The aim of the HRPEP program is to provide an added foundation and experience to those students interested in pursuing a career in the health professions. By seeing and hearing minority physicians lecture on issues at the forefront of medicine, as well as having minority medical students interacting with them, high school students would have essential role models and interaction opportunities rarely experienced by the minority high school student. The exposure to the educational institution and hospital would allow the student to envision him/herself within a setting of this nature 6-7 years ahead into the future, encouraging him/her to overcome the academic challenges and hurdles that he/she will encounter. The counseling and interaction with successful minority medical students will also help the high school students avoid the academic pitfalls suffered by many talented high school students in their first year of college.