Looking to the Future: Meaningful Things to do as a Medical Student or Physician

As pre-med students, the idea of being in medical school can feel distant, let alone being a doctor. It can be helpful and inspiring to build a vision of your future and plan out things you would like to do once you’re in medical school and beyond. Many people like to envision how they will give back to their community, while others look forward to opportunities to travel while making a difference. There are many opportunities for medical students and doctors to have a positive impact.

Volunteering at a free clinic is a powerful way to support the least privileged in your community. Many free clinics are members of The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFCC). Approximately 1,400 Free and Charitable Clinics and Charitable Pharmacies throughout the nation provide crucial care to uninsured patients, often serving the poor, the homeless, refugees, and immigrants. Over 200,000 volunteers with NAFCC help 2 million people get the healthcare they need yearly. Patient demand is higher than ever after the COVID-19 pandemic, and volunteers are greatly needed.

If you’re interested in volunteering at a free and charitable clinic or pharmacy, the NAFC needs many different kinds of volunteers, whether you are pre-med, a medical student, or a physician.

You can find the clinic or pharmacy nearest to you using this link: https://nafcclinics.org/find-healthcare-services/

There are also opportunities to serve internationally. One major organization that provides international medical humanitarian assistance is Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières - MSF). MSF delivers care to people affected by conflict, disease, disasters, and healthcare exclusion in over 75 countries. When emergencies occur, MSF teams are often the first to arrive and the last to leave. Working as a physician for MSF is often unpredictable, as the organization responds to evolving situations. As they say on their website, “The only certainty with an MSF mission is that your clinical skills and resourcefulness will be put to the test.” If you’re interested in working for MSF one day, consider building your French language skills, as many countries MSF serves have French-speaking populations.

Find out more about MSF here: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/ 

Another way you can positively impact as a medical student or physician is to offer your expertise through coaching or mentoring. As a pre-med student, you’ve likely looked for shadowing opportunities or a mentor, and you have experienced how difficult it can be to find opportunities. One great organization for mentors is Prescribe It Forward, which was created by medical students to mentor pre-meds. Once you have made your way to medical school, consider volunteering with Prescribe It Forward to foster the next generation of medical professionals.

Learn more here: https://www.prescribeitforward.org/ 

Thank you for reading, 

Ashby Glover