Students in Longmont High School’s Medical and BioScience Academy (MBSA) Internship class shared the culmination of their senior-year experiences during a public poster showcase held Friday, Dec. 19. The event highlighted the work of seniors completing their final year in the MBSA pathway, a program that immerses students in health science and biomedical fields through coursework and real-world learning opportunities.
Launched in 2013, the MBSA program has grown from an initial cohort of 40 students to nearly 200 participants, graduating approximately 25 to 30 seniors each year who complete the full four-year pathway. Built on Longmont High School’s strong AP science foundation, the academy offers courses such as “Introduction to Healthcare Foundations,” “Anatomy & Physiology,” “Nutrition & Wellness,” “Introduction to Biotechnology,” and “Animal Behavior.” Chris Chou, who served on the original committee that helped establish the program, noted that the program’s success is rooted in both student opportunity and community support. “What makes MBSA special is the combination of motivated students and mentors who generously open their doors to them,” Chou said. “Seeing our graduates go on to become nurses, doctors and research scientists, and in some cases return to serve our own community, is incredibly rewarding.”
As part of the yearlong internship class, students complete at least 40 hours of on-the-job experience with professionals in fields such as health care, sports medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and scientific research. They also spend significant classroom time developing research-based poster projects connected to their internships. The posters detail each student’s internship site and mentor, daily responsibilities, a focused research topic drawn from their experience, and reflections on future career plans. During the showcase, students formally presented their work to mentors, teachers, family members, and community partners while engaging in thoughtful discussion about their learning. “This experience gives students a chance to go far beyond the classroom and really understand what these careers look like day to day,” said Chou. “They gain confidence, professional skills and a deeper sense of purpose as they explore fields they’re genuinely passionate about.”
