NYU School of Medicine prides itself in offering to its students a wide array of extra curricular activities ranging from sports clubs to cultural clubs, from community service groups to religious groups. Most students arrive at NYU surprised to find that most of their interests are already represented at the school. On top of that, if a student feels that a particular group or interest is not catered to, that student can simply apply to Student Council for recognition and funding.

There are currently over 70 self-governing student organizations to become involved in. During first-year orientation of every year, there is a club fair held in the Farkas Breezeway. Here, students (especially incoming first-years) may learn about the many groups on campus, be informed of upcoming events, and join email listservs. During the course of the school year, group events are publicized on the new Student Portal. This way, students are consistently informed of what is going on around the school. The Office of Student Affairs also sponsors many events, so be wary of emails coming from their office.

To get involved with student group leadership, simply show interest. There are many ways to become seriously involved with certain groups, whether it be chairing an organization or being a weekly volunteer in groups like BASIS, The Hepatitis Project, or the Free Clinic.

Even if you are not a “member” of certain groups, that does not mean you cannot participate in their events. Extracurricular activities are open to all NYU School of Medicine students, so don’t feel guilty going to a dinner lecture if you aren’t considered a part of the organization.

Students here at NYU place great value on the overwhelming number of organizations on campus and how easy it is to become involved.

The majority of student groups at NYUSoM are funded through the Student Council. For more information on clubs and organizations, please visit the Student Council webpage at http://students.med.nyu.edu/student-council and download the recently updated Guide to Student Organizations. Also, for a complete listing of student groups and how you can contact their officers, please visit http://clubs.med.nyu.edu.