Menu:
About us
The Charles Drew Pre-Health Society is the University of Rochester's undergraduate pre-professional organization dedicated to assisting students interested in pursuing careers in the healthcare field. We offer an annual conference, a Bioethics discussion group, educational opportunities and speakers, a mentoring program, other community service activities, and general resources for pre-health students. Through the various interactions and activities that we offer, students can begin to gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities to interact appropriately within multicultural and diverse environments, required for competency within the medical field.
Membership is NOT limited in any way; all students with an interest in any area of the health professions are encouraged to join. You may read our constitution here. Sign up to receive club e-mails and meeting alerts on our Campus Club Connection page.
Who was Charles Drew?
Image credit: NARADr. Charles R. Drew (1904-1950) was a renowned African-American surgeon, teacher, and medical researcher. While studying at Columbia University, he developed a technique for the storage and preservation of blood which involved the separation and freezing of blood plasma. In the early stages of World War II, Dr. Drew founded two of the world’s largest blood banks: a blood bank supplying plasma to British soldiers, and the American Red Cross blood bank. He protested against the practice of racial segregation in the donation of blood from donors of different races since it lacked scientific foundation. In 1943, he became the first black surgeon to serve as an examiner on the American Board of Surgery.
Further reading: Thompson Gale, American Red Cross