Pre-Medical and Pre-Health: Extended Learning Opportunities

Medical Informatics Internship

This internship introduces students to the field and concepts of medical informatics. Students gain a broad exposure to the field of informatics and learn how information is created, interpreted, processed, stored and applied in healthcare with the help of modern technology. Students travel out of state for a week-long orientation at a medical informatics company then meet via the web throughout the semester to continue learning about the technology, create presentations on modern topics in informatics, and assist in creating content for the company.


Student Organizations

Society of PreHealth Professionals (SPHP) serves as our primary student organization for students interested in the health professions. They are organized according to an inter-professional model whereby students interact with students from a broad range of health professional interests. Activities are organized to bring students together from across the health professions. Committees also focus on learning about specific health professions such as allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, physician assistant and  nursing, rehabilitation sciences (occupational and physical therapy). Many of these committees are affiliated with national organizations such as PreSOMA (PreStudents of Osteopathic Medicine), MAPS (Minority Association of PreMedical Students), and the APVMA (Association of PreVeterinary Medicine Association). SPHP collaborates with the PreMedical Center to host an annual service-learning trip ‘Social Justice in Health and Healthcare’ where students learn about community organizations providing healthcare services and actively working to address the social determinants of health. Students also perform service work in these organizations to better understand their work.


Medical Mission Trip

Each summer, pre-medical, pre-dental, and other pre-health students travel to Nicaragua and Costa Rica where they work with local physicians and dentists to host pop-up clinics in underserved areas. Students gain experience working in a healthcare setting with translators. Students also increase their awareness that how people live influences their health by conducting public health home visits and studying how history influences the health status of a country.  Students serve in some of the same communities each year, supporting their development and maintaining long-term relationships. Homestays in each country allow students to better understand how others live, practice their Spanish, and build solidarity.