Psychiatry Careers Pathway Program

Program Description:  

The 2026 Psychiatry Careers Pathway Program (PCPP) is a five-day on-campus summer experience for undergraduate students considering psychiatry as a potential career path. Student participants will hear directly from UNC Psychiatry faculty and resident physicians about the professional opportunities and paths that modern psychiatric medicine provides, observe mock patient interviews and treatment planning, as well as engage in discussions with medical students and educators about the medical school admission process.  

The program will be held in-person on UNC Chapel Hill’s medical school campus, and complimentary lodging, parking, breakfast, and lunch will be provided.  

This program is a collaboration between the UNC Department of Psychiatry’s ACCESS Mental Health, UNC Health’s Community Health & Engagement Department, and the UNC Medical Education Development (MED) Program.

 Program Benefits 

Get exposure to: 

• Psychiatry career options 

• Medical school application process  

• UNC School of Medicine Psychiatry faculty and residents  

• Academic skills development

Eligibility Requirements: 

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:  

• Have an interest in attending medical school and open to considering psychiatry as a medical specialty  

• Be a student enrolled at one of the following universities: Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, NC A&T State University, NC Central University, NC State University, UNC Greensboro, UNC Pembroke, Western Carolina University, and Winston-Salem State University  

• Be a current first-year or second-year student at the time of application with a cumulative academic GPA of 2.75 or higher  

• Be able to attend the entirety of the 5-day program and provide your own transportation to UNC’s campus.  

• Be a US citizen or Permanent US Resident. Any visa type that is NOT a permanent resident alien is ineligible.  

Other Factors for Consideration 

• Lives in (or has lived in) a medically underserved community  

• Comes from an economically or educationally underserved background 

• First-generation college student or future first-generation medical school student 

• Has demonstrated an interest in issues affecting underserved populations  

• North Carolina permanent residents receive preference 

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is committed to equality of educational opportunity and does not discriminate against applicants, students, or employees based on color, national origin, religion, sex, or handicap.  

Application Requirements  

• The PCPP application can be completed online at bit.ly/PCPPApp. We are accepting applications between Dec 1, 2025 – March 1, 2026.  

• Applicants are required to complete demographic information, 3 essay questions, upload an updated resume/CV, and upload 1 letter of recommendation from a university faculty member, mentor, or career advisor.  

• There is no application fee. 

Application 

Online Application Link: https://bit.ly/PCPPApp  

• Application Opens: December 1, 2025 
• Application Deadline: March 1, 2026 
• Decisions emailed: March 20, 2026 

Student Informational Sessions  

Meet the team, learn about the program and the application process at the informational sessions:   

• Monday, Dec 15th, 2025 

• Tuesday, Jan 13th, 2026 

Time: 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm 

Register for the info sessions here: http://bit.ly/PCPPINFO26  

Questions? Contact us at ACCESSMH@unc.edu.