PREMEDICAL STUDENTS

It’s never too early to engage in the field of sexual and reproductive health (SRH), especially through the lens of Reproductive Justice. As you take your required premedical courses—such as organic chemistry, biochemistry, and calculus—also consider courses that touch on Reproductive Justice, bioethics, public health, and the intersections of science and the humanities. This will help you expand the context in which you think about science and reproductive health. It’s particularly important to engage with the issues and communities surrounding your future practice, which will not exist in a vacuum. Here are some actions you can take to ensure your future work is responsive and relevant…

Educate yourself on Reproductive Justice outside of an academic setting: read books, watch documentaries, and attend community-based events.

This foundation will set you up for success wherever you attend medical school, residency, and eventually choose to practice.

Bring speakers, groups, activists, and organizations to your campus.

Consider the following national organizations:

SisterSong, the Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collaborative

National Center for Transgender Equality

National Institute for Reproductive Health

National Women’s Health Network

Research local Reproductive Justice and/or advocacy organizations in your community and invite them to speak at your campus — community engagement is key.

Get on your local clinic’s email list, or volunteer your time at a clinic or as a clinic escort.

Having these experiences as a pre-medical student will help you understand more about the clinic landscape as well as the patient experience.

Consider an internship or summer job working in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) or advocacy.

There is no shortage of opportunities for short or long-term experiences that either directly or indirectly relate to reproductive health and justice. You do not need to be working for an abortion clinic directly to support a person’s right to choose what is best for their body; however if you do have the opportunity to work at an abortion clinic as a medical assistant or counselor, this would be a great introduction to medicine and useful experience for a future abortion provider.