2015-2016 Harvard Medical School Application Thread

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ElCapone said:
Alrighty kiddos, after reading all the stuff on this thread, I've decided it's time for Uncle Capone's tough talk:

You've got people going to Hah-vadh. You've got people going to Top 10 schools. You've got people going to schools you've never heard of.

Guess what? None of this matters. Plenty of kids at Harvard are going to waste every opportunity given to them over those 4 years, and they're going to fade away into nothingness. I mean, how many Elon Musks and Karl Deisseroths has NP/Pathways and HST created?

On the other hand, there are going to be kids at schools like UTMB who are going to work their tails off, and make a name for themselves.

Case and point? It's a marathon, not a sprint. And you don't need Harvard or Yale or WashU to reach your full potential. Keep your head up, and in the words of a prominent former governor of Alaska, "Don't retreat. Reload. Fire."
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Okay, Mike Ross, just because you didn't actually get into Harvard but still landed a job at Pearson-Specter-Litt...
 
asw98 said:
Email
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I still haven't received my pre-II rejection. I've known that I've been rejected ever since they stopped sending out II, but it would be nice to get an official notice from them anyways
 
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Sir.SavaLottaLife said:
I have to imagine that the interview at HMS is not very important in the process. Going based on what I've heard:

Many current students during my visit and some current accepted students on sdn saying they had bad interviews.
Several rejected / WL applicants saying they felt good about their interview and receiving generous compliments/praise.
The process of how a large committee votes on you (including many students) and the steps leading to that last vote.

It just seems like unless you have a very bad interview, it doesn't matter much. There is at least definitely a contrast between HMS and other schools (i.e. Stanford) where if you don't have a good interview, you wont get in.
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I would have to disagree as my interviewer told me the details of how decisions are made post-interview. He said if both of your interviewers do not agree that you should move on, your app won't make it to the committee meeting (and if your app does make it to the final committee meeting, then it has quite a good chance of acceptance). Seems like the interview is crucial…

I imagine that after post-interview screening, whoever is left would be anyone HMS would be willing to take. Then the committee just picks students based on their objectives/goals/criteria for the year's class and what they want in the class (it may have nothing to do with you not being qualified).
 
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theboatman said:
My interviewer also told me that "she looked forward to seeing me at HMS next year..."
Gave me a strong sense of false hope..
I hope interviewers realize how significant statements like this are to us dreamers.
Oh well, lucky to have some other fabulous options...
Good luck to everyone in making their decisions!
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Ha I think interviewers do that to make you feel good or at ease. I was told the same thing at another school and bam, WL.
 
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MaxPlancker said:
I would have to disagree as my interviewer told me the details of how decisions are made post-interview. He said if both of your interviewers do not agree that you should move on, your app won't make it to the committee meeting (and if your app does make it to the final committee meeting, then it has quite a good chance of acceptance). Seems like the interview is crucial…

I imagine that after post-interview screening, whoever is left would be anyone HMS would be willing to take. Then the committee just picks students based on their objectives/goals/criteria for the year's class and what they want in the class (it may have nothing to do with you not being qualified).
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You are probably correct, but I don't think that just because your interviewers decide if you move on necessarily means that your interview "performance" is a crucial factor. I imagine a situation in that the interviews review your application to decide if you are "good enough". After all, the interviewers are most likely not the ones who invited you to the interview to begin with, so they may not be quite as impressed with your qualifications/essays as the person who did invite you.

Likewise, I think that your interviewers may really like your application, even if you didn't give them the best interview. At the very least, it seems like there's plenty of bias involved.
 
Sir.SavaLottaLife said:
You are probably correct, but I don't think that just because your interviewers decide if you move on necessarily means that your interview "performance" is a crucial factor. I imagine a situation in that the interviews review your application to decide if you are "good enough". After all, the interviewers are most likely not the ones who invited you to the interview to begin with, so they may not be quite as impressed with your qualifications/essays as the person who did invite you.

Likewise, I think that your interviewers may really like your application, even if you didn't give them the best interview. At the very least, it seems like there's plenty of bias involved.
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Agree with you completely.
 
omnxbeast said:
Can any MS1's (new curriculum) give a brief overview of what a day (or week) in the life looks like for you?
i.e. Monday 8-12 - [blah], lunch, 3-5 [blah]

Also, could you comment on any changes that might have been made since early on with the new curriculum? I remember on interview day people seemed to be unhappy, but I assume it has probably improved immensely! Thanks!
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On my interview day (November), the students seemed quite happy. Many said that early on the prep work required for the PBL sessions the following day included prep of 6-8 hours a night which was unfeasible; students let the administration know and soon the load was made much more manageable. I think they are tweaking continuously and monitoring the new curriculum closely so I wouldn't worry too much! I definitely got the sense that the students and administration had good ongoing feedback about the new curriculum.
 
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Congratulations to everyone accepted!

For those of you waitlisted...when do you think we will receive the "letter confirming our waitlist status, a response form, and financial aid information"?
 
Out of curiosity, is there a portal change for those rejected pre-II? Still no word from them on my end :'D
 
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LOL. just got my pre-interview rejection letter. Well I thought they'd forgotten about me.
 
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medicalCPA said:
I just got mine too! All my rejections are in now. I only have two schools to hear back from before my cycle is over.
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I remember seeing you on the Yale thread...so we both have that left at least. The things I'd do to hear good news next week...lol
 
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Yup, rejected pre-II earlier this afternoon. Not surprised in the slightest!
 
It also looks like you can take Brigham circle to science park via the green line. You'd probably be able to leave around 5:45
 
after_the_flood said:
It also looks like you can take Brigham circle to science park via the green line. You'd probably be able to leave around 5:45
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Well, here's what I'll say which is there has to be a way that it works because there's just no way that most people keep cars. Longwood is a terrible area to try to keep a car.

It's possible folks just take the T. You'd hop on Longwood to Park to Charles/MGH and that starts at like 4am.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app
 
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after_the_flood said:
And they run early enough to be there on time for your rotations?
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This is something people are still trying to figure out. As far as I know, we have not received many details on PCE schedules (maybe some of the other current students can chime in if they have heard any tips from 2nd, 3rd, or 4th years). I've heard that surgery starts early so that may be an issue, but I'm not too worried. It's worked in previous years, so I'm sure that things will be fine.

The good thing is that you don't really have to worry about this until your second year. If you choose to live in Vandy, you should be good to get anywhere on time for the first year (whether it is public transport, free shuttles, or ride sharing with other Vandy folks). From what I've heard, a lot of the people assigned to MGH are planning on moving out of Vandy in the next few months.
 
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Tupacca said:
This is something people are still trying to figure out. As far as I know, we have not received many details on PCE schedules (maybe some of the other current students can chime in if they have heard any tips from 2nd, 3rd, or 4th years). I've heard that surgery starts early so that may be an issue, but I'm not too worried. It's worked in previous years, so I'm sure that things will be fine.

The good thing is that you don't really have to worry about this until your second year. If you choose to live in Vandy, you should be good to get anywhere on time for the first year (whether it is public transport, free shuttles, or ride sharing with other Vandy folks). From what I've heard, a lot of the people assigned to MGH are planning on moving out of Vandy in the next few months.
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This. Students take the Partners shuttle, the T, uber (if you split it between a few people it can be cheaper than the T!), bike, etc. A few overachievers even jog to MGH in the morning. Many of the students assigned to MGH are planning to move to apartments much closer to the hospital. I've heard of a few problems with getting to/from MGH in a reasonable time over the past few months, and the faculty are generally understanding.
 
If any current students could answer some questions, that would be great! Can't wait til second look :)

1) What percent match into their top choice? Obviously the match list is godly but just curious.
2) Anyone making a FB group?
 
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two more questions:
1. does harvard pay for revisit/provide travel assistance?
2. any idea what date is white coat ceremony? family is way too excited and wants to start planning haha
 
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Will there be an orientation before August 1st?
 
Did anyone else on the WL get the info packet in te mail today?

Contrary to the email they sent it says 30 on the pathways WL and 25 on the one for HST.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app
 
Congrats to everyone that got in!

Now a sobering piece of advice, take some time to feel proud of getting in, and then choose another school. Harvard is not worth it, don't let them lie to you. I might be a jaded 2nd year, but this place has consistently disappointed me and many of my classmates. I wish I had gone basically anywhere else. PBL is a waste of time, most faculty only care about research, and the school does not give a damn about students (See examples such as: the high unit loan and generally bad financial aid; changing step 1 date for 2nd years with no prior warning; changing fee policies with no warning, now a 5th research year will cost us 15k without any opportunity for financial aid - by comparison most other top institutions pay you to do research instead of the other way around; town hall meetings where the faculty steamroll our comments and just ignore us; overall logistical nightmares filled with staggering ineptitude, ranging from scheduling to "lotteries" for hospitals/etc; and many other "fun" parts of HMS -.-). The Harvard promise is that you will pay tuition and then just have to teach yourself everything from pathoma, first aid and uworld. I've never had such badly managed courses. My expectations have become so low, that I'm counting the days when I can leave the Harvard system and never come back.
 
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shoopshoop said:
two more questions:
1. does harvard pay for revisit/provide travel assistance?
2. any idea what date is white coat ceremony? family is way too excited and wants to start planning haha
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1. Sorry, don't expect any money or assistance from Harvard. Students will pair you with a host, and student council will use part of its fairly limited budget to ensure you all have a good time in term of acrivities.

2. They'll email out once they figure it out. We are not exactly a priority, so it'll depend on when the room they use is not being used for other things.
 
shoopshoop said:
two more questions:
1. does harvard pay for revisit/provide travel assistance?
2. any idea what date is white coat ceremony? family is way too excited and wants to start planning haha
Click to expand...
To answer question one. There has been assistance in the past (and I imagine there will be this year). I think it's typically reserved for those that fall under disadvantaged status. I'm sure they'll send out info soon.

Edit-Not actually sure it's only for disadvantaged students.
 
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Tupacca said:
To answer question one. There has been assistance in the past (and I imagine there will be this year). I think it's typically reserved for those that fall under disadvantaged status. I'm sure they'll send out info soon.
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I can confirm they have financial assistance to attend revisit, and it seems like the assistance varies depending on where you are coming from.
 
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Would any current students care to respond to GotMedicals post?
 
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Current MS4 chiming in - talk to first year students at revisit about the curriculum. The traditional PBL that GotMedicals and I went through is now gone in favor of a different kind of group-based learning. In general, I hear first year students are pretty happy about it. The one problem I had with PBL was that it felt like the blind leading the blind sometimes when you didn't have a good faculty facilitator. With the new curriculum, the goal is to have a core set of faculty who know the pedagogy and can facilitate it well year after year so all students have the same classroom learning experience.

Although many faculty do care about research, I've found that a number care very much about education. HMS is beginning to actively promote faculty based on their teaching and medical education portfolios rather than solely based on their research contributions. The new society deans that were announced have all been pivotal teachers, and I've actually heard an undercurrent of criticism floating around that they aren't the big name researchers like society deans in the past. As a student, I'm ecstatic that these faculty have been chosen because they have been the closest to us "on the ground" so to speak, and I think they're going to be great advisors.

I can't comment on town hall meetings, as I have not been to any. Financial aid is a personal decision that you'll have to weigh when you choose between schools. Lotteries are now gone as all incoming students are randomized to a hospital so that the hospital where you start seeing patients during the first year is the hospital where you will complete all of your core clinical rotations. Having rotated at all three hospitals, I can firmly say that third year at any of the hospitals is like drinking through a firehose. There will not be a lack of opportunity to learn medicine well.

I've had a very positive experience here and I would wholeheartedly choose HMS again if I had to go back and make the decision. The one criticism I have is that I felt very rushed deciding on a specialty. Many of my friends ended up taking 5th years because the timeline was too close to be competitive for certain specialties. That will likely change with the new curriculum as students will finish clinical rotations in year II and have much more time to build up their application in terms of field-focused research, volunteer work, etc.

I also think GotMedicals' feedback is very important to consider as HMS is not for every person, and the more opinions you hear the better. Come to revisit and talk to us in person! Congrats to everyone, and happy to answer any other questions you have.
 
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Silverwing said:
Current MS4 chiming in - talk to first year students at revisit about the curriculum. The traditional PBL that GotMedicals and I went through is now gone in favor of a different kind of group-based learning. In general, I hear first year students are pretty happy about it. The one problem I had with PBL was that it felt like the blind leading the blind sometimes when you didn't have a good faculty facilitator. With the new curriculum, the goal is to have a core set of faculty who know the pedagogy and can facilitate it well year after year so all students have the same classroom learning experience.

Although many faculty do care about research, I've found that a number care very much about education. HMS is beginning to actively promote faculty based on their teaching and medical education portfolios rather than solely based on their research contributions. The new society deans that were announced have all been pivotal teachers, and I've actually heard an undercurrent of criticism floating around that they aren't the big name researchers like society deans in the past. As a student, I'm ecstatic that these faculty have been chosen because they have been the closest to us "on the ground" so to speak, and I think they're going to be great advisors.

I can't comment on town hall meetings, as I have not been to any. Financial aid is a personal decision that you'll have to weigh when you choose between schools. Lotteries are now gone as all incoming students are randomized to a hospital so that the hospital where you start seeing patients during the first year is the hospital where you will complete all of your core clinical rotations. Having rotated at all three hospitals, I can firmly say that third year at any of the hospitals is like drinking through a firehose. There will not be a lack of opportunity to learn medicine well.

I've had a very positive experience here and I would wholeheartedly choose HMS again if I had to go back and make the decision. The one criticism I have is that I felt very rushed deciding on a specialty. Many of my friends ended up taking 5th years because the timeline was too close to be competitive for certain specialties. That will likely change with the new curriculum as students will finish clinical rotations in year II and have much more time to build up their application in terms of field-focused research, volunteer work, etc.

I also think GotMedicals' feedback is very important to consider as HMS is not for every person, and the more opinions you hear the better. Come to revisit and talk to us in person! Congrats to everyone, and happy to answer any other questions you have.
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Can you elaborate on who Harvard is for? What kind of people succeed?
 
I'm continually glad to be here but there are logistical problems at times, as you'd expect anywhere you have 160+ students' educations being managed. I would caution anyone not to make a decision until consulting more students. Most notably, Gotmedical's class and my class have experienced changes that will mostly be smoothed by the time you matriculate.

Point-by-point, and in perfect candor:

Gotmedical said:
Harvard is not worth it
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You have to decide what you want out of medical school before matriculating. Harvard has an excellent research infrastructure, top training hospitals, great global health, and many more things that I'm probably not aware of.

Gotmedical said:
PBL is a waste of time,
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I have heard this critique from some current 2nd years, while others have very good groups. It's no longer relevant as a first year and will not be relevant to your class. I encourage you to talk to current first year students about their experiences. Mine has been great, though there's a large amount of work every afternoon.

Gotmedical said:
most faculty only care about research
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This has also largely changed- the faculty who teach in the new curriculum dedicate many hours to teaching. As a result, only those with a commitment to teaching do so. There have been a handful of less-effective teachers, but that largely hasn't been because of research conflicts.


Gotmedical said:
the school does not give a damn about students (See examples such as: the high unit loan and generally bad financial aid; changing step 1 date for 2nd years with no prior warning; changing fee policies with no warning, now a 5th research year will cost us 15k without any opportunity for financial aid - by comparison most other top institutions pay you to do research instead of the other way around
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This issue is still being decided, at least per a discussion I heard this afternoon. It does sound like there will be a 15k fee for 5th year students. Students can still seek paid research positions/fellowships in the same way they had been able to before. All the same, this is something to bring up in the financial aid discussions (I imagine this will all be decided by Revisit time).

To Gotmedical's point, I have heard from second years that the transition to taking Step 1 after the wards was botched (there wasn't a lot of forewarning offered).

Gotmedical said:
overall logistical nightmares filled with staggering ineptitude, ranging from scheduling to "lotteries" for hospitals/etc
Click to expand...

All incoming students will be randomized to complete their first year clinical training (and subsequently their clerkship year) at either Brigham and Women's, Beth Israel Deaconess or Massachusetts General Hospital. I would actually want the lottery to come back - at any rate, this isn't different from the situation at my undergrad med school, and likely most other schools.

Gotmedical said:
The Harvard promise is that you will pay tuition and then just have to teach yourself everything from pathoma, first aid and uworld. I've never had such badly managed courses
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I think this is a perennial med student worry - how much Step 1 material is covered in class versus self-taught. I think an upper year would be best positioned to talk about this.

I will say that going to med school (at least for me) has opened opportunities that I couldn't have dreamed of - I think some extra review for USMLE would be well worth what I've gained.
 
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after_the_flood said:
Can you elaborate on who Harvard is for? What kind of people succeed?
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I don't think there's one specific type of student that always succeeds as people thrive in different ways. A healthy dose of initiative and willingness to roll with the punches, however, makes life a lot easier. Initiative helps you stay focused on seeking out resources and opportunities instead of waiting for them to appear. Flexibility makes you a good team player and keeps you optimistic when things don't go as planned.
 
It's student-dependent. Most students don't do research in the first year, and it's very hard to juggle for those who do decide to do research. If it's something important to you, I'd advise getting started the summer *before* M1 - maybe come to Boston a few weeks early and find a summer sublet (very easy to do). You'll of course need to run this by the PI you want to work with to make sure you can get access to the research buildings. All this said, there are definitely students who spend all of their free time in lab.

For most students, there will be at least 4 months of dedicated scholarly project time in 3rd year. Based on your clinical elective choices, I imagine you'll be able to do more research afterwards, too.

omnxbeast said:
@youououa do you ever actually have any time to take advantage of all the 'research' that is surrounding you
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omnxbeast said:
Lots of prospective students are in it...you can just send a request to join and they'll approve.
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Yeah I actually just saw that someone has already added me but the admin hasn't approved. It was actually funny, I searched for it and when I saw that my status was "pending" I actually had a moment where I was like wow, did I request to join in my sleep? Haha
 
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