What HELIOS Does
HELIOS is a…
Research and Professional Development Course
HELIOS members attend mandatory weekly Team Meetings at the UCI School of Medicine campus in Irvine on Fridays from 3:00-5:00pm. Every week, we hold workshops on professional development and research topics.
Professional Development topics include: preparing for medical school applications, careers in nursing, networking at professional conferences, and writing a personal statement.
Research topics include: writing an undergraduate research proposal, analyzing research data, conducting patient focus groups and developing effective research presentations.
In 2019-20, we offered 25.5 hours of training on various topics including health equity training, bias and empathy training, and health policy.
Student Leadership
Organization
HELIOS members are encouraged to take leadership positions in our lab, modeled after other student organizations.
In these leadership positions, students shape the direction of the lab, helping plan the lab curriculum and service opportunities, networking with clinical and community collaborators, communicating about our work through social media, and planning social events.
In the Spring, we hold our Annual Banquet where we celebrate our collective accomplishments and recognize our students.
Graduating seniors who serve in leadership positions are recognized with a HELIOS stole to wear with their gap and gown at graduation, and can list meaningful leadership experience on their CVs and resumes.
Real World Health
Research Experience
HELIOS members begin by working within existing collaborative projects like the ones listed on this page—supporting team members in recruiting patients at the clinic, preparing educational materials in English and Spanish, and assisting in patient education sessions at the clinic.
After gaining some experience and knowledge, students are invited to develop their own research projects related to the topics we are studying, following the HELIOS Lab Research Lifecycle described below.
Students receive guidance as they apply for funding through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), develop IRB protocols, collect and analyze data, and present their work at local, regional and national conferences.
In 2018-2020, HELIOS students presented at 9 regional and national conferences in places ranging from San Diego and San Antonio, TX to Washington DC and Harvard Medical School. We anticipate this number will grow as conference restrictions lift from the COVID-19 pandemic.
the HELIOS Lab Research Lifecycle
Quarter by Quarter
“As a pre-med undergraduate, being a recruiter has helped me develop communication skills and allowed me to be engaged in a clinical setting. Working with participants is a highly rewarding process as together we overcome language barriers and most importantly build a bond of trust.”
If you have any questions about the curriculum, please email thehelioslab@hs.uci.edu.