Greetings! Thank you for your interest in supporting URI. URI promotes the increase exposure to the field of medicine and we are proud of its incredible success.
— Estephannie Alvarez (Cohort 2019)
— Eemai Holt (Cohort 2022)
In 2026, the UCSF/Kaiser Permanente Undergraduate Research Internship (URI) Program will embark upon its EIGHTEENTH YEAR!
The UCSF/Kaiser Permanente Undergraduate Research Internship (URI) was created to build a strong and supportive pathway for premedical students at the University of California, Berkeley to pursue careers in medicine. Each year, URI engages its interns in a meaningful summer research project, clinical shadowing at UCSF, Kaiser Oakland, and San Francisco General Hospital, academic seminars, leadership development, and extensive mentoring during the 8-week paid internship. Program directors also provide guidance throughout the medical school application process.
In 2021, URI expanded to include two program tracks, doubling the number of students who could participate. The traditional program continued with its research internship, clinical shadowing, mentoring, and academic seminars, while the new certificate program provided seminars and mentoring for an additional 16 students. Surveys from the 2021 class highlighted the powerful impact of the new track. This growth, along with the continued strength of our traditional program, is only possible thanks to the generosity of our donors and the dedication of research mentors, for whom we are deeply grateful.
In 2025 the URI program, URI Leadership, introduced the MCAT Preparation Protocol in partnership with The Princeton Review for URI alumni. This initiative provided access to an MCAT prep course and study materials, intending to remove additional barriers to standardized test preparation.
Over the past 18 years, URI has supported more than 280 UC Berkeley students. Today, we are proud to celebrate the achievements of our alumni: 30 currently enrolled in medical school, 22 in residency and fellowship programs, 10 in nursing or nurse practitioner programs, and 11 pursuing advanced degrees such as MPH, MPP, and MEd. We are honored that many URI alumni continue to receive mentoring for a decade or more after completing the program.
As we look to the future, we remain committed to inspiring motivated and talented students to pursue careers in the medical field. Every gift, no matter the size, makes a lasting impact on URI’s mission.
To make a gift online, please click here. If you prefer to make a gift by check, please contact [email protected]
Associate Chief of Academic Affairs
Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences
Inaugural and Sustaining Member, Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators
Co-founder of UC/Kaiser Undergraduate Research Internship
University of California at San Francisco
Assistant Professor