Admissions Eligibility Criteria
You must meet the following minimum requirements to participate as an intern:
- Must be at least 18 years old before starting the application process (16 for Level I High School Internship)
- 15 months of availability to participate in an on-site, hands-on internship
- Valid Social Security number and can pass background check
- Speak and read English fluently
- Daily access to email
- Reliable transportation to and from Escondido and Poway
- One-time, nonrefundable $150 onboarding fee (upon acceptance)
If you are a current Palomar UC San Diego Health volunteer or employee:
- The Pathmaker Internship is a separate program from Palomar UC San Diego Health Volunteer Services. If you are currently a PH volunteer, please be advised that the 100-hour requirement is a separate commitment from the 96-hour (Level I) or 240-hour (Level II) commitment for the Pathmaker Internship.
- Unfortunately, current Palomar UC San Diego Health employees and affiliates are not eligible to apply to this program.
Interview/Onboarding Timeline for 2027 A:
Before applying, here are the important dates for which you should be available. If you know you will be unavailable for these dates (out of town, in school, etc.), it is recommended that you delay applying until you are able to make the required dates.
The following dates listed below are subject to change based on federal, state and local guidelines for public gatherings.
- Application Opens: October 1, 2026
- Application Closes: October 20, 2026
- Virtual Interviews Occur: November 2026
- Acceptance Notifications Sent By: Friday, November 27-30, 2026
- Mandatory Pre-Boarding Orientation: December 1, and December 2, 2026
- In-person Onboarding Events: Throughout the months of late January to February 2027*
- In-person Skills Days: Saturday, February 6, 2027 (Mandatory – no make-up sessions)
- Department-Specific Training: Throughout the month of February 2027*
- 2027 A Rotation: March 1, 2027, through June 30, 2027
*Onboarding dates for in-person events may not be confirmed until two weeks prior. Please plan to be available for the entire specified month to be present at these events.
Application Process:
Interested in Applying? here’s what you can do to be prepared:
1. Determine appropriate program
- Check the admissions eligibility criteria at the top of the page.
2. Prepare application components
- Identify two (2) professional/academic references. They will each be sent a 5–10-minute electronic recommendation survey via email during the application window.
- Gather personal information for application (school, GPA, career goal) and prepare to submit a video application via a shareable YouTube link answering the prompts in your video. If you are a re-applicant, there will be a short answer essay you will need to submit.
Availability for the First Rotation:
Please note, as a new intern, you will be expected to serve one 4-hour shift per week for the course of your first rotation without a gap between shifts of more than 14 days. This means that for 2027 A, you should anticipate applying only if you plan to be available for the onboarding dates above and on a weekly basis from March 1, 2027, through June 30, 2027.
Important Information for Applicants:
- We have changed our internship rotational cycles. Interns are now accepted and onboarded every four months, with start dates of March 1, July 1 and November 1. Please note that interviews scheduled to take place around those times will be for the NEXT cycle (e.g. if you interview in March, you will be starting July 1).
- For any additional information, please contact us at PathmakerInfo@PUCSD.org.