Before medical students hit the books, they hit the streets of St. Louis, where their ideals meet face-to-face the realities of health care in America.

The Washington University Medical Plunge (WUMP) is a four-day orientation program providing first year medical students an overview of health care and public health in St. Louis through lectures, site visits, and public health service projects. WUMP provides students an introduction to the social determinants of health, highlights the message of culturally competent health care and offers an excellent opportunity for service learning.