Participation in an EWH chapter raises awareness among students of health care challenges that characterize the developing world as well as the medical technology issues unique to resource-poor settings. Chapters also provide ways for members to contribute to solutions. This may be the first time that engineering students have seen their chosen profession in this context and understood their potential to make lasting contributions to improving the lives of people who live in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.

EWH provides support and advice to chapter members who wish to evaluate and repair medical equipment donated to developing world hospitals, design appropriate technologies, build medical devices for distribution to the developing world, or travel to developing countries to provide engineering support to local hospitals. Some EWH programs, such as the EWH Design Competition, are exclusively available to chapter members.

For a small annual fee, chapter members can also become EWH Affiliates and gain access to additional benefits. Eligibility to apply for travel grants for joint chapter activities and spring break service trips, or fellowships to join one of the EWH Summer Institutes are only a few of the benefits of individual affiliation.