Program Summary

In 1996, the UMass Chan Medical School (UMass Chan) partnered with the North Quadrant of the Worcester Public Schools, Worcester State University, Quinsigamond Community College (QCC), Plumley Village (low-income housing complex), Abbott Bioresearch Center (ABC), and UMass Memorial Medical Center (UMMHC) to create Worcester Pipeline Collaborative (WPC). The program goal is to encourage, educate, and challenge under-represented and disadvantaged students to pursue careers in biomedical research, biotechnology, and healthcare professions (BBHP).

Partnership activities include: mentoring, job-shadowing, tutoring, clinical observerships, research internships, after-school programs, visiting scientist programs, a speaker’s bureau and family involvement activities. Students participate in rigorous K-12 mathematics and science curricula, and develop language skills required to enter competitive collegiate programs.

Over 6,400 North Quadrant students among seven elementary schools, Worcester East Middle School, North High School (NHS) and Worcester Technical High School (WTHS) participate in numerous program opportunities in a “seamless K-12 pipeline approach.” Senior students in the NHS Health Science Academy and the WTHS Allied Health Program participate in semester long daily observer internships.

QCC reserves ten slots annually for qualified WPC graduates to enroll within their allied health programs. QCC holds its’ EMT program classes at WTHS, where WTHS seniors can enroll in the EMT program free of charge. Central Massachusetts Area Health Education Center (CMAHEC) provides a ten-week, thirty-hour, Medical Interpreters Course for NHS and WTHS WPC students.

Program outcomes have been encouraging. From 2000 - 2010, 660 students were enrolled as seniors between the two high schools. Of that 660, 560 (84%) WPC students have been tracked for their: 1) completion of high school; 2) enrollment and completion of post-secondary certificate programs; 3) enrollment and completion of two and four-year colleges; 4) enrollment and completed of professional schools; 5) employment in BBHP.

Our Partners Include

K-20 Educators, Professionals, and Administrators from Schools, Colleges, Universities, Biotechnology, Healthcare and Science Industries, and Community Centers.

To learn more about the Health Science Academy at North High School, click on NHS.

To learn more about Worcester East Middle School, click on WEMS.

To learn more about the Health Assistance Program at Worcester Technical High School, click on WTHS.

Read about the WPC's first ten years... 

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