Get Involved
In addition to taking pre-requisite coursework and earning good grades, another key to health career development and becoming a competitive applicant is gaining experience through volunteering, extracurricular activities, internships and job shadowing. You should aim to become familiar with healthcare settings and network with healthcare professionals, as well as gain experience working with diverse groups of people and patients.
Volunteering
Most people want to become healthcare professionals because of their desire to help others. So what better way to demonstrate that commitment than to volunteer! There are numerous volunteer and service opportunities within and outside of healthcare settings. Visit Bradley's Lewis J. Burger Center for Student Leadership and Public Services or visit Braves Volunteer for listings of volunteer opportunities in our local Peoria community and to sign up and track your hours.
Gain Experience Virtually
Although many recommended experiences like shadowing, observation hours, or volunteering in healthcare settings are currently postponed, canceled or unavailable, it’s time to get creative about what you CAN do, especially if you find yourself with extra time on your hands. Pre-Health Advisors have been crowd sourcing this great list of virtual options.
Student Organizations
There are many ways for Bradley pre-health students to be engaged with campus activities and student organizations where they can connect with fellow students with common interests in health-related careers while gaining valuable experience, volunteering, etc.
The pre-dental club provides leadership, programs, and volunteer opportunities for pre-dental students, and assists students in developing skills and knowledge related to the dental field.
Alpha Epsilon Delta Honor Society
Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED) is a national health preprofessional honor society open to all majors. Our chapter aims to integrate all health professions in one organization to better understand all aspects of health care. Our goal is for members to connect with professionals in the field, provide community service to the campus and the surrounding city of Peoria, and attend the biennial national convention.
Follow us on Instagram @bradley_AED.
Contact us at bualphaepsilondelta@gmail.com.
BU Med
The BUMed Club is for Pre-Med AND Pre-PA students. This club fosters (a) a wide interest and participation in activities by providing leadership, programs, volunteer services, and (b) assists students in developing skills and knowledge for the health professions.
Follow us on Instagram @bumed.bradley.
Contact us at bumed.bradley@gmail.com.
Global Medical Training (GMT)
The BU Chapter of GMT serves as a conduit between GMT Int'l, the GMT members, and the BU community in general by coordinating annual global missions trips to Central America. GMT provides training workshops to BU students that will educate them on diseases and other health information. GMT also serves to raise awareness, encourage local action and volunteerism in economically disadvantaged communities. Like them on Facebook or follow on Instagram to receive updates. Questions? Contact us at gmt.bradleyuniversity@gmail.com.
Health Science Organization
Provides career networking, philanthropy and social networking opportunities to students in the Health Science major.
Follow us on Instagram @bradley_hso.
For additional information contact buhealthscience@gmail.com.
Multicultural Association of Pre-Health Students (MAPS)
MAPS is an organization for minority pre-health students to gather, socialize, connect and network with each other and local health professionals. Students may be matched with a mentor from the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Our mission on campus is to support, encourage, and promote diversity in the healthcare field. We also provide the wisdom and resources to prepare for future health careers.
Follow us on Instagram @bradleymaps.
For more information or to join, email bradleymaps1@gmail.com.
Neuroscience Club
This club is to stimulate an appreciation of the complexities and importance of the field of neuroscience and neuroscience education. Promote student cooperation and contact between professionals and educators and to bind together students with similar interest. Also to use its knowledge for the benefit of neural and mental health organizations, charities, and the community.
Wags for Mags
Wags for Mags is a student-lead organization that has partnered with Paws Giving Independence to train service dogs to assist those with disabilities. The program focuses on getting students to volunteer, fundraise, and learn to train the dogs. Trainings are held every other week in the lower level of Markin.
Follow us on Instagram @wagsformags.
Contact the Volunteer Coordinator with any questions.
Best Buddies
A volunteer program designed to promote special friendships between University students and persons with developmental disabilities.
Follow us on Instagram @bradleybestbuddies for more information.