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Community Service Opportunities

Service, community engagement, and social justice are intentionally woven into the four-year medical education experience at the Stritch School of Medicine. It reflects the school’s Jesuit mission, commitment to health equity, and emphasis on forming physicians who serve with competence, compassion, and conscience. 

Guiding Principles 

Jesuit Mission and Values 

  • Cura personalis (care for the whole person) 
  • Service rooted in justice and love 
  • Solidarity with marginalized communities 
  • Reflection as a tool for professional formation 

Community-Centered Learning 

  • Learning with communities, not just in them 
  • Long-term partnerships with local, national, and global organizations 
  • Emphasis on social determinants of health 

Progressive Skill Development with Service Integration Across the Curriculum 

  • Early exposure 
  • Structured service-learning 
  • Clinical service
  • Leadership and advocacy 

Pre-Clinical Phase (M1–M2) 

Orientation and Mission Formation 

  • Introduction to Jesuit values 
  • Workshops on health equity and community needs 

Required Service-Learning Courses 

  • Social determinants of health 
  • Community-based project work 
  • Structured reflection assignments 

Early Clinical and Community Exposure 

  • Shadowing in community clinics 
  • Participation in health fairs and outreach events 

Student-Led Service (via Medical Student Union) 

  • Engagement in student organizations focused on: 
    • Health education 
    • Mentorship 
    • Underserved populations 
    • Advocacy initiatives 

Clinical Phase (M3–M4) 

Core Clerkships 

  • Emphasis on compassionate care for vulnerable populations 
  • Integration of community health principles into clinical practice 

Community-Based Clinical Rotations 

  • Federally Qualified Health Centers 
  • Free clinics 
  • Rural or underserved settings 

Electives in Community and Global Health 

  • Local service electives 
  • National service-learning programs 
  • International global health rotations 

Longitudinal Service Commitments 

  • Student-run clinics 
  • Long-term community partnerships 
  • Ongoing advocacy or public health projects 

Co-Curricular Pathways (All Years) 

Center for Community and Global Health (CCGH) Pathways 

  • Local community health 
  • National service programs 
  • Global health immersion experiences 

Advocacy and Social Justice Training 

  • Policy workshops 
  • Health equity seminars 
  • Opportunities for legislative engagement 

Community-Engaged Research 

  • Projects addressing disparities 
  • Partnerships with community organizations 
  • Faculty-mentored research experiences 

Reflection and Integration 

  • Structured reflection on service experiences 
  • Integration of mission, identity, and professional goals 

Graduation Competencies

Upon graduation, students demonstrate: 

  • Commitment to social justice 
  • Ability to work with underserved populations 
  • Understanding of community health systems 
  • Professional identity grounded in service 

Community Service Opportunities

There are many opportunities to serve through organizations affiliated with Stritch. 

Service, community engagement, and social justice are intentionally woven into the four-year medical education experience at the Stritch School of Medicine. It reflects the school’s Jesuit mission, commitment to health equity, and emphasis on forming physicians who serve with competence, compassion, and conscience. 

Guiding Principles 

Jesuit Mission and Values 

  • Cura personalis (care for the whole person) 
  • Service rooted in justice and love 
  • Solidarity with marginalized communities 
  • Reflection as a tool for professional formation 

Community-Centered Learning 

  • Learning with communities, not just in them 
  • Long-term partnerships with local, national, and global organizations 
  • Emphasis on social determinants of health 

Progressive Skill Development with Service Integration Across the Curriculum 

  • Early exposure 
  • Structured service-learning 
  • Clinical service
  • Leadership and advocacy 

Pre-Clinical Phase (M1–M2) 

Orientation and Mission Formation 

  • Introduction to Jesuit values 
  • Workshops on health equity and community needs 

Required Service-Learning Courses 

  • Social determinants of health 
  • Community-based project work 
  • Structured reflection assignments 

Early Clinical and Community Exposure 

  • Shadowing in community clinics 
  • Participation in health fairs and outreach events 

Student-Led Service (via Medical Student Union) 

  • Engagement in student organizations focused on: 
    • Health education 
    • Mentorship 
    • Underserved populations 
    • Advocacy initiatives 

Clinical Phase (M3–M4) 

Core Clerkships 

  • Emphasis on compassionate care for vulnerable populations 
  • Integration of community health principles into clinical practice 

Community-Based Clinical Rotations 

  • Federally Qualified Health Centers 
  • Free clinics 
  • Rural or underserved settings 

Electives in Community and Global Health 

  • Local service electives 
  • National service-learning programs 
  • International global health rotations 

Longitudinal Service Commitments 

  • Student-run clinics 
  • Long-term community partnerships 
  • Ongoing advocacy or public health projects 

Co-Curricular Pathways (All Years) 

Center for Community and Global Health (CCGH) Pathways 

  • Local community health 
  • National service programs 
  • Global health immersion experiences 

Advocacy and Social Justice Training 

  • Policy workshops 
  • Health equity seminars 
  • Opportunities for legislative engagement 

Community-Engaged Research 

  • Projects addressing disparities 
  • Partnerships with community organizations 
  • Faculty-mentored research experiences 

Reflection and Integration 

  • Structured reflection on service experiences 
  • Integration of mission, identity, and professional goals 

Graduation Competencies

Upon graduation, students demonstrate: 

  • Commitment to social justice 
  • Ability to work with underserved populations 
  • Understanding of community health systems 
  • Professional identity grounded in service 

Community Service Opportunities

There are many opportunities to serve through organizations affiliated with Stritch.