Program Overview

The CUIMC Shadow Day provides Columbia undergraduates with an immersive, one-day opportunity to explore careers in medicine and healthcare through direct clinical exposure and engagement with medical professionals. This day-long site visit is an opportunity for Columbia undergraduates to put on their scrubs and get a firsthand look at surgery and interventional medicine.

The Shadow Day will take place on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, and is hosted by Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) in partnership with Dr. Michael Argenziano, Calvin F. Barber Professor of Surgery and Cardiothoracic Surgery Residency Program Director, CC’88, PS ‘92.

Columbia University Irving Medical Center is home to the largest medical research enterprise in New York City and New York State, and one of the largest faculty medical practices in the Northeast. CUIMC integrates education, research, and patient care across a wide range of medical disciplines.

To learn more about CUIMC, please visit: http://columbiamedicine.org/

Program Experience

During the CUIMC Shadow Day, students will have the opportunity to:

• Interact with physicians and healthcare professionals representing multiple specialties;
• Learn about career pathways, required training, and day-to-day responsibilities across departments such as cardiology, cardiac surgery, radiology, and neurosurgery;
• Directly observe doctors during clinical patient care, including time in the operating room;
• Gain multidisciplinary exposure to healthcare teams and hospital operations.

This experience is designed to provide students with a realistic and in-depth look at careers in medicine and healthcare through observation, dialogue, and professional interaction.

Shadow Day Schedule

• Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2026
• Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Arrival: Students must arrive no later than 8:30 AM
• Lunch will be provided

Eligibility:

You must be a full-time undergraduate student at Columbia College, the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, or the School of General Studies. You must be a currently registered student in good academic and disciplinary standing. International students are eligible to participate. The CUIMC Shadow Day is considered career exploration and does not count as off-campus employment. Students on leave of absence or who have withdrawn from Columbia University are not eligible.

Application Process

Applications are due by Sunday, February 1, 2026 by 11:59 PM.

To apply, students must submit the following:

Step 1: Upload your resume

Step 2: Upload your unofficial transcript (this is just a copy of your spring course schedule from SSOL. You can copy and paste your spring course schedule into a Word document and upload that as your transcript).

Step 3: Please answer the following prompt:

1. In one to two paragraphs, please describe your interest in participating in the CUIMC Shadow Day, what you hope to learn from the experience, and how this opportunity aligns with your academic and career goals.

The deadline to apply is February 1, 2026 by 11:59 PM.