As part of its broader efforts to strengthen pathways into medicine, NBME is supporting Philadelphia middle and high school educators through Alvernia University’s Total Experience Learning (TExpL) program.
The grant supports teachers in Philadelphia with training in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) education. By learning from one another, sharing ideas and adapting new approaches for their classrooms and communities, educators can help more students engage with STEMM subjects and recognize possible pathways into medicine and other health professions.
Through the program, participating educators learn how to incorporate project-based learning, personalized instruction and creative problem-solving into their teaching. These approaches help their students apply classroom learning to meaningful, real-world experiences while building practical skills.
Participating educators say the program has refreshed their teaching practices and expanded the tools they can bring back to their classrooms. In a recent video, they explain how they spark their students’ curiosity by connecting classroom lessons to real-life experiences. They also describe giving students a more active role in their learning.
In 2026, NBME funded full tuition for 50 educators in Philadelphia County to complete the 12-credit TExpL program and earn a Graduate Certificate in Educational Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The grant will support an additional 50 educators across two cohorts through 2027, building on NBME’s support for TExpL courses and training for 100 educators in the Reading and Antietam school districts during 2024 and 2025.
The collaboration with Alvernia University is part of NBME’s broader commitment to supporting educational opportunities that can strengthen pathways into medicine. Through grants, awards and resources, NBME supports pathway programs across every stage of education and helps educators and organizations build capacity. Examples of this support include the Health Career Collaborative, which serves students in grades K-12, and Building the Next Generation of Academic Physicians, which supports medical students. NBME also supports the Association of STEMM Pathway and Bridge Programs, a national umbrella organization for pathway and bridge programs. Together, these and other efforts help more students access meaningful STEMM learning experiences, explore health care careers and envision themselves as members of a highly effective, diverse and compassionate health care workforce in the future.
