Health Sciences Academy is a multi-year program on the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University campus and in our partner school districts.

As students progress through their high school careers, they are provided with opportunities to serve their communities through Community Engaged Learning initiatives, research projects, and shadowing professionals in their chosen career paths.

  • Students who participate in the summer experience are not required to participate in the academic curriculum, but participation is strongly encouraged.

College and career-ready

Students graduate from the program with a full portfolio, including four nationally-recognized National Consortium for Health Sciences Education stacking certificates and End of Course certification, as well as high school credits, potentially transferrable college (DE) credits, and valuable work-based learning opportunities. 

What to expect

students and instructors wearing blue scrubs, gloves, and hair nets in classroom.

Year 1

Students begin the program in the summer with the HSA Summer Experience. From there, students are offered the opportunity to continue in the school year earning credit for an asynchronous “Introduction to Health Sciences” course taken during school and led by the faculty.

A student performing an ultrasound on a task trainer

Year 2

Enter year 2 with a summer of volunteering and community-engaged learning experiences. Continue into your school year of work-based learning experiences and your first Dual Enrollment (DE) credits with BIO141-Human Anatomy and Physiology.

3 healthcare professionals giving a speech in front of students

Year 3

Enter your senior year with a summer of shadowing and mentoring experiences in local health science settings. Continue into your second school year of work-based learning experiences and your second Dual Enrollment (DE) credits with BIO-142- Human Anatomy and Physiology II.

“The Health Sciences Academy not only gave me the chance to try new things I never thought I would get to do, like holding a brain, but it rekindled my love of medicine and science. I am incredibly thankful that I had the opportunity to attend the Health Sciences Academy. It gave me a passion for a field I hadn’t known existed before the program. ”