This summer, 18 Illinois undergraduates will join researchers and clinical teams at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Florida, and Minnesota. Alongside Mayo Clinic mentors, they will work in laboratories, clinical research settings, and healthcare environments, building professional relationships while experiencing collaboration, mentorship, and the day-to-day pace of a major medical center.
The Mayo Clinic & Illinois Alliance for Technology-Based Healthcare supports a growing number of Illinois students involved in three summer programs. During the 10-week programs, they explore careers in biomedical research, health equity, and clinical investigation at Mayo Clinic.
Health equity and community health
The Health Equity Research Experience (HERE) introduces Illinois undergraduate students to research focused on health disparities, population health, and the environmental, social, and systemic factors that influence healthcare access and outcomes. Through the program, students explore how health equity principles shape research, patient care, and community-centered approaches to improving health across diverse populations. Three Illinois students are participating in the 2026 HERE program.
Claire Skowron
Chemistry | Statistics
Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL
Claire is interested in epidemiology, toxicology, and health technology. At Illinois, she works at the Disability Participation and Quality of Life Research Laboratory on the Fall Management in Wheelchair Users team, which is developing an app to help wheelchair users track falls and share health information more easily. At Mayo Clinic, Claire will explore statistical approaches to studying population health trends while connecting data-driven research with patient care and disease complexity. Read the full bio.
Read the full article and learn more about the Biomedical research and translational science and Clinical research and patient care programs along with the bios of all Illinois participants.