Editor’s note | March 18, 1:50 p.m. This story has been updated to reflect the fact that FAU’s Venezuela Humanitarian Aid Drive will be open to receive donations at all Pre-Health Week events. 

If you’re interested in any kind of healthcare profession, today is your lucky day — along with the rest of this week.  

Starting, Monday, March 18 through Friday, March 22 begins FAU’s Pre-Health Week, where students are invited to attend workshops and panels to explore the field, meet professionals, and find out how to apply to medical school.

The week is the result of a collaboration between the College of Science and 12 pre-health organizations on campus, according to Efrain Aguayo Mallon, who is the president of Health Occupations Students of America: Future Health Professionals (HOSA) and Pre-Health Ambassadors at FAU.

The week originally began in 2018 after Mallon won the 2017 Council of Student Organizations’ (COSO) Shark Tank competition and received $1,500 in funding to put on the events. But it’s expanded since then, with about $8,750 from COSO and the College of Science going into the events this year.

“The harsh truth is that it can be exceedingly difficult to encourage pre-medical students into attending workshops that they may deem boring (i.e. medical school financing, personal statement writing, etc.). The other problem is that students are predominantly unaware of the resources available to them on campus or simply don’t know who to speak with,” he said via email.

Pre-Health Week is meant to overcome those problems and get students invested in their future by making the events fun, he added.

Any Pre-Health week event is also a drop-off spot for FAU’s Venezuela Humanitarian Aid Drive, which goes toward people who have been affected by the revolts against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Students are encouraged to bring over-the-counter medications, vitamins, first aid supplies, non-perishable foods, baby food and formula, water purification tablets or kits, and personal hygiene items.

Here’s a rundown of this week’s events:

Monday, March 18

What: Hands-on Health Workshop & Activities

Where: Wimberly Library, 5th floor

When: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Learn how to insert a tube into a patient’s throat, evaluate a person’s blood pressure with FAU’s Blood Pressure Screening Association, and perform a mock examination on a patient with HOSA.

Wraps, sandwiches, and platters of fruit, cheese, and meat will be provided for free.

Tuesday, March 19

What: Medical Student & Applicant Panel

Where: General Classroom North, room 102

When: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Chat with current or newly admitted medical students over free pizza and soda to see what you can expect in the classroom and in the field.

Wednesday, March 20

What: Physician & Health Professions Panel

Where: College of Business, room 120

When: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Physicians and other healthcare professionals will answer questions about what they do and how they got there. Students pursuing all medical specialties are welcome, and there will be pizza, wraps, soda, and platters of fruit and cheese.

Thursday, March 21

What: Pre-Health Professions Day

Where: Sanson Science Patio

When: 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Meet medical school admissions representatives from FAU, University of Florida, Nova Southeastern University, University of Kentucky, and more — and enjoy some free pizza and soda while you’re at it.

What: Medical School Admission Information Sessions

Where: Science and Engineering building, multiple rooms

When: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Come learn how to apply to medical schools and prepare for prerequisite tests with representatives from Nova Southeastern University, the University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ross University, and the University of Kentucky. Free pizza and soda will be provided.

Friday, March 22

What: Medical School Admission

Where: Science and Engineering building, multiple rooms

When: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Representatives from the University of Florida, University of Miami, Ross Barry University, Life University, St. George’s University of London, and more will talk about getting into medical school and preparing for the prerequisite tests.

Breakfast and a sandwich buffet including salad, chips, cookies, and a vegetable platter will be offered for free.

What: Domestic Violence and Opioids Crisis Workshop

Where: The lawn between the College of Science and General Classroom North

When: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Attendees will learn how to help those who are suffering from domestic violence or opioid addictions. There will also be a candlelight vigil ceremony for those affected by these issues after the workshop. Please wear purple.

If you want a specific breakdown of the hours that individual universities will be presenting at any given session, go here and click on “Weekly Activities and Events Schedule.”

“This event is significant because it shows unity amongst FAU organizations and provides FAU students with otherwise unavailable opportunities … I would encourage students to attend as many events as they possibly can in order to grow as students and prepare themselves for their future careers,” Mallon said.

Hope Dean is the news editor of the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email h[email protected] or tweet her @hope_m_dean.