Global and Community Health (GCH) students are engaged in various student organizations, internships, volunteer and career opportunities. There are innumerable ways to examine and apply GCH learning objectives both inside and outside the classroom.

Affiliated student organizations

There are a multitude of ways to engage in global and community health issues via on-campus student groups.  Also, if you have an update to your student organization’s details below or you wish to add your organization to our website, we want to hear from you! Please email Heather Gardner at hagardne@ucsc.edu.

• American Medical Student Association (AMSA): AMSA is a student-led, national association that exists to cultivate, inspire, and inform medical students.
• Aspiring Physician Assistant Association (APAA): Committed to educating Pre-PA students about their future health profession by organizing activities and providing mentorship support.
• CAPS Peer Education Program: The CAPS PEP is a group of undergraduate students dedicated to increasing awareness and reducing stigma around mental health issues and treatment, with a primary focus on facilitating educational workshops and outreach to the UCSC student community. 
• Colleges Against Cancer at UCSC: Plans community events to spread cancer awareness and raise money for non-profit cancer organizations like the American Cancer Society.
• Planned Parenthood: Generation Action UCSC: A network of young organizers and activists across the country who organize events on their campuses and in their communities to mobilize advocates for reproductive freedom; in addition to raising public awareness about reproductive health and rights, educating young people about sexual health, and creating lasting change in those communities.
• Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC!): Advises the UCSC Student Health Center and advocates for UCSC students on student health insurance for the UC system, UC SHIP.
• The Student Housing Coalition: A student-led coalition working to advocate on issues surrounding the housing crisis.
• Emergency Medical Slugs: The first organization at UCSC with a focus on emergency medicine and pre-hospital care.
• Pre-dental Society at UCSC: Founded in Fall of 2007, we are focused on providing our members with the resources necessary to become competitive dental school applicants.
• Universities Allied for Essential Medicines – UCSC Chapter: Students fighting to ensure access and affordability to life-saving medicines developed on their campuses

Health Sciences Internship Program 

The internship program is restricted to declared Global & Community Health, BS and Human Biology majors in their junior or senior year.

All majors have a comprehensive requirement. For the global and community health B.S., this requirement can be satisfied by receiving a passing grade in the Health Sciences Internship, BIOL 189. This internship engage students in meaningful community service and, most importantly, provide an opportunity to gain first-hand experience with the types of issues faced by healthcare professionals, as well as the skills needed to effectively deal with them. Students complete 80 hours at their placement over the course of the quarter, keep a reflective journal, and submit required documentation such as an hourly log, evaluation forms, and a final reflective essay. Interns earn 5 units of academic credit per quarter during the internship. 

The Health Sciences Internship Coordinator counsels and helps place students in internships at local hospitals, clinics and other facilities. Each intern is trained and mentored on-site by a healthcare professional, and assigned to a faculty advisor from UCSC’s Dept. of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, who helps the student integrate academic coursework and research experience with the practical lessons learned in the field.

Questions? Reach out to the Internship Coordinator, bmagyar@ucsc.edu for access to the Canvas Info site and to get more inforamtion.

Prerequisites

• Successful completion of Entry Level Writing and Composition Requirements.
• Attend an Internship Informational Session, held Week 3 each quarter except during summer. Info sessions will be announced via email.

Internship information meetings

Dates and times will be added here.  

Applying and registering for the internship 

Students must fill out a Google form application and submit their resume, letter of intent, and proof of health insurance by the application deadline. The link to the Google form is available on the Canvas website. The Internship Coordinator will reach out to students to schedule an interview during the first week of the following quarter. She will contact you via your UCSC email.

Students do not self-register for BIOL 189. Students must first go through the application process, have an interview with the Internship Coordinator, and receive their internship placement. Once these steps are completed, students will be issued a permission code to enroll in BIOL 189.

Internship timeline 

Students must apply two quarters before when they want to do their internship. For example, if you want to do your internship during the Spring quarter, you must attend an info session and submit your application during the Fall quarter. Student applications will not be accepted one quarter before or during the same quarter of their anticipated internship.

It can only be taken in your Junior or Senior year. It is not permitted to be taken alongside BIOL 130/L (Human Physiology). The internship may only be taken as part of a 15-17 unit quarter, not in addition to (this doesn’t mean you have to take 15 units, just no more than that). It is highly recommended to do your internship during the lightest quarter of your last two years.

If you intend to do your internship in this quarter:	Spring 2025	Summer 2025
Attend an information meeting during the week of:	Sept. 30th – Oct. 3, 2024	TBD
Submit an application by:	Oct. 21, 2024	TBD

Preparing for the internship 

It’s never too early to start thinking about your internship. Start exploring healthcare facilities, agencies, and organizations in the community that you are interested in. Check out their websites and volunteer opportunities. If you’re feeling up to it, go ahead and reach out to learn more about their work and opportunities available to students. Also, schedule a brainstorming session with Beth Magyar, Health Sciences Internship Coordinator at bmagyar@ucsc.edu. Reflect on how your internship will help you develop skills, gain experience, and build networks that support your future professional and personal goals.