SERVICE PROJECTS/VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

SPARX believes that best way to learn about working in urban and rural medically underserved communities is to spend time there in some capacity. As a result, service projects are implemented for students to gain experience in working with communities in Seattle as well as through out Washington State. Yearly activites are listed on the SPARX Calendar Page.

Interdisciplinary Rural Health Class (Conjoint 515)
SPARX is one of the contributors to the conjoint (interprofessional) graduate course of Health and Human Services in Rural Areas, Conjoint 515. This course is offered once per year in a roting format: a seminar series and a field trip, a two field trip course with travelling speakers, and a one-day rural health conference. This year, the course will be offered in Spring Quarter and will be conducted in a hybrid format: several in-class lectures and one field trip to a community in Eastern Washington. Students can enroll in this one credit, CR/NC, course or audit it with permission of the instructor. 4 SPARX points are automatically awarded to students who take this course.

Interdisciplinary Health Promotion Teams (IHPT)
SPARX will have teams of students pair with local community agencies to participate in health promotion activities with that group. Student teams will conduct a needs assessment with the community partner and work with that community partner during the year to execute the wishes of that community partner. Our focus is on homelss and homelessness.

Current community partners with on-going or anticipating new service projects:

Email SPARX for further information. There are different time and service committments to these projects, however, new students can join teams throughout the year.

Health Fair Teams (HFT) Project
The HFT Project offers SPARX students an opportunity to travel to rural areas and give presentations that are identified by the communities visited themselves. Opportunities will come up throughout the year, including the Latina Health Fair in May and The rainbow Women's Health fair in June. Students interested are listed and contacted as opportunities present. Students will be selected based upon their avaiability. Sign ups for these teams occur at the annual Kickoff, or contact SPARX

Community Health Advancement Program (CHAP)
CHAP is a sister student program to SPARX run out of the Department of Family Medicine. Medical students (and others) have opportunities to involve themselves in development and delivery of health programs to at-risk communities. Visit the CHAP website by clicking here, you will open the CHAP website in a new browser window.