Skip to main content
Located on the campus of Purdue University, campus life in West Lafayette offers a Big Ten Campus atmosphere that includes sports and art events.

Campus Life

IU School of Medicine-West Lafayette offers distinctive features to maximize student learning in a focused environment. With small class sizes, dedicated faculty, second-year mentoring, early clinical exposure, and a variety of learning techniques, students have many opportunities for continuous learning and growth, and many form close friendships that serve as an additional support system.

Located on the campus of Purdue University, IU School of Medicine students at the West Lafayette campus can enjoy a Big Ten Campus atmosphere that includes seminars, sports, arts and music events with nationally and internationally known and respected presenters. To maximize this experience, IU School of Medicine students in West Lafayette may obtain a Purdue University ID, which activates rights to check out books from the campus libraries, access recreational gymnasiums and swimming pools at the CoRec, and obtain free bus rides on City Bus. Showing this ID also qualifies medical students for discounts at various businesses in Greater Lafayette.

History and Culture

Beyond campus, the cities of Lafayette and West Lafayette provide a sophisticated art scene, vibrant nightlife, a great variety of shopping, recreation, museums, dining, festivals, family activity and much more. The community is full of beautiful turn-of-the-century architecture throughout neighborhoods and the historic downtown.

Personal Recreation

Medical students at this campus are registered graduate students within the Purdue University system, which provides access to a wide range of athletic opportunities. Faculty who are Purdue employees also enjoy access to campus recreation facilities. The Recreational and Wellness Center provides basketball courts, swimming pools, tennis courts, racquetball courts, badminton courts and an indoor hockey/soccer court. Membership is free to students; faculty and staff may purchase a membership. For a fee, members can join in learn-to-play classes, which include spinning, yoga, turbo kick and more.

Excellent recreational sports facilities and programs, including intramural athletics, are available to medical students in West Lafayette. Students can also enjoy the Schwartz Tennis Center, Aquatics Center, the Meeker Climbing Wall and an extensive, scenic trail system nearby for biking and jogging.

Extracurricular Activities

The nation’s most competitive residency programs seek well-rounded medical students who demonstrate an ability to balance work with a meaningful life outside the classroom. Recreation activities, including student mentoring, civic engagement, athletics and hobbies help relieve stress and return students refreshed to academic work. IU School of Medicine’s West Lafayette campus offers a variety of participation opportunities, including Medical Student Council, Student Interest Groups and Committees.

Intramural sports are among the most popular ways to get involved on-campus. The Intramural Sports program provides the opportunity for structured individual, dual and/or team leagues, tournaments, and events in many sports. Each year, numerous students participate in basketball teams, flag football teams, sand volleyball teams, outdoor and indoor soccer teams and softball teams. Medical students can participate in the graduate, faculty and staff level division.