Medical Student Information for Prospective Partners

Students at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health typically enter medical school with a strong record of, and interest in, service.

While many students would like to continue to be actively involved in service activities during medical school, a number of them find that this isn’t possible due to the physical and academic demands of medical school.

A med student learns about the Marlborough Park Community Garden.

The UW School of Medicine and Public Health is committed to academic excellence, which requires that students put their studies first. Medical students are not currently required to perform any community service.

Medical students also do not need to earn any elective credits, nor are they ever excused from academic activities in order to participate in service.

Needless to say, exam periods in medical school increase stress and time management challenges, so we especially encourage students not to add anything to their schedules during exam times.

Even those students who are most successful at balancing service activities and academic success can find themselves overwhelmed at exam times, and may be unlikely to participate or respond to communications during exam times.

Hmong Healthy Living Project — Teaching About Organs

In their third and fourth years of medical school, our students relocate multiple times as they engage in clinical learning activities at locations across the state. This obviously limits the majority of potential service activities to the first and second years of medical school.

That said, a remarkable number of students at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health include service activities in their medical education experience, and a few of our students make extraordinary commitments to service. This requires sacrifice and outstanding time management skills.

We ask that our community partners working with medical students keep this background information in mind.