Student Opportunities
The University of Massachusetts Medical School and its Commonwealth Medicine division recognize the important learning opportunities that arise for health professions students who engage in community service and other community-based health activities.These experiences provide not only valuable clinical training, but also a context for learning about the social, economic and environmental influences on the health status of individuals, families and communities. For instance, Medical School students participating in internships and clerkships may work directly with individuals with developmental disabilities or mental illness, challenge themselves to learn and speak another language, and understand the valuable role a community provider plays when working with vulnerable groups.
We offer several programs that use community service as a means of helping Medical School students achieve proficiency in community and patient advocacy, collaborative practice across agencies and professions, health education, health policy development, and community-based education and research. These opportunities are one part of an interdisciplinary effort to embed our Graduate Nursing School and our Medical School's public service mission more deeply into the academic opportunities provided for our students.
Our student programs, which are based within the Center for Health Policy and Research, include: