Summer Programs

2026 Better Than Live Schedule

Monday, June 22, 2026 – Friday, June 26, 2026 (1 week)

2026 Summer Surgery Schedule

SESSION I: Monday, July 6, 2026 – Friday, July 17, 2026 (2 weeks)

SESSION II: Monday, July 20, 2026 – Friday, July 31, 2026 (2 weeks)

The Primary Objectives of the Programs

1. Stimulate interest and wonder in surgery, medicine, and related fields.
2. Expose students to everyday realities of live surgery, surgical lifestyle, and culture.
3. Teach surgical skills for open, laparoscopic, robotic, and endoscopic surgery.
4. Empower students by challenging them to identify challenges in live surgery and create novel innovations to elevate the quality, safety, and efficiency of contemporary surgery.

Summer Surgeons in Our Program Will:

• Have first-hand exposure to our most advanced state-of-the-art minimally invasive surgical technologies including the da Vinci robot.
• Learn operating room protocols and observe live surgical cases with UC Irvine’s top surgeons.
• Create a medical innovation project, building off the observations made in the operating room.
• Become proficient in CPR and obtain Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification.
• Learn anatomy through dissection courses and hands-on ultrasound training.
• Fully understand entire process of becoming a surgeon by firsthand engagement with medical students, residents, fellows, and junior/senior faculty.
• Learn and hone open, laparoscopic, robotic, and endoscopic surgical skills through small-group workshops and much, much, more!

For further questions, please email summersurgery@hs.uci.edu or call (714) 456-5584.