It’s a bit overwhelming for students to choose from the numerous medical-based clubs established at Cardozo. Should you join the Red Cross Club? Pre-Med Club? Cardozo Pharmacy? The White Coat Project? Emergency Medical Research Club? There is quite the stack of clubs for bio-medical students and others interested in medicine to choose from.
This year, a new club at Cardozo has joined the list of medical clubs: Project Procure.
With its fluffy blue mascot, Cardozo’s Project Procure is part of a non-profit organization under the same name that strives to provide students with educational workshops, guest speakers, mentorship programs, and volunteering opportunities under the general medical field. Meetings are on Wednesdays after school in room 205 in the main building.
In addition to the various enrichment activities, Project Procure also leans towards a separate focus besides its medical aspect: creating a strong sense of community with its members.
Through their regularly hosted events and fundraisers, the club aims to grow bonds and flourish connections with these aspiring students to sustain a supporting network that they can rely on.
Rachel Choi, one of the co-presidents of Cardozo’s club, glowed at the mission of the organization. “Although we are a medical club providing internships and mentorship, we also strive to create a community where members feel safe around each other,” she said. “This is why we often hold events and activities for fundraisers, allowing members to talk instead of just listening to us talk for the whole hour.”
Angelina Zhang, the other co-president, concurred with Choi’s declaration, adding in her own desire to end students’ trepidation on journeying through the medical world alone. Now, they no longer need to fear the unknown. They can attack it with the community.
Speaking of community, the umbrella organization has already established roots with local libraries, elementary schools, and major administrations such as the National Medical Fellowships, or NMF, which they consistently donate to in order to fund the scholarships and programs for prospective medical students provided by the non-profit.
For the club at Cardozo, the board receives these events for the following month on the 15th of the current month, sent directly from the organization’s base at Stuyvesant High School, where one of the founders resides.
Muya Zhou, along with Kallie Thai, founded the organization to fight against the inequality and hardship that come with being a first-generation student.
“I’ve seen how difficult it is to go into the medical and healthcare field without connections, mentorship, or someone to guide you,” Zhou recounted.
She further described the disadvantage that pioneer students face compared to those with support. “For students like me, the path forward isn’t clear, and I wanted to help build a path and a community for those who will experience this in the future.”
As of now, that path has been marked with success. Vice President Tyler Huie reminisced about one of their more victorious fundraisers, which happened to be the first one they hosted.
“During our first fundraiser, we were very nervous about our performance, especially since we were a small group with no popularity. But at the end of restless selling, we ended up raising about $600 for NMF,” he exclaimed. “We were so relieved, and we hope this luck continues to follow us.”
To narrow down the indecisiveness of figuring out which medical club to join, check out their instagram @dozoprojectprocure or pop in for a meeting to learn if your heart lies in a community with a sense of scientific belonging.
