Midwestern University medical students care for community with Day of Service

Before beginning their rigorous course of study, first-year medical students at Midwestern University participate in an annual day of service.

This year, 209 new students at the University's Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine packed food, sorted donations, cleared brush, and more as part of their orientation program.

The following are just some of the service projects completed over the course of two days by the first-year medical students:

• Packed nutritious meals for hungry children around the world at Feed My Starving Children in Aurora and Schaumburg;

• Sorted food donations at the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Geneva and the People's Resource Center Food Pantry in Westmont;

• Organized medical supplies and performed general maintenance at Almost Home Kids in Naperville;

• Assisted with a medical records purge and general office cleanup at the CommunityHealth Clinic in Chicago.

• Cleared brush and performed general maintenance at Fullersburg Woods in Oak Brook, Lyman Woods in Downers Grove, and the Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton.

Participation in service projects gives students firsthand experience with the needs of the community they will one day serve as health professionals. The projects also reflect a University-wide commitment to community service. Midwestern University Students, faculty, and staff at Midwestern University are dedicated to improving the lives and health of others and provide more than 22,000 hours of service to community organizations annually.