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Indiana University School of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
Bloomington Campus

Medical Service Learning

All students are encouraged to engage in medical service learning experiences as members of the community. Through service experiences, educators and mentors emphasize medical students’ responsibility to serve as advocates for the health and well-being of the community. A broad range of service learning experiences are available statewide, and these curricular and co-curricular programs supplement and enhance medical education with real-world community engagement.

Each IU School of Medicine campus offers different medical service learning opportunities for the local community, and these innovative experiences are part of a larger organization and commitment that encompasses all elements of the school’s medical education program. Service learning programs at IU School of Medicine-Bloomington emphasize public health, medical Spanish and health education.

Get Involved

Connect with IU School of Medicine for opportunities to get involved with community engagement and service learning programs.

Medical Service Learning Programs in Bloomington

The Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County Chapter offers affordable housing to low-income families of Monroe County. In this program, IU School of Medicine-Bloomington medical students work alongside faculty to create a new home for a deserving person or family.

Medical students in Bloomington collaborate to produce a multifaceted public health fair each spring with support from IU Health, Bloomington Hospital, Indiana University Student Health Center and William Brothers Health Care. The public event, held at the Monroe County Public Library, includes informational and hands-on activities for the public. Other health-related departments and agencies are welcome to attend and participate in this event.

Medical students work with local administrators at the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic to establish a cooperative effort for outreach to the Spanish population in Bloomington. Participating students acquire certification as medical Spanish interpreters and assist as  interpreters for clinic visits.

The WonderLab Medical Workshop offers children of all ages a chance to learn more about a variety of medical professions. During the annual fall event, IU School of Medicine-Bloomington students host hands-on activities designed to engage students in the medical sciences and spark a passion to learn more about the human body. Workshops include working with a high-tech simulated patient whose internal apparatus can simulate wheezes, coughs, heart murmurs and an irregular heartbeat; exploring a pig’s heart; and practicing sutures on a banana.