At a glance
The 2026 Pre-Health Conference, hosted by UW’s Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (MAPS), is a free, student-led… Read full summary
- Funding received
- 2025-2026
- Mini
- Awarded
- $4,221
- Funding partners
-
- Services and Activities Fee (SAF)
The 2026 Pre-Health Conference, hosted by UW’s Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (MAPS), is a free, student-led event that supports underrepresented pre-health students through mentorship, networking, and hands-on learning. Held at the HUB, the conference will serve over 400 attendees. Programming centers on the intersection of sustainability and health, including environmental health, social determinants of health, and sustainable clinical practices. Funding will support HUB venue costs.
The 2026 Pre‑Health Conference (PHC), organized by the Minority Association of Pre‑Medical Students (MAPS) at the University of Washington, empowers underrepresented pre‑health students with resources, mentorship, networking, and hands‑on healthcare experiences. The event will be held at the Husky Union Building (HUB) on Saturday, April 11, 2026, and we are applying for CSF Mini‑grant support to cover room reservation costs.
This conference advances CSF’s mission by foregrounding the intersection of sustainability and health, including global health equity, sustainable clinical practices, and environmental health. Programming includes opioid overdose prevention workshops, hands‑on training in sustainable medical practices, and panels on social determinants of health and environmental health impacts on marginalized communities.
CSF support ensures equitable access by offsetting venue costs, allowing us to keep attendance free for students, particularly those from underrepresented and marginalized backgrounds.
Building on prior success (400+ attendees last year), PHC 2026 will scale its reach and impact across the UW community. CSF’s continued partnership enables a high‑quality, equity‑first event and helps establish a durable model for future PHCs.
Shubham Bansal
Project lead
- shubhamb@uw.edu
- Affiliation
- Student
- Years
- 1 year(s) remaining at UW
- Affiliated groups
- Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students; American Red Cross @ UW; UW Emergency Medical Services; CHDD Lab; Department of Neuroscience; Department of Anthropology; WECARE @ UW; Narcare @ UW; UW Diabetes Research Center
Cass Nguyen
Team member
- ccadvs@uw.edu
- Affiliation
- Staff
- Affiliated groups
- Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center
Dr. Duncan Reid
Team member
- reidd@uw.edu
- Affiliation
- Faculty
- Affiliated groups
- UW School of Medicine
Sara Thomas
SAO Advisor; advising and assisting with planning/organization
- thomas59@uw.edu
- Affiliation and department
- UW Student Activities Office
- Stakeholder approval form
Request amount and budget
Plans for financial longevity
After CSF funding ends, PHC 2026 continues through a diversified funding plan that MAPS already uses each year. The conference budget is covered by a mix of corporate sponsors such as test prep companies and local health systems, small co sponsorships from UW departments and student organizations, and in-kind donations of printing, supplies, and tabling materials. If a small gap still remains, we sell tickets to the PHC based on our financial need, but this is often a last resort, and if anybody cannot afford a ticket or feels overwhelmed by financial cost, we will turn our focus to organizing grassroots fundraising or cutting costs.
PHC 2026 will also produce durable assets that reduce costs in future cycles. Sadly. this does not include room booking, though. These do include workshop facilitation guides, an overdose response teaching module, a speaker outreach kit, a sponsor outreach kit, evaluation survey templates, a contact database, Canva and Google Drive design files, and a day of operations checklist. All assets live in a shared UW Google Drive with standard naming, permissions, and an annual update schedule in October and again after the event. No permanent installations are created. Any reusable items such as banners, power strips, clickers, and signage are inventoried and stored with MAPS.
Timeline Overview for PHC 2026
A year-long effort culminating in the conference on April 25, 2026. CSF support covers essential costs (e.g., venue) and allows smooth execution.
July 2025
- Establish planning committee and assign key roles.
- Begin sponsorship outreach; initiate HUB reservation.
August 2025
- Continue sponsor follow-ups; finalize committee assignments.
- Launch monthly advisor meetings (ECC/SAO).
September 2025
- Finalize workshops/sessions by Sept 26, 2025.
- Brainstorm keynote speakers and session leads.
October 2025
- Send official invitations to speakers and facilitators.
November 2025
- Open/close PHC 2026 intern applications; send acceptances by Nov 21, 2025.
December 2025
- Complete detailed PHC budget by Dec 15, 2025.
January 2026
- Begin biweekly planning meetings.
- Confirm ticketing, catering, and first-round speakers by Jan 18, 2026; start advertising.
February 2026
- Finalize all speaker commitments by Feb 22, 2026.
- Outreach to local high schools/colleges; finalize scholarship opportunities by Feb 10, 2026.
- Order supplies (e.g., tech converters) by Feb 22, 2026.
March 2026
- Shift to weekly meetings.
- Full-scale advertising across social media and campus by Mar 23, 2026.
- Finalize and print event materials (pamphlets, posters, day-of schedule); finalize youth-protection and photo-consent protocols.
April 2026
- Final PHC meeting and event run-through between Apr 1-10, 2026.
- Conference Day: Saturday, April 11, 2026 (HUB).
May 2026
- Compile PHC 2026 statistics; share with sponsors/stakeholders by May 1, 2026.
- Hold a recap meeting to capture successes and improvements.
Plans for long-term project management
Continuity is maintained through a structured pipeline and a documented handoff. Each workstream has a co-lead model so that an intern can shadow the current lead for PHC 2026 and assume the role the following year. The transition calendar begins two weeks after the conference with a debrief and playbook refresh, followed by a spring recruitment cycle for new interns and officers. Materials include a role playbook with checklists, a month-by-month timeline, email templates, a budget workbook, a day of run of show, and a post event report. All files are stored in a UW Google Drive folder with access managed by the MAPS President and the SAO advisor.
Advising continuity is provided by the Student Activities Office and the Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center. At least one graduate or professional mentor attends monthly planning meetings during winter and spring. If unexpected turnover occurs, the President, Treasurer, and faculty or staff advisor act as the emergency core to keep contracting and payments on schedule. This model has supported year over year growth and gives new leaders practical experience before they step into officer roles.
Problem statement
The 2026 Pre-Health Conference addresses a persistent need at UW for equitable access to pre-health education and mentoring for underrepresented students. Many pre-health students, especially those from minority and underserved backgrounds, face barriers to career exploration, mentorship, and hands-on experiences that build practical skills and confidence. These barriers reduce exposure to essential knowledge and limit entry into health careers. Our approach is informed by lived experience in MAPS, direct feedback from students, and prior conference evaluations that called for accessible programming tailored to these challenges. The conference provides targeted workshops, panels, and networking that meet students where they are, with content that links health to environmental and social sustainability, including overdose prevention and sustainable clinical practices. Building on prior years, PHC 2026 continues a proven model that fills gaps in exposure and support, so students can explore multiple health pathways regardless of socioeconomic or educational barriers. The goal is simple and durable: make career-relevant learning, mentorship, and skill building visible and reachable to the students who have historically had the least access to them.
Problem context
PHC 2026 fits alongside UW efforts that increase diversity, inclusion, and sustainability in health education. As a MAPS signature event, it complements OMAD and Health Equity Circle by amplifying resources for marginalized students and connecting academic preparation with real-world experiences. The conference strengthens UW’s pipeline by pairing hands-on workshops, mentorship, and career panels with a broad network of clinicians, trainees, and faculty. It also aligns with student-driven initiatives like Harborview Student Shadowing by providing a yearly platform for networking, professional development, and resource sharing. New in 2026, a Financial Partnerships Coordinator cultivates external sponsors and co-sponsors so CSF support leverages additional funding that can benefit multiple UW-associated organizations that table, teach, or co-host content at PHC. This creates a campus multiplier effect: sponsors help underwrite materials, accessibility services, and programming that reach beyond MAPS to peer groups in the UW ecosystem. In short, PHC does not duplicate any work. Instead it links efforts, fills access gaps, and provides a shared stage where students and partners act together to diversify and sustain a large health workforce.
Measure the impacts
| Impact / goal | Metric(s) of success | UW stakeholders impacted |
|---|---|---|
| Increased Access to Healthcare Career Development for Underrepresented Students | At least 400 attendees, with 50% identifying as underrepresented in healthcare, attending workshops and panels focused on career development. | Undergraduate |
| Hands-on Learning Experiences in Healthcare | At least 150 students participating in hands-on workshops (e.g., suturing, opioid overdose response), providing valuable practical skills and exposure to healthcare roles. | Undergraduate |
| Enhanced Professional Networking Opportunities | 35+ healthcare professionals, including medical students, physicians, and faculty, engaged in mentorship and networking activities with attendees during workshops and panels. | Undergraduate |
| Graduate teaching and mentorship development | ≥20 graduate or professional students facilitate workshops or panels and complete brief teaching feedback; ≥80% report increased confidence in mentorship and teaching. | Graduate, Academic staff |
Communication tactics and tools
We will use Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn for regular updates, speaker spotlights, and short video highlights. Targeted email campaigns will reach MAPS members, pre-health clubs, and campus partners with registration details, session previews, and sponsor acknowledgments. Officer-led tabling will help students register, ask questions, and pick up printed schedules. Content will include short videos, testimonials, and infographics to drive visibility and sharing. Dedicated outreach officers coordinate this work throughout the year. In 2026, the Financial Partnerships Coordinator will co-brand sponsor posts, manage a shared contact list, and align sponsor support with needs across participating UW groups, such as printing, accessibility services, and workshop materials. Day-of tools include clear signage, slide templates, and a run-of-show checklist to keep sessions on time. Post-event, we will circulate a visual summary with metrics and next-step opportunities, so students and partners can continue the connection beyond the conference.
Outreach communication plan
We will use a clear, multi-channel plan to promote PHC 2026 and share outcomes with UW. Tactics include email campaigns to MAPS members and allied pre-health groups, social media updates, and collaborations with campus units like the Office of Student Health Relations. We will also engage local high schools to widen the pathway into health fields. After the event, we will publish highlights, impact metrics, and opportunities via MAPS social channels and UW student newsletters. Primary beneficiaries include underrepresented pre-health students, peer health organizations that participate, and campus partners who use the conference as a platform for mentorship and recruitment.
Student involvement
PHC 2026 offers broad student professional development. Interns co-lead workstreams in logistics, fundraising, programming, and communications, gaining concrete experience. The conference floor connects students with volunteer and internship opportunities from partners like Seattle Children’s and other clinical sites. Mentorship happens in small workshops and panels where students meet clinicians, medical students, and faculty. We also invite graduate and professional students to facilitate sessions, which gives them structured practice in teaching and mentorship that supports their future roles in health education. These components build skills, networks, and confidence that carry into research labs, clinics, and community health organizations.