Student Experiences

Student Experiences + Applied Learning Opportunities

The Office of Health Equity builds relationships with community partners to help amplify their work in three major areas – Education/Training, Research, and Community/Population Health Improvement.

OHE diagram

We understand that students at every stage of their educational journey want to be engaged in meaningful health equity research and community health work. The Office of Health Equity can serve as a resource for students to form relationships with community partners and find projects based on capacity and student interests.

We would love to hear more about you and your experience needs. Complete the “Applied Learning Interest Form” below to connect with us!

Interested in a Health Equity Applied Learning Experience?

Click here to submit the interest form.

Update: The Office of Health Equity is currently at capacity for student experiences until Fall 2024. We are still meetings with students interested in health equity or community engagement to connect with other VUMC or community partner opportunities, so please feel free to still reach out!

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • After completing the interest form, a member of the Office of Health Equity team will reach out. Based on your responses we may schedule a meeting for more information about you and/or details about any program requirements. Next, we would brainstorm some possible projects or community partners. If we don’t have anything that would be a good match, we may then connect you with another office or department that may be a better fit.

  • We aim to work with program requirements as well as student and partner capacity. It can be a delicate balance, but we factor time into our recommendations for students. Typically, students can commit to at least 3-5 hours a week or at most full time during the summer months.

  • Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to guarantee placement for all students at this time. We review all interest forms and find projects based on fit and capacity. The Office of Health Equity is one part of a team effort between you, your program/institution, and mentors to find the best student experience for you.

  • We have a rolling deadline and accept interest forms year-round. However, if your program/institution has a deadline, we recommend planning ahead. The process to find a project or partner can take at least 4-6 weeks.

  • Please contact the Office of Health Equity at OHEinfo@vumc.org.