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Midwestern University student mentors took the lead in welcoming the next generation of healthcare professionals during the 2025 Health Careers Institute (HCI), held July 14–18 on the Downers Grove Campus. Fifteen mentors from various healthcare programs guided 30 rising high school juniors, seniors, and college freshmen through a weeklong immersive experience in the health sciences. 

A Week of Exploration and Mentorship

HCI offered hands-on activities in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, optometry, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, public health, biomedical science, speech-language pathology, and more. In addition to clinical simulations and lab sessions, participants benefited from one-on-one mentoring and a student panel representing an even broader range of Midwestern’s healthcare disciplines.

Full-Circle Moments: From Participant to Mentor

For Navdeep “Navi” Singh (CDMI ’28), a second-year dental student at Midwestern University, mentoring high school students this summer was a full-circle experience that began back in 2018 on the University’s Glendale Campus.

“I participated in the Health Careers Institute when I was a high school student in Arizona, which has guided me to where I am today,” Navi said. At the time, he was a student at Perry High School in the East Valley area near Phoenix and heard about the program on the radio. “I was considering healthcare at the time, but I didn't know which area of healthcare I really wanted to go into, so I decided to apply and try to learn about all the programs at Midwestern.”

HCI helped spark his eventual passion for dentistry. “It wasn't set in stone, but I’d say I was very interested in dentistry compared to the other fields in healthcare,” Navi explained. “I was blown away by what I saw at Midwestern, and I had fun with all the activities that they organized.”

While he didn’t walk away from the program fully committed to dentistry, Navi said the experience opened a door. “It just made me research it more, and the more research I’d done on my own after the fact, I realized that dentistry was the right fit for me.”

Now a student dentist at the College of Dental Medicine-Illinois, Navi says the experience stayed with him and influenced his decision to become a mentor. “HCI had a really big impact on me. It gave me the idea of pursuing where I'm at right now. But I've also had a lot of mentors and teachers over the years who dedicated their time to teaching me about dentistry. I wanted to pay that forward to the next generation of students.”

Opening Doors for the Next Generation

Second-year medical student Naomi Rajesh at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM ’28) also served as an HCI mentor throughout the entire week, bringing a unique perspective and leadership to the program. A graduate of Downers Grove North High School, Naomi first visited Midwestern University in 2019 as a participant in Midwestern’s Health Sciences Career Day for High School Students, a single-day event that introduces students to a range of healthcare careers. 

That early exposure sparked her interest in medicine and opened her eyes to the many professional pathways available. 

“I love working with this generation of students and trying to inspire them to be future healthcare workers. I remember being in their shoes,” Naomi said. “I came here six years ago, and now I’m a second-year medical student making the dreams that I had for so long come true.”

Throughout the week, Naomi shared guidance, encouragement, and her own path into medicine, which included earning a master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from Midwestern before entering medical school. She sees early exploration as the key to success. 

That same spirit of mentorship and paying it forward was shared by Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) students Lillian Goorsky and Rebecca Waden, both members of the Class of 2027. Like Naomi, they also attended Health Sciences Career Day as high school students: Lillian in 2020 while at Plainfield South High School, and Rebecca that same year as a student at Downers Grove North.

This summer, they returned to campus to assist with HCI’s physical therapy (PT) session. “We were asked to come in at the end of the students' time in the PT lab to answer any questions they had,” Lillian said. “We talked about what it's like to be a PT student, what PTs do and our scope of practice, what we majored in in undergrad, and more.”

Lillian recalled how much influence her own early experience at Midwestern had on her career goals. “My experience at the high school day drove me to want to help with the sessions this year because I want to share my love for the profession like the students did when I attended in 2020,” she said. “It reminds me of where I was at that age and how far I have come.”

Rebecca echoed that sentiment. “When asked to help today, I was reminded of the informative experience I had here in high school,” she said. “I love being able to help grow this profession and providing an example for future students.”

Paying It Forward 

For many mentors, the decision to volunteer stems from a desire to give high school students the kind of guidance they themselves would have liked. “I decided to mentor because I thought it was such a great opportunity for high school students,” said Clare Mielczarek (CCOM ’28). “I didn’t have an opportunity like that when I was in high school, and I think I would have really appreciated it. If there’s any knowledge I could bestow to help guide them toward the career they want, I want to do that.” 

Dental medicine student Linda Benson (CDMI ’28) agreed. “I wish I had things like this before starting my journey to dental school. Programs like this are so important. They give you encouragement, hope, and motivation to keep pursuing your goals.”  

Future Healthcare Leaders Take Their First Steps at MWU

Several high school students said the week-long program gave them a valuable chance to explore different healthcare fields and think more seriously about their futures. 

“I know I want to go into healthcare, but I’m just not sure what specialty,” said Michael Moch, a recent graduate of Oswego East High School. “This program has been nice for letting me explore the different options and get out of my comfort zone.” Lucinda Knight, a rising senior at Lisle High School, agreed: “I enjoyed learning about all the different specialties. I didn’t realize how much actually went into dentistry and what you can do with that career.” 
 

From anatomy labs to hands-on demos, students were impressed by the depth of their experiences. “It was very exciting to see,” said Suhas Yalavarthi from Huntley High School. “I got to analyze muscles, learn more about human anatomy, and our mentor treated us like family.” Universal School student Suendus Al Kodmany added, “This program taught me a lot about the field of healthcare. My mentor made the whole thing better. He was very funny, and I felt comfortable and great the whole time.”

Looking Ahead

Midwestern University’s Health Careers Institute will return next summer, continuing to offer high school students an inside look at the many paths within healthcare. Applications for the 2026 session will open shortly after the first of the year.