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Institutional Guidance: Undergraduate Students Academic barriers, such as institutions refusing to admit students based on their immigration status, can present unnecessary stress and challenges to rising students. These guides provide information on how to apply for programs that consider undocumented applicants with temporary benefits, DACA, or other immigration statuses. Know Your Educational Resources For students pursuing a professional program, especially in medicine, it is essential to stay on track during their undergraduate years. This document provides resources that students can use at their institutions to help them stay competitive for future applications. Topics include academic renewal, understanding GPAs, and proper course withdrawal. Published in The AIR Professional File “Students Want to Feel Safe, Safety Breeds Inclusivity”: How Universities Implement Data Collection Methods for Undocumented Students Authors: Cynthia N. Carvajal, Felecia Russell, and Yadira Ortiz Inclusivity in data reports for undocumented students can be difficult to achieve. By nature of those students’ status and livelihood, there is contention among academics and practitioners on whether this is a population that should not be formally tracked or identified, for a variety of reasons. Drawing from undocumented critical theory to center the varied experiences of undocumented (current and former) students, this study surveyed the study’s authors and other higher education professionals to identify strategies that also center those most directly impacted. This article details existing strategies that intentionally and safely center undocumented students in replicable and standardized data. You can also down load the article by clicking here. DEI Feature: Advising Meets Institutional Advocacy: Creating Systems of Support for Undocumented Students Author: Yadira Ortiz, Executive Director, Pre-Health Dreamers The percentage of undocumented students in higher education is lower than their U.S. citizen peers and even lower for undocumented students pursuing graduate and professional programs. Advisors and administrators can support the advancement of undocumented students through higher education through self-teaching, advocacy, and coalition building. Advising and working with undocumented students includes understanding immigration and state and federal policies. In addition, advising these students calls for educators to advocate for changes to requirements and processes that block the advancement of students who are undocumented into higher education and the workforce. 2020-2021 Developing an UndocuSupport System: Enrichment Assessment of Campus Support for Undocumented Students “Pre-Health Dreamers' enrichment assessment was created through a collaborative effort of individuals with a background in higher education, research, recruitment, admissions, establishing programming, advocacy and resources for undocumented students. Undocumented students provided their knowledge, experiences and hands-on support to make this project happen.”

Contact Us! The Team Click on the member you wish to email Join the Listserv Yadira Ortiz Executive Director Nursing , Dentistry Advocacy Support Licensure Ally Trainings Sponsorship Financial Assistance Background check for SSN Other health-related professional programs Join PHDreamers Maria Navarro Program Coordinator PEEP Program Student Network questions Social Media

Media Please learn about PHD's efforts and join our cause Program Updates April 2025 Read Now! Paving the way for DACA recipients in health care No longer afraid: an undocumented immigrant's experience in American health care Denisse Rojas Marquez's Testimony to Senate Judiciary Hearing See our Founder's New Latthivongskorn TED Talk Medical School 'Dreamers' Face Uncertainty With Trump Check our conversation with Juarez Consulting regarding career directions in immigrant populations May 2023 Newletter Yadira Ortiz, PHDreamer's Director interview with Gente Unidas's podcast "Magnificent Mujer" Pre-Health Dreamers' Response to Supreme Court DACA Decision Striking down DACA would eliminate thousands of health care workers, thwarting America’s pandemic response DACA health workers risk their lives to fight COVID-19 while they await SCOTUS ruling "We are medical workers. It is our duty to protect America from COVID-19" | Opinion Piece Thousands of DACA health care workers fight coronavirus — and worry about their fate

Elevate future health professionals. Tax-deductible donations to Pre-Health Dreamers can be made through our fiscal sponsor, Community Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) public charity. Community Initiatives' Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 94-3255070. Donate

Educators UndocuEDU Become one of our educational institutional members LaunchPad: Educator's Edition A 6-week boot camp that prepares educators to support undocumented students—even those without SSNs—in building healthcare careers through entrepreneurship. Request a presentation Do you want us to present a topic at your school?

PATHWAYS | Student Portal PATHWAYS is a four-month virtual program designed to help undergraduate undocumented students who are passionate about pursuing careers in healthcare. The program offers career exploration and focuses on various aspects such as professional development, academic enhancement, advocacy, establishing support networks, and introduction to entrepreneurship. Accepted participants will have the opportunity to engage in online events with their peers to share resources, exchange knowledge, and receive su PATHWAYS is a four-month virtual program designed to help undergraduate undocumented students who are passionate about pursuing careers in healthcare. The program offers career exploration and focuses on various aspects such as professional development, academic enhancement, advocacy, establishing support networks, and introduction to entrepreneurship. Accepted participants will have the opportunity to engage in online events with their peers to share resources, exchange knowledge, and receive support within a safe and inclusive environment. Moreover, the program aims to equip participants with the necessary skills to navigate the application process for their desired graduate or professional health programs in the future. Community building is core to the program, and participants are encouraged to participate in advocacy projects promoting access to healthcare and education for the undocumented community. Apply PATHWAYS Scholar Program Schedule for Students Full program schedule, highlighted with mandatory, optional and workshop events. Health Career PATHWAY Chart We recommend that you use this document as a starting point to begin your journey in researching professional programs.

Overview Program Details Checkout our 2023 PEEP Innovation Challenge Projects Over the last couple of months, our student's worked hard to tackle some of the most challenging issues within the immigrant and health care systems. View our three favorite winning projects from the top submissions. 1/7 Problem Pitching Jan - Feb During the dates of January 25th - February 15th, teams will meet at least once to discuss possible problems that they would want their group to tackle. Problems can stem from any three branches: 1) educational challenges for immigrant youth, 2) healthcare discrepancies for immigrant communities, 3) any other immigrant issues you faced as an undocumented student. Inspiration for problem can stem from personal experiences faced as an undocumented student. Brainstorming Feb - March Teams will enter the "Brainstorming" phase after a problem has been identified that has to be resolved. During this time, teams will gather to create and construct solutions. In order to create and construct solutions, may use pre-existing models presented by academic literature and provide their own twist. Poster Exhibition July 13th Los Angeles, California Teams will be presenting their projects via their posters at the annual conference for PhDreamers held this year in-person at Los Angeles, California. After the last team has pitched, judges will deliberate, and winners will be announced at the end of the event. Solution: Building your poster March - June After receiving and incorporating mentor comments, teams start composing a poster that summarizes their process for coming up with an inventive solution. On Scholar Teaching Day, poster templates will be made available at the commencement of the program. Posters will include an introduction, an issue explanation, and a solution. PROGRAM TIMELINE

This bootcamp offered in the spring allows one to open their own business to work in the healthcare career of their choosing. Welcome to UndocuLaunch Pad: Empowering Health Professionals UndocuLaunch Pad is a virtual 6-week bootcamp designed to equip both students and educators with essential skills and knowledge for navigating the healthcare field as undocumented professionals. Through tailored sessions, participants gain valuable entrepreneurial skills, legal and business insights, and practical tools to overcome barriers unique to the undocumented community. For more information see below LaunchPad's Impact in 2024 Spring 2024 Cohort Report Fall 2024 Cohort Report Why is LaunchPad important? PHD piloted UndocuLaunch Pad in 2024. Entrepreneurship can be an option for scholars and professionals in the health workforce, as their immigration status will prevent them from applying for traditional employment. Dentists, nurses, physician assistants, physical therapists, and other health professionals can serve their communities and enjoy financial independence with their own businesses or contracts. "The overall knowledge that the resources had catered so well to the undocumented community. It was great to learn and get a lot of hope moving forward." - Fall Participant 2024 Students Learn More Educators Learn More How can you advance your dream into reality? Knowledge and skills you will gain from UndocuLaunch Pad. Transferable Skills What abilities, expertise, or other assets can you offer? You may have picked up a skill while doing odd jobs without realizing it. Discover skillsets that are valuable for your own healthcare-related business. Federal & State Laws Some laws protect the rights of undocumented entrepreneurs across several states of the United States. Plan a Budget Consider integrating both your personal and corporate goals when creating a budget. Will you lease an office space? Will you be working from home? Marketing & Promotions Create your first business flyer and logo. Learn how to promote your services for a specific client or community. Vision and Mission What is your vision for your company? How do you plan to serve your community? Answering these questions will assist you in developing your company's vision and goal. Permits & Insurance Understand the regulations and licenses needed to legitimize your business.

PEEP Mentor Schedule Check out the events that will make up this year's 2023 PEEP Cohort. Start Now Schedule P PEEP Workshops Optional for Mentors M Mentor Check-Ins O Outward Workshops Mandatory Optional Self-Assigned * Suggested Timeline January 2023 PEEP Intro | Overview Jan 31st 2023 | 7:00 PM EST January 25th, 2023 | 7:00 PM EST March 2023 Mentor Check-In #2 March 15th 2023 - March 29th 2023 Story Sharing: Building your Narrative March 29th 3023 | 7:00 PM EST February 2023 Mentor Check-In #1 Feb 15th 2023 -Feb 22nd 2023 The Big 5: What do you need to get into your school of choice? February 23rd, 2023 | 7:000 PM EST April 2023 Mentor Check-In #3 April 15th 2023 - April 26th 2023 Advocacy Training April 26th 2023 | 7:00 PM EST Heading 3 May 2023 Financial Aid May 18th 2023 | 8:00 PM EST Mentor Check-In #4 May 15th 2023 - May 24th 2023 June 2023 Mentor Check-In #5 April 15th 2023 - April 26th 2023 Training: MOCK Interview June 21st 2023 | 7:00 PM EST Budget & Finances May 24th 2023 | 7:00 PM EST July 2023 3-minute Presentation & Poster Exhibition Heading 3 July 13th 2023 | Los Angeles, California Mentor Calendar

This bootcamp offered in the spring allows one to open their own business to work in the healthcare career of their choosing. LaunchPad: Educator's Edition (EDULaunchPad) Application Deadline Feb 5th, 2025 Dates Location Virtual Price Feb 11- March 18 2025 $750 LaunchPad: Educators Edition is a 6-week boot camp that provides professional development by guiding educators, career counselors, pre-health advisors, dream center coordinators, and others in supporting their students through their journey as entrepreneurs in health professions. This boot camp will enhance advisors' knowledge as they serve students pursuing health careers regardless of their students' immigration status, especially if the student does not have employment authorization. This boot camp will elevate educators' knowledge when serving undocumented students who may not know how to use their professional health-related degree and license, especially if they do not have employment authorization or a social security number. Returning Educator Login What is LaunchPad for educators? EDULaunchPad provides educators with information, guidance resources, and skillsets that can develop or strengthen their advising skills when working with undocumented students. This boot camp will be even more supportive if you are an advisor to an undocumented student seeking a health-related professional program, such as nursing, medicine, dentistry, research, and more. This boot camp will elevate educators' knowledge when serving undocumented students who do not know how to use their professional health-related degree and license, especially if they do not have employment authorization or a social security number. Do I need to have any prior experience? The EDULaunch Pad bootcamp is designed for educators at all levels, including those new to advising undocumented students. The program provides foundational knowledge and resources to help you effectively support students in navigating entrepreneurship and building their own businesses, even as they work toward their degrees. How is this course offered? The EDULaunch Pad bootcamp is an online 6-week bootcamp that is hosted by our Pre-Health Dreamers team. If you would like to sign up, please follow the link above for more information as to how to register. For any questions, please contact flavia@phdreamers.org . When are the classes offered? See our schedule below for the upcoming Spring Term. Feb 11: Live Q&A Panel Feb 18: Transferable Skills & First Steps to Business Feb 25: Building Your Student's Roadmap To Success Mar 4: The LLC Paper Mill Mar 11: Financial Responsibilities: Taxes and Invoice Contracts Mar 18: Insurance, SEED Grants & Closing Ceremony IMAGINE Brainstorm with students creative ways to launch their health centered business LEAD Lead your students on the steps they will need to start their business in healthcare STRATEGIZE Guide your students on how to market their business and find clients LAUNCH Launch your students into a successful start in healthcare.

Pre Health Dreamers Pathways: Unlocking health careers, breaking barriers Application Cycle Location Oct. 30, 2025 - Dec. 5, 2025 Virtual Year 2025-2026 Share PATHWAYS is a four-month virtual program designed to help undergraduate undocumented students who are passionate about pursuing careers in healthcare. The program offers career exploration and focuses on various aspects such as professional development, academic enhancement, advocacy, establishing support networks, and introduction to entrepreneurship. Accepted participants will have the opportunity to engage in online events with their peers to share resources, exchange knowledge, and receive support within a safe and inclusive environment. Apply Student Apply today to be a part of the PATHWAY Scholar Program. Learn more

The Team Who We Are Yadira Ortiz Executive Director Flavia Negrete Project Coordinator Rocio Muñante Navarro Program Coordinator Maria Navarro PEEP Project Coordinator Yadi Ortiz Yadira Ortiz Executive Director For over a decade, Yadira has collaborated with students, families, staff and faculty in the educational system to advocate for procedural and institutional change. She has continuously been an advocate for students and works to ensure that students are empowered, engaged and encouraged. Yadira has also mentored students, student organizations and their allies in becoming agents of change for themselves and others. Witnessing the lack of assistance for undocumented students in higher education has pushed Yadira to research, create and establish resources, programming, emergency grants and trainings in the CSU and other educational systems. She has created workshops and presentations regarding the following topics: higher education, the needs of undocumented students, ally trainings, how to establish resource centers, the importance of networking and more. Yadira was fundamental in founding the Dream Success Center at California State University, San Bernardino and was recently the Assistant Director for Long Beach State’s Dream Success Center. Yadira has years of experience in community outreach, advising, and presenting at local and national conferences. She has also been a vocal representative during round table conversations with local consulates, immigration lawyers and counselors to discuss the needs of the community. Maria Navarro PEEP Project Manager Maria Navarro Nuñez holds a Bachelor of Science in Global Disease Biology and Public Health from the University of California, Davis. Maria grew up in California's San Joaquin Central Valley and is passionate about promoting equity and inclusion in healthcare and education, particularly for immigrant communities. Her professional experience includes work in both academic and clinical areas. She began her career as a Marketing and Outreach Specialist at San Joaquin Delta College, where she established programs to support undocumented students and played a key role in establishing the Dreamers Success Center. Maria later shifted her focus to clinical research and worked on several clinical studies funded by federal organizations such as the NIH and various academic grants. Additionally, she served as a clinical research coordinator at UCSF Mission Bay's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, where she worked with the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE). Before joining PRHE, she also worked in Maternal-Fetal clinical research at Stanford University. Maria aspires to pursue a doctorate in public health with a focus on epidemiology and health policy, where she aims to raise awareness of the lived experiences of immigrant communities and promote equity in healthcare and education. She is enthusiastic about continuing her work towards improving population health in immigrant communities, focusing on advancing maternal and reproductive health and health policy. Rocio Muñante Navarro Program Coordinator Rocio Muñante Navarro recently joined Pre-Health Dreamers to pursue her passion for immigration justice and advocating for access to medical services to historically underserved communities. She has worked with various organizations centered around equity and diversity-focused in bringing resources to low-income, POC, and underserved communities. She immigrated from Perú at the age of four and was raised in the South Bay of Southern California. She began her undergraduate education at El Camino Community College and completed her Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of California, Riverside. She has researched COVID-19’s impact on migrant farming communities, which has been utilized to advise municipalities on public health education and decreasing vaccine hesitancy within Latinx communities. During the height of the pandemic, she contributed to bringing several testing sites, vaccination clinics, free clinics, and food distributions to some of the most vulnerable communities in the Eastern Coachella Valley. Her passion for pursuing medicine comes from the inequalities she faced growing up undocumented and uninsured. She aspires to become a Physician to provide culturally competent healthcare and advocate for equitable access to healthcare. She hopes to use her background and lived experiences as an undocumented individual to be a mentor for the next generations of undocumented aspiring healthcare professionals. Flavia Negrete, MS PEEP Coordinator Flavia Negrete just finished her graduate program and received her Master's of Science in Bioinformatics from the University of Maryland. Previously she graduated with a double B.S. degree in (1) Biochemistry and (2) Cell Physiology & Neurobiology. Throughout her work at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Flavia focused on engineering the first multi-faceted comparative genomic tool for high sequencing analysis for Cronbacter spp, a gram-negative bacteria affiliated with meningitis cases in neonates and the elderly. Flavia is very passionate about medical research and hopes that her background can help develop and propel projects where students from all immigration backgrounds can share their research. As Flavia continues to progress in her educational journey, she will be using her background in community outreach to lead the PEEP Cohort for this upcoming year. She plans to use various platforms to strengthen the PHD community through connection and fruitful networking. Email prehealthdreamers@gmail.com Follow

2023 PEEP Innovation Challenge See the winners for last years 2023 PEEP Innovation Challenge Read More Carolina Cortez Marure, Alexis Perez, Abdullah Bajwah Help seeking behaviors in the Latinx community for those suffering with mental illness The underrepresentation of cultural minorities in mental health careers, combined with the stigmatization surrounding mental health, deters members of the latinx community from pursuing vital mental health treatment. Read Tech Lead Ashley Jones This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio. Button Office Manager Tess Brown This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio. Button Product Manager Lisa Rose This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio. Button HR Lead Kevin Nye This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio. Button Customer Support Lead Alex Young This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio. Button QA Specialist Andrew Cole This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio. Button Content Strategist Debbie Green This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio. Button Product Manager Alissa Rose This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio. Button Apply Today This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content. info@mysite.com 123-456-7890

PEEP | Mentor Portal The introduction of lengthy and ongoing professional education programs has brought attention to the need for stronger institutional and municipal policy. This is the program to brainstorm and build innovative solutions with students from like minded environments. As a mentor of the PEEP Cohort you will be an essential guide for our students by providing feedback. Mentors are only required to contribute feedback to student during the "Mentor Check-In" session which tend to happen during the second half of the month. See PEEP Program Schedule for more information. Coming soon PEEP Scholar Program Schedule for Mentor Full program schedule, highlighted with mandatory, optional and workshop events. Mentor Resources Mentors will have access to specific resources provided by PhDreamers in order to help guide students through the project.

Institutional Guidance: Medicine Academic barriers, such as institutions refusing to admit students based on their immigration status, can present unnecessary stress and challenges to rising students. These guides provide information on how to apply for programs that consider undocumented applicants with temporary benefits, DACA, or other immigration statuses. Student Populations We Serve: Beyond DACA DACA and non-SSN For over a decade, Pre-Health Dreamers has worked with DACA recipients pursuing medical programs and has supported research, advocacy, and training to advance this population. In recent years, the population Pre-Health Dreamers serves has shifted, and the majority of our participants no longer fall under DACA but other protective statuses, immigration processes, or may not have a status at all. This document provides information regarding individuals seeking medical programs regardless of their immigration status. California Risks Losing an Entire Generation of Physicians: What Higher Education Institutions Can Do to Remove Barriers for Undocumented Medical Students DACA and non-SSN This briefing document describes the opportunities for and barriers to expanding medical professions to undocumented physicians and provides recommendations about what stakeholders can do to ensure that this dedicated group of professionals continues meeting healthcare needs nationwide. Medical School Q&A: Undocumented Students Pursuing Medicine DACA, TPS, or non-SSN “After conversations with many medical school officials, supportive allies, current and graduated undocumented medical students, we created this document to answer questions that may come up when considering your path into medicine and hope this can answer your questions.” 2021 Guidance for Residency Programs DACA, TPS, or non-SSN This guide encourages residency programs to consider applicants with DACA for residency slots as they would consider any other applicant. Upon review of applications, you are sure to find that these candidates have substantial accomplishments and a breadth of life experiences, cultural agility, linguistic expertise, and unique perspectives to bring to patient care. Often, individuals with DACA know how to navigate systems in underserved communities that can be an asset to a cohort of trainees. Health Career Pathway Chart for Pre-Health Students in California DACA, TPS, or non-SSN “The information below is based on the most updated research done by Pre-Health Dreamers (PHD). Please note that this information is subject to change. We recommend that you use this document as a starting point to begin your journey in researching professional programs. This document was created to help support individuals who have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Temporary Protective Status (TPS), or who do not have a Social Security Number (SSN).” 2020 Guidance for Residency Programs on Considering Applicants with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals DACA “This brief communication provides updated guidance to residency programs on considering applicants with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). In 2015, we authored a guide that provides comprehensive information on this topic and was subsequently published in Academic Medicine in 2017.1 This update provides supplemental information given changes since 2017 in the legal and political landscape.” Residency for Undocumented Students DACA “PHD is committed to facilitating the application process to residency programs for undocumented applicants by working with undocumented medical students, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and community and legal organizations. Thus far, we have worked on the following initiatives to support this work…”