Future Docs
Are you a student interested in a career in medicine? Future Docs is a interactive summer program designed to give high school graduates and college students a real-life glimpse of what it's like to practice medicine.
Up-Close Experience
Future Docs, a leadership program of the Chattanooga Hamilton County Medical Society and University of Tennessee College of Medicine Chattanooga, is specifically designed for high school graduates and college students interested in pursuing a career in medicine.
The summer program gives students up to 40 hours observing specialties in actual medical settings. They’ll be able to get a closer look at specialties in which they are interested and some specialties they may have not already known.
Future Docs is designed to:
- Provide students the opportunity to learn more about life as a physician and inspire them to pursue a career in medicine
- Provide students and local physicians with a community-based mentoring/teaching experience
- Assist with efforts to increase the pipeline of health care providers in Southeastern Tennessee.
Interactive and Intense
Future Doc students will participate in tasks that are closer to what medical students do when they come to the hospital. It will give them a very unique behind-the-scenes look at a career in medicine.
Students will have the opportunity to rotate through various clinical services, including Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Orthopaedic Surgery, Vascular Surgery, and other subspecialties. They also attend lectures on various topics from local physicians and healthcare leaders and participate in discussions.
Physicians Make a Difference
June 8–18, 2026 – Applications to apply will be available the first week of February
The Future Docs program is an immersive two-week experience designed to encourage recent high school graduates and undergraduate students to explore careers in medicine and healthcare. The program provides participants with a realistic, behind-the-scenes look at the practice of medicine through physician shadowing, hands-on learning, and interactive educational sessions.
Each day, students spend 4–5 hours in the morning shadowing physicians across a variety of specialties, gaining firsthand exposure to clinical environments and patient care. Afternoons are dedicated to two hours of didactic and hands-on learning, including simulations, skill-building activities, and discussions with physicians and healthcare leaders focused on medical careers and pathways.
Application & Participation Requirements
Students must complete an application that includes three essays and two letters of recommendation from a professor, academic advisor, or another individual familiar with the student’s academic background and career interests.
All Future Docs participants are expected to maintain a professional demeanor, complete mandatory training, and comply with hospital policies and regulations. A negative TB skin test is required for participation.