Getting involved outside the classroom is an essential part of preparing for a career in the health professions.
By engaging in campus organizations, community service, research, and clinical experiences, you can build skills, explore your interests, and strengthen your application for professional programs. This page highlights a variety of ways to get involved and make the most of your time as a pre-professional health student.
Community & Service Experience
Health professionals must be able to work effectively with diverse populations, so applicants to programs like medicine, dentistry, occupational therapy, etc. should demonstrate meaningful experience with people different from themselves across race, culture, age, ability, and socioeconomic status. Hands-on roles with groups such as children, older adults, individuals with disabilities, or underserved communities are especially valuable.
The Minnesota Department of Health highlights that community engagement helps build trust, shape services, support outreach, connect people and resources, and promote social justice while fostering leadership and critical reflection. These skills cannot be developed in isolation, making genuine interaction, rather than fundraising alone, essential for building understanding and effectiveness in healthcare settings.
Off-Campus & Local Opportunities:
Community Engagement and Volunteer Center (CEVC)
- Alternative Break Programs (January, Spring, May, and Weekend Breaks)
- Madison Community Scholars
- Service Placements, a semester- or year-long commitment to a specific community agency.
On-Campus Opportunities:
There are countless ways to get involved at JMU. While it’s not possible to capture every opportunity, these examples highlight the wide range of ways you can engage and make an impact.
Learning Centers Tutor Opportunities
- Communication Center
- Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS)
- Science & Math Learning Center
- University Writing Center
Center for Multicultural Student Services
Student Leadership
- University Program Board
- SafeRides
- UREC
- Orientation: FROG, OPA, OOA Leadership Opportunities
- UCC Career Educator
- Office of Admissions: Student Ambassadors
- Office of Residence Life (ORL): Resident Adviser
- University Advising: Madison Advising Peers
- Honor Council
- International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS): Conversation Partners
- Department of Psychology: Psychology Peer Advisors
Undergraduate Research Experience
Undergraduate research gives students access to opportunities typically reserved for advanced study, fostering critical thinking, curiosity, and hands-on skills beyond what textbooks can provide.
On-Campus Research Opportunities
JMU faculty coordinate their own research. To find research experiences at JMU, first begin by identifying the discipline in which you would like to conduct research (e.g. Biology, Psychology). Once you have identified a discipline, search the department's website for undergraduate research opportunities centrazlied on a website. If no such page exists, then search the department's faculty directory and learn about each faculty's research interests. Contact faculty whose research interests are also interesting to you.
Here are some common departments in which PPH students conduct undergraduate research and their research or faculty lists:
Off-Campus Research Opportunities
Here are some examples of off-campus undergraduate research opportunities.
Student Organizations
There are many student-led organizations at JMU that offer opportunities to get involved, build connections, and engage with both the campus and broader community. To explore all available organizations and find contact information, visit the BeInvolved site. Some popular options for PPH students include: