University of Nebraska

The information below reflects the program structure, experiences, and policies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center during the 2026 SHPEP cycle. This content is preserved as part of SHPEP’s historical record.

Overview

The Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) offers a dynamic and interdisciplinary academic enrichment experience. Our cross-cutting interprofessional curriculum is comprised of faculty and staff from the UNMC Colleges of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, and Pharmacy. We strive to graduate confident and proud SHPEP Scholars ready to pursue their educational goals and dreams.

Our six-week hybrid program is focused on essential competencies required of successful health professionals tasked with assuring health justice, access, and delivery of culturally and linguistically competent health services. Critical elements of the UNMC SHPEP curriculum include a broad spectrum of wellness promotion and fostering self-care practices, problem-solving, time- management, leadership, as well as study skills. UNMC SHPEP Scholars are involved in a wide range of academic enrichment activities in the basic and social sciences and interactive workshops including cv/resume writing, interviewing, and how to prepare a successful personal statement and application to health profession programs. Our core curriculum includes coursework in clinical prevention and population health, biomedical sciences, an introduction to anatomy and physiology, as well as physics and how physics applies to medicine and the healthcare environment.

Our site places special emphasis on academic enrichment and building scholars’ confidence for experiencing success in spaces of higher education. Each scholar is assigned to a learning community and team leads who offers daily 1:1 support as part of community circle and instruction time.  The University of Nebraska Medical Center is committed to preparing and growing a diverse and passionate health professions workforce. We welcome applications from individuals who are academically disadvantaged or from underrepresented backgrounds, regardless of race or ethnicity.

Clinical Experience: The primary focus of SHPEP at UNMC is on academic enrichment. Due to limited capacity and the need to accommodate other summer programs on campus, we are able to offer one 2-to-4-hour shadowing experience per scholar. All shadowing requests are reviewed and processed by the UNMC Office of Health Professions Education. Due to limited capacity, compliance, and safety regulations, scholars are not permitted to schedule additional shadowing opportunities directly with providers in the UNMC/Nebraska Medicine health system. Aside from shadowing, scholars interact with faculty and staff of their respective health profession college as part of health profession focused activities. These sessions largely consist of interactive, hands-on exploration which takes place in both clinical simulation and other college specific lab or classroom setting. Additionally, SHPEP at UNMC reserves one day for simulation and exploration of our state of the art iEXCEL facility. Please note this component is limited to approximately ten percent of the program experience.

Health Profession Tracks Offered:

• Medical
• Dental
• Nursing
• Pharmacy

Finances

Meals: On weekdays, we provide scholars with three meals per day. On weekends and holidays, scholars are provided brunch and dinner. We strive to accommodate all dietary restrictions of which we are made aware. Due to limitations that come with large cafeteria operations, we have not been able to fully accommodate dietary restrictions such as kosher and halal. Scholars are provided a meal subsidy in the amount of $200 to help cover the cost of groceries/meals during the virtual implementation of the program.

Stipend: The UNMC SHPEP program will provide a $1000.00 stipend distributed in two installments. The first installment of $500 is paid via direct deposit at the end of week two of on-site programming, and the final payment of $500 is paid upon successful completion of the program.

Travel: Air travel is covered for scholars who travel more than 400 miles to the site. Scholars who arrive by personal vehicle will receive mileage reimbursement if they travel more than 40 miles one way. 

Living

Housing: Scholars enjoy their private rooms and apartment style housing at the University of Nebraska Omaha Scott Campus. 

Social Activities: UNMC offers a generous lineup of social activities. Community visits include visits to the Great Plains Black History Museum, the Union for Contemporary Arts, the Malcolm X Foundation, the Omaha Star, the Kiewit Luminarium, the world-renowned Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, area parks, as well as forest climbing and zip-lining adventures. All scholars are assigned to residential community mentors who engage small teams of scholars in structured community-building activities, as well as offer one on one support during the on-site component of programming. Scholars may run for a position on the SHPEP UNMC Student Advisory Board (SAB), which is responsible for organizing and leading events, including wellness activities, throughout the program. SAB elections are held virtually prior to the start of the program.