Community outreach is a great way for Pre-Med students to gain meaningful experiences as well as make connections with others in need. It is arguably one of the most unique and creative aspects of your medical school application because YOU get to decide how to invest your time with the community. Here are some helpful tips to get your started on community outreach:
- Community outreach is an opportunity to devote yourself to a specific group/cause of your choice outside the hospital/clinical setting
- This is the perfect opportunity to incorporate your hobbies and interests while also serving populations in need
- Focus on dedicating your time to one or two underserved populations and establishing strong relationships with those you serve, quality over quantity!
- Sites such as VolunteerMatch have been extremely useful in finding comunnity outreach opportunites for students depending on where they live, whom they want to serve, etc.
The EPIC program on campus provides students with unique opportunities to get more involved with underserved populations in our community. EPIC encourages students to make an impact on others through events such as their Annual Food and Toy Drive, Annual Pet Adoption, and their "Here We Come" event, where elementary students come visit our school and get introduced to the purpose of higher education. Our club will also be participating in other frequent volunteering events throughout the semester, such as gardening in community gardens, beach clean-ups, and feeding/clothing the homeless. We encourage you to join us in assisting with the EPIC programs, and also in the volunteering events we have planned. You will find more information about these in the tabs to the left!