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What organizations should I get involved in to help others while building a basis in medicine while in college?

I want to start helping people as soon as possible and I also want to learn about medicine as much as possible because it has always been the most intriguing field to learn about for me. #medicine #community-service

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Olga’s Answer

You should get involved with organizations that are associated with the medical field - a good company would be Board of Medicine.
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Shannon’s Answer

Hello Norma - Great question! I'm glad you are thinking about ways to be more involved with the medical field already during your undergraduate years in college!


I would first recommend you check out local clubs offered at your school. There should be a listing of affiliated student-led clubs on your school's online portal as well as probably in-person meet and greets at the beginning of each semester. By doing this, you can find more local groups that are active in your specific community.


<h4>Second, there are numerous country-wide affiliations you can join that are specifically designed for pre-med students. The top ones are American Medical Student Association (AMSA), and Alpha Epsilon Delta Club (AED). I would recommend checking out their websites and seeing if either of them appeal to what you are looking for! I know when I was in college, my local chapter of Pre-Med AMSA did many on-campus events ranging from speaking events with local doctors and students in the community to organizing shadowing events with doctors, to community service events. </h4>


Hopefully this helps! Good luck!

Shannon recommends the following next steps:

Research local medical clubs on your specific campus
Review AMSA and AED websites and consider joining either or both clubs if they are active in your area
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Ruth’s Answer

Hi Norma,

If I could see the future - my guess is that I would see medicine changing more in your career than cell phones have in the past 10 years. I hope the heart of medicine will always be the desire to help other people.

One of the Amazing things about being alive now is the ability to learn with the push of a couple of buttons. It is great for learning facts, but it can get in the way of learning about real people and yourself.

Good medicine occurs when you interact with real people, especially real people who hurt or have needs. Don't be fooled , need does not always look like need, but if you look for it - there is always something there. When you look at your own needs- be sure to also look at the things you are grateful for.

On a more practical level look at all the charitable organizations that are easily accessible to you. Volunteer in several or many of them. Find out if there are particular problems, ages, issues you feel pulled to. Find out if the "stinky feet"that teenage boys are famous for is just not for you. It's okay, you are embarking on a cross country adventure, not a sprint that you must win at all costs. Find the path that interests you.

Finding out about yourself is a skill that will be with you for the rest of your life. ( although be prepared for the answers you find to be a moving target.)- Once you find a organization/cause that fits you- think about how you can best contribute- and try to put that into words. Medicine loves leaders, but the person who can always find the missing puzzle piece and the person who always has tissues, a shoulder and band aides are irreplaceable too.

Best of luck as you embark on your career!

Ruth recommends the following next steps:

look up 5-10 different charities near you.
visit at least 2-3 of them and don't be afraid to ask if you can shadow someone.
think and process what you see/ learn- consider journaling.
appreciate what you have/ know.
remember your love of helping people- especially on the hard days.
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