Public Health Student Organizations at Boston College

The American Red Cross of Boston College works to promote awareness of the importance of blood donation and community service. ARC-BC hosts four annual blood drives, food pantry visits, and other community service initiatives throughout the year.

MEDLIFE provides pre-med and other pre-health students with the opportunity to travel and set up health clinics in poor communities in Peru, Ecuador, and other developing countries. MEDLIFE is a rapidly growing organization with various chapters in universities across the nation. By partnering with local doctors and professionals in order to establish a trustworthy doctor patient relationship and better cater to people’s needs, MEDLIFE aims to provide poverty stricken individuals with the tools and education needed to live a healthy life. MEDLIFE recognizes that the best way to deal with the issues people in these communities face is by increasing the exposure of global health issues to the next generation of students that will be the leaders seeking new cures, developing new public health policies and providing services to the poor. For this reason, MEDLIFE offers introductory and long-term experiences that teach students about global health issues by working hands on in mobile clinics. In this way, we are working to create a student lead movement to increase awareness about global health issues and build a stronger, more capable public health and education sector.

696 million people lack basic access to clean and safe drinking water. Clean water changes everything: it improves health, enables access to education, and strengthens local economies. Charity Water directs 100% of every donation to fund clean water projects around the world, and provides full transparency through photos, videos, and GPS coordinates of every project. Since 2011, the Boston College chapter of charity: water has worked to educate the BC community on the impacts of the water crisis and how to make a difference. Through creative, on-campus fundraisers, the club has raised over $110,000, fully funding 6 water projects and contributing to 13 more, providing clean water to over 3,600 people around the world.

Partners in Health Engage (PIHE) is an organization aiming to provide a preferential option for the poor in health care. PIHE strives to achieve two overarching goals: to bring the benefits of modern medical science to those most in need, and to serve as an antidote to despair. At BC’s PIHE chapter, we will focus on advocating for health as a human right through meeting with our government officials, writing letters, sending emails, and making phone calls. We will also work with other chapters in the Boston Area and across the nation to ensure that everyone’s health rights are protected.

Bioethics Society of Boston College is an interdisciplinary group established in 2018 for the students of Boston College to explore emerging topics in the field of bioethics. The club hosts experts from various fields including medicine, philosophy, law, and theology. Bioethics Society of Boston College provides a forum for students to consider complex issues and engage in stimulating conversations.

Boston College EMS is a student-run, all-volunteer, quick-response emergency medical care provider founded in 1997. BC EMS serves both members of the Boston College community and guests to the Boston College campus. They operate 7 days a week and provide coverage of campus events through strategically placed foot teams, as well as campus-wide coverage with our Class V non-transporting ambulance. In addition to its role as a care provider, Boston College EMS has a commitment to advancing medical education and promoting health and safety among EMTs and students alike through lectures and classes.

At Boston College, BCPHC strives to create an engaging and creative culture around current issues in the field of public health. At our core, we seek to provide a clear access point for students who strive to develop their voice in public health at Boston College.

We aim to bring together like-minded individuals who are interested in public health. We hope to create a space for them to come together in discussion and further their learning about issues of health equity with the intention of building future leaders. Additionally, we seek to provide hands-on experience with local public health organizations and on-campus event planning to create space for meaningful connections in an established network.

Boston College Timmy Global Health works alongside our international partner clinic, 32 Volcanes, in Xela, Guatemala. Student volunteers travel to Guatemala every August to provide care to patients in 5 different communities over the course of one week. Timmy Global Health also holds monthly meetings where all students are welcome to come and discuss global health issues.