Community Outreach

The Center for Future Health Professionals is committed to promoting lifelong civic engagement in youth. Undergraduate and postgraduate students can participate in a variety of community outreach activities. The Center for Future Health Professionals has formed partnerships with organizations whose mission is to help youth succeed in life. We match students with community organizations based on their interest. Students can participate in these activities as a volunteer or for credit.

Examples of some of our community outreach activities include:

• Promoting Diversity in Health Care Through One-on-one Mentorship: High school students are paired with undergraduate mentors through an application process. In addition to providing academic guidance, the mentor guides the mentee on doing applied research on a health care challenge in the community. The pair presents their project at the end of the year event.

• Summer Premed Program: Through collaboration with the Department of Urology High School Outreach and Latino Medical Student Association, summer sessions are held to give high school students a glimpse at the life in medical school through hands-on workshops and interactions with distinguished faculty at the School of Medicine. Of 80 students, one quarter of students received scholarships. Because of the popularity of the program, the program expanded to 2 sessions. For more information about this program, please visit this program, click HERE.
  
  
• Hospital Shadowing Program: High School and undergraduate students interested in a career in health care are paired with a faculty member at the School of Medicine. This is also done through an application process. The students have an opportunity to shadow physicians at CHOC Hospital of Orange County or UC Irvine Medical Center. The students must meet medical staff requirements. The faculty provides shadowing opportunities in the hospital in addition to advice and counseling. More than 50 students have completed this program and more than 90% have either been accepted or are applying to a health related professional school.
  
  
• Career Workshops: To promote the interest of underserved youth in health care, several workshops regarding different health care careers are held at various high schools or organizations with who support disadvantaged youth. Various health professionals talk about their own career paths and provide advice for youth.
  
  
• Discovery Science Center Exhibit Partnership: A partnership with Science Discovery Center was developed with the goal of promoting the interest of diverse population of youth in health care careers. Using the interactive models of simulators, undergraduate students (under guidance of School of Medicine faculty) teach young visitors about the human body’s organ systems and how through technological innovations scientists and healthcare workers quickly and accurately evaluate and treat acutely ill patients. Throughout the year visitors will gain an appreciation of how technological innovation can save human lives. Visitors can take advantage of this exhibit throughout the year.
  
  
• Partnership with Boys and Girls Club: Toward Healthy Hearts: Through partnership between CFHP and BGC of Santa Ana, elementary school students are exposed to health habits. This afterschool program meets on a monthly basis and is designed to promote healthy lifestyles, scientific achievement and healthcare careers. The class is very interactive and is conducted by pre-healthcare professional students.