Community Service

A med student with two Hoya campers

Purpose

Georgetown University School of Medicine requires each student to complete a minimum of 20 hours of community service prior to graduation. This requirement is rooted in Cura Personalis, Latin for “care for the whole person,” one of the many Jesuit values that Georgetown University upholds in order to offer its students a unique educational experience. This value suggests individualized attention to the needs of the other, distinct respect for his or her unique circumstances and concerns and an appropriate appreciation for his or her particular gifts and insights. Cura Personalis deeply influences the Georgetown medical experience and is intertwined with the mission of Georgetown University to educate women and men “to be responsible and active participants in civic life and to live generously in service to others.” By providing service to the greater community, Georgetown medical students go beyond their roles as student physicians and serve others in a broader context.

Expectations

For any activity to qualify as community service and count towards the graduation requirement, the following conditions must be met: 

  • Performed (clinical or non-clinical) within a vulnerable, underserved, or traditionally disenfranchised population group or community
  • Cannot be an activity for which the student is receiving course credit, i.e. IHC service learning experience
  • Site must be pre-approved prior to service being rendered (see guide below)

Note: prior to completing any community service activity, students must obtain approval of their site if it is not already approved.

*A maximum of 10 hours will be granted for service rendered at a pre-approved site outside of the Washington, DC metro area.

Guide

To fulfill the community service requirement to graduate, students must follow these steps: 

  1. Choose from the list of pre-approved sites (new window) where you would like to serve.
    • If you would like to volunteer at a site that is not listed, you must complete the form to request a new site (new window) and obtain approval from the Office of Medical Education.
    • Unapproved sites will not count toward the 20 hour requirement.
  2. Perform community service at pre-approved site.
  3. Log your completed hours here.

Helpful Links

Pre-Approved Site List

Student Events Calendar: this calendar includes upcoming service events.

Student representatives will also notify the class of upcoming service opportunities. 

Questions

Email the Medical Education Office (medicaleducationoffice@georgetown.edu) with Subject line “Inquiry: Community Service.”