Summer Springboard
Kinesiology and Physical Therapy
ON THE CAMPUS OF UC SAN DIEGO
LEARN THE BASICS OF HUMAN ANATOMY MOVEMENT FUNDAMENTALS AND EXERCISE PRINCIPLES WHILE DOING LAB WORK AND CLINICAL EDUCATION
THIS IS A TWO-WEEK PROGRAM WHERE YOU’LL FOCUS ON ONE COURSE FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION.
Kinesiology and Physical Therapy
- Career Exploration: Gain insights into various health professions such as Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Athletic Training, Personal Training, and Kinesiology.
- Medical Concepts: Understand injury, disability, and pain management in the context of human rehabilitation.
- Movement Analysis: Learn techniques like range of motion measurements, endurance testing, and outcome measures.
- Assessment Skills: Develop abilities in evaluating flexibility, strength, gait, and balance.
- Manual Techniques: Practice palpation, manual muscle testing, sports taping, and soft tissue mobilization.
- Clinical Exposure: Visit local physical therapy clinics and interact with professionals in the field.
Summer Springboard
Kinesiology and Physical Therapy
About This Course
The Kinesiology and Physical Therapy program at UC San Diego offers high school students an immersive experience into the world of human movement and rehabilitation.
Over the course of the program, students delve into the fundamentals of human anatomy, movement mechanics, and exercise principles through a combination of lectures, lab work, and clinical education.
Participants will engage in hands-on activities to develop assessment and manual skills, preparing them for various health professions. The program also provides opportunities to visit local clinics, gaining real-world insights into the daily practices of physical therapy professionals.
TOPICS YOU'LL EXPLORE
Hands-on Learning
Students will get the opportunity to visit local physical therapy clinics and organizations utilizing the career discipline, as well as interact with professionals in the field. In the past, students visited an outpatient physical therapy clinic, a sports physical therapy clinic, and the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center to get practical exposure.
Career Exploration
Through site visits and interactions with professionals, students will explore various career paths in the health and rehabilitation fields, gaining firsthand knowledge of different specialties.
RESOURCES
Course Infosheet
Click here to view or download the printable infosheet for this course.
Program Catalog
Click here to request our catalog to learn more about our summer programs and courses.
Campus Page
Click here to view the website page for this campus and learn more.
“I had a great time! I was able to get a lot of freedom as a rising sophomore in high school. I was able to meet people from all over the world, network and cultivate long lasting friendships. Showed a lot of interesting things about myself and future career and college plans. Thanks SSB @ UCSD!”
– Remy K. | Alumni Student
Summer Springboard
Kinesiology and Physical Therapy
Meet Your Instructor
Dr. Tracy Smith holds a Master’s and Post-Doctoral degree in Physical Therapy from Baylor University.
She is fellowship trained in orthopedics/manual therapy and is a certified Athletic Trainer (Ret.). Dr. Smith served as an active duty Army officer and physical therapist for 20 years, treating Soldiers and their families in many settings.
She brings over 25 years of clinical and academic experience from both the military and the civilian sectors. Since retiring from the Army, she has had the honor of teaching as an adjunct professor of Physical Therapy at San Diego State University and Baylor University. Dr. Smith brings her love of health, fitness, rehabilitation, and teaching together in a dynamic, balanced manner for her students.
She is a lifelong learner and challenges her students with the most current evidence in health and healing topics. She is an avid athlete, backpacker, skier, and outdoors person, and met a personal goal of climbing Mt. Whitney in 14 hours.
DR. TRACY SMITH
“Overall this is one of the best camp experiences I have had! I’ve learned so much from this 2 week course (at UC San Diego) and made so many new connections with many different people!!”
– Naveen N. | Alumni Student
Summer Springboard
Kinesiology and Physical Therapy
Dates & Tuition
| 2026 Dates |
|---|
| Session 1: June 28 – July 10, 2026 |
| Session 2: July 12 – July 24, 2026 |
| Session 3: July 26 – August 7, 2026 |
Click here to enroll in this course using our online enrollment form.
| Tuition |
|---|
| Residential Tuition: $5,998 |
| Commuter Tuition: $3,298 |
Tuition Protection Plan: Allows for cancellation for any reason up until the day of the program.
| Location |
|---|
| City: San Diego |
| State: California |
| Campus: UC San Diego |
Summer Springboard programs are not run by our campus partners (with the exception of Cal Poly and NYSID which are run in partnership with SSB). Universities and their affiliated departments and partners do not control and are not responsible or liable in any manner for any part of the Summer Springboard program.