STEM Education Programs

for Kids!

PHOTOS from STEM Education Programs

STEM Education Programs are designed for students in grades 6-12 with the intent to inspire appreciation and excitement for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as the foundation for understanding their own health and uncovering the next generation of health care professionals - researchers, physicians, nurses, biomedical engineers, pharmacists, technology professionals, etc.

These experiential programs for groups allos students the opportunity for hands-on knowledge of innovation and problem solving in health care discovery. STEM Education Programs are set up by group request in partnership with community organizations and schools. Individual student job shadows, visits or tours are not available at this time.

STEM Education Programs include on campus experiences and tours and outreach in the community.

On-campus tours and experiences include:

Junior Mini Medical School: This 2-3 hour program held at the UI Carver College of Medicine allows students to explore medical education and live a "day in the life" of a medical student as they experience some of the same training that medical students encounter.

UI Health Care Student Group Visits (Educational Experiences): Students will engage in interactive tours and experiences throughout the University of Iowa health sciences campus including the UI Carver College of Medicine and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.. The visits take place year round during the week (Monday-Thursday) between the hours of 9am - 3pm. We require at least 5 students, and prefer no more than 18 students, plus 1-2 chaperones. Student group visits can be requested and organized in the following ways:

Simulation: Students learn how simulation is used to teach our health care providers. Simulation experiences may include interacting with a computer controlled mannequin that mimics a real person’s symptoms or responses, assessing a patient through a patient actor or learning more about 3D anatomy or physical exams.
Career Exploration: Students will learn about the many careers in science, medicine and health care. Students may interact with a respiratory therapist, a flight nurse, a genetic counselor, a forensic pathologist or a physician among many others.

Expanding Your Classroom Curriculum: Educators can supplement their classroom curriculum by having their students participate in various educational sessions. Students may learn about health resources, get an anatomy lesson, learn more about cancer prevention and treatment or burn prevention and first aid.
Research: Students will learn about the role research plays in biomedical discoveries, treatments and cures.

Since its inception in 2008, the STEM Education Programs program has worked with Iowa teachers to connect more than 13,000 students to these experiences, instilling the importance of STEM principles in their everyday lives. It continues to open doors into science and medicine for school-aged students.

Frequently Asked Questions

Consent forms are required and must be completed upon arrival on the health sciences campus by all who wish to participate in our educational experiences.

Guidelines for Scheduling an Educational Experience at UI Health Care

When requesting an educational experience, please keep these guidelines in mind:

Groups are limited to no more than 20 students; groups of 10 or more students must have at least two adult chaperones. UI outreach education leaders and staff are not considered chaperones.
All consent forms must be completed and submitted to UI Health Care staff upon arrival. Failure to submit consent forms by individual students may result in limited participation in the educational experiences.
We strongly encourage that students are in at least 5th grade to participate.
Educational experiences will be scheduled for no more than 3.5 hours.
Educational experiences will be scheduled Monday through Thursday. No tours will be scheduled on Fridays.
Visitors are strongly encouraged to ask questions and actively participate at all sites.
Visitors should wear proper attire, including comfortable walking shoes. Baseball hats, flip flips and clothing showing the mid-drift area are NOT allowed.
Participants will not interact with patients or enter into patient areas as part of this program.

Request an Educational Experience


Outreach in the Commuinty: We partner with local educators and community organizations to reach school-aged students in yoru community through fairs or special programs.

Teacher/Parent Resources: We provide resources and educational materials designed to educate and enrich students' learning experiences. Tool kit includes UI Gross Anatomy DVD and student/teacher workbooks to supplment your classroom learning experience. Email: mini-med@uiowa.edu to request a Teacher Tool Kit to be mailed to you, or check out the links below.

Resources for Educational and Enrichment Experiences for School-Aged Children

Students can pursue a variety of interests through summer camps and youth programs at the University of Iowa. Subjects range from music, sports, science and art to entrepreneurship and math.

To get more information about Outreach Education programs, please contact Jacqueline Kleppe Williams, Office of External Relations, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 4148 WL, Iowa City, IA 52242, Phone 877-MED-IOWA or locally (319) 384-3025.