Program Overview
The Discovery Program is designed for students interested in health care and who may have limited access to opportunities to explore related careers. The program exposes students to a range of healthcare jobs through:
- Tours
- Guest speakers
- Group discussion
- Engaging activities
In addition, the program:
- Fosters professional development
- Provides community service and leadership experiences
- Offers opportunities to network with healthcare professionals
Meetings
Meetings are held once a month. The meetings are typically on the third Saturday of the month from 9 am to noon during the school year. Meetings take place at the locations listed below. Meeting dates, times and topics may change.The program schedules a community partner experience with your chapter.
Chapters
The Discovery Program offers six chapters. Each chapter has similar but different programs. If scheduling permits, there may be activities with multiple chapters. Central Chapter hosts a two year-program, all other chapters offer a one-year program for applicants entering the 2023 to 2024 school year.Chapter assignments: Your chapter is based on the county where your school is located. For students who are homeschooled, your chapter is based on the county where you live. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from these locations.
- Cook County (City of Chicago and North Suburban Cook): Central Chapter is hosted at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
- Lake County: North Chapter is hosted at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital
- McHenry County: Northwest Chapter is hosted at locations including:
- Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital
- Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital
- Northwestern Medicine Woodstock Hospital
- DeKalb, Kendall, LaSalle, Lee and Ogle counties: Greater DeKalb Chapter is hosted at locations including:
- Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital
- Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital
- Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital
- Northwestern Medicine Proton Therapy Center
- DuPage County and Kane County: West Chapter is hosted at locations including:
- Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital
- Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital
- Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital
- Northwestern Medicine Proton Therapy Center
- Will County and South Suburban Cook County: South Chapter hosted at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital
Eligibility Requirements
First-year applicants must:
- Be at least 15 years of age.
- Be entering sophomore or junior year of high school. Suburban chapters will accept seniors on a limited basis.
- Have an academic GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 GPA scale. Students with a GPA below 3.0 can explain any unique circumstances on their application, and they may still be considered.
- Commit to the program, including attending Discovery Program meetings and community partner activities. No more than two excused absences are permitted.
- Commit to follow all Discovery Program guidelines and policies.
- Submit the completed application to the appropriate chapter.
Second-year returning students (Central Chapter only for the 2023–2024 school year) must:
- Have successfully completed the first year of the Discovery Program and maintained good standing as defined by the guidelines and policies.
- Commit to the program, including attending Discovery Program meetings and community partner activities. No more than two excused absences are permitted.
Application
The application window for the 2023-2024 program has closed. Please revisit this page in August 2024.
To apply, you must submit:
- A complete student application and transcript
- Submit your completed application.
- Type your essays into a separate document and copy them into the forms. The forms do not save your progress.
- Upload your official or unofficial transcript with your application as a PDF.
- A complete academic recommendation form
- Your academic reference must submit the complete form by the to-be-determined September 2024 deadline.
- A teacher, counselor, principal or other adult academic professional can be your academic reference.
- Your academic reference must include your email address, exactly as you included it in your application.
Deadline
You must submit your application and school transcript by 5 pm CT on September 29, 2023.
The program will not make any exceptions.
Notification
Each Chapter Committee reviews all complete applications. You will get a decision email from the Discovery Program by November 1, 2023.
Locations
Contact
For questions about the application process or the Discovery Program, please email nmyouthprograms@nm.org.
For questions specific to each chapter, please contact:
- Central Chapter: nmdiscoveryprogramcentral@nm.org
- North Chapter: nmdiscoveryprogramnorth@nm.org
- Northwest Chapter: nmdiscoveryprogramnorthwest@nm.org
- West Chapter: nmdiscoveryprogramwest@nm.org
- Greater DeKalb Chapter: nmdiscoveryprogramgreaterdekalb@nm.org
- South Chapter: nmdiscoveryprogramsouth@nm.org
NM GCM Grosvenor Discovery Program
Application Deadline:
9/29/2023
Session Begins:
11/18/2023
Schedule:
Saturdays 9 am-12 noon
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