Mayo Clinic CARES students working in the lab at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.

Mayo Clinic CARES

Career Advancement, Research, and Education Summer Program (Arizona)

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Program Overview

The Mayo Clinic CARES Program, hosted by the Office for Education Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, is an exciting pathway program for Arizona high school students with a competitive selection process.

The mission of the program is to expose students to the wide spectrum of healthcare careers by providing engaging learning experiences and opportunities to meet Mayo Clinic professionals, establish connections, and discover new possibilities for their personal and professional journeys. The program strives to foster learning about personal strengths, develop professionalism skills, promote wellness, and ultimately inspire students to become a future leader in the healthcare workforce.  

While we do provide students the opportunity to observe and learn about the daily activities of professionals across the hospital, we don't offer opportunities for individual shadowing or research. 

Video: Mayo Clinic CARES program

Video: Mayo Clinic CARES program

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Past programming

The Mayo Clinic CARES Program was founded in 2019, and has grown from seven to 40 students in 2022, with both a combination of in-person and virtual programming over the last few years.

Class of 2019

Mayo Clinic CARES 2019 graduates pose for a group photo at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.

Class of 2021

Mayo Clinic CARES 2021 graduates pose for a group photo outside at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.

Class of 2022

Mayo Clinic CARES 2022 graduates pose for a group photo outside at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.

Class of 2023

Mayo Clinic CARES of Class of 2023

To view the program schedule and speaker agenda from past program years, click on the PDF links below:

Program leadership

Program leadership

Cuong Nguyen, M.D., AGAF, FACG, FASGE
Medical Director of Mayo Clinic CARES
Associate Dean for Global Professional Education
Medical Director, Supply Chain Management
Associate Professor of Medicine, College of Medicine

Maria Molina, M.S.
Program Director - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Chara Pruszynski, M.P.H.
Operations Manager

Office for Education Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
5777 E. Mayo Blvd
Phoenix, AZ 85054

Mayo Clinic CARES Steering Committee

  • Cuong Nguyen, M.D., AGAF, FACG, FASGE, Medical Director of Mayo Clinic CARES, Consultant, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and Associate Professor of Medicine
  • Shannon Laughlin-Tommaso, M.D., Consultant, Chair, Division of Gynecology, Associate Professor of Obstetrics-Gynecology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Associate Dean of Office for Education Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Barbara Jordan, M.A., Operations Administrator, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
  • Lori Bratvold, M.Ed., Operations Administrator, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
  • Leslie Barnum, M.S.N., R.N., C.N.E., Nursing Education Specialist, EBP Coordinator
  • Carlos Bravo, M.Ed., Admissions Recruiter, Office of Strategic Student Recruitment and Outreach, MCCMS
  • Anikar Chhabra, M.D., Chair, Division of Sports Medicine; Associate Chair of Clinical Practice, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Consultant and Professor of Orthopedic Surgery
  • Brynn Goldberg, M.S.N., R.N., Manager, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, and Instructor in Orthopedics
  • Vicki Hochstetler, M.Ed., Operations Manager, Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences
  • Yoshika (Yoshi) Ikeda, M.A., Education Administration Coordinator, Office for Education Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Keith Jones, M.A., Program Manager, Office of Joy and Well-being
  • Asher Kaye, M.H.A., M.B.A., Operations Manager, Experiential Learning-Arizona
  • Kit Kough, M.A., Program Director, Mayo Clinic Center for the Humanities in Medicine
  • Ronda Lewis, M.B.A., Program Director-Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Office for Education Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Instructor in Health Care Administration
  • Ron Mack, Diversity Recruitment Specialist, Workforce Development
  • Maria Molina, M.S., Program Director-Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Office for Education Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Instructor in Health Care Administration
  • Farhia Omar, M.P.H., Program Manager, Center for Health Equity and Community Engaged Research, Instructor in Healthcare Administration
  • Chara Pruszynski, M.P.H., Operations Manager, Office for Education Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Assistant Professor of Health Care Administration
  • Patricia Rodriguez, M.S., CME Specialist, Mayo Clinic School of Continuing Professional Development
  • Nicole Schuren, M.S.W., L.M.S.W., Pediatric/Adolescent Social Worker, Program Manager
  • Sharon Torres, Program Director-Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Office for Education Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Kairin Whiteside, CAVS, Director of Volunteer Services and Gift Shops
Ba Nguyen, M.D.

It’s exhilarating to see Mayo Clinic and the community joining hands to bring forward our best generations. A critical pathway to build the groundwork for further advancement of medical sciences. Mayo Clinic CARES is a mutually enriching experience for us all, and, more importantly, it is a wonderful way to build strong and enduring relationships with our learners and the community.

Cuong Nguyen, M.D., AGAF, FACG, FASGE
Medical Director of Mayo Clinic CARES

Barbara Jordan

We are thrilled to be able to provide healthcare career exploration opportunities to high school students in the Valley. Providing access to health careers to all learners is something that the Office for Education Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has sought to accomplish for a long time. This program is fantastic.

Barbara Jordan
Administrator, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science

Academics ▸ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ▸ Programs ▸ Mayo Clinic CARES
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