Extracurricular Activity
Any clinical activities, health fairs, research activities, or shadowing experiences occurring outside of the FIRE module and curriculum will need to be approved before the activity begins.
To receive approval, students must complete and submit the appropriate form for each specific activity. Submitting the correct form is essential to avoid delays
Each activity requires specific forms. It’s imperative that you complete the correct form before sending it to Student Affairs to avoid any delays. If you have any questions prior to submitting the forms you can email medstudentaffairs@ucf.edu.
Clinical Activities
This form is used for anything with a clinical component (such as volunteering at a free clinic). To ensure the student is covered by liability insurance, the signature or approval of a UCF College of Medicine faculty member (core/adjunct/volunteer) must accompany the form.
Health Screenings and/or Health Fairs
This form is used for any activitiy related to Health Screenings and/or Services at Health Fairs. All Health Fair forms must be submitted at least 4 weeks before the event.
Volunteer Activities
For all other activities that do not have a research or clinical component, the above form is used to track the event and hours earned. Faculty approval is not required. Completion of this form helps track service learning and other volunteer hours. For any questions, please contact the Office of Student Affairs.
International Clinical Activities
Students wishing to participate in international activities must obtain the approval of UCF Global prior to completing the extracurricular activity form. For more information, visit UCF Global.
Research Activities
Any research and scholarly activity performed by medical students OTHER THAN RESEARCH RELATED TO THE M1/M2 FIRE CURRICULUM is required to be included in FIRE+. New research projects outside of the FIRE curriculum in M1/M2, continuity of the FIRE project in M3/M4 years, or independent research as an extracurricular activity must be approved by FIRE+. After submission of a brief intake form, FIRE+ projects will be reviewed to ensure quality and rigor with the anticipation that the project can be publishable in peer-reviewed journals and presentable in national/international professional conferences. For questions on IRB policies and procedures, please visit the UCF Institutional Review Board page.
Service Learning
Service-learning is a structured educational experience that integrates community services with academic preparation and reflection defined by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).
Key Features of Service-Learning Projects
- Academics Relevance
- Connecting classroom learning to real-world community needs and experiences.
- Professional Development
- Ability for students to practice professionalism, empathy, and ethical care in various settings.
- Career Exploration
- Discover potential career paths and research opportunities through hands-on engagement.
- Critical Thinking
- Develop and test hypotheses to address challenges encountered during the experiences.
- Cultural & Linguistic Immersion
- Gain foundational skills in Medical Spanish and other languages to better serve diverse populations.
Service-learning goes beyond mere “volunteerism” which many prospective medical students already engage in as part of their eligibility for matriculation. Service-learning goes beyond charity and altruism demonstrated by community service as they have equal focus on both the service being provided and the learning that occurs.