Penn’s Pre-Health Post-Baccalaureate Programs support a variety of student groups and clubs that explore a range of interests—from music and language to social justice and women’s health. Along with broadening your perspective as a future health professional, our student-run organizations help you connect with peers in a close-knit academic community.
Penn Medical Spanish Club
The Medical Spanish Club promotes engagement with, and overall cultural understanding of Philadelphia’s Spanish-speaking communities. The club offers free accelerated Spanish language classes for beginner to advanced speakers, with a focus on physician-to-patient communication. No previous Spanish language experience is necessary to join the club or participate in events and classes.
The beginner language class teaches the fundamentals of Spanish including basic vocabulary and how to conjugate verbs. The advanced class teaches participants how to take a family history and to learn a robust medical vocabulary including diseases, body parts and symptoms.
Along with the language classes, the Medical Spanish Club organizes community engagement events such as food drives with partner organizations, volunteering at local clinics and charity walks for non-profits like Puentes de Salud.
For more information, visit the Penn Medical Spanish Club website.
Penn Arts in Medicine Initiative
Penn Arts in Medicine Initiative seeks to innovate healthcare through the arts and empower future physicians and patients through a holistic view of combining medicine and the arts. The group also provides many creative outlets that nurture the next generation of health professionals and prepare them to be inspired thinkers. No previous artistic experience is required, and all are welcome to join.
Penn Arts in Medicine Initiative regularly hosts hands-on events such as drawing classes and jam sessions that provide Pre-Health students an opportunity to have fun, relax and socialize. The club also hosts special guest lectures on topics ranging from exploring creativity in healthcare to using art to combat loneliness. Along with on-campus gatherings, Penn Arts in Medicine Initiative members participate in volunteer opportunities at clinics, shelters and addiction centers.
For more information, visit the Penn Arts in Medicine Initiative Facebook page.
PennCHIME (Chinese Healthcare & Intercultural preMedical Expedition)
The mission of PennCHIME is to cultivate cultural competence while learning more about medicine at large by exploring the different dimensions of Chinese healthcare and Asian American patient populations.
PennCHIME holds weekly meetings where Penn students give research presentations about an aspect of medicine that interests them through the lens of healthcare in China. High school exchange students from China also join the group meetings and are taught about American culture and offered college prep mentorship. PennCHIME members help these students develop their English language and presentation skills and in return learn about Chinese culture and are exposed to some basic Mandarin. The group gets together for China-related on-campus events, as well as off-campus activities and service opportunities. PennCHIME also organizes guest speaker events where experts from different professions related to Chinese healthcare are invited to lecture about their knowledge domain.
In August, the group travels to Beijing and Changchun, China, where they observe procedures and healthcare provision in a large urban hospital. They also visit a rural health center, a traditional Chinese medicine school, an orphanage serving children with medical needs and more.
For more information, visit the PennCHIME website.
Penn Future Women in Health
Penn Future Women in Health is a pre-medical division of the national American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA). The club aims to promote and support Penn Pre-Health female students’ personal and professional development. The group also raises awareness about issues surrounding women in health professional fields and women’s health. All specialties (pre-med, pre-dental, pre-vet, public health, social work, etc.) are welcome, as are all genders.
Each semester, Penn Future Women in Health creates an exciting calendar of events. From panels and roundtable discussions with experts in the field to hospital shadows and social events, participants gain valuable insights and connect as a community. Members can also access networking and mentorship opportunities, and discover more about the resources offered here at the University and with Penn Medicine.
For more information, visit the Penn Future Women in Health Facebook page.
Penn Philadelphia Project (P-Cubed)
The Penn Philadelphia Project (P-Cubed) is an organizing body to help Pre-Health students connect to and aid the local community through volunteer and outreach opportunities. P-Cubed supports and empowers Pre-Health students who want to help Philadelphia’s at-risk populations and neighborhoods.
P-Cubed events range from nursing home visits to benefit concerts and fundraisers for local food banks. Any Pre-Health student who wishes to organize an event through P-Cubed is encouraged to do so and can receive the support needed for logistics and outreach.
For more information about P-Cubed, and to follow their events, visit the Pre-Health Post-Baccalaureate Programs Society Facebook page.
Social Justice in Medicine
The Social Justice in Medicine club is a student group that was founded in 2016 with the intent to connect Pre-Health students with their local community and understand the complex issues many of their future patients will face. The group is dedicated to exploring the intersection of human rights and social justice causes with medical careers and public policy. It provides students with the opportunity to engage with experts on human rights and public health issues on the national and international levels, which are relevant to the medical field.
Social Justice in Medicine hosts expert speakers, roundtable discussions and community service opportunities. Past events range from creating care packages for those experiencing homelessness and educating young people about gun violence to meeting with local leaders who are addressing refugee healthcare needs.
For more information, visit the Social Justice in Medicine website.
