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HMS Med Science speakers ask city to sustain partnerships that train BPS students for life‑sciences jobs
Summary
Representatives of the HMS Med Science Lab described training for roughly 1,200 BPS students annually and urged continued city support for partnerships that prepare students for life‑sciences careers and internships at local institutions.
Representatives of the HMS Med Science Lab and its school‑based programs asked the council to preserve city partnerships and funding that allow the program to serve Boston Public Schools students and develop a life‑sciences workforce pipeline.
Michelle Fontan D’Alessio, a program coordinator and instructor for the Med Science program housed at Harvard Medical School, told the committee that “over 4,000 students engage with our anatomy and physiology curricula” through school and after‑school programming. She said the program supplements classroom instruction by providing medical‑grade simulation and hands‑on learning that builds health literacy and career readiness.
Obianucci (identified in testimony as the director of the HMS Med Science Lab and workforce development programs) said the program trains 18‑ to 29‑year‑old students and works with about 1,200 BPS students annually. He also said Massachusetts will need “over 30,000 openings in the life sciences” over the next decade and that the program prepares students for entry‑level lab and health care roles and internships at institutions such as Dana‑Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Both speakers asked the council to sustain or expand support so Boston Public Schools students can continue to access technical skills training and internship pathways.
The committee will consider budget requests from city departments and partner organizations in the coming weeks before a vote scheduled for June 4.
