Get involved

Getting involved

What will you gain from working with us?

Research Experience

Project Milestones volunteers actively recruit participants, contribute to the development of educational materials, and assist with assessing and analyzing collected data. There are opportunities to help with literature reviews, protocol development, and study design methodology. Volunteers are exposed to multidisciplinary collaboration and work closely with public health and medical professionals across the University of Southern California (USC) and the University of California, Irvine (UCI). 

Practical Experiential Training

MPH students will gain practical experience in the field, with a focus on advancing population health and disease prevention. Project Milestones covers cross-cutting disciplines and topics, including the etiology of cancer, health policy, health promotion, health inequalities, and the promotion of health equity. Students will actively apply Theory vs. Practice, exhibit leadership skills, and contribute to the development of translational sciences. 

This is a great experience for those:

  • Interested in a career in healthcare or health research.
  • Passionate about contributing to cancer survivors’ quality of life, empowerment, and achievement of life milestones. 
  • Seeking a meaningful research/internship/practicum experience for school.

Volunteering for credit hours

Volunteering only (not for credit)

1. USC or UCI Students must be enrolled or planning to enroll in one of the following courses:

USC Undergraduate Directed Research (HP-490)

UCI Undergraduate Practicum (PH 195W)

UCI Undergraduate Field Study  (course code)

2. Students can help with study recruitment by phone remotely, by mail in-person, or both. Volunteers must possess

For phone recruitment volunteers

  • Strong written and verbal skills in English to communicate with cancer survivors via phone
  •  A quiet place where they can make calls on a secure internet connection each week
  • A few attributes that help you stand out: fluency in another language, customer service experience
 
For in-person mailing recruitment volunteers
  • Reliable transportation to the Soto Street Building at USC or the Anteater Building at UCI
  • A positive attitude
  • Attention to detail and patience for repetitive tasks

3. Students may apply for consideration by our team by:

Emailing Justin at jjorvina@hs.uci.edu and Melanie at mlpeders@hs.uci.edu with the following information:

  • Name, major, and year in school
  • Number of credit hours for which you intend to register for field study
  • Your CV/resume
  • A few sentences on why would like to work on Project Milestones

4. If selected, all volunteers are expected to:

  • Submit their credit hour form before the quarter/semester begins
  • Complete HIPAA and Social Behavioral Studies CITI training 
  • Complete the Cancer Surveillance Program Confidentiality training course
  • Complete the REDCap Program Training 
  • Sign a Confidentiality Pledge
  • Sign the Appendix II
  • Try to attend weekly online research meetings (Tuesdays, 1-2pm and every other Friday, 1-2pm)

1. Students interested in volunteering for experience in public health and population-based research must be:

  • Enrolled in an undergraduate institution
  • Available to volunteer for at least 2 hours every week
  • Able to commit to at least one year of volunteering

2. Students can help with study recruitment by phone remotely, by mail in-person, or both. Volunteers must possess:

For phone recruitment volunteers

  • Strong written and verbal skills in English to communicate with cancer survivors via phone
  •  A quiet place where they can make calls on a secure internet connection each week
  • A few attributes that help you stand out: fluency in another language, customer service experience
 
For in-person mailing recruitment volunteers
  • Reliable transportation to the Soto Street Building at USC or the Anteater Building at UCI
  • A positive attitude
  • Attention to detail and patience for repetitive tasks

3. Students may apply for consideration by our team by:

Emailing Justin at jjorvina@hs.uci.edu and Melanie at mlpeders@hs.uci.edu with the following information:

  • Name, major, and year in school
  • Number of hours you have available each week to volunteer
  • Your CV/resume
  • A few sentences on why would like to work on Project Milestones

4. If selected, all volunteers are expected to:

  • Complete HIPAA and Social Behavioral Studies CITI training 
  • Complete the Cancer Surveillance Program Confidentiality training course
  • Complete the REDCap Program Training 
  • Sign a Confidentiality Pledge
  • Sign the Appendix II
  • Try to attend weekly online research meetings (Tuesdays, 1-2pm and every other Friday, 1-2pm)