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KP LAUNCH: Diversifying the Future of Health Care

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kplaunchKaiser Permanente’s KP LAUNCH programs offer young adults a variety of paid internship opportunities in our Oakland headquarters and administrative offices, as well as medical offices across northern California. Our goal is to build and sustain a diverse, culturally competent workforce for the future. To achieve that goal we reserve our intern positions for young people that would otherwise lack the resources to explore career in health.* By providing these young people a chance to learn from inspiring health care professionals and leaders, they can build a valuable professional network. They also gain practical skills and work experiences by focusing on projects that matter. As part of our team, KP LAUNCH interns are helping Kaiser Permanente shape the future of health care.

*Because KP LAUNCH programs are funded through our community investment portfolio, our internship positions are not available to relatives of Kaiser Permanente employees and physicians.

  • Internship Programs

  • Info for KP Physicians & Employees

    • KP LAUNCH Programs

    As part of our team, interns help us shape the future while gaining practical experience and building a valuable professional network. Our interns work have the opportunity to work for an industry leader on projects that matter.

    • KP LAUNCH High School (formerly SYEP): Eight-week, full-time paid summer work experiences for young adults ages 16-19. Learn more.

    • KP LAUNCH College: Eight-week, full-time paid summer employment for college undergraduates that are pursuing careers in health care administration, business and finance. Learn more.

    • KP LAUNCH Year Round: Extended internship positions offered at various times throughout the year. More information coming soon!

      • Program Goals

      Our vision for KP LAUNCH is to positively impact the lives of young adults from backgrounds that are currently underrepresented in health care careers, and build a pipeline of diverse talent that will become future leaders in health care. This is all part of Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to high quality care, and being able to meet the cultural and linguistic needs of northern California’s increasingly diverse communities.

      More specifically, our goals are to:

      • Introduce underrepresented and low-income high school and undergraduate interns to careers in health professions.

      • Provide opportunities for interns to develop and foster professional and community leadership skills in a supportive environment.

      • Help interns to obtain practical job skills and experiences that will help them be successfully pursue employment in the health professions.

      • Encourage interns that face significant barriers in pursuing higher education and career development.

        • KP LAUNCH High School

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        “[I] have learned so much from everyone, from doctors explaining procedures, to my co-workers teaching me how to handle situations.”

        --Central Valley SYEP Intern – Optometry Unit-Based Team (UBT)

        High School Program Features

        • Participation in an 8-week paid summer work experience.

        • Workshops designed to give participants valuable personal and professional skills development.

        • Mentors provide insight on how to prepare for a career in health care.

        • Networking opportunities with peers and senior leaders through work-based activities, community service projects, or social events.

        • Interns earn $10.50-$14.00 per hour (the city's minimum wage) while participating in the program.

          • Eligibility: High school interns must:

          • Be between the ages of 16 and 19 (priority is given to juniors and seniors).

          • Be a high school student or recent high school graduate (in the last 12 months).

          • Be available to work full-time during eight-week summer program.

          • Have permanent residence in a Northern California Kaiser Permanente designated service area.

            • How to Apply

            The 2017 high school application is available with different application deadlines and drop-off locations. Applicants can only apply to one local program that is closest to their permanent residence.

            2017 Application Materials

            • Application Overview

            • Application Form

            • Consent Form

            • Application Deadlines and Drop-off Locations

              • College Program

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              “My internship experience at Kaiser has challenged me to use my technical skills as an entirely new approach to problem solving, which enabled me to thrive in a corporate environment.”

              --The Permanente Medical Group, Monitoring and Recovering department, 2nd Year Intern

              College Program Features

              • Eight-week paid summer internship

              • Mentorship and networking

              • Job shadowing opportunities

              • Professional and personal development workshops

              • Community service experience

              • Exposure to senior leaders in their field of interest

                • Minimum eligibility: College interns must:

                • Attend or plan to attend a four-year undergraduate college or university

                • Provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States

                • Demonstrate leadership ability through campus activities, community service or previous employment

                • Have permanent residence in a Northern California Kaiser Permanente Designated Service Area

                  • How to Apply

                  The 2018 application process is pending. Please sign up for updates below to receive updated information as it becomes available..

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                  If you are a current student, recent high school graduate, or recently graduated from an undergraduate degree program within the last academic year, please click here to sign up to receive email updates regarding our updated website and application availability.

                  If you are an organization working with youth ages 16-24 from underserved communities and underrepresented backgrounds, please click here to sign up to receive email updates regarding our updated website and application availability.

                  Information received from this email updates sign up list will only be used for KP LAUNCH communication purposes.

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