Summer Springboard
Middle School Medicine
ON THE CAMPUS OF UC SAN DIEGO
THIS PROGRAM COMBINES ACADEMIC COURSES, INTERACTIVE LABS, AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO GIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS A SUPPORTIVE, FUN, AND ENRICHING SUMMER EXPERIENCE.
THIS IS A ONE-WEEK PROGRAM WHERE YOU’LL FOCUS ON ONE COURSE FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION.
Middle School Medicine
- Learn emergency medicine techniques like CPR, splinting, and suturing in hands-on simulations.
- Diagnose and treat simulated patients in team-based scenarios.
- Experience a “mass casualty” triage in a simulated emergency room.
- Gain behind-the-scenes insights into emergency rooms and ambulance operations.
- Achieve CPR certification and learn Basic Life Support (BLS) skills.
- Meet EMT professionals.
Summer Springboard
Middle School Medicine
About This Course
This program provides middle school students interested in pursuing medicine with real hands-on experience where they can build a set of medical skills at an early age.
Imagine being able to set a splint, stop a bleed, and perform CPR as a middle school student! Students will learn medical techniques through age-appropriate simulations and guided lessons. In addition, they’ll work with small groups to research a patient’s history and symptoms, create a diagnosis based on findings, and develop a treatment plan.
TOPICS YOU'LL EXPLORE
Hands-on Learning
Students will have the opportunity to engage with leading emergency medicine specialists. During academic excursions, guest speakers will share their wealth of knowledge and encourage career exploration.
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.
“The experience was very fun. The classes were well prepared and organized. The excursions planned were cool as well. Overall, the experience of this camp was amazing!”
– Alexis W. | SSB Middle School Alumni Student
Summer Springboard
Middle School Medicine
Meet Your Instructor
Sessions 1 & 2
Matthew Mandel is a health science and physical education teacher in San Diego with a background in emergency medicine and healthcare education. He currently teaches high school students in emergency medical response and health science, helping prepare them for careers in healthcare and first responder fields.
Before becoming a teacher, Mr. Mandel worked for nearly a decade in hospital emergency rooms with organizations such as UC San Diego Health and Scripps, where he assisted doctors and nurses in providing critical patient care. He is also a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and CPR instructor, with experience performing life-saving procedures and responding to real-world emergencies.
In addition to his classroom teaching, Mr. Mandel has taught college-level EMT courses and has a background in exercise science, earning a master’s degree in kinesiology. His work has included research on human performance and heat safety, as well as experience as a firefighter responding to wildfires and emergency situations.
Outside of the classroom, Mr. Mandel and his wife are both educators, and they stay busy raising their 5-year-old. This connection to both education and family life helps shape his approach with students creating a supportive, engaging, and real-world focused learning environment.
Mr. Mandel is passionate about making learning hands-on, engaging, and connected to real life. In the Summer Springboard program, he looks forward to helping students build confidence, learn practical health and safety skills, and explore future career pathways in a fun and supportive environment.
Session 3
Kimya P. Owens, RN-BSN has over twelve years of experience as a registered nurse and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), while also completing her training as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) with a focus on Family Practice. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from University of California San Diego and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University San Marcos. Kimya is deeply passionate about health promotion and education. She has served as a community nursing educator in public health and has held diverse clinical roles, including postpartum nursing, clinical evaluation, and adolescent care within a nonprofit organization. Her dedication to health, wellness, and meaningful connection with others continues to drive her work both in clinical practice and in her work as a mother and wife with her family at home. She is committed to advancing patient-centered care, education, and improving health outcomes through evidence-based practice and compassionate leadership.
MATTHEW MANDEL
Photo Coming Soon
KIMYA OWENS
Summer Springboard
Middle School Medicine
Dates & Tuition
| 2026 Dates |
|---|
| Session 1: June 28 – July 3, 2026 |
| Session 2: July 5 – July 10, 2026 |
| Session 3: July 12 – July 17, 2026 |
Click here to enroll in this course using our online enrollment form.
| Tuition |
|---|
| Residential Tuition: $2,998 |
| Commuter Tuition: $1,598 |
| Supplemental Fee: $250 |
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.