Enriching the learning experience while addressing community identified needs
Our Office of Service Learning develops physicians who understand the impact of social factors on health and can respond in culturally appropriate ways to the needs of all patients.
We provide opportunities throughout all four years of our curriculum, reinforcing what students learn in the classroom and at the bedside, while also providing needed services to our communities. Our office also supports in-depth service learning programs for students who want to develop a deeper understanding of health equity, health disparities and providing for underserved communities.
Our Team
Caroline Harada, MD
Assistant Dean for Community-Engaged Scholarship
Jerry Friedman, MPH
Program Manager
Latest Headlines
UAB medical student awarded prestigious American Association of University Women fellowship
MS4 Khawla “Shefa” Suhaila was awarded the 2022-23 Selected Professions Fellowship from the American Association of University Women.
LGBTQ+ Health Workshop Expands Medical Student Perspectives
In the last feature of our 2022 Pride Month series, the Department of Medicine has collaborated with the Heersink Office for Diversity and Inclusion to shine a light on how the school is working to expand the perspectives of its[…]
Nine medical students chosen as part of the 2022 class of Albert Schweitzer Fellows
Nine students from the UAB Heersink School of Medicine were named in the 2022-2023 class of Alabama Schweitzer Fellows, a group of graduate students across Alabama who will spend the next year implementing service projects designed to address social factors[…]
Changes to medical students’ first course highlight social, community factors in healthcare
When Caroline Harada, M.D., and Stephanie Berger, M.D., took over as course directors for Patient, Doctor and Society three years ago, they not only brought their passions for community service and education on social determinants of health, they also incorporated an[…]
MS3 and team of students rebuild lives of those impacted by homelessness through running
In the fall of 2020, James Harris, MS3, was compelled by the uncertainties of the pandemic to find ways to help homeless populations in Birmingham. He started Run 2 Rebuild, an organization that provides a support network, motivation, and physical[…]
Give
Support for service learning in the Heersink School of Medicine helps us train the kind of physicians we all need and want: those who understand being a physician is more than a mastery of science. Our graduates communicate with empathy, respect a person’s culture and social context, and view their profession as a tool for creating positive change in the world. Join us in training the next generation of compassionate physicians to care for Alabama and beyond.