UCHealth partners with Aurora Public Schools and Community College of Aurora on Colorado’s first health sciences high school
New school will connect students to career pathways in healthcare
Summary
UCHealth is partnering with Aurora Public Schools and Community College of Aurora on a new health science high school, scheduled to open in August 2027. The school will offer five healthcare career pathways, college credits and clinical experiences for students.
Key Facts
- Colorado’s first health sciences high school is under construction and will open in August 2027
- Concurrent enrollment at CCA will give students the opportunity to earn industry credentials
- Students will apply classroom learnings to real world clinical settings at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital
Aurora, Colo. (Oct. 9. 2026) - UCHealth is partnering with Aurora Public Schools (APS) and Community College of Aurora (CCA) on a new health sciences magnet high school to give students an early, affordable pathway to healthcare careers.
“In APS, we believe our responsibility is to create opportunities that allow every student to see what is possible for their future, and to provide them with real pathways to get there,” said Michael Giles, Jr., APS superintendent. “This partnership with UCHealth and the Community College of Aurora is a powerful example of what Destination APS is all about: bringing education, higher education, and industry together to open doors for our students.”
Healthcare career pathways
The school, currently under construction, will open August 2027, and is located across the street from the CU Anschutz campus. Students will select one of five healthcare related pathways: nursing, behavioral health, medical imaging, surgical technology or respiratory therapy. Through concurrent enrollment at CCA, students will have the ability to earn industry credentials and may continue their education at CCA or enter the workforce with industry-recognized skills.
Hands-on clinical experiences
UCHealth will provide workplace visits, job shadowing, simulations and supervised clinical rotations, helping students apply classroom lessons, explore health care careers and build professional connections.
“Colorado’s future healthcare workforce starts by giving students early, meaningful opportunities to see themselves in these careers,” said Tom Gronow, president and CEO of UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital. “By working alongside UCHealth clinicians, students can put classroom lessons into practice and envision a clearer pathway for themselves after high school.”
Enrollment for the new school begins November 2026.
About UCHealth
UCHealth is a nationally recognized nonprofit health system that pushes the boundaries of medicine through advanced treatments and clinical trials, improving health through innovation and providing unmatched patient care in the Rocky Mountain West. Investing $1.6 billion in community benefits including $762 million in uncompensated and charity care each year, UCHealth is Colorado’s largest Medicaid provider and dedicated to the communities it serves. With the region’s only adult academic medical center, University of Colorado Hospital on the CU Anschutz campus, UCHealth includes 38,000 employees, 15 acute-care hospitals and thousands of physicians across Colorado, Wyoming and western Nebraska.