leads each hub. Click the icons to learn more about the impact and services.

Inland Empire Regional Hub for Healthcare Opportunity

Region X Hub of Healthcare Opportunity

Greater Northern California Regional Healthcare Hub

San Joaquin Valley Regional Hub of Healthcare Opportunity

 CMC Design Partners and Convening Participants

CMC has immense gratitude for the over 200 individuals and institutional partners who invested countless hours, advocacy and financial support to make possible the California Medicine Scholars Program. Participants, speakers, supporters and volunteers represented the following entities, programs and offices.

From 2016-2021 CMC hosted a number of convenings to galvanize will and engage stakeholders in the development of CMSP.

Napa Valley College

National Hispanic Medical Association

National Medical Association

Office of Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (District 15)

Office of Assemblymember Rob Bonta (District 18)

(former) Office of California Legislative Black Caucus Chair, Assemblymember Shirley Weber (District 79)

(former) Office of California State Senator Richard Pan (District 6)

Office of California State Senator Melissa Hurtado (District 16)

(former) Office of Congressmember Barbara Lee

Honorable Elihu Harris, Esq 

Office of the Mayor of Oakland

Pasadena City College

Peralta Community College District

Physicians for a Healthy California

Samuel Merritt University

Sinkler Miller Medical Association

Solano Community College

Stanford School of Medicine and the Center of Excellence for Medical Education

The California Endowment

The Campaign for College Opportunity

The Permanente Medical Group

The WIT Group

UCLA Luskin School’s Latino Policy & Politics Initiative

University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health

University of California Davis, College of Biological Sciences

University of California, Davis, Post Baccalaureate Program

University of California, Davis, School of Medicine

University of California, Irvine, College of Health Sciences

University of California, San Francisco Healthforce Center

University of California, San Francisco, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Office of Opportunity and Outreach

Western Center for Law & Poverty

Alameda County Health Pathway Partnership

AltaMed Health Services

American Association of Medical Colleges

Butte-Glenn Community College District

California Community College Chancellor’s Office

California Community Colleges Health Workforce Initiative

California Competes

California Correctional Health Care Services

California Department of Education

California Pan-Ethnic Health Network

California Future Health Workforce Commission

California Health Care Foundation

California Health Professions Consortium

California LAW Inc.

California Medical Association

California Primary Care Association

California State University, Long Beach Physics Department

California State University, Office of the Chancellor

Central Valley Higher Education Consortium

Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science

Deeptok

East Bay Cardiology Group

East Los Angeles Community College

Foothill College

Foundation for the California Community Colleges

Golden State Medical Association 

Greenlining Institute

Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine

Manatt, Phelps, & Phillips, LLP

Marcus Foster Education Institute

Meharry Medical College

Multicultural Health Foundation